AP: Sen. Duckworth still breaking barriers, and she likes it

[mucifer]

The decorated Iraq War veteran who lost both legs when her helicopter was shot down is an Asian-American woman in the mostly white, mostly male and very fusty Senate. And now, with a baby due in April, she’ll be the first senator to give birth while in office.

Duckworth is already in the history books. She’s the first female amputee elected to Congress, the first Asian-American to represent Illinois in Washington and the first member of Congress born in Thailand. Her story of resilience and grit set her in the rare company of grievously injured veterans who later served in the Senate — Dole, a World War II veteran, and John McCain, who was kept prisoner for more than five years in Vietnam.

“If you take gender out of it, it’s not that new,” said Duckworth, a year into her own Senate term.

But gender can’t be ignored as the nation reckons with sexual misconduct at home and in the workplace, especially since Congress is not exactly known for being on the leading edge of equality. The first area specifically set up for lactation opened in the Capitol only a dozen years ago. The House installed its first lavatory for women lawmakers in 2011. The Senate has had its own women’s restroom for 25 years.

https://www.apnews.com/d0c92773dd69472cbb09b9f1ec91f187/Sen.-Duckworth-still-breaking-barriers,-and-she-likes-it

I'm proud to say she is my Senator!

[Ohiogal]

1. Lucky you!

I've got one good one (Brown) and one idiot (Portman)

[justhanginon]

2. We are fortunate here in Illinois to have two really great

Democratic Senators. Unfortunately, my representative is John Shimkus, a trump toady, over the top phony christian POS. I wish we could vote him out but too many idiots in my district.

[Squinch]

3. If she ran for president, she'd win.