Tom Harkin

Tom Harkin is an American politician and attorney who served as a United States Senator from Iowa from 1985 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented Iowa's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985. Harkin was a prominent figure in agricultural policy, healthcare reform, and disability rights advocacy, authoring landmark legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Early life and education

Thomas Richard Harkin was born in Cumming, Iowa, to parents of Croatian and Slovene descent. He attended Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines before earning a Bachelor of Science in government and economics from Iowa State University in 1962. While at Iowa State University, he was a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. Harkin then served as a United States Navy pilot, achieving the rank of Lieutenant (junior grade), before attending The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 1972.

U.S. House of Representatives

Harkin was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1974, defeating Republican incumbent William J. Scherle in Iowa's 5th congressional district. He served five terms in the House of Representatives, where he gained a seat on the influential House Agriculture Committee. During his tenure, he was an early critic of the Vietnam War and gained national attention for exposing poor conditions at the Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Pennsylvania. His work on the House Foreign Affairs Committee also focused on human rights issues in Latin America.

U.S. Senate career

In 1984, Harkin was elected to the United States Senate, defeating Republican incumbent Roger Jepsen. He was subsequently re-elected in 1990, 1996, 2002, and 2008. In the Senate, he chaired the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services. He also served on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Harkin was a key figure in passing the 2008 Farm Bill and was a staunch advocate for National Institutes of Health funding and stem cell research.

Political positions and legislation

Harkin was a leading progressive voice in the Senate, known for his advocacy on behalf of working families, farmers, and individuals with disabilities. His most enduring legislative achievement is the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which he co-authored with Senator Bob Dole. He was also the chief sponsor of the Harkin-Engel Protocol, an international agreement aimed at ending the worst forms of child labor in cocoa bean production. A supporter of organized labor, he introduced the Employee Free Choice Act and was a vocal proponent of universal healthcare in the United States, playing a significant role in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Post-Senate career

After retiring from the Senate in 2015, Harkin joined the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld as a senior counselor. He also established the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University. He remains active in public policy debates, particularly on disability rights and nutrition, and frequently lectures at institutions like the University of Iowa. In 2017, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

Personal life

Harkin married the former Ruth Raduenz in 1968; she is an attorney and served as a deputy general counsel at the United States Department of Agriculture and as a member of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. They have two adult children and reside in Cumming, Iowa. Harkin's brother, Frank Harkin, was a longtime staffer for the United States Senate Committee on the Budget. An avid runner, Harkin completed several marathons and was known for his commitment to physical fitness throughout his political career. Category:1939 births Category:Living people Category:American military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:United States Navy officers Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Iowa Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Iowa Category:United States senators from Iowa Category:Iowa lawyers Category:People from Cumming, Iowa Category:Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom