Tammy Duckworth

Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. Senator from Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, to an American veteran father and a Thai-Chinese mother, she moved to Hawaii as a teenager and later earned a B.A. from the University of Hawaii, an M.A. from George Washington University, and a Ph.D. from Capella University. Duckworth served for 23 years in the Reserve Forces, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 2004, while deployed to Iraq as a Black Hawk helicopter pilot, her aircraft was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, resulting in the loss of both legs and partial use of her right arm, for which she received the Purple Heart. Duckworth was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 2012, serving in the House of Representatives until her election to the Senate in 2016. Her prior public service includes roles as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under President Barack Obama. In the Senate, she has made history as the first sitting senator to give birth while in office and the first woman with a disability elected to Congress. Her legislative work frequently focuses on expanding veterans' benefits, improving national infrastructure, and advocating for working families through policies such as the Friendly Airports for Mothers Act.

Duckworth supports the Affordable Care Act and advocates for lowering prescription drug costs and protecting reproductive healthcare rights. She is a proponent of comprehensive immigration reform and has voiced opposition to unrestricted funding for federal immigration enforcement agencies. On foreign policy, she emphasizes the importance of the NATO alliance, congressional oversight of military actions, and ending long-term conflicts. As a veteran, she prioritizes improving services for service members, particularly in areas like maternal health and homelessness prevention, and opposes the privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, she supports environmental protection initiatives, such as EPA emissions standards, and investments in infrastructure to stimulate economic growth.