WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs unanimously approved the nomination of Major L. Tammy Duckworth to be the Department of Veterans Affairs Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs.  Committee Chairman Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI)  issued the following statement after the vote:

"With the Senate’s final approval, Major Duckworth will be Secretary Shinseki’s first confirmed Assistant Secretary.  While I have been frustrated that this vote was held up and her confirmation delayed, I am pleased that Tammy received the unanimous support of the committee today," said Akaka. 

Prior to being nominated by President Obama, Ms. Duckworth was the Director of the Illinois State Department of Veterans Affairs.  A member of the Illinois National Guard, Ms. Duckworth was deployed to Iraq in 2004, where she was injured when her Black Hawk helicopter was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade. 

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April 20, 2009