In 2018, Tammy Duckworth became the first Senator to give birth while in office.

Unlike many Americans, Senator Duckworth did have the option to take 12 weeks of family leave. However, like most parents, she could not take that time off without significant compromises elsewhere.

Sen. Duckworth learned that while on leave, she would be unable to sponsor or vote for legislation amid a 51-49 Senate under Donald Trump.

Contradictions like this characterize Tammy Duckworth’s time in the Senate, as her presence calls into question the biases her colleagues take for granted. And while her rise to the highest legislative body in the land shattered more than one glass ceiling, Sen. Duckworth’s experience doesn’t just define her, it drives her.

Senator Duckworth has an unwavering dedication to serving this nation, and you can draw a straight line from her time as an Army helicopter pilot and double amputee to her fierce pursuit of affordable health care and childcare.