Tammy Duckworth
Encyclopedia
Ladda Tammy Duckworth was formerly Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S. Army helicopter pilot whose severe combat wounds cost her both of her legs and damaged her right arm. She continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel
in the Illinois Army National Guard
along with her husband, Major Bryan W. Bowlsbey, a signal officer and fellow Iraq War veteran.
In the 2006 election
, Duckworth was the Democratic
nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives
seat for the sixth district of Illinois which was vacated by long-time Representative
Henry Hyde
. Duckworth lost to her opponent, Representative Peter Roskam
, by 2% of the vote. A supporter of the presidential election campaign of Barack Obama
, Duckworth was given a prime-time speaking slot on the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention
. She became the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 2009. She resigned from that position on Monday, June 30, 2011. In July 2011 she launched her campaign to run in 2012 for the re-drawn 8th congressional district.
, Thailand
, to Frank and Lamai S. Duckworth. Her father (died 2005) was a former longtime member of the U.S. military who traced his family roots in America all the way back to the Revolutionary War
; her mother, a native of Thailand, is of Chinese ancestry. She has one brother, Tom. Her family moved around Southeast Asia
due to her father's work with the United Nations
and international companies, and she is fluent in both Thai
and Indonesian
.
The family settled in Hawaii
when she was 16. She graduated with honors from McKinley High School
in 1985, after skipping the ninth grade. She graduated from the University of Hawaii
in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree
in political science
, and received a Master of Arts
in international affairs
from George Washington University
.
Duckworth was working towards a Ph.D.
in political science at Northern Illinois University
with research interests in the political economy
and public health
in southeast Asia when she was deployed to Iraq in 2004. She also worked as a staff supervisor at Rotary International
headquarters in Evanston, Illinois
.
Following in the footsteps of her father whose long military career spanned service from World War II
to the Vietnam War
, as well as her father's ancestors who fought in every major American conflict since the Revolutionary War
, Duckworth joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
(Army ROTC) as a graduate student at George Washington University in 1990. She became a commissioned officer
in the United States Army Reserve
in 1992 and chose to fly helicopter
s because it was one of the few combat jobs open to women. As a member of the Army Reserve, she went to flight school
and joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1996.
Duckworth lost the lower part of both legs from injuries sustained on November 12, 2004, when the UH-60 Black Hawk
helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket propelled grenade
fired by Iraqi insurgents
. The explosion "almost completely destroyed her right arm, breaking it in three places and tearing tissue from the back side of it." Duckworth received a Purple Heart
on December 3 and was promoted to Major on December 21 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center
, where she was presented with an Air Medal
and Army Commendation Medal
.
and is now fully mobile. She helped establish the Intrepid Foundation and is involved in its fundraising to build a rehabilitation
center for other injured veterans, and has been critical of the administration of President George W. Bush
for its provision of veterans' care:
Although Duckworth disagreed with Bush's decision to invade Iraq, she said that she felt obligated to uphold her commitment. In December 2005 she said, "We should have been fighting the enemies that attacked us at home on 9/11. (...) We should have been out there trying to catch Osama bin Laden
." Duckworth is still a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois National Guard, and still serves on some weekends.
Former Republican
Presidential candidate Bob Dole
dedicated his biography One Soldier's Story in part to Duckworth: "And to Major Tammy Duckworth ... a brave woman wounded in Iraq, who represents all of those with their own battles ahead of them, and their own stories to tell." Duckworth credits Dole for inspiring her to pursue public service while she recuperated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
in Washington, D.C.
In her campaign for congress, Dole endorsed Duckworth's opponent.
Duckworth was chosen by the Democratic Party to give the 30 September 2006 response to President Bush's weekly radio address. Her comments included the following:
At the AmVets
' National Symposium
for the Needs of Young Veteran
s, Duckworth called for improvements in veterans health care
. She called for mandatory funding of veterans’ health care, rather than discretionary funding that could change with political winds; she also wants improvements in transition assistance for those returning to civilian life, particularly for those with disabilities. Duckworth also wanted the Department of Veterans Affairs
to hire more veterans as doctors and nurses because they understand what combat veterans face, and she wants the VA to prepare for the possibility of severe respiratory problems in the future for Iraq war veterans.
