About Tom Harkin

HARKIN, Thomas Richard (Tom), a Representative and Senator from Iowa; born in Cumming, Warren County, Iowa, November 19, 1939; attended the public schools; graduated, Iowa State University, Ames 1962; graduated, Catholic University of America Law School, Washington, D.C. 1972; admitted to the Iowa bar in 1972 and commenced practice in ...

HARKIN, Thomas Richard (Tom), a Representative and Senator from Iowa; born in Cumming, Warren County, Iowa, November 19, 1939; attended the public schools; graduated, Iowa State University, Ames 1962; graduated, Catholic University of America Law School, Washington, D.C. 1972; admitted to the Iowa bar in 1972 and commenced practice in Des Moines; served in United States Navy 1962-1967, and Naval reserve 1968-1974; attorney for Polk County, Iowa, Legal Aid Society 1973; member, board of directors, Iowa Consumers League; elected in 1974 as a Democrat to the Ninety-fourth Congress; reelected to the four succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1975-January 3, 1985); was not a candidate for reelection in 1984 to the House of Representatives, but was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1984; reelected in 1990, 1996, 2002, and again in 2008 for the term ending January 3, 2015; chair, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 3-20, 2001; June 6, 2001-January 3, 2003], One Hundred Tenth Congress, and One Hundred Eleventh Congress [January 3, 2009-September 9, 2009]), Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (One Hundred Eleventh Congress [September 9, 2009-]).