Duckworth’s baby helps bring the ‘Senate into 21st century’

After the birth of Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s baby last week, the U.S. Senate took a historic step Wednesday by voting to allow its members to bring babies onto the chamber floor.

Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost her legs when her helicopter was shot down, didn’t waste any time taking advantage of the new rule.

On Thursday, she arrived at the Senate, with 10-day-old Maile Pearl Bowlsbey on her lap, to cast a vote against the appointment of Rep. James Bridenstine as NASA administrator, which passed.

“It feels great,” Duckworth told reporters gathered outside the Capitol when she arrived. “It’s about time.

“Maile’s outfit is prepped,” Duckworth tweeted Thursday before the vote. “I made sure she has a jacket, so she doesn’t violate the Senate floor dress code (which requires blazers). I’m not sure what the policy is on duckling onesies, but I think we’re ready.”

The change allows senators to bring their children younger than 1 onto the floor.

Duckworth, who became the first senator to give birth while in office when Maile was born April 9, called for the change. Because senators must be present to cast votes, the old rules made it nearly impossible for a mother on maternity leave to do her job as an elected official.

But while the change demonstrates that women have opportunities, it does little for working-class women, said Christine Percheski, assistant professor of sociology at Northwestern University. Policies in the U.S. for working women lag behind the attitudes of most in the country, where the majority of mothers work, she said.