Combat Tested, Congress Approved

For the last ten years, the United States has been at war. It’s not surprising, then, that increasingly veterans are joining the workforce in all parts of life. And the United States Congress is no different.

It makes sense; veterans have incredible leadership experience and first-hand knowledge of military and defense needs. And as more and more families have one or more members actively serving in the military or retired, it is important for our elected officials to be representative of them.

This year, EMILY’s List has two candidates who have served in the military: Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran running in Illinois’ eighth district; and Tulsi Gabbard, who served in the Iraq War with the Hawaii Army National Guard, is running in Hawaii’s second district.

I don’t know about you, but if there’s anyone I’d want fighting for women’s rights in Congress, it would be these strong, combat-tested, smart women. Seriously, I want WWI-era Propaganda-art style posters made of Tammy and Tulsi. I’d hang them in my office.

This most recent war on women’s health care makes it increasingly necessary that we elect more Democratic pro-choice women to office. If more women were in Congress, we wouldn’t be debating access to birth control. And frighteningly restrictive legislation, like the now tabled Blunt Amendment, would never make it to the floor.

Tammy Duckworth and Tulsi Gabbard would be the first women ever elected to Congress to have combat experience. First women EVER. That would be an amazing barrier to break down, and they would take it by storm. Having women with military experience, like Tammy and Tulsi, in Congress wouldn’t just be good for women – it would be good for men and veterans and children and families anyone else who needs to know that there is someone standing up for them.

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