Duckworth Calls for Investments in National Labs at Fermilab 50th Anniversary Celebration

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory’s (Fermilab) 50^thAnniversary Celebration. Duckworth touted Fermilab’s achievements as one of Illinois’s crown jewels of scientific innovation, stressing the importance of protecting and expanding science funding. A photo of the event is available here.

“It is an honor to congratulate Fermilab on 50 years of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and technological innovation,” said Duckworth. “Our national labs not only help keep our nation competitive in a global economy, they also bring jobs and economic development to our state. I will continue my work to protect against any efforts from the Trump Administration to undermine our national labs, and I look forward to continuing my work to ensure Illinois remains on the cutting edge of scientific innovation.”

Duckworth, a member of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee which has jurisdiction over National Laboratories, recently introduced a resolution cosponsored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) – which passed the Senate unanimously – congratulating Fermilab on 50 years of groundbreaking discoveries. Despite Fermilab’s many scientific achievements, the Trump budget proposal would cut its funding, resulting in job losses. Fermilab primarily draws its funding from the Department of Energy's Office of Science, which the President proposed reducing by nearly 20 percent.

Earlier this month, Senators Duckworth and Durbin led 24 of their colleagues in writing to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development to express their strong support for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. Instead of cutting its funding by nearly 20 percent, the Senators requested at least $5.4 billion – which is slightly more than last year’s budget – be provided in funding in the upcoming fiscal year.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), United States Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory located in Batavia, Illinois, is America's premier particle physics and accelerator laboratory. This world-renowned facility generates cutting-edge research with national and global partners to develop new technologies that support U.S. industrial competitiveness and make groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

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