History of Tammy Duckworth in Timeline

Tammy Duckworth is an American politician and retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel currently serving as a U.S. Senator from Illinois since 2017. As a member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented Illinois's 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017. Her military service and subsequent political career have made her a notable figure in American politics.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

March 12, 1968: Tammy Duckworth Born

On March 12, 1968, Ladda Tammy Duckworth was born in Bangkok, Thailand. She is now an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Illinois.

Others born on this day/year

1984: Strong Castle CEO Ankle Injury

In 1984, Braulio Castillo injured his ankle at the US Military Academy's prep school, USMAPS.

1985: Graduated from McKinley High School

In 1985, Tammy Duckworth graduated from McKinley High School in Honolulu, where she participated in track and field.

1989: Graduated from University of Hawaii at Manoa

In 1989, Tammy Duckworth graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

1990: Joined Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps

In 1990, Tammy Duckworth joined the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps as a graduate student at George Washington University.

1992: Commissioned Officer in the United States Army Reserve

In 1992, Tammy Duckworth became a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve.

1992: Joined the United States Army Reserve

In 1992, Tammy Duckworth joined the United States Army Reserve and served as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot in the Iraq War.

1992: Received Master's Degree from George Washington University

In 1992, Tammy Duckworth received a Master of Arts in international affairs from George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs.

1993: Marriage to Bryan Bowlsbey

In 1993, Tammy Duckworth married Bryan Bowlsbey. They met during Duckworth's participation in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and served together in the Illinois Army National Guard.

1996: Entered Illinois Army National Guard

In 1996, Tammy Duckworth entered the Illinois Army National Guard after transferring from flight school and the Army Reserve.

September 11, 2001: Reference to overseas military spending

During her unsuccessful 2006 congressional campaign, Tammy Duckworth referenced the events of September 11, 2001, when she called on Congress to audit the estimated $437 billion spent on overseas military and foreign aid since that date.

November 12, 2004: Injured in Iraq War

On November 12, 2004, Tammy Duckworth sustained severe injuries, losing both legs, when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

2004: Defeated in Democratic primary

In 2004, Christine Cegelis defeated Tammy Duckworth in the Democratic primary.

2004: Injured in Iraq War

In 2004, Tammy Duckworth lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm when her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade during the Iraq War, making her the first female double amputee from the war.

2005: Death of father Franklin Duckworth

In 2005, Tammy Duckworth's father, Franklin Duckworth, a veteran of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, passed away.

September 30, 2006: Democratic Party Response to Bush's Radio Address

On September 30, 2006, Tammy Duckworth gave the Democratic Party's response to President George W. Bush's weekly radio address, criticizing Bush's Iraq War strategy.

October 2006: Comments on Iraq War

In October 2006, The Sunday Times reported that Tammy Duckworth agreed with General Sir Richard Dannatt that the presence of coalition troops was exacerbating the conflict in Iraq.

November 21, 2006: Appointed director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

On November 21, 2006, Tammy Duckworth was appointed director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs by Governor Rod Blagojevich, after her unsuccessful campaign for Congress.

2006: Unsuccessful House of Representatives run and appointed Director of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

In 2006, Tammy Duckworth ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. Following this, she served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs from 2006 to 2009.

September 17, 2008: Campaign Event Violation

On September 17, 2008, Tammy Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals in a state-owned van equipped for persons with disabilities, violating Illinois law. She acknowledged the mistake and repaid the state for the use of the van.

February 3, 2009: Nominated as Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

On February 3, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Tammy Duckworth to be the Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

February 8, 2009: Served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

Tammy Duckworth served as the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs until February 8, 2009. During her time as director, she was credited with starting a program to help veterans with PTSD and brain injuries.

2009: Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

In 2009, Tammy Duckworth became the assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, serving until 2011.

2009: Lawsuit Filed Against Duckworth

In 2009, two Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs employees filed a lawsuit against Tammy Duckworth, alleging wrongful termination and intimidation related to reports of abuse and misconduct of veterans.

May 2010: Honorary Degree from Northern Illinois University

In May 2010, Northern Illinois University awarded Tammy Duckworth the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

2010: Induction into Army Women's Hall of Fame

In 2010, Tammy Duckworth was inducted into the Army Women's hall of fame for her service in Iraq, and is heavily decorated for her service, with over 10 distinct military honors, most notably the Purple Heart.

June 2011: Resigned as Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

In June 2011, Tammy Duckworth resigned from her position as Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs to launch her campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois's 8th congressional district in the 2012 election.

