WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, issued this statement following the Senate’s unanimous confirmation tonight of the nomination of L. Tammy Duckworth to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs:

“I am pleased my colleagues confirmed Major Duckworth unanimously.  More than three months after taking office, Secretary Shinseki now has his first confirmed Assistant Secretary.  As VA’s new public face and intergovernmental liaison, Tammy can begin the long and hard work of improving the Department’s reputation and relations across the country.  I look forward to working with her,” 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 State 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.  She was unanimously approved by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee earlier this week.

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April 22, 2009