In 2007 Duckworth was honored by the non-profit group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
(IAVA) with the "Veterans Leadership Award", in recognition of her dedication to our nation's newest generation of veterans.
. She worked to develop state programs giving tax credits to employers who hire veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan or Desert Storm, more state grants to service organizations, and backing for below-market mortgages for veterans. She was honored by Chicago's Access Living for "her extraordinary commitment to veterans with disabilities".
On September 17, 2008, Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals
, Democratic candidate for Illinois' 10th congressional district
. She used vacation time to avoid any appearance of impropriety, but violated Illinois law by going to the event in a state-owned van which was equipped for a person with physical disabilities. She promptly acknowledged the mistake and repaid the state for the use of the van.
On February 3, 2009, Duckworth was nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
. The United States Senate confirmed her for the position on April 22.
On June 30, 2011 Duckworth resigned from the position of Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
. The fact that there are 25 percent of Americans between 50 and 64 who don't have access to health insurance, we need to let them buy into the federal employee health care system. And we certainly need to fix the entire mess made out of Medicare Part D
by this administration. So that's what I'm worried about."
.
doesn’t offer the flexibility that our local schools, teachers and parents need. The fact that schools in our District are on the "watch list" shows that current adequate yearly progress rules are sorely in need of flexibility," she said. "In our community, too many good schools and their resources are at risk and it’s time for real relief and results for students in the Sixth District.
, which includes strengthening the border but also would allow legal residency and an eventual opportunity towards citizenship for unlawful immigrants who meet certain requirements, which include: criminal background checks, paying all back taxes, paying fines and application fees of $2,750, learning English and taking courses in American culture and civics. Residents would then be eligible for permanent legal residency once existing backlogs for immigrant visas are cleared. Some critics of the bill thought it provided amnesty to undocumented aliens.
Instead of building a fence along the border, as the House bill
called for, Duckworth suggested increasing the number of border patrol agents
by 12,000. Duckworth has called deporting millions of illegal immigrants "unrealistic"
." According to Erinn Deshinsky of the Peoria Journal Star
, "Speaking at a news conference before the dinner, Duckworth said experiencing the war firsthand was frustrating, because she saw how the money was being misused. Instead of having a properly equipped helicopter, she was fed lavish meals. She said simple tasks were contracted to companies for large sums of money, even though soldiers could have easily handled the jobs. She called for more accountability from U.S. leaders when it comes to funding for the war. 'I didn't become a soldier to eat steak and lobster', Duckworth said, 'but I want my men to be protected.'"
Duckworth's strategic recommendations included requesting an immediate accounting by the U.S. Secretary of Defense of the readiness level and the training of the Iraqi forces, followed by aggressive benchmarks for progress and redeployment of U.S. troops linked to the stand-up of Iraqi troops, saying the U.S. should proceed by standing-down a defined number of U.S. units for every Iraqi battalion
that can be properly trained and certified as combat-ready.
Duckworth has said that the war in Iraq is not central to the war on terror
: "I think a very small percentage of what is happening in Iraq is terrorist activity. I think most of it is sectarian violence
, it's Sunnis fighting Shiites ... I think that to try to tie Iraq to the war on terror is a disservice to the real work that has to be done in the war on terror, which includes finishing the job in Afghanistan
, capturing Osama Bin Laden
and destroying Al Qaeda but also protecting our people here at home."
The Sunday Times reported that Duckworth agreed with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the British Army
chief, that the presence of coalition troops is exacerbating the conflict:
Duckworth's opponent responded to Duckworth's proposals by saying: "The 6th Congressional District is not a 'cut and run' district. It is not a timetable district." In a debate, Duckworth reacted angrily to this idea: "I just could not believe he would say that to me. I have risked my life to serve my country and you cannot question my patriotism."
When asked whether she would like to see Bush impeached, Duckworth said that Congress has "far more pressing issues to deal with."
