Tammy Duckworth (Illinois)

Tammy Duckworth, born on March 12, 1968, in Bangkok, Thailand, is a Democratic U.S. Senator representing Illinois. She is a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and a combat veteran of the Iraq War. Duckworth served as the U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district from 2013 to 2017 before being elected to the Senate in 2016. She is the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, the first woman with a disability elected to Congress, and the first senator to give birth while in office.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
  • Master of Arts in International Affairs from George Washington University

• Political Experience:

  • Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
  • U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district
  • U.S. Senator from Illinois

Notable Achievements

• As Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Duckworth helped create a tax credit for employers hiring veterans and established a 24/7 veterans crisis hotline.
• In the U.S. House, she introduced the bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers Act, ensuring new mothers have access to safe, clean, and accessible lactation rooms in airports.
• As a senator, Duckworth has been recognized as one of the most effective Democratic senators, particularly on defense and transportation issues.
• She serves on several influential committees, including the Armed Services; Commerce, Science, & Transportation; Foreign Relations; and Veterans' Affairs Committees.

Duckworth continues to advocate for veterans' rights, reproductive freedoms, and improved transportation accessibility.