Tammy Duckworth Announces Presidential Run in Chicago
Tammy Duckworth: giving birth shouldn't force me to give up my Senate vote on key bills - Vox"Hello, Chicago! Five years ago, I became the first Senator to give birth while in office, and I learned a lesson that working mothers around the country have all learned at some point, that the rules were not written for us. You know there's a problem when there's no rule in your workplace that allows for paid family leave, or for caring for your child at the workplace. I know that balancing workplace and parental responsibilities is a challenge that many of us, men and women, experience every day, and I believe that our policies need to adapt to that reality.
Ten years ago, I had the pleasure of getting pregnant. Like many parents, it was a journey to get there. I was in my forties, having chosen to continue serving in the army when many of my peers began having babies, and my VA doctor told me that I was too old. It was when I went to a fertility doctor that I was able to conceive my first daughter. It turns out, my doctor worked at a facility that did not allow for fertilizing embryos outside of the body, and I was never informed. This simple fact made the difference in my ability to conceive, my ability to be a mother. I know that if the former Director of the Illinois Veterans Affairs could miss that information, then many other families could have as well, and I believe it's time to modernize our healthcare system where this kind of information is transparent, so that people can make informed decisions with the help of their medical professionals.
Nineteen years ago, I lost both of my legs while serving in the Iraq War. I am so thankful for the heroes who saved my life that day, and for the quality care that I received. It was this moment where I decided to dedicate my life to public service, whether it be working with veterans with PTSD as the Director of the Illinois Veterans Affairs, or modernizing parental policies in the Senate, I have felt the call to serve my country. It's because of this very call that I'm here today.
I'm here to announce that I am running for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. After eight years of division, of partisanship, and gridlock, it's time for a President who can unite and serve every American. We need a President committed to keeping assault weapons off the streets, we need a paid parental leave policy that allows us to tackle the wage gap, and we need to address our education system, giving our teachers a raise and modernizing our classrooms. That's why I'm running for President, to fight for every single one of these issues keeping us up at night."
Poll