, who had also endorsed Duckworth. At the press conference in Lombard, Illinois
, Duckworth referred to the recent school shootings and criticized her opponent's opposition to renewing a Federal ban on semi-automatic firearms
, which expired in 2004. Duckworth pointed out that Henry Hyde
, then the Sixth district congressman, supported the ban. Duckworth claimed, "Basically, whatever the NRA
wants, Peter Roskam
will vote for it." Duckworth also supported the Brady Law, which requires background check
s for gun purchases from federally licensed firearm dealers.
s and pork-barrel spending in Congress. Duckworth said that earmarks should be eliminated to rein in spending and to reform ethics, arguing that they often are divvied out in exchange for votes. Duckworth's opponent opposed earmark reform, saying they are 'part of the process' legislators use to cut through bureaucracies and deliver constituents projects like the proton beam.
, the Republican nominee, State Senator.
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
, and formerly the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
-Mission:The mission of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs is to assist veterans and their dependents and survivors in obtaining the benefits they are entitled to under the laws of the United States, and the State of Illinois or any other governmental agency, through its forty-three...
. Duckworth is an Iraq War veteran and former U.S. Army helicopter pilot whose severe combat wounds cost her both of her legs and damaged her right arm. She continues to serve as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
in the Illinois Army National Guard
Illinois Army National Guard
The Illinois Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
along with her husband, Major Bryan W. Bowlsbey, a signal officer and fellow Iraq War veteran.
In the 2006 election
United States House elections, 2006
- House of Representatives prior to the election :As of November 7, 2006, the U.S. House of the 109th Congress was composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats and 1 Independent . There were also four vacancies...
, Duckworth was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat for the sixth district of Illinois which was vacated by long-time Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Henry Hyde
Henry Hyde
Henry John Hyde , an American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 2007, representing the 6th District of Illinois, an area of Chicago's northwestern suburbs which included O'Hare International Airport...
. Duckworth lost to her opponent, Representative Peter Roskam
Peter Roskam
Peter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives.-Early life,...
, by 2% of the vote. A supporter of the presidential election campaign of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, Duckworth was given a prime-time speaking slot on the third night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
. She became the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 2009. She resigned from that position on Monday, June 30, 2011. In July 2011 she launched her campaign to run in 2012 for the re-drawn 8th congressional district.
Early years
Duckworth was born in BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, to Frank and Lamai S. Duckworth. Her father (died 2005) was a former longtime member of the U.S. military who traced his family roots in America all the way back to the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
; her mother, a native of Thailand, is of Chinese ancestry. She has one brother, Tom. Her family moved around Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
due to her father's work with the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and international companies, and she is fluent in both Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
and Indonesian
Indonesian language
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. Indonesian is a normative form of the Riau Islands dialect of Malay, an Austronesian language which has been used as a lingua franca in the Indonesian archipelago for centuries....
.
The family settled in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
when she was 16. She graduated with honors from McKinley High School
President William McKinley High School
President William McKinley High School, more commonly referred to as McKinley High School, is a public, co-educational college preparatory high school of the Hawaii State Department of Education and serves grades nine through twelve...
in 1985, after skipping the ninth grade. She graduated from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, and received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in international affairs
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
.
Duckworth was working towards a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in political science at Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
with research interests in the political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
in southeast Asia when she was deployed to Iraq in 2004. She also worked as a staff supervisor at Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
headquarters in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
.
Military service
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, as well as her father's ancestors who fought in every major American conflict since the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, Duckworth joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers' Training Corps
The Reserve Officers' Training Corps is a college-based, officer commissioning program, predominantly in the United States. It is designed as a college elective that focuses on leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, and professional ethics.The U.S...
(Army ROTC) as a graduate student at George Washington University in 1990. She became a commissioned officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
in 1992 and chose to fly helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s because it was one of the few combat jobs open to women. As a member of the Army Reserve, she went to flight school
Flight training
Flight training is a course of study used when learning to pilot an aircraft. The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of basic airmanship skills....
and joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1996.
Duckworth lost the lower part of both legs from injuries sustained on November 12, 2004, when the UH-60 Black Hawk
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972...
helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket propelled grenade
Rocket propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade is a shoulder-fired, anti-tank weapon system which fires rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. These warheads are affixed to a rocket motor and stabilized in flight with fins. Some types of RPG are reloadable while others are single-use. RPGs, with the exception of...
fired by Iraqi insurgents
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
. The explosion "almost completely destroyed her right arm, breaking it in three places and tearing tissue from the back side of it." Duckworth received a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
on December 3 and was promoted to Major on December 21 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
, where she was presented with an Air Medal
Air Medal
The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...
and Army Commendation Medal
Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration which is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. For valorous actions in direct contact with an enemy force, but of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Bronze Star, the Valor device may...