July 2011: Launched Campaign for Congress

In July 2011, Tammy Duckworth launched her campaign to run in 2012 for Illinois's 8th congressional district.

2011: Remained in Department of Veterans Affairs

In 2011, Tammy Duckworth was the assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

2011: Statue Dedicated to Female Veterans

In 2011, a statue with Tammy Duckworth's likeness and that of Molly Pitcher was erected in Mount Vernon, Illinois, by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The statue is dedicated to female veterans.

March 20, 2012: Defeated Raja Krishnamoorthi for Democratic nomination

On March 20, 2012, Tammy Duckworth defeated Raja Krishnamoorthi for the Democratic nomination in Illinois's 8th congressional district.

July 2012: Controversy over Walsh's comments

In July 2012, Joe Walsh accused Tammy Duckworth of politicizing her military service, generating controversy.

November 6, 2012: Elected to Congress

On November 6, 2012, Tammy Duckworth defeated Joe Walsh, becoming the first Asian-American from Illinois in Congress, the first woman with a disability elected to Congress, and the first member of Congress born in Thailand.

2012: Campaign for U.S. House of Representatives

In 2012, Tammy Duckworth launched her campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives in Illinois's 8th congressional district.

2012: Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives

In 2012, Tammy Duckworth was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served two terms.

January 3, 2013: Sworn into office

On January 3, 2013, Tammy Duckworth was sworn into office as a U.S. Representative.

April 3, 2013: Returned portion of salary

On April 3, 2013, Tammy Duckworth publicly returned 8.4% of her congressional salary for that month to the United States Department of Treasury in solidarity with furloughed government workers.

June 26, 2013: Questioning Strong Castle CEO

On June 26, 2013, Tammy Duckworth questioned Strong Castle CEO Braulio Castillo during a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on a $500 million government contract awarded based on Castillo's disabled veteran status.

October 2014: Retired from the Illinois Army National Guard

In October 2014, Tammy Duckworth retired from the Illinois Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel.

2014: Birth of Daughter Abigail

In 2014, Tammy Duckworth and Bryan Bowlsbey's first daughter, Abigail, was born.

Others born on this day/year

2014: Retired from Illinois Army National Guard

In 2014, Tammy Duckworth retired from the Illinois Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel, after serving for ten years despite her injuries in the Iraq War.

2014: Re-elected to the House of Representatives

In 2014, Tammy Duckworth was re-elected to the House of Representatives, defeating Republican nominee Larry Kaifesh.

March 2015: Completed PhD at Capella University

In March 2015, Tammy Duckworth completed a PhD in human services at Capella University School of Public Service Leadership.

March 30, 2015: Duckworth Announces Senate Candidacy

On March 30, 2015, Tammy Duckworth announced her candidacy to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk in the 2016 Senate election in Illinois.

June 2016: Lawsuit Settled

In June 2016, the lawsuit against Tammy Duckworth by two Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs employees, alleging wrongful termination and intimidation, was settled for $26,000 with no admission of wrongdoing.

October 27, 2016: Kirk's comment during televised debate

During a televised debate on October 27, 2016, Mark Kirk made a controversial comment about Tammy Duckworth's parents' service, leading the Human Rights Campaign to rescind its endorsement of Kirk and switch it to Duckworth, denouncing Kirk's comment as "deeply offensive and racist."

2016: Gun Control Filibuster and House Sit-in

In 2016, Tammy Duckworth participated in the Chris Murphy gun control filibuster. During the 2016 United States House of Representatives sit-in, she hid her mobile phone in her prosthetic leg to prevent it being taken away.

2016: Elected to the U.S. Senate

In 2016, Tammy Duckworth was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican incumbent Mark Kirk.

2016: GQ Interview on Firearm Restrictions

In a 2016 interview with GQ magazine, Tammy Duckworth discussed the necessity of Senate control and "closing the gap" in the House to pass firearm restrictions.

2017: Legislative Effectiveness Score

In 2017, during her time as a freshman senator in the 115th Congress (2017–18), Tammy Duckworth's "Legislative Effectiveness Score" (LES) was rated as "Exceeds Expectations" by The Center for Effective Lawmaking, ranking her 11th out of 48 Democratic senators.

January 2018: Response to Government Shutdown

In January 2018, when the federal government shut down due to the Senate's inability to agree on a funding bill, Tammy Duckworth responded to President Trump's accusations.

April 6, 2018: Death of Senator Daniel Akaka

Former Senator Daniel Akaka from Hawaii, who helped the couple name both of their daughters, died on April 6, 2018, three days before Maile was born.

