Tammy Duckworth | |
---|---|
United States Senator from Illinois | |
Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Dick Durbin | |
Preceded by | Mark Kirk |
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 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 March 12, 1968 Bangkok, Thailand |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Bryan Bowlsbey |
Children | 1 |
Mother | Lamai Duckworth |
Father | Frank Duckworth |
Alma mater | University of Hawaii, Manoa George Washington University Northern Illinois University Capella University |
Signature | |
Website | Government website |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army Illinois Army National Guard |
Years of service | 1992–2014 |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
Unit | 106th Aviation Regiment, 28th Infantry Division |
Battles/wars | Iraq War (WIA) |
Awards | Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Army Commendation Medal with Oak leaf cluster Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with four Oak leaf clusters Combat Action Badge Senior Army Aviator Badge |
Ladda Tammy Duckworth (born March 12, 1968) is an American politician. She is a United States senator from Illinois. She was a U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district from 2013 to 2017.
A member of the Democratic Party, she is the first Asian American woman elected to Congress in Illinois, the first disabled woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first member of Congress born in Thailand.[1]
Duckworth ran for the United States senate seat against the current senator Mark Kirk in the 2016 Illinois senate elections. On November 8, 2016, she defeated Kirk in his bid for re-election to his U.S. Senate seat.[2]
In April 2018, Duckworth gave birth to her daughter Maile, making her the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office.[3]
In July 2020, she became one of the finalists for Joe Biden's running mate in the 2020 election.[4]