History of Tammy Duckworth in Timeline

Tammy Duckworth is a U.S. Senator representing Illinois, elected in 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as a U.S. Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district from 2013 to 2017. Before entering politics, Duckworth served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army National Guard and is a combat veteran of the Iraq War, where she sustained severe injuries that resulted in the amputation of both her legs. Her military service and personal experiences have shaped her political career and advocacy for veterans and people with disabilities.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

March 12, 1968: Tammy Duckworth Born

On March 12, 1968, Ladda Tammy Duckworth was born. She later became an American politician, retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel, and combat veteran.

Others born on this day/year

1984: Braulio Castillo injured at USMAPS

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

1985: Graduated from McKinley High School

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

1989: Graduated from the 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 the 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 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 both served in the Illinois Army National Guard. Bryan Bowlsbey is a Signal Corps officer and a veteran of the Iraq War.

1996: Entered the Illinois Army National Guard

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

September 11, 2001: 9/11 Spending

In 2006, Tammy Duckworth called for an audit of overseas military and foreign aid spending since September 11, 2001, which was estimated at $437 billion.

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 both legs and severely broke her right arm. She was the first American female double amputee from the Iraq War.

2004: Democratic primary

In 2004 Tammy Duckworth defeated Christine Cegelis and Lindy Scott in 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.

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: Democratic Response to President Bush's Address

On September 30, 2006, Tammy Duckworth delivered the Democratic Party's response to President George W. Bush's weekly radio address, where she criticized his Iraq War strategy.

October 2006: Agreement with General Dannatt on Iraq War

In October 2006, The Sunday Times reported that Tammy 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: Call for Audit of Overseas Spending

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

2006: Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

In 2006, Tammy Duckworth served as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

September 17, 2008: Campaign event and violation of Illinois law

On September 17, 2008, Tammy Duckworth attended a campaign event for Dan Seals while using vacation time. She violated Illinois law by using a state-owned van equipped for a person with physical disabilities, and later repaid the state for the van's use.

2008: Speech at Democratic National Convention

In 2008, Senator Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

February 3, 2009: Nominated as Assistant Secretary for 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: Continued service as Director of Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs

On February 8, 2009, Tammy Duckworth continued to serve as the director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

2009: Assistant Secretary at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs

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

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.

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.

June 2011: Resigned from Assistant Secretary position

In June 2011, Tammy Duckworth resigned 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: Gordon H. Mansfield Congressional Leadership Award

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

2011: Continued service as Assistant Secretary at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs

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

2011: Statue dedicated to female veterans erected

In 2011, a statue with Tammy Duckworth's likeness and that of Molly Pitcher was erected in Mount Vernon, Illinois, 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 for Illinois's 8th congressional district.

July 2012: Controversy over comments about military service

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

November 6, 2012: Defeated Joe Walsh in election

On November 6, 2012, Tammy Duckworth defeated Joe Walsh with 55% of the vote, 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: Mazie Hirono Elected

In 2012, Mazie Hirono was elected as a senator, becoming the first female Asian American senator. This is relevant as Tammy Duckworth and Kamala Harris became the second and third female Asian American senators after Hirono.

2012: Speech at Democratic National Convention

In 2012, Senator Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

2012: House of Representatives Campaign

In 2012, Tammy Duckworth campaigned 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.

January 3, 2013: Sworn into office

On January 3, 2013, Tammy Duckworth was sworn into office.

April 3, 2013: Returned portion of salary in solidarity

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

June 26, 2013: Questioning of Strong Castle CEO

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

2013: Representative for Illinois's 8th congressional district

In 2013, Tammy Duckworth began representing Illinois's 8th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.

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. Former Senator Daniel Akaka from Hawaii helped the couple name both of their daughters.

Others born on this day/year

2014: Retired from Illinois Army National Guard

In 2014, Tammy Duckworth retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Illinois Army National Guard after receiving a medical waiver to continue serving for ten years despite her injuries.

2014: Defeated Larry Kaifesh

In the 2014 general election, Tammy Duckworth defeated Republican nominee Larry Kaifesh with 56% of the vote.

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: Duckworth Announces Senate Run

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

March 15, 2016: Duckworth Wins Democratic Primary

On March 15, 2016, Tammy Duckworth won the Democratic primary election, defeating Andrea Zopp and Napoleon Harris, clearing the way for her to challenge the incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Mark Kirk in the general election.

June 2016: Lawsuit Settled

In June 2016, the lawsuit against Tammy Duckworth by Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs employees settled for $26,000 with no admission of wrongdoing.

October 27, 2016: Kirk's Comments and Endorsement Rescinded

On October 27, 2016, during a televised debate, Mark Kirk made a controversial comment about Tammy Duckworth's heritage, leading the Human Rights Campaign to rescind its endorsement of Kirk and endorse Duckworth instead. The Human Rights Campaign called Kirk's comments "deeply offensive and racist."

2016: Speech at Democratic National Convention

In 2016, Senator Duckworth spoke at the Democratic National Convention.

2016: Duckworth Defeats Kirk

In 2016, Tammy Duckworth defeated Mark Kirk, winning the election with 55% of the vote to Kirk's 40%. This victory made Duckworth the second female Asian American senator, alongside Kamala Harris, after Mazie Hirono.

2016: Gun Control Filibuster and House Sit-in Participation

In 2016, Tammy Duckworth participated in the Chris Murphy gun control filibuster. During the 2016 United States House of Representatives sit-in, she concealed her mobile phone in her prosthetic leg to circumvent the policy against taking pictures or recording on the House floor.

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 Gun Control

In a 2016 interview with GQ magazine, Tammy Duckworth discussed the importance of gaining control of the Senate and narrowing the gap in the House to pass firearm restrictions. She expressed that moderate Republicans who support gun control would have more influence if they weren't marginalized by those beholden to the NRA.

2017: Senator from Illinois

In 2017, Tammy Duckworth began serving as the junior United States senator from Illinois.

2017: Legislative Effectiveness Score

In 2017, as a freshman senator in the 115th Congress (2017-18), Tammy Duckworth received a Legislative Effectiveness Score (LES) of "Exceeds Expectations" from The Center for Effective Lawmaking (CEL). Her score was the 11th highest out of 48 Democratic senators.

January 2018: Government Shutdown Response

In January 2018, during the federal government shutdown, Senator Duckworth responded to President Trump's accusations about Democrats prioritizing "unlawful immigrants" over the military, though the specific content of her response is not detailed.

April 6, 2018: Death of Daniel Akaka

On April 6, 2018, former Senator Daniel Akaka from Hawaii, who helped Tammy Duckworth and her husband name their daughters, passed away. His death occurred three days before the birth of Duckworth's second daughter, Maile.

April 12, 2018: Senate Rule Change for Children on the Floor

On April 12, 2018, Senator Duckworth introduced Senate Resolution 463, which unanimously passed, changing Senate rules to allow senators to bring children under one year old onto the Senate floor during votes.

August 2018: Letter on Migrant Children Reunification

In August 2018, Tammy Duckworth was among 17 senators who signed a letter led by Kamala Harris to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen. The letter urged the Trump administration to take immediate action to reunite 539 migrant children with their families, emphasizing the trauma caused by the administration's inaction.

April 2019: Letter on Carbon Capture Funding

In April 2019, Senator Duckworth joined 11 other senators in signing a bipartisan letter to the Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development. The letter advocated for maximum funding for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) at the Energy Department.

May 2019: Cosponsor of South 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. The bill aimed 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 Task Force on Reopening Economy

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

August 2020: Climate Crisis Report

In August 2020, Senator Duckworth, as a member of the Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis, contributed to the publication of a report detailing the committee's findings.

September 2020: Criticism of Amy Coney Barrett Nomination

In September 2020, Senator Duckworth publicly criticized Trump's nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, citing Barrett's membership in a group that considers in vitro fertilization immoral as "disqualifying and, frankly, insulting to every parent".

2020: Permanent Co-Chair of Democratic National Convention

In 2020, Senator Duckworth served as the permanent co-chair of the Democratic National Convention. During the convention, she referred to Trump as "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, even though she was not a member of that body and not a candidate.

January 6, 2021: Capitol Attack and Death of Officer Smith

On January 6, 2021, the Capitol attack occurred, leading to the death of Washington, D.C. police officer Jeffrey Smith. His death from post-concussive syndrome after the attack served as the basis for the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022, which Senator Duckworth sponsored.

March 2021: Duckworth Announces Reelection Candidacy

In March 2021, Tammy Duckworth announced that she would be running for reelection in 2022.

June 6, 2021: Visit to Taipei with Vaccine Donation

On June 6, 2021, Tammy Duckworth, along with Senators Dan Sullivan and Christopher Coons, visited Taipei in an U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport. They met with President Tsai Ing-wen and Minister Joseph Wu to announce President Biden's donation plan of 750,000 COVID-19 vaccines through the global COVAX program.

2021: Response to Capitol Attack

In 2021, following the attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, Tammy Duckworth called Trump "a threat to our nation" and advocated for his removal from office via the Twenty-fifth Amendment or impeachment. She also called for Representative Mary Miller's resignation after Miller quoted Adolf Hitler in a speech.

May 2022: Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

In May 2022, other partners feared angering China by participating in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, prompting President Biden to send Senator Duckworth to Taiwan the following month to announce the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade.

June 2022: Visit to Taiwan

In June 2022, Senator Duckworth visited Taiwan on behalf of President Biden, where she met with Tsai Ing-wen to announce the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade. This visit was planned in coordination with the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

November 8, 2022: Duckworth Reelected to Senate

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

2022: Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022

In 2022, Senator Duckworth sponsored S. 3635, the Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022. This bill provides 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, calling the decision a "nightmare" that deprived women of their right to make health care decisions.

February 2023: Chair of Aviation Safety Subcommittee

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

June 2023: Criticism of Kyrsten Sinema's Legislation

In June 2023, Senator Duckworth criticized Senator Kyrsten Sinema for proposing legislation that would limit the amount of training time required for airplane pilot certification.

November 2023: Meeting with Israeli Defense Officials

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