.
Post injury work
Duckworth was fitted for prostheticsProsthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
and is now fully mobile. She helped establish the Intrepid Foundation and is involved in its fundraising to build a rehabilitation
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
center for other injured veterans, and has been critical of the administration of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for its provision of veterans' care:
Although Duckworth disagreed with Bush's decision to invade Iraq, she said that she felt obligated to uphold her commitment. In December 2005 she said, "We should have been fighting the enemies that attacked us at home on 9/11. (...) We should have been out there trying to catch Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
." Duckworth is still a Lieutenant Colonel in the Illinois National Guard, and still serves on some weekends.
Former Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Presidential candidate Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
dedicated his biography One Soldier's Story in part to Duckworth: "And to Major Tammy Duckworth ... a brave woman wounded in Iraq, who represents all of those with their own battles ahead of them, and their own stories to tell." Duckworth credits Dole for inspiring her to pursue public service while she recuperated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In her campaign for congress, Dole endorsed Duckworth's opponent.
Duckworth was chosen by the Democratic Party to give the 30 September 2006 response to President Bush's weekly radio address. Her comments included the following:
At the AmVets
AMVETS
AMVETS or American Veterans is a volunteer-led organization formed by World War II veterans which accepts honorably discharged veterans as members....
' National Symposium
Symposium
In ancient Greece, the symposium was a drinking party. Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara...
for the Needs of Young Veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s, Duckworth called for improvements in veterans health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
. She called for mandatory funding of veterans’ health care, rather than discretionary funding that could change with political winds; she also wants improvements in transition assistance for those returning to civilian life, particularly for those with disabilities. Duckworth also wanted the Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
to hire more veterans as doctors and nurses because they understand what combat veterans face, and she wants the VA to prepare for the possibility of severe respiratory problems in the future for Iraq war veterans.
In 2007 Duckworth was honored by the non-profit group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America , is an advocacy group dedicated to United States veterans of the War in Iraq and War in Afghanistan. The group claims to be the nation's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars and has more than 200,000 Member Veterans...
(IAVA) with the "Veterans Leadership Award", in recognition of her dedication to our nation's newest generation of veterans.
Government service
Duckworth was appointed Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs on November 21, 2006 by Governor Rod BlagojevichRod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
. She worked to develop state programs giving tax credits to employers who hire veterans who served in Iraq, Afghanistan or Desert Storm, more state grants to service organizations, and backing for below-market mortgages for veterans. She was honored by Chicago's Access Living for "her extraordinary commitment to veterans with disabilities".
On September 17, 2008, Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals
Dan Seals (Illinois politician)
Daniel Joseph Seals is an American business consultant and a Democratic politician from Illinois. Seals was the Democratic nominee in three campaigns to become U.S. Representative for . The first two times he was defeated by the incumbent Mark Kirk...
, Democratic candidate for Illinois' 10th congressional district
Illinois' 10th congressional district
The 10th congressional district of Illinois lies in the northeast corner of the state and mostly comprises northern suburbs of Chicago. It was created after the 1860 census, but was redistricted after the 2010 census...
. She used vacation time to avoid any appearance of impropriety, but violated Illinois law by going to the event in a state-owned van which was equipped for a person with physical disabilities. She promptly acknowledged the mistake and repaid the state for the use of the van.
On February 3, 2009, Duckworth was nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
. The United States Senate confirmed her for the position on April 22.
On June 30, 2011 Duckworth resigned from the position of Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Health care
Duckworth considered health care to be one of the most important issues to the voters of the Sixth District. She said, "The fact that there are kids who don't have access to health insurance, we need to be expanding S-CHIPState Children's Health Insurance Program
The State Children's Health Insurance Program – later known more simply as the Children's Health Insurance Program – is a program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services that provides matching funds to states for health insurance to families with children...
. The fact that there are 25 percent of Americans between 50 and 64 who don't have access to health insurance, we need to let them buy into the federal employee health care system. And we certainly need to fix the entire mess made out of Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D
Medicare Part D is a federal program to subsidize the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. It was enacted as part of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 and went into effect on January 1, 2006.- Eligibility and...
by this administration. So that's what I'm worried about."
