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Amid Trump's Threats to Critical Agriculture Support Programs, Duckworth Discusses Agricultural Priorities with Illinois Farm Bureau

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus—met with Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Brian Duncan and IFB members to discuss shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from today’s meeting can be found on the Senator’s website. “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue

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Durbin Meets Illinois Members Of The Ukrainian Congress Committee Of America

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today met with Illinois members of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) who are in Washington, D.C. for their “Ukraine Days” advocacy effort. During the meeting, they discussed Putin’s unjustified and unprovoked war in Ukraine, President Trump’s continued manipulation by Russian President Putin, and what Congress can do to help our Ukrainian allies. They also discussed Durbin’s bill that prohibits the United States from recognizing the Russian Federation’s claim of sovereignty over Crimea or any other forcibly seized Ukrainian territory. “The Chicago-area is home to thousands of Ukrainian Americans. I am fortunate to represent them in the U.S. Senate, and I welcomed them to the Capitol today,” said Durbin. “During our meeting, we discussed this Administration’s failure to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

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Durbin In Defense Appropriations Hearing: Money Should Be Put Into Medical Research For Troops, Not Wasted On Pomp And Circumstance For The President

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today participated in a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing to review the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Defense (DOD). During the hearing, Durbin reprimanded Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for drastically cutting funding for defense medical research while claiming to support the service members who have experienced physical or mental trauma from their military service. In their exchange, Durbin expressed his frustration that military members and veterans will suffer because the Trump Administration has slashed funding at DOD and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for medical research on new treatments for devastating diseases and injuries. “I was surprised to learn that medical research has discovered the probability that men and women who serve our nation develop certain cancers more prevalent among them

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Durbin Questions Witnesses At Spotlight Forum On The Trump Administration's Abuse Of Immigrants To Attack Our Constitutional Order

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned witnesses during a spotlight forum entitled “Cruel and Unamerican: The Abuse of Immigrants to Attack our Constitutional Order.” Durbin first questioned Ximena Arias-Cristobal, a 19-year-old Dreamer, who was wrongfully arrested after being misidentified at a traffic stop, about her experience with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. “What a heartbreaking story you’ve told us. Two and a half weeks in prison… were there any others circumstances that had been arrested by ICE or authorities for immigration issues?” Durbin asked. Ms. Arias-Cristobal responded that there were many people in the same situation as her. She said, “a lot of people were ripped away from the comfort of their own home, a lot of them walking on the side of the street, and a lot of them went to their court date and got

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LC's College for Life Earns $10,000 Cargill Grant

4 weeks ago
GODFREY – The College for Life program at Lewis and Clark Community College has won a $10,000 Cargill grant through the company’s Community Engagement and Giving program. The check was presented June 10 at a brief ceremony on the college’s Godfrey Campus by Joe Fletcher, a Cargill strategic account representative and parent of a College for Life student. It was Fletcher who informed program leaders of the grant opportunity. “I’m humbled and proud to announced that Cargill’s Community Cares program has donated $10,000 to College for Life,” he said. “We hope this gift helps create transformative opportunities for College for Life students, helping them compete, grow and connect. This is not just a donation, this is a commitment to the brighter – more inclusive – future we all envision.” According to Access and Accommodations Interim Director Emily DeGrand, College for Life intends to use the funds in a couple of different

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Duckworth Presses FAA Administrator Nominee to Uphold 1,500-Hour Pilot Training Standards, Trump's Nominee Refuses

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) and Ranking Member of the CST Aviation Subcommittee—pressed Federal Aviation Administrator nominee Bryan Bedford to commit to upholding the strong 1,500-hour certification standard for our nation’s pilots and strengthening the FAA’s oversight of Boeing at his confirmation hearing. In light of Mr. Bedford’s previous comments against the 1,500-hour rule, Duckworth raised concerns that Mr. Bedford would unilaterally attempt to weaken this standard and produce less-prepared pilots in the immediate aftermath of our nation experiencing the first major deadly commercial crash in more than a decade, amid a surge in near-misses with an air traffic controller shortage and aging controller equipment. When Duckworth asked Mr. Bedford for his commitment to not reduce the 1,500-hour rule if confirmed, Mr. Bedford refused

