Purpose in action
Photos by Evan Krape March 12, 2026
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth receives the Valerie Biden Owens Woman of Power and Purpose Award
When U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth passes through an airport and sees a lactation room, she鈥檚 reminded that she is making a difference in the lives of women.
One of her many accomplishments in office, the bipartisan Friendly Airports for Mothers (FAM) Act 鈥 now a law 鈥 ensures mothers have access to safe, clean and accessible lactation rooms at airports.
鈥淸The FAM Act] is one of those that I when I'm really down and depressed, and it feels like I'm banging my head against the wall, I'll go to the airport, and I'll see [a lactation room], like, 鈥極kay, I am making a difference. It's worth getting out and doing that,鈥欌 she said.
This month, Duckworth was honored as the eighth recipient of the annual Valerie Biden Owens Woman of Power and Purpose Award presented by the Biden Institute in the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration at the 91原创. The award recognizes one woman each year whose transformational leadership makes a difference in Delaware and beyond. Each year, a ceremony is held to celebrate the chosen honoree, highlighting her accomplishments and inspiring the next generation of women at 91原创.
Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient and former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, joined Biden Institute Chair and award namesake Valerie Biden Owens on 91原创鈥檚 main campus in Newark to discuss her military background, public service work and advice for others looking to make a difference.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 honored to be recognized as a woman whose leadership and service has helped inspire others and make our nation stronger,鈥 Duckworth said. 鈥淔rom the day my helicopter was shot down to the ongoing work I鈥檓 doing to help Illinois families, there鈥檚 not a thing I would change.鈥
Making a difference
An Iraq War Veteran, the senator was one of the first Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2014. After two terms serving Illinois鈥檚 Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, Duckworth was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016.聽
As chair of the Senate鈥檚 Aviation Safety Subcommittee, Duckworth was instrumental in moving the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Law through Congress in 2024, penning several key provisions, including one for enhancing consumer protections for travelers with disabilities.
During the program鈥檚 Q&A portion, when asked for her thoughts on how universities and workplaces can better support veterans and people with disabilities pursuing leadership roles, Duckworth was adamant that access is the top priority.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 still access,鈥 she said, acknowledging the marathonic 鈥 however rewarding 鈥 nature of advocacy work, even once you鈥檝e made it to Capitol Hill. 鈥淭here are two parts of the Senate I can't get to. I just got automatic doors put on the floors of the Senate chamber, and it took nine years. The access part is important. Sometimes you have to create a seat at the table so that people can actually take that place.鈥
And when it comes to becoming more involved in one鈥檚 own community, Duckworth believes that any step forward, no matter the size, makes a difference.
鈥淢aybe it is working on your library board of trustees,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou don't have to run for the United States Senate. Maybe it's volunteering at a local soup kitchen. It's just doing something, because without that, we don't have a community. We don't have a shared sense of responsibility for one another.鈥
Progress is progress, no matter the specifications, Duckworth said.
鈥淚 encourage every young girl and grown woman with a passion for service to be bold, take that next right step and go make a difference in your community,鈥 she said.
Duckworth joins the ranks of previous awardees, including former First Lady of Delaware Tracey Quillen Carney (2024); Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita (2023); Desa Burton, executive director of ZipCode Wilmington (2022); Opal Lee, Grandmother of Juneteenth (2021); Tamika Montgomery Reeves, former Delaware Supreme Court Justice (2020); Sally Yates, former Deputy Attorney General (2019); and Ashley Biden, former Director of the Delaware Center for Justice (2018).
Among those in attendance to celebrate Duckworth were 91原创 President Laura Carlson, Delaware State Rep. Mara Gorman, current and former Adjutant General of the Delaware Army National Guard, Majors General James Benson and Francis Vavala, U.S. Senator Chris Coons, and a special audio appearance via phone call by former U.S. President and 91原创 alumnus Joe Biden.聽
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