Abortion
According to The Washington Post, Duckworth believes that abortion and end-of-life decisions are private matters and should not be subject to federal restriction. During her 2006 campaign for U. S. Congress, Duckworth was endorsed by EMILY's ListEMILY's List
EMILY's List is a political action committee in the United States that aims to help elect female candidates to office. It was founded by Ellen Malcolm in 1984....
.
Education
On 23 August 2006, Duckworth was endorsed by the Illinois Education Association and the Illinois Federation of Teachers. In accepting the endorsements, Duckworth criticized the Bush Administration's education policy. "The strict, one-size fits-all approach under the No Child Left Behind ActNo Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
doesn’t offer the flexibility that our local schools, teachers and parents need. The fact that schools in our District are on the "watch list" shows that current adequate yearly progress rules are sorely in need of flexibility," she said. "In our community, too many good schools and their resources are at risk and it’s time for real relief and results for students in the Sixth District.
Immigration
Duckworth supported the Senate's immigration planS. 2611
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act was a United States Senate bill introduced in the 109th Congress by Sen. Arlen Specter [PA] on April 7, 2006. Co-sponsors, who signed on the same day, were Sen. Hagel [NE], Sen. Martinez [FL], Sen. McCain [AZ], Sen. Kennedy [MA], Sen. Graham [SC], and...
, which includes strengthening the border but also would allow legal residency and an eventual opportunity towards citizenship for unlawful immigrants who meet certain requirements, which include: criminal background checks, paying all back taxes, paying fines and application fees of $2,750, learning English and taking courses in American culture and civics. Residents would then be eligible for permanent legal residency once existing backlogs for immigrant visas are cleared. Some critics of the bill thought it provided amnesty to undocumented aliens.
Instead of building a fence along the border, as the House bill
H.R. 4437
The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 was a bill in the 109th United States Congress. It was passed by the United States House of Representatives on December 16, 2005 by a vote of 239 to 182 , but did not pass the Senate...
called for, Duckworth suggested increasing the number of border patrol agents
United States Border Patrol
The United States Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency within U.S. Customs and Border Protection , a component of the Department of Homeland Security . It is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to...
by 12,000. Duckworth has called deporting millions of illegal immigrants "unrealistic"
Criticism of the handling of the Iraq War
Duckworth has criticized the Bush Administration for "failing miserably to plan for IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
." According to Erinn Deshinsky of the Peoria Journal Star
Peoria Journal Star
The Journal Star is the major daily newspaper for Peoria, Illinois and surrounding area. First owned locally, then employee-owned, it became a Copley-owned entity in 1996. In 2007, the paper was sold to Fairport, New York-based GateHouse Media.-History:...
, "Speaking at a news conference before the dinner, Duckworth said experiencing the war firsthand was frustrating, because she saw how the money was being misused. Instead of having a properly equipped helicopter, she was fed lavish meals. She said simple tasks were contracted to companies for large sums of money, even though soldiers could have easily handled the jobs. She called for more accountability from U.S. leaders when it comes to funding for the war. 'I didn't become a soldier to eat steak and lobster', Duckworth said, 'but I want my men to be protected.'"
Duckworth's strategic recommendations included requesting an immediate accounting by the U.S. Secretary of Defense of the readiness level and the training of the Iraqi forces, followed by aggressive benchmarks for progress and redeployment of U.S. troops linked to the stand-up of Iraqi troops, saying the U.S. should proceed by standing-down a defined number of U.S. units for every Iraqi battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
that can be properly trained and certified as combat-ready.
Duckworth has said that the war in Iraq is not central to the war on terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
: "I think a very small percentage of what is happening in Iraq is terrorist activity. I think most of it is sectarian violence
Sectarian violence
Sectarian violence and/or sectarian strife is violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation/community...
, it's Sunnis fighting Shiites ... I think that to try to tie Iraq to the war on terror is a disservice to the real work that has to be done in the war on terror, which includes finishing the job in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, capturing Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
and destroying Al Qaeda but also protecting our people here at home."
