The Public Record
Tom Harkin is a former U.S. Senator from Iowa who served from 1985 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, Harkin was known for his advocacy on disability