Tammy Duckworth facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Tammy Duckworth
Official portrait, 2017

United States Senator from Illinois
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Dick Durbin
Preceded by	Mark Kirk
Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office January 21, 2021 – February 1, 2025 Serving with Ken Martin, Gretchen Whitmer and Henry R. Muñoz III
Chair	Jaime Harrison
Preceded by	Grace Meng
Succeeded by	Various
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 8th district
In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Joe Walsh
Succeeded by	Raja Krishnamoorthi
Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
In office April 24, 2009 – June 30, 2011
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Lisette M. Mondello
Succeeded by	Michael Galloucis
Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
In office November 21, 2006 – February 8, 2009
Governor	Rod Blagojevich Pat Quinn
Preceded by	Roy Dolgos
Succeeded by	Daniel Grant

Personal details
Born	Ladda Tammy Duckworth (1968-03-12) March 12, 1968 (age 57) Bangkok, Thailand
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Bryan Bowlsbey (m. 1993)
Children	2
Education	University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (BA) George Washington University (MIA) Northern Illinois University Capella University (PhD)
Signature
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army United States Army Reserve Illinois Army National Guard
Years of service	1992–1996 (reserve) 1996–2014 (guard)
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	106th Aviation Regiment, 28th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Iraq War (WIA)
Awards	Purple Heart Air Medal Army Commendation Medal Dame Grand Cross (First Class) of the Order of the Crown of Thailand

Ladda Tammy Duckworth (born March 12, 1968) is an American politician and a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. She serves as a United States senator for Illinois since 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017.

Tammy Duckworth was born in Bangkok, Thailand and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. She studied at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and George Washington University. She is a combat veteran of the Iraq War, where she served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. In 2004, her helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. She lost both legs and some movement in her right arm. She was the first female soldier from that war to lose both legs. Even with her injuries, she continued to serve in the Illinois Army National Guard for ten more years. She retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2014.

After her military service, Duckworth worked for the government. She was the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs from 2006 to 2009. Then, she became an assistant secretary for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs from 2009 to 2011. In 2012, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She served two terms there. In 2016, she was elected to the U.S. Senate, beating the Republican senator Mark Kirk.

Tammy Duckworth has achieved many "firsts" in her career. She is the first Thai American woman elected to Congress. She is also the first person born in Thailand elected to Congress. She is the first woman with a disability elected to Congress. She is the first female double amputee in the Senate. And she is the first senator to give birth while in office. She is the second Asian American woman to serve in the Senate.

Duckworth works on important committees in the Senate. These include the Armed Services, Commerce, Science, & Transportation, Foreign Relations, and Veterans' Affairs Committees.

Early Life and Education

Tammy Duckworth was born on March 12, 1968, in Bangkok, Thailand. Her father, Franklin Duckworth, was an American veteran. Her mother, Lamai Sompornpairin, was Thai. Her father worked for the United Nations and other international groups. Because of his work, her family moved often in Southeast Asia. Tammy learned to speak Thai and Indonesian, along with English.

Duckworth went to American-style schools outside the U.S. These included the Singapore American School and the International School Bangkok. When she was 16, her family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. She went to McKinley High School and graduated in 1985. She was a Girl Scout and earned her First Class (Gold Award). Her family sometimes needed public help when her father was out of work.

She earned her first degree in political science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1989. In 1992, she got a master's degree in international affairs from George Washington University. Later, she started a PhD program at Northern Illinois University. She finished her PhD in human services from Capella University in 2015.

Military Service and Injury

Captain Duckworth in 2000, standing by her helicopter.

Following her father's path, Tammy Duckworth joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 1990. In 1992, she became an officer in the United States Army Reserve. She chose to fly helicopters because it was one of the few combat jobs open to women then. She later joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1996.

In 2004, she was sent to Iraq. On November 12, 2004, her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. This attack was from Iraqi insurgents. She lost her right leg near her hip and her left leg below the knee. She also had a severe injury to her right arm. She was the first American female soldier to lose both legs in the Iraq War.

Duckworth received a Purple Heart medal on December 3. She was also promoted to major on December 21. She received an Air Medal and an Army Commendation Medal. She retired from the Illinois Army National Guard in October 2014 as a lieutenant colonel.

Duckworth with Senators Barack Obama and Daniel Akaka in 2005.

In 2011, a statue of Duckworth was put up in Mount Vernon, Illinois. It honors female veterans.

Government Service

Duckworth being sworn in as Assistant Secretary in 2009, with her husband Bryan Bowlsbey.

After her first try for Congress, Duckworth was named director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs in November 2006. She worked there until February 2009. She started programs to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injuries.

In February 2009, President Barack Obama chose Duckworth to work for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The United States Senate approved her for this job in April. As Assistant Secretary, she helped end homelessness for veterans. She also worked on challenges faced by female veterans and Native American veterans. She resigned in June 2011 to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives

Becoming a Representative

2006 Election

In 2006, Tammy Duckworth ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She won the Democratic primary election. However, she lost the general election to Republican Peter Roskam.

2012 Election

Duckworth as a U.S. representative in 2013.

In 2011, Duckworth announced she would run for Congress again in 2012. She won the Democratic primary. Then, she faced the Republican Joe Walsh in the main election. Both the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald supported her.

