February 3, 2009 - Posted by Corrine Yu
President Barack Obama has nominated Iraq War veteran L. Tammy Duckworth to serve as the assistant secretary of public and intergovernmental affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In 2007, Duckworth received the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights' Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award for her work on behalf of veterans and health care reform.
Duckworth, who currently serves as director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, lost both of her legs in a 2004 helicopter accident while serving in Iraq. She received a Purple Heart and was promoted to the rank of major while still hospitalized at Walter Reed Medical Hospital.
In 2006, Duckworth ran for an Illinois congressional seat, on a platform calling for equal access to health care, common-sense immigration reform, mandatory funding of veterans' health care, and improvements in transition assistance for those returning to civilian life, particularly for those with disabilities.
"Tammy Duckworth made the health and welfare of returning veterans a priority in her public service work," said LCCR President and CEO Wade Henderson in announcing the award. "Her tireless efforts on behalf of children, families, and veterans embody the true spirit of civil rights and we are honored to celebrate her work."
The Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award was named for the former United States vice president, senator, and civil rights pioneer whose years of public service, leadership, and dedication to equal opportunity changed the face of America.
Categories: Civil Rights Enforcement Agencies
