Newsletter: The Duckworth Diarby

Statement

Dear Neighbors,

Over the weekend, I announced the winner of the 2014 High School Art Competition, Marco Gomez, of Hoffman Estates. Marco is a senior at Hoffman Estates High School. His art piece was titled Winter Solitude, and was done with Pastel Pencil. His piece will be displayed in the Capitol along with winning pieces from Congressional Districts across the country.

On Tuesday, I attended the GI Film Festival. By preserving the stories of our Veterans, the GI Film Festival does great work to honor their sacrifices and share their experiences.

This week, the MOM Act passed the House of Representatives with 79 bipartisan cosponsors as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill would extend maternity leave for military service members from 6 weeks to 12 weeks. I am hopeful the Senate will vote on this important legislation. 17 other provisions that I authored were also included in the NDAA, including a bi-partisan amendment that I offered with the Chairman of the Small Business Committee. This amendment will strengthen our small businesses by requiring 25% of all Department of Defense contracts to be awarded to small businesses.

I was also asked to join the House Select Committee on Benghazi. I am proud to serve on this committee to continue to search for the truth about the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these brave Americans. I want to make sure that no American Diplomat, no American life, no American Service Member, is ever put in the same kind of jeopardy again.

On Thursday, I hosted a telephone town hall on the topic of preserving Social Security and Medicare. I heard from constituents from across the District on why these programs are so important to them. I also reminded listeners about the constituent services my office provides. If you or a loved one need assistance with these programs, or any other issue, please reach out to my District office at 847-413-1959.

This weekend, we celebrate Memorial Day. It is a day dedicated to our loved ones who served our country and did not make it home. We can never fully repay the debt owed to the brave men and women who laid down their lives for our country, but we can honor their courage by upholding our duty to support our Veterans, members of the military and their families.

I hope you are having a great week.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Duckworth

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