Press Releases
Duckworth and Matsui Join Forces to Reduce Hunger and Improve Health Through Community Gardening
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), whose family relied on food stamps in her youth, introduced a resolution today during Hunger Action Month to reduce hunger and improve health around the country by promoting community gardens and the positive impacts they have on local communities. The resolution, if passed, would designate a National Community Gardening Awareness Week during the last week of September to support the gardens nationwide. Congresswoman Doris Matsui … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $42 Million for Head Start Programs Throughout Chicagoland
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $42,437,193 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in the greater Chicago area. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in the Chicago area a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $8 Million for Head Start Programs in Metro East
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $8,583,162 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs throughout the Metro East. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in Metro East a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood education and … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $12 Million for Head Start Programs in Central Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $11,979,331 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs throughout Central Illinois. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in Central Illinois a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $3 Million for Head Start Programs in Rockford
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $3,213,794 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Rockford, Illinois. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in Rockford a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood education and parental … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $4 Million for Head Start Programs in Peoria
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $4,596,792 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Peoria, Illinois. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in Peoria a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood education and parental … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Nearly $6 Million for Head Start Programs in Western Illinois
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families has awarded a total of $5,821,199 to support Head Start and Early Head Start programs throughout the Quad Cities. "I'm proud to support programs like Head Start that give children in Western Illinois a fairer shot at reaching their full potential," Duckworth said. "When we invest in childhood education … Continue Reading
September 27, 2017
Duckworth Calls on Disaster Response Agencies to Improve Coordinated Relief Efforts
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) highlighted the need for better coordination between disaster response agencies to ensure communities and businesses - including those in rural areas - affected by natural disasters have access to the resources and aid they need to recover. Duckworth also stressed the need for disaster relief in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are home to more than 3.5 million U.S. citizens, to help them recover from the devastation caused … Continue Reading
September 26, 2017
Duckworth Statement on Trump Tax Reform Plan
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Following President Trump's announcement on his principles for tax reform, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "I want to work with both Republicans and Democrats to pass tax reform that is comprehensive and helps Illinois's small businesses and middle-class families. Unfortunately, the plan the President unveiled today had different priorities. He would run up the deficit by giving massive tax cuts for large corporations and the … Continue Reading
September 26, 2017
Duckworth & Durbin Call on Congress to Immediately Provide Disaster Assistance for Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined 9 of their colleagues in writing to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan urging them to take immediate action on disaster relief legislation for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are home to more than 3.5 million U.S. citizens, to help them recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico and the U.S. … Continue Reading
September 26, 2017
Duckworth Statement on Status of Graham-Cassidy Healthcare Bill
[WASHINGTON, DC] - Following an announcement that the Senate will not vote on the Graham-Cassidy healthcare bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "This is the result of so many Americans speaking up and letting Senate Republicans know that it is unacceptable to rush through legislation that would rob millions of their health insurance. I urge my Republican colleagues to set Trumpcare aside and finally leave this … Continue Reading
September 24, 2017
Duckworth Statement on Trump’s Indefinite Discriminatory Travel Ban
[WASHINGTON, DC] - In response to President Trump's latest illogical and discriminatory travel ban, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "It's disappointing to see President Trump continue his discriminatory attempts to ban people from our country because of their religion. As the daughter of an immigrant, I know firsthand how immigrants make our country a better place. Turning people away simply because of the place they were born or the religion they … Continue Reading
September 24, 2017
Duckworth & Durbin to President: Do More to Address Crisis in Cairo, Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) are asking President Trump to form a Cabinet-level task force to address the housing, health and economic crises in Cairo, Illinois. In calling for the new task force focused on Cairo, the Senators highlighted that because the Federal government played a significant role in the city's economic decline, it should also play an active role in its revival and recovery. "Cairo was once home to bustling … Continue Reading
September 21, 2017
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $100 Million in Federal Funding to Upgrade Public Transit in Chicago
[CHICAGO, IL] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $100 million in federal funding to support the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) Red and Purple Modernization (RPM) Program and improve accessibility and safety on CTA public transit. This funding comes through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Capital Investment Program (CIP), which provides roughly $2.3 billion each year to support light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail, streetcar and bus … Continue Reading
September 21, 2017
Duckworth Hosts Local Homelessness and Housing Organizations Roundtable
[CHICAGO, IL] -U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a roundtable where she heard from homelessness advocates and local housing leaders, yesterday. Duckworth discussed the President's proposed cuts to eliminate U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) funding and slash the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) budget. A photo of the discussion is available here. "USICH and HUD do important work to fight homelessness, but the ACA is also a critical component … Continue Reading
September 21, 2017
Duckworth Meets with Federal Highway Administration Nominee Paul Trombino
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met with Paul Trombino, the President's nominee to be the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), this week. As a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Duckworth will participate in Mr. Trombino's anticipated confirmation hearing on October 5. A photograph of the meeting is available here. "I spoke with Mr. Trombino about our nation's roads and highways to ensure that they remain safe and … Continue Reading
September 20, 2017
Duckworth: Investments in Workforce Development Key to Growing Good-Paying Illinois Jobs
[PARK FOREST, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) highlighted her efforts to support workforce development programs throughout Illinois at a roundtable today with community leaders from the greater Chicago area. Duckworth discussed her Community College to Career Fund (CC2C) Act, which would encourage collaboration between small businesses and community colleges to develop workforce training programs and curricula that reduce the "skills gap" that makes it harder for graduates to find … Continue Reading
September 20, 2017
Duckworth Statement in Opposition to Graham-Cassidy-Heller Healthcare Plan
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement on the Graham-Cassidy-Heller healthcare bill, which Senate Republicans just announced they intend to bring up for a vote next week: "It's a shame that Senate Republicans have abandoned bipartisan efforts to improve our healthcare system and are once again trying to rush through legislation to overhaul one-fifth of our economy before the American people have even had a chance to look at it. Like … Continue Reading
September 19, 2017
Senate Passes Several Duckworth Amendments to Help Small Businesses, Make Government More Efficient & Prevent Low-Income Servicemembers from Going Hungry
[WASHINGTON, DC] - The Senate tonight overwhelmingly passed four proposals authored by combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) as part of the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). If the NDAA - which passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote of 89-8 - becomes law, Duckworth's provisions will help prevent low-income Servicemembers from going hungry, make it easier for small businesses to get Department of Defense contracts, make government federal contracting … Continue Reading
September 18, 2017
Duckworth Champions Voting Rights Expansion Amid Attacks on the Right to Vote
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) criticized the Trump Administration's efforts to disenfranchise American citizens and reiterated her call for Congress to strengthen voting rights by passing the Pre-Registration of Voters Everywhere (PROVE Act), which she recently introduced to help reduce the barriers to voting for young Americans. "President Trump's so-called 'election integrity' commission has led an unprecedented attack on our voting rights by manufacturing … Continue Reading
