Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran, Purple Heart recipient and former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who was among the first handful of Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Duckworth served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2014. She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016 after representing Illinois’s Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Illinois’s economy and a foundational component of our state’s history. In Congress, Senator Duckworth is pushing to ensure that the hardworking men and women across the state who have fed generations of Americans have the tools, resources and support they need to grow, prosper and continue to feed and power our nation. She is working alongside Illinois farmers to ensure they have a fair shake and a powerful advocate in Federal policy debates.
In every corner of the state, the agriculture industry faces growing challenges from foreign competition and aging infrastructure. That is one reason Senator Duckworth is working to expand access to new markets and drive down the costs associated with getting agricultural products to market. She is committed to reinforcing the entrepreneurial spirit of Illinois farmers by supporting initiatives that eliminate unnecessary red tape, reduce uncertainty and expand opportunity.