Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Senator Harkin is the Ranking Democrat on the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. He also serves on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee; Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and the Appropriations Committee. Senator Harkin served as a Member of Congress for ten years, 1974-1984.

In 1984 he was elected to the U.S. Senate. As Chair and now ranking Democrat of the Senate Education Funding Subcommittee, Senator Harkin led efforts to improve education. As co-chair of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, he successfully pushed legislation to bring health professionals to small towns and rural area.

He has long been a stalwart supporter of seniors, and has fought to preserve Social Security and Medicare. Senator Harkin attended Iowa State University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. He earned his degree at Iowa State University in Government and Economics.