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Budzinski Presses Ag Secretary Rollins on Woefully Insufficient USDA Budget, Cancelling of Local Food Program

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins during a House Agriculture Committee hearing where she raised serious concerns with President Trump’s budget proposal for USDA that suggests slashing funding for agriculture research, nutrition assistance, and conservation. She cited the recent testimony of farmers to the House Agriculture Committee, in which they shared how conservation programs, which the President seeks to eliminate, have helped improve their livelihoods. “The idea that we would take away opportunities to improve farmers’ livelihoods - and to completely eliminate Conservation Technical Assistance, which farmers have told this committee directly that they rely on - is ridiculous,” said Congresswoman Budzinski. She also highlighted Secretary Rollins’ misguided decision to eliminate the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) and the Local Foods

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Governor Pritzker Awards $1.3 Million to 29 Manufacturing Companies Through Made in Illinois Grant Program

4 weeks ago
PEORIA – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) today announced the recipients of the 2025 Made in Illinois Grant Program. This year, 29 small and mid-sized manufacturers across Illinois are receiving a combined $1.35 million in capital grant funding to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth in the state’s vital manufacturing sector. The program is part of Illinois’ broader commitment to support the state’s manufacturers while bolstering the manufacturing ecosystem. “Illinois is a globally-recognized manufacturing hub and the Made in Illinois Program is designed to support the small and mid-size manufacturers that make up a crucial part of our economy,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This grant program helps companies access resources to become more competitive, enhance economic development, attract capital, and bring jobs to communities

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Duckworth, Murray, Booker, Schumer Renew Push to Protect IVF Amid Ongoing GOP Attacks Against Reproductive Freedom

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Muray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today led 25 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would establish a nationwide right to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Ever since Roe was repealed by Donald Trump’s Supreme Court majority, Republicans’ ongoing assault against reproductive freedom has threatened Americans’ access to IVF services—as evidenced by the Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year that shut down state clinics and painted IVF parents and their doctors as criminals. The Protect IVF Act would protect against such attacks by creating a statutory right for patients to access IVF services, a right for doctors to provide IVF treatment in accordance with medical standards as well as a right for insurance carriers to cover IVF without prohibition, limitation, interference or impediment. By establishing a statutory

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Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On The Privacy & National Security Implications Of The 23andMe Bankruptcy

4 weeks ago
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy.” Today’s hearing will examine the bankruptcy of 23andMe, Inc., and the potential sale of the company’s database of customers’ personal genetic information. The hearing also will provide an opportunity to examine policy and ethical issues associated with the collection and use of personal genetic information, the need for a comprehensive federal data privacy law in the United States, and the treatment of consumer data privacy in the bankruptcy process. Key Quotes: “In short, 23andMe has access to deeply personal information about you and your health. Information that you would normally want to keep private—between you, your family, and your doctor. Yet no

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Confluence Academies, others team up for tornado aid

4 weeks ago
ST. LOUIS - From food to clothing to supplies of all kinds, Confluence Academies and the Little Bit Foundation came together to help Confluence families affected by the May 16 tornado. โ€œToday we are working in collaboration with the Little Bit Foundation to provide all of our families and the community support services,โ€ said Leslie [...]
Patrick Clark

STL schools hit by tornado temporarily relocate for new year

4 weeks ago
ST. LOUIS - At least six St. Louis public schools that were hit hard by the May 16 tornado wonโ€™t reopen in time for the new school year. The announcement came in, informing students and teachers that they will have to relocate. District officials said the damage was too severe to safely reopen the six [...]
Kelley Hoskins

Homicide investigation underway following shooting in Spanish Lake

4 weeks ago
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - The St. Louis County Police Department (SLCPD) is investigating a neighborhood in Spanish Lake following the discovery of a body Wednesday afternoon. According to SLCPD, officials were alerted to a shooting around the 1100 block of Ruesta Drive shortly after 4 p.m. Upon their arrival at the scene, police discovered [...]
Daesha Gear