Quotes from Tammy Duckworth

As an assistant operations officer for a helicopter task force in Iraq, I saw my fellow Guardsmen and soldiers risk life and limb to maintain diesel fuel supply lines.

The wheelchair and the prosthesis give me a soapbox to stand on. If it helps me get my message across, I'm glad; then we need to talk about what we need to do for this country.

I'm going to find solutions wherever I can. I think it's all a priority. You can't just say, 'OK, I'm going to work on this but not that.' You have to work on all of it.

I had 12 years in the Army before I ever faced combat.

The military is a place of discipline, technical proficiency, and personal sacrifice for the greater good.

I did not know I was a Midwesterner until I got there. I just fell in love with the people.

The contributions of African Americans, Native Americans, and immigrants throughout our nation's history are undeniable, but the tendency to overlook their gallant efforts is pervasive and persistent.

The ADA is the living testament to our Nation's commitment that we will always stand up for our neighbors' right to live fulfilling lives.

You fly. You aviate. You do everything you can to get the aircraft safely on the ground.

If I still had my legs, I would be in line for a battalion command, and instead, I'm flying a desk.

One of the good things about losing your feet is I can wear all the pointy shoes I want, and it doesn't hurt anymore. I can wear shoes just for fashion now.

I said three things when I woke up in Walter Reed. 'I love you.' 'Put me to work,' and 'You stink! Go shower!'

It's really hard to use a laptop when you only have half a lap.

Our military men and women are our greatest national treasure. They should be safeguarded as such upon their return.

The American Dream I believe in is one that provides anyone willing to work hard enough with the opportunity to succeed.

At my core, I know that the American Dream is about the opportunity to work hard to make your future.

I get up every single day trying to repay a debt that I can never repay. Never. And I will work hard. Because I don't know why I was saved. I don't know.

I don't ever want to be sad about my life.

My experience in Iraq made me realize, and during the recovery, that I could have died. And I just had to do more with my life.

I remember my mother taking me as a very little kid to the roof of our home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to look at the bombs exploding in the distance. She didn't want us to be scared by the booms and the strange flashes of light. It was her way of helping us to understand what was happening.

Every day, members of the LGBTQ community deal with challenges that most Americans will never have to face. These challenges appear in the workplace, in your homes, in your community, and even in the halls of Congress.

Like many moms in this country, I work to provide my child the best life she can have. It's tough. It's hard to take care of a sick baby all night, wake up tired, and have to go to work when all I want to do is spend time holding her.

Veterans Day is a time to celebrate the men and women who have worn this nation's uniform and to honor their service.

As I recovered at Walter Reed, I worried about the soldiers who pulled me out of my helicopter that Friday afternoon. Would they make it back okay? And what about all the other soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who were also putting their lives on the line every day?