The Ottawa Times: Duckworth, Durbin Appear in Ottawa

Press Release

In a quickly arranged local appearance, U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth made a campaign stop Saturday at Jeremiah Joe Coffee in downtown Ottawa.

Duckworth, who was introduced to local officials and fellow Democrats by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, is running in a closely watched race against Republican Sen. Mark Kirk in the Nov. 15 election.

Actually, it was the lure of the Midwest Morel Fest which brought her into town with other family members, said the congresswoman.

"My mother (75 year-old Lamai Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates) actually went out on the morel hunt with a busload of others looking for mushrooms earlier this morning," she explained. "I hope she found some."

Duckworth nor Durbin, however, had to worry about hunting for the elusive and valued mushrooms themselves, as La Salle County Democratic Committee Chairman Rocky Raikes presented each lawmaker with a bag of personally-picked morels during the brief appearance.

Duckworth is a nationally-known 48-year-old Iraq veteran, who served in the Illinois Army National Guard. She lost both legs when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter she was co-piloting in 2004.

It was during her long recovery from her injuries she became a respected advocate for veterans and a top recruit by the Democratic Party to run for political office.

"At the hospital, I realized my new responsibility to honor the buddies who saved me by serving our military men and women," she said years ago before her first winning race.

Since being elected to Congress in 2012, Duckworth's public profile has continued to steadily rise. It has been predicted by many pundits that she will win over incumbent Kirk in November.

In his introduction of Duckworth on Saturday, Durbin spoke of the state's financial mess, calling it "Rauner's recession." He said, like many Illinois residents, he was angry at the condition of the state.

"This governor inherited a mess, but he turned it into a crisis," Durbin said.

He said a victory by Duckworth is crucial to the state and nation, because it will help to change both the majority and therefore, the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

"That change starts here in Illinois," he said. He called Duckworth "the most amazing person" he has ever met.

"I am committed to Tammy to become our next senator," Durbin said.

Duckworth also spoke of the state's problems and praised unions during her short address.

"I stand with organized labor," she said.

Holding her young daughter, Abigail, Duckworth said, if elected, she would continue to "fight for keeping the standards high in the country and the state."

Asked about the announcement Friday that the U.S. Treasury Department would not accept the Central States Pension Fund's proposed pension rescue plan, Duckworth said she was disappointed and realized that hundreds of thousands, including many local veterans, would have their retirement decreased.

"Last year, I backed the Keep Our Pension Promises Act," she said. "It is important that we keep these promises."

The legislation would repeal the "benefit suspension" provisions of the Multi-Employer Pension Reform Act of 2014. Those provisions allow the trustees of certain financially-troubled multi-employer pension plans to reduce the benefits of retirees and their widows and widowers. The Keep Our Pension Promises Act would ensure that pensioners will continue to get their full benefits.

That bill remains stalled in committee.

Commenting on the presidential races, Duckworth said she will attend the Democratic Convention on July 25-28 in Philadelphia as a super delegate and that she fully supports Hillary Clinton's election.

Duckworth left Jeremiah Joe to look for her mother's return from the morning's morel hunt and said she was looking forward to attending the festival with her husband, Bryan Bowlsbey, her daughter and some staff members.

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