April 12, 2018: Senate Rule Change for Senators with Young Children

On April 12, 2018, Tammy Duckworth introduced Senate Resolution 463, which passed by unanimous consent, changing Senate rules to allow a senator to bring a child under one year old to the Senate floor during votes.

August 2018: Letter on Migrant Children Reunification

In August 2018, Tammy Duckworth was one of 17 senators to sign a letter led by Kamala Harris to United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, demanding action to reunite 539 migrant children with their families.

April 2019: Letter Advocating for Energy Department Funding

In April 2019, Tammy Duckworth was one of 12 senators to sign a bipartisan letter advocating that the Energy Department be granted maximum funding for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS).

May 2019: Cosponsor of South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act

In May 2019, Tammy Duckworth was a cosponsor of the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act, a bipartisan bill reintroduced by Marco Rubio and Ben Cardin.

2019: Participated in "The Military Women Aviators Oral History Initiative (MWAOHI)" project

In 2019, Tammy Duckworth participated in the National Air and Space Museum's "The Military Women Aviators Oral History Initiative (MWAOHI)" project.

April 15, 2020: Invitation to COVID-19 Task Force

On April 15, 2020, the Trump administration invited Tammy Duckworth to join a bipartisan task force focused on reopening the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 2020: Climate Crisis Committee Report

In August 2020, Tammy Duckworth, as a member of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, participated in publishing a report of its findings.

September 2020: Criticism of Amy Coney Barrett Nomination

In September 2020, Tammy Duckworth publicly criticized Trump's decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, citing Barrett's affiliation with a group that considers in vitro fertilization immoral as disqualifying and insulting to parents.

2020: 2020 Democratic National Convention

In 2020, Tammy Duckworth was the permanent co-chair of the Democratic National Convention. At the 2020 convention, she called Trump "coward-in-chief" for not supporting the American military.

January 3, 2021: Vote for Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2021, Tammy Duckworth received a vote for Speaker of the House of Representatives from Jared Golden, despite not being a member of that legislative body.

January 6, 2021: Capitol Attack Aftermath

In the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, which influenced the creation of S. 3635, the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022, Washington, D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith suffered repeated attacks at the Capitol.

March 2021: Duckworth announces candidacy for reelection

In March 2021, Tammy Duckworth announced her candidacy for reelection in 2022.

June 6, 2021: Visit to Taipei to announce vaccine donation

On June 6, 2021, Tammy Duckworth and Senators Dan Sullivan and Christopher Coons visited Taipei to meet President Tsai Ing-wen and Minister Joseph Wu to announce President Biden's donation plan of 750,000 COVID-19 vaccines.

2021: Response to Capitol Attack

In 2021, after the attack on the U.S. Capitol, Tammy Duckworth, who was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count, called Trump "a threat to our nation" and called for his immediate removal from office. She also called for the resignation of Representative Mary Miller after Miller quoted Adolf Hitler.

May 2022: Context for Taiwan Visit

In May 2022, other partners feared angering China from the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, leading to Duckworth's mission planned in conjunction with the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

June 2022: Visit to Taiwan

In June 2022, President Biden sent Tammy Duckworth to Taiwan, where she held a press conference with Tsai Ing-wen to announce the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.

November 8, 2022: Duckworth Reelected to the Senate

On November 8, 2022, Tammy Duckworth was reelected to the Senate, defeating Republican nominee Kathy Salvi. This win made Duckworth the first woman reelected to the Senate from Illinois.

2022: Sponsorship of Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022

In 2022, Tammy Duckworth sponsored S. 3635, the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022, aimed at providing line of duty death designation to law enforcement and other public safety officers who die as a result of traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and other "silent" injuries.

2022: Response to Overturning of Roe v. Wade

In 2022, after Roe v. Wade was overturned, Tammy Duckworth expressed outrage and horror, describing the decision as a "nightmare" that deprived women of their right to make health care decisions.

February 2023: Chair of Aviation Subcommittee

In February 2023, Tammy Duckworth was named chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She and Deb Fischer sponsored a bill to improve reporting on complaints from disabled airline passengers.

June 2023: Criticism of Senator Sinema's legislation

In June 2023, Tammy Duckworth criticized Senator Kyrsten Sinema for proposing legislation to limit the amount of time an airplane pilot needs to train for certification.

November 2023: Meeting with Israeli Defense Officials

In November 2023, Tammy Duckworth organized a meeting with Israeli defense officials to discuss their strategy in the Gaza war. She stated that a ceasefire "would not help the residents of Gaza nor would it help the security of Israel".