Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois announced today that she and her husband have welcomed their second child, a girl named Maile Pearl Bowlsbey. By doing so, she became the first sitting senator to give birth while in office (and one of only 10 women in history to do so in Congress).

In a statement, she thanked Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka, who passed away last week, and explained the significance behind her daughter’s name.

“Bryan, Abigail and I couldn’t be happier to welcome little Maile Pearl as the newest addition to our family and we’re deeply honored that our good friend Senator Akaka was able to bless her name for us—his help in naming both of our daughters means he will always be with us,” she says. “Pearl Bowlsbey Johnson was Bryan’s great Aunt, an Army Officer and a nurse who served during the Second World War. He spent many summer months with her while growing up, we feel her presence still and are grateful for her service to our nation during the most challenging of times.”

It’s a significant moment for working women in a country where paid maternity leave and affordable child care are treated as a benefit, not a right, and Duckworth is fully aware of what she represents to so many: “As tough as juggling the demands of motherhood and being a Senator can be, I’m hardly alone or unique as a working parent, and my children only make me more committed to doing my job and standing up for hardworking families everywhere,” she said. After she gave birth to her first child, Abigail, she’s backed a number of parent-friendly laws: like one that requires major airports provide breastfeeding stations, and another that ensures student parents have access to on-campus child care.

But as the Senator is also 50 years old, she’s also a barrier-breaker for women opting to have children later in life, as well as those with disabilities. Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs in combat, has been open about her fertility challenges—in January, she told The Chicago Sun Times that getting pregnant a second time was “a struggle.”

“I’ve had multiple IVF cycles and a miscarriage trying to conceive again, so we’re very grateful,” she said.

Earlier this year, she told Politico that she planned to take 12 weeks of maternity leave. But, she’s currently working with her staff so she can still participate in important votes—“It’s going to change some Senate rules,” she said. Knowing Duckworth, that’ll be far from the only one.