{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-hosts-we-cant-afford-this-telephone-town-hall", "Duckworth Hosts \u201cWe Can\u2019t Afford This\u201d Telephone Town Hall", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "IL", "Tammy Duckworth", "D000622", "www.duckworth.senate.gov", "duckworth", "https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) hosted a telephone town hall to hear firsthand how Illinois families are enduring higher grocery, gas and health care costs. During her \u201cWe Can\u2019t Afford This\u201d Telephone Town Hall, Duckworth discussed the devastating consequences that Trump\u2019s Medicaid cuts, tariffs and ongoing illegal war are having on their wallets. She also highlighted her ongoing work to hold the Trump Administration accountable while supporting Illinois families and protecting the essential programs they rely on.\n\n\u201cGrocery bills, energy bills and health care bills are piling up. From Elgin to Romeoville to Chicago, families all across Illinois are telling me the same thing: \u2018We can\u2019t afford this,\u2019\u201d said Senator Duckworth. \u201cDonald Trump promised families he would lower costs and protect their wallets, but instead, he has delivered a cratered economy where Illinoisans are getting left behind. Families deserve better, and I\u2019m laser-focused on doing everything I can to lower costs, protect access to health care and hold this Administration accountable. The damage Republicans have done will take more than a repair job\u2014we need a top-to-bottom renovation that puts families first.\u201d\n\nThe average Illinois household has paid more than $4,200 in higher costs for everyday essentials under the Trump Administration, including an additional $1,091 on housing costs, $310 for groceries and approximately $654 more in gas costs.\n\nEarlier this month, Duckworth hosted a roundtable discussion with local Quad Cities leaders to discuss how they can address what too many Americans are feeling every day: \u201cWe Can\u2019t Afford This.\u201d Over the summer, Duckworth also hosted a telephone town hall and a listening session alongside U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) focusing on the devastating consequences of Trump\u2019s so-called \u201cBig Beautiful Bill\u201d one year later, including cuts that jeopardize health care, food assistance and economic security for thousands of Illinoisans.\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-hosts-we-cant-afford-this-telephone-town-hall"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8388799615204334, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}