Tom Harkin

Tom Harkin
Official portrait, c. 2005
United States Senator from Iowa
In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Roger Jepsen
Succeeded by	Joni Ernst
Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
In office September 9, 2009 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	Chris Dodd (acting)
Succeeded by	Lamar Alexander
Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee
In office January 3, 2007 – September 9, 2009
Preceded by	Saxby Chambliss
Succeeded by	Blanche Lincoln
In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Richard Lugar
Succeeded by	Thad Cochran
In office January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001
Preceded by	Richard Lugar
Succeeded by	Richard Lugar
Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee
In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001
Preceded by	Richard Lugar
Succeeded by	Richard Lugar
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by	Patrick Leahy
Succeeded by	Richard Lugar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 5th district
In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985
Preceded by	William J. Scherle
Succeeded by	Jim Ross Lightfoot
Personal details
Born	Thomas Richard Harkin (1939-11-19) November 19, 1939 (age 84) Cumming, Iowa, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ruth Raduenz ​ (m. 1968)​
Children	2
Education	Iowa State University (BA) Catholic University of America (JD)
Website	Senate website
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy United States Naval Reserve
Years of service	1962–1967 (Active) 1967–1989 (Reserve)
Rank	Commander
Unit	Naval Air Facility Atsugi Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Tom Harkin's voice Tom Harkin speaks on the lack of scheduling for stem cell research legislation Recorded May 8, 2006

Thomas Richard Harkin (born November 19, 1939) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as a United States senator from Iowa from 1985 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was the U.S. representative for Iowa's 5th congressional district from 1975 to 1985. He is the longest-serving senator to spend the entire tenure as a state's junior senator.

Born in Cumming, Iowa, Harkin graduated from Iowa State University and The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. He served in the United States Navy as an active-duty jet pilot (1962–1967). After serving as a congressional aide for several years, he made two runs for the U.S. House of Representatives, losing in 1972 but winning in 1974. He went on to serve five terms in the House.

Harkin won a race for U.S. Senate in 1984 by a wide margin. He was an early frontrunner for his party's presidential nomination in 1992, but he dropped out in support of eventual winner Bill Clinton. He served five Senate terms and at the end of his time in the Senate served as chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. He authored the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and was its chief sponsor in the Senate. Harkin delivered part of his introduction speech in sign language, saying it was so his deaf brother could understand.^[1]

On January 26, 2013, Harkin announced that he would not seek reelection in 2014.^[2]