A rare moment of bipartisan support took place during the confirmation hearing for Marco Rubio as Secretary of State.
In November, Donald Trump nominated Rubio and, if he is confirmed, Rubio will be the first Latino secretary of state. He is a longtime pro-life advocate, and though he is a Republican, his nomination was applauded by many on both sides of the aisle, with Democrats saying he was well qualified for the job.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Rubio faced little opposition. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voted to confirm Rubio before he even gave his opening remarks, citing their “good working relationship” and his skills and qualifications.
But one of the most touching moments came between Rubio and Senator Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat.
Tammy Duckworth to Rubio: “When I first got to Senate I was pregnant with my daughter and trying to change Senate rules so I could bring her onto the floor so I could do my job and vote…not accessible to wheelchairs…You came running down to me ‘I’m with you! I support you!” pic.twitter.com/z7rdGGLOfS
— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) January 15, 2025
During her comments, Duckworth praised Rubio for supporting her both before and after she gave birth to her daughter.
“I just want to say, Senator Rubio, I want to start off by noting for the record that, when I first got to the Senate and I was in my first year and you had just run for president and I didn’t think you would know who I was, I was pregnant with my daughter and trying to change Senate rules so that I could bring her onto the floor, so I could do my job and vote,” she said.
READ: Sen. Marco Rubio slams pro-abortion senators after Senate fails to vote to protect life
“Because I can’t come through the normal back door to vote because there are stairs there, and it’s not accessible for wheelchairs — I remember in the middle of that battle, rolling through the Senate floor to vote and I heard, ‘Tammy Duckworth!’ from across the Senate chambers, and you came running down from the top back of the Senate chambers to tell me, ‘I’m with you, I will support you, you have the right to vote, and I will support you being able to bring your daughter, your child, onto the floor when she’s born!'” Duckworth recalled.
“And I want to thank you for that kindness, because you did speak to your leadership about it. It was a moment of true bipartisanship, but also as parents and as someone who was new to the Senate, I was extremely grateful to you for that kindness,” she said.
Duckworth is a former lieutenant colonel in the Army, and served as a helicopter pilot; her Black Hawk was shot down over Iraq in 2004, causing her to lose both of her legs. She was the first female double amputee, and launched her political career after her military career ended. After getting pregnant by IVF, she became the first senator to give birth while in office.
The moment between Rubio and Duckworth showed how, despite partisan differences, being a parent is something on which the two could relate. Rubio has four children; Duckworth now has two. As both politicians shared, parents deserve to be supported and should never have to worry that having a child will prevent them from being able to do their jobs.
Tell President Trump, RFK, Jr., Elon, and Vivek:
Stop killing America’s future. Defund Planned Parenthood NOW!