The Sunday Times reported that Duckworth agreed with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
chief, that the presence of coalition troops is exacerbating the conflict:
"We’re attracting more people to terrorism than ever before. We really need to think about drawing down," she told The Sunday Times. "I want the secretary of defenseUnited States Secretary of DefenseThe Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
to come before CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and tell us how many Iraqis are fully trained. If two guys can do traffic control in KirkukKirkukKirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, I want to bring two Americans home."
Duckworth's opponent responded to Duckworth's proposals by saying: "The 6th Congressional District is not a 'cut and run' district. It is not a timetable district." In a debate, Duckworth reacted angrily to this idea: "I just could not believe he would say that to me. I have risked my life to serve my country and you cannot question my patriotism."
When asked whether she would like to see Bush impeached, Duckworth said that Congress has "far more pressing issues to deal with."
Call for audit of war spending
In August 2006, Duckworth called on Congress to audit the estimated $437 billion spent on overseas military and foreign aid since September 11, 2001. She said, "Real and meaningful oversight has taken a back seat to partisan inaction. With the right kind of leadership Congress can bring greater fiscal discipline and accountability to the billions of dollars we are spending on our military efforts."Gun politics
On October 10, 2006, Duckworth was endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The endorsement was announced in a joint appearance with the Fraternal Order of PoliceFraternal Order of Police
The Fraternal Order of Police is an organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It claims a membership of over 325,000 members organized in 2100 local chapters , organized into local lodges, state lodges, and the national Grand Lodge...
, who had also endorsed Duckworth. At the press conference in Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, Illinois
Lombard, "The Lilac Village", is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 42,322 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population in 2004 to be 42,975.-History:...
, Duckworth referred to the recent school shootings and criticized her opponent's opposition to renewing a Federal ban on semi-automatic firearms
Federal assault weapons ban
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban was a subtitle of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, a federal law in the United States that included a prohibition on the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms, so called "assault weapons"...
, which expired in 2004. Duckworth pointed out that Henry Hyde
Henry Hyde
Henry John Hyde , an American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 2007, representing the 6th District of Illinois, an area of Chicago's northwestern suburbs which included O'Hare International Airport...
, then the Sixth district congressman, supported the ban. Duckworth claimed, "Basically, whatever the NRA
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
wants, Peter Roskam
Peter Roskam
Peter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives.-Early life,...
will vote for it." Duckworth also supported the Brady Law, which requires background check
Background check
A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual....
s for gun purchases from federally licensed firearm dealers.
Criticism of earmarks
In August 2006, Duckworth criticized the use of earmarkEarmark (politics)
In United States politics, an earmark is a legislative provision that directs approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that directs specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees...
s and pork-barrel spending in Congress. Duckworth said that earmarks should be eliminated to rein in spending and to reform ethics, arguing that they often are divvied out in exchange for votes. Duckworth's opponent opposed earmark reform, saying they are 'part of the process' legislators use to cut through bureaucracies and deliver constituents projects like the proton beam.
2006 Congressional race
Tammy Duckworth lost by 4810 votes Illinois board of Elections web site to Peter RoskamPeter Roskam
Peter James Roskam is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and Chief Deputy Whip in the 112th Congress, ranking fourth among house Republican leaders; also served in the Illinois Senate and the Illinois House of Representatives.-Early life,...
, the Republican nominee, State Senator.
Honorary doctorate
In May 2010, Duckworth was awarded an honorary doctorate by Northern Illinois University.External links
- Tammy Duckworth campaign website
- Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Staff biography page
- Newsmeat.com's list of Duckworth's campaign contributors
- opensecrets.org Total Raised and Spent: Illinois District 6
- Federal Election Commission contributor list
Audio links
- 24 September debate on WBBMWBBM (AM)WBBM is an all-news CBS radio station in Chicago, Illinois broadcasting on the AM dial at 780 kHz. It is owned by CBS along with WBBM-TV....
radio - Audio and transcript of Duckworth's 30 September response to President BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's weekly radio address - National Public Radio piece on 19 October debate at College of DuPageCollege of DuPageCollege of DuPage, or COD, is a two-year community college in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The college also owns and operates facilities in the Illinois communities of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Naperville, West Chicago, and Westmont...
Video link
- NCRR Mailers and Ads at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights website