History of Tammy Duckworth in Timeline

Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. Senator from Illinois, serving 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. Duckworth is also a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard. She is a prominent figure in American politics, known for her military service and advocacy for veterans' issues.

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.

Others born on this day/year

1984: Castillo's Ankle Injury at USMAPS

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

1985: Graduated High School

In 1985, Tammy Duckworth graduated from President William McKinley High School in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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.

1992: Received Master of Arts

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

1993: Married Bryan Bowlsbey

In 1993, 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 the Illinois Army National Guard

In 1996, Tammy Duckworth entered the Illinois Army National Guard.

September 11, 2001: Referenced Date for Military Spending Audit

In 2006, during her congressional campaign, Duckworth referenced the date of September 11, 2001, as the start date for calculating overseas military and foreign aid spending.

November 12, 2004: Injured in Iraq War

On November 12, 2004, Tammy Duckworth was injured in Iraq when the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. She lost her right leg near the hip and her left leg below the knee.

2004: Injured in Iraq War

In 2004, Tammy Duckworth lost both legs and some mobility in her right arm when the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in the Iraq War.

2004: Lost Congressional Campaign

In 2004, Tammy Duckworth lost the congressional campaign receiving 49% to Roskam's 51%.

2005: Death of Father

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: Delivered Democratic Party Response

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

October 2006: Report on Iraq Conflict

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

November 21, 2006: Appointed Director of 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.

2006: Called for Audit of Overseas Military Spending

During her unsuccessful 2006 congressional campaign, Duckworth called on Congress to audit the estimated $437 billion spent on overseas military and foreign aid since September 11, 2001.

September 17, 2008: Used state-owned van for campaign event

On September 17, 2008, Tammy Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals, violating Illinois law by using a state-owned van equipped for a person with physical disabilities. She acknowledged the mistake and repaid the state.

2008: Spoke at Democratic National Convention

In 2008, Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

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: End of term as Director of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

Tammy Duckworth served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs until February 8, 2009.

2009: Lawsuit filed against Duckworth

In 2009, a lawsuit was filed against Tammy Duckworth by two Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs employees alleging wrongful termination and intimidation.

May 2010: Awarded Honorary Degree

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

2010: Inducted into Army Women's Hall of Fame

In 2010, Duckworth was inducted into the Army Women's hall of fame.

June 2011: Resigned as Assistant Secretary

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

July 2011: Launched campaign for Illinois's 8th congressional district

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

2011: Honored by Access Living

In 2011, Chicago's Access Living honored her for her work on behalf of veterans with disabilities, giving her the Gordon H. Mansfield Congressional Leadership Award.

2011: Statue Erected in Mount Vernon

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

March 20, 2012: Won Democratic nomination

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

July 2012: Walsh Accusation

In July 2012, Joe Walsh accused Tammy Duckworth of politicizing her military service and injuries.

November 6, 2012: Elected to Congress

On November 6, 2012, Tammy Duckworth defeated Joe Walsh and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, 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: Spoke at Democratic National Convention

In 2012, Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

2012: Mazie Hirono elected to Senate

In 2012, Mazie Hirono was elected to the Senate, before Tammy Duckworth. Hirono became the first female Asian American senators

2012: Campaign for the 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.

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 part of congressional 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: Questioned Strong Castle CEO

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

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, Duckworth and Bowlsbey had their first daughter, Abigail.

2014: Retired from Illinois Army National Guard

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

2014: Re-elected to U.S. House of Representatives

In 2014, Tammy Duckworth was re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating 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. Her dissertation was titled Exploring Illinois physicians' experience using electronic medical records (EMR) via the UTAUT model.

March 30, 2015: Announced Senate Candidacy

On March 30, 2015, Tammy Duckworth announced that she would challenge incumbent Republican U.S. senator Mark Kirk in the 2016 Senate election in Illinois.

March 15, 2016: Won Democratic Primary

On March 15, 2016, Tammy Duckworth defeated Andrea Zopp and Napoleon Harris in the Democratic primary for the 2016 Senate election in Illinois.

June 2016: Lawsuit Settled

In June 2016, the lawsuit against Tammy Duckworth settled for $26,000 with no admission of wrongdoing.

October 27, 2016: Kirk's Comment

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

2016: Participated in Gun Control Filibuster

In 2016, 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: Spoke at Democratic National Convention

In 2016, Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

2016: Elected to Senate

In 2016, Tammy Duckworth was elected to the Senate, defeating Kirk with 55% of the vote. Along with Kamala Harris, Duckworth became one of the first female Asian American senators.

2016: GQ Magazine Interview on Gun Control

In a 2016 interview with GQ magazine, Duckworth discussed the need for Senate control to pass firearm restrictions and the influence of the NRA.

2017: Legislative Effectiveness Score

In 2017, according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Duckworth's "Legislative Effectiveness Score" (LES) was "Exceeds Expectations" as a freshman senator in the 115th Congress (2017–18), the 11th highest out of 48 Democratic senators.

January 2018: Responded to Trump's Accusations

In January 2018, when the federal government shut down after the Senate could not agree on a funding bill, Duckworth responded to President Trump's accusations that the Democrats were putting "unlawful immigrants" ahead of the military.

April 6, 2018: Death of Daniel Akaka

On April 6, 2018, former Senator Daniel Akaka from Hawaii, who helped name Duckworth's daughters, died three days before the birth of Maile.

April 12, 2018: Introduced Senate Resolution 463

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

August 2018: Signed Letter on Migrant Children Reunification

In August 2018, Duckworth was one of 17 senators to sign a letter spearheaded by Kamala Harris demanding that the Trump administration take immediate action in attempting to reunite 539 migrant children with their families.

April 2019: Signed Letter Advocating for Energy Department Funding

In April 2019, 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: Cosponsored South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act

In May 2019, Duckworth was a cosponsor of the South China Sea and East China Sea Sanctions Act, a bipartisan bill intended to disrupt China's consolidation or expansion of its claims of jurisdiction over disputed zones in the South China Sea.

2019: Participated in Military Women Aviators Oral History Initiative

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

April 15, 2020: Invited to Join Bipartisan Task Force

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

August 2020: Climate Crisis Report

In August 2020, Duckworth was a member of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, which published a report of its findings.

September 2020: Criticized Amy Coney Barrett Nomination

In September 2020, Duckworth publicly criticized Trump's decision to nominate Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, citing Barrett's membership in a group that considers in vitro fertilization immoral.

2020: Spoke at Democratic National Convention

In 2020, Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention. She was also the permanent co-chair and called Trump "coward-in-chief".

January 3, 2021: Received Vote for Speaker of the House

On January 3, 2021, 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

On January 6, 2021, The Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022, is based on the death of Washington, D.C., police officer Jeffrey Smith in the aftermath of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

March 2021: Announced Candidacy for Reelection

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

June 6, 2021: Visit to Taipei to Announce COVID-19 Vaccine Donation

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

2021: Response to Capitol Attack

In 2021, Duckworth was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote count when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. In the wake of the attack, she called Trump "a threat to our nation" and called for his immediate removal from office.

May 2022: Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

In May 2022, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. was established, the other partners of which feared angering China.

June 2022: Visit to Taiwan

In June 2022, President Biden sent 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: Reelected to the Senate

On November 8, 2022, Tammy Duckworth was reelected to the Senate, defeating Republican nominee Kathy Salvi with 57% of the vote. This victory made Duckworth the first woman reelected to the Senate from Illinois.

2022: Sponsored Public Safety Officer Support Act

In 2022, Duckworth sponsored S. 3635, the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022, which would provide 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 Roe v. Wade Overturn

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

February 2023: Named Chair of Subcommittee on Aviation Safety

In February 2023, Duckworth was named chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

June 2023: Criticized Senator Kyrsten Sinema

In June 2023, 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, Duckworth organized a meeting with Israeli defense officials to discuss their strategy in the Gaza war.

January 2024: Response to Gaza Ceasefire Question

In January 2024, when asked whether she would support a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Duckworth replied that it "would not help the residents of Gaza nor would it help the security of Israel".