Tammy Duckworth

Democrat junior Senator of Illinois

Representative
Illinois, district 8
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2015
Representative
Illinois, district 8
January 6, 2015 - January 3, 2017
Senator
Illinois
January 3, 2017 - January 3, 2023
Senator
Illinois
January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2029

202-224-2854

@SenDuckworth

duckworth.senate.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

January 1, 1968 (57 years old)

Birthday

Retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and combat veteran of the Iraq War
First female double amputee from the Iraq War
Served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and as assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
First Thai American woman elected to Congress, first person born in Thailand elected to Congress, first woman with a disability elected to Congress, first female double amputee in the Senate, and the first senator to give birth while in office
Second Asian American woman to serve in the Senate
Fluent in Thai and Indonesian
Holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science, a Master of Arts in international affairs, and a PhD in human services
Received numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart
Advocated for veterans with PTSD and brain injuries, worked to end Veteran homelessness, and defended the Americans with Disabilities Act
Criticized for attending a campaign event in a state-owned van while serving as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, acknowledged the mistake and repaid the state
Involved in a lawsuit alleging wrongful termination and intimidation, which settled with no admission of wrongdoing
First in the Senate to bring a child under one year old to the Senate floor during votes
Criticized President Trump’s decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, citing concerns over Barrett’s views on in vitro fertilization
Ranked highly for legislative effectiveness in transportation policy during her first term in the Senate
Participated in a mission to Taiwan to announce the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade
Sponsored the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022
Named chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in her second term
Criticized for opposing a proposed legislation to limit the amount of time an airplane pilot needs to train for certification
Organized a meeting with Israeli defense officials to discuss strategy in the Israel–Hamas war and expressed opposition to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip
Member of several Senate committees and caucuses, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Expand Social Security Caucus
Spoke at multiple Democratic National Conventions and was vetted as a possible running mate for Joe Biden
Advocates for gun control, supports abortion rights, and supports comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship
Awarded honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Northern Illinois University and inducted into the Army Women’s Hall of Fame