Press Releases
Ahead of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, Duckworth, Casey & Blumenthal Re-Introduce Bill to Make Fitness Facilities More Accessible for People with Disabilities
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bob Casey (D-PA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) re-introduced legislation today to make fitness facilities across America more accessible for those with disabilities. The Exercise and Fitness for All Act would establish new federal guidelines to help ensure people with disabilities have the same opportunity to use fitness facilities as their able-bodied peers, and it would allow small businesses to use the Disabled Access Tax Credit to … Continue Reading
April 30, 2019
Duckworth Hosts Mobile Office Hours in Calumet City
[CALUMET CITY, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted "Mobile Office Hours" in Calumet City, where her constituent service representatives were on hand to assist Illinoisans with receiving Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits. Additional Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to travel to one of the Senator's offices an opportunity to … Continue Reading
April 26, 2019
Returning to Iraq for First Time Since Being Shot Down, Duckworth Leads Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Middle East
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - This week, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Iraq, joining U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Angus King (I-ME) on an official trip to the Middle East. The Senators traveled to Baghdad, Taji, and Erbil, where they met with Iraq's top leaders and received operational and intelligence updates from American diplomats and military commanders in the region. The Senators visited American troops deployed … Continue Reading
April 26, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce Over $300,000 for Southwestern Illinois Head Start Programs
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $383,544 in federal funding to help children from low-income families in Southwestern Illinois access Head Start and Early Head Start programs provided through Community Link. This funding comes through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) that allocates funding, technical assistance, strategic partnerships and … Continue Reading
April 24, 2019
Duckworth Hosts Mobile Office Hours in Bourbonnais and Pontiac
[BOURBONNAIS, IL] - The Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted "Mobile Office Hours" in Bourbonnais and Pontiac, where her constituent service representatives were on hand to assist Illinoisans with receiving Veterans Affairs, Social Security, Medicare and other federal benefits. Additional Mobile Office Hours will take place in communities throughout the state over the coming months to offer constituents who may not be able to drive to one of the Senator's offices an … Continue Reading
April 22, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Join Bipartisan Effort to Secure Full Funding for the Firefighter Cancer Registry
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and 31 of their colleagues in requesting $2.5 million to fully fund the Firefighter Cancer Registry. The registry, which was passed and signed into law last summer, is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and collects and monitors the prevalence, incidence and types of cancers among firefighters. "Full funding for the … Continue Reading
April 22, 2019
On Earth Day, Duckworth, Booker & Carper Announce Creation of Environmental Justice Caucus
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - On Earth Day, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tom Carper (D-DE) announced the creation of the Senate's first-ever Environmental Justice Caucus to call Congress' attention to the many environmental justice issues affecting our nation. The caucus will raise awareness of the many environmental and pollution issues that have created public health challenges, which disproportionately impact low income communities and communities of color. The caucus … Continue Reading
April 19, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $70,000 to Help Create Jobs in South Central Illinois
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced $70,000 in federal funding to help create jobs and support economic growth in South Central Illinois. This funding was awarded to the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission by the Economic Development District Planning Program, a program within the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) that assists communities as they develop and … Continue Reading
April 18, 2019
Duckworth Statement on the Mueller Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following the public release of a heavily-redacted version of the Mueller Report today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "I'm still reviewing the redacted version of the Mueller Report, but what I've read makes it crystal clear that this is anything but an exoneration of Donald Trump's actions. If anything, we now know for certain that Trump repeatedly lied to the American people, inappropriately attempted to end the Special Counsel's … Continue Reading
April 18, 2019
Duckworth Demands Answers from Secretary DeVos After Trump Administration’s Refusal to Implement Rule to Address Racial Discrimination in Special Education
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) and 6 of their colleagues in expressing concerns to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos about her Department's decision to delay implementation of the Equity in IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) rule, which addresses the disproportionately high rate at which students of color are placed in special education settings. The over-identification of students of color into these … Continue Reading
April 18, 2019
Duckworth Statement on Attorney General Barr’s Press Conference on the Mueller Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following Attorney General Barr's press conference on the Mueller Report this morning, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement: "Attorney General Barr's biased press conference this morning was a low point for our nation and the rule of law. It's sad to see the Attorney General of the United States acting as if he were the President's personal lawyer. The American people deserve the opportunity to read the complete findings of Robert Mueller … Continue Reading
April 17, 2019
Duckworth, Warren Call on the IRS to Improve the Tax Refund Process Following Release of GAO Report
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found low-income and minority taxpayers are more likely to use costly tax-time financial products; companies are failing to provide clear, timely information on fees and that the IRS must improve data quality. In their letter, the Senators requested more information on how the IRS can … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Duckworth, Carper and Cardin Urge EPA, Army Corps to Abandon ‘Dirty Water Rule’ Proposal
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At the close of the public comment period, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) led 13 other senators in sending a letter yesterday to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) R.D. James urging them to reverse course on the dangerous Dirty Water Rule proposal to gut the Obama-era … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Announce $2 Million to Support Growing Industries in West Frankfort
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today a $2 million grant to help the City of West Frankfort repurpose the West Frankfort Mall to serve growing industries. The funding for this projection, which is estimated to create 218 jobs and generate $1.5 million in private investment, comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA). "This investment will strengthen West Frankfort's efforts to attract and … Continue Reading
April 15, 2019
Duckworth, Durbin Introduce New Bill to Overhaul Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) and a group of 13 Senators to introduce the What You Can Do for Your Country Act of 2019, new legislation that would overhaul the flawed Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ensure millions of teachers, social workers, members of the military, first responders, nurses, public defenders, and many other public service professionals will … Continue Reading
April 15, 2019
Duckworth Helps Re-Introduce Legislation to Make Tax Preparation and Filing Simpler, More Affordable
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and 9 of their colleagues in introducing a bill to make the tax filing process easier and less costly for millions of American taxpayers. The Tax Filing Simplification Act would return free-filing by directing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to develop a free, online tax preparation and filing service that does not require the sharing of private information with third parties. The … Continue Reading
April 12, 2019
Duckworth, Blackburn Resolution Recognizing Importance of Vaccines Passes Senate
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) yesterday introduced and passed the bipartisan, bicameral Vaccines Save Lives Resolution, recognizing the importance of vaccines and immunizations in the United States. The resolution sends a message of unequivocal Congressional support for vaccines and urges parents, in consultation with their health care provider, to follow scientific evidence and the consensus of medical experts in favor of timely … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Duckworth, Kildee, Peters & Speier Introduce Legislation to Protect Military Families from Lead Exposure
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), along with Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) and Congresswoman Jackie Speier (CA-14), today introduced legislation to protect military families from the threat of lead poisoning in their homes and schools. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead exposure for people of any age. Lead exposure can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and … Continue Reading
April 11, 2019
Duckworth Presses Shanahan, Military Leaders on Space Force Challenges
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - At today's U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Hearing, U.S. Senator and Combat Veteran Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) pressed Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and other military leaders on past space acquisition challenges and their plans to address these challenges in future reorganization efforts. Video of Duckworth's questions at the hearing is available upon request. "Space acquisition is an area where the Air Force has had … Continue Reading
April 10, 2019
Duckworth Meets with Illinoisans Impacted by Gun Violence
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) met today with Illinoisans suffering from our nation's gun violence epidemic to discuss the need to pass legislation that would address the epidemic and save lives, including the Background Check Expansion Act. The advocates are affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization of Americans working to reduce gun violence. Photos from today's meeting are available here. "I was honored to meet with these Illinoisans whose loved … Continue Reading
