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WHERE IN THE WORLD IS TAMMY DUCKWORTH? VA
POST
ON HOLD -- Duckworth quit her post as head of
Illinois
DVA and prepared to go to Washington. Now,
that fast track isn't moving so fast.
President Obama with Tammy Duckworth
(2008).
For more about Tammy Duckworth, use the VA
Watchdog search engine... click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessea
rch.php?q=duckworth&op=and
Story here...
http://www.daily
herald.com/story/?id=276422
Story below:
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-------------------------
Tammy Duckworth's D.C. post still on hold
By Dan Carden
Daily Herald Staff
SPRINGFIELD - One month ago, Tammy Duckworth looked to be on the fast
track to an important job in President Barack Obama's new administration.
The Hoffman Estates resident quit her job as head of the Illinois
Department of Veterans Affairs on Feb. 6 and prepared to become the face
of the federal VA as the assistant secretary of public and
intergovernmental affairs.
One month later, that fast track to Washington, D.C., isn't moving so
fast.
It turns out Obama did not actually nominate Duckworth on Feb. 3, but only
indicated his intent to nominate the Iraq war veteran. The White House has
still not sent Duckworth's nomination to the U.S. Senate.
"We're still waiting for the nomination," said Kawika Riley, press
secretary for the Senate's veterans affairs committee. "When the paper
comes we'll be very happy."
A White House spokeswoman told the Daily Herald Tuesday there is no
specific reason for the delay in formally nominating Duckworth. Of the
thousands of government positions appointed by the White House and needing
Senate confirmation, only 42 have been sent up to Capitol Hill. Four of
those nominees withdrew following problematic background checks.
Long delays filling positions at the start of new administrations are not
unusual, agreed VA spokeswoman Jo Schuda.
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owned business
"We don't even have names of people for most of the other positions,"
Schuda said. "The naming of her was pretty swift."
Attempts to reach Duckworth on Monday and Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Should the nomination ever come, Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman
Daniel K. Akaka, a Hawaii Democrat, already signaled his support for
Duckworth, calling her a "fine choice" and "a source of inspiration for
the newest generation of veterans." Duckworth's nomination must be
approved by the Veterans Affairs Committee and the full Senate before she
can take her post.
In February, VA head Eric K. Shinseki said Duckworth would bring
"significant talent, leadership and personal experience to this important
work."
 For
the time being, E. Phillip Riggin, a career executive service employee, is
doing Duckworth's job on an acting basis.
Few potential nominees can match Duckworth's connections to the president.
She campaigned with Obama several times during his 2008 presidential bid
and gave the keynote speech on veterans issues at the Democratic National
Convention in Denver. Obama and Duckworth laid a wreath together at a
soldiers memorial in Chicago on Veterans Day.
In 2006, Duckworth's own run for Congress against Wheaton Republican Peter
Roskam was encouraged by Obama strategist David Axelrod. Duckworth
narrowly lost to Roskam, but was later appointed by then-Gov. Rod
Blagojevich to head the Illinois veterans agency.
In Iraq, Duckworth was an assistant operations officer for a 500-soldier
aviation task force. She lost both of her legs when she was hit by a
rocket propelled grenade while piloting a helicopter in 2004.
-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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