On November 6, 2012, Duckworth won the election. She became the first Asian-American from Illinois in Congress. She was also the first woman with a disability elected to Congress. And she was the first member of Congress born in Thailand.

2014 Election

In 2014, Duckworth ran for reelection. She won against Republican Larry Kaifesh. She received 56% of the votes.

Work in the House

Duckworth started her work in the House on January 3, 2013. In April 2013, she gave back some of her salary. She did this to show support for government workers who were not getting paid.

In June 2013, she gained national attention. She questioned a company CEO about a large government contract. The company got the contract because the CEO claimed disabled veteran status. Duckworth pointed out that his injury was from a prep school in 1984.

U.S. Senate

Becoming a Senator

2016 Election

On March 30, 2015, Duckworth announced she would run for the U.S. Senate. She wanted to challenge the current Republican Senator Mark Kirk. She won the Democratic primary election in March 2016.

Former President Barack Obama supported Duckworth. He actively campaigned for her. On November 8, Duckworth won the election. She beat Kirk with 55% of the votes. She became the second Asian American woman to serve in the Senate.

2022 Election

In March 2021, Duckworth said she would run for reelection in 2022. She won again on November 8, 2022. She beat Republican Kathy Salvi. This made Duckworth the first woman to be reelected to the Senate from Illinois.

Work in the Senate

Duckworth at a Senate Diversity Initiative event, June 2017.

Experts say Duckworth is very effective as a senator. She has been praised for getting bills passed through committees. She also gets important people to support her bills.

In 2018, Duckworth became the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office. She helped change Senate rules so that a senator could bring a baby under one year old to the Senate floor during votes. The day after the rules changed, her daughter became the first baby on the Senate floor.

Duckworth at a press conference in 2018.

In January 2018, the government shut down. Duckworth criticized President Trump for blaming Democrats. She said he didn't care about the military.

In April 2020, the Trump administration asked Duckworth to join a task force. This group worked on reopening the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duckworth also spoke out against Trump's choice for the Supreme Court in September 2020. She was ranked as one of the most effective Democratic senators. She was especially effective on transportation policy.

Duckworth with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, June 2021.

On January 3, 2021, Duckworth was in the Capitol building when supporters of Trump stormed it. She called Trump "a threat to our nation." She asked for him to be removed from office.

In June 2022, President Biden sent Duckworth to Taiwan. She met with Taiwanese leaders to talk about trade.

Duckworth has also sponsored a bill called the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022. This bill would help public safety officers who die from brain injuries or PTSD.

Current Committee Roles

Committee on Armed Services
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Chair of Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation)
Committee on Foreign Relations
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Political Views

Environment

Duckworth supports efforts to protect the environment. She has pushed for funding to capture carbon emissions. She was part of a special committee on the climate crisis.

Foreign Policy

Duckworth has spoken about foreign policy. She believes in auditing money spent on overseas military aid. She has criticized past strategies in the Iraq War.

She supports U.S. military aid to Israel. She is against the movement to boycott Israel. However, she opposes Israel's plan to take over parts of the West Bank.

In May 2019, she supported a bill to stop China from expanding its claims in the South China Sea. In June 2021, she visited Taipei to announce a donation of COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan.

Gun Control

Duckworth supports stricter gun control laws. She wants universal background checks for gun purchases. She also supports stopping gun trafficking between states. She wants a national ban on assault weapons.

She has taken part in protests for gun control in Congress. In 2016, she even hid her phone in her prosthetic leg to record events during a sit-in.

Health Policy

Duckworth supports the Affordable Care Act. This law aims to make health care more accessible.

Immigration

Duckworth supports changing immigration laws. She believes in a way for people living in the country illegally to become citizens. She also supports allowing Syrian refugees into the United States.

In August 2018, she signed a letter asking the Trump administration to reunite migrant children with their families.

Awards and Honors

In May 2010, Northern Illinois University gave Duckworth an honorary degree. In 2011, she was honored for her work helping veterans with disabilities.

She has received many military honors for her service in Iraq. The most notable is the Purple Heart. In 2010, she was added to the Army Women's Hall of Fame.

Former Senator Bob Dole dedicated part of his book to Duckworth. She says Dole inspired her to work in public service.

Personal Life

Tammy Duckworth married Bryan Bowlsbey in 1993. They met while in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. They both served in the Illinois Army National Guard and are veterans of the Iraq War.

They have two daughters: Abigail, born in 2014, and Maile, born in 2018. Maile's birth made Duckworth the first U.S. senator to give birth while in office. After Maile was born, Senate rules changed. This allowed senators to bring babies under one year old onto the Senate floor. Duckworth brought Maile with her to cast a vote. This made her the first senator to vote while holding a baby.

Duckworth helped create the Intrepid Foundation. This group helps injured veterans.

Images for kids

Official portrait, 2017
Tammy Duckworth's signature
Captain Duckworth in 2000
Duckworth with Senators Barack Obama and Daniel Akaka in 2005
Duckworth being sworn in as Assistant Secretary in 2009
Duckworth as a U.S. representative in 2013
Duckworth at a Senate Diversity Initiative event, June 2017
Duckworth at a press conference in 2018
Duckworth with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan, June 2021
Duckworth narrates the Salute to Fallen Asian Pacific Islander Heroes in Arlington, Virginia, June 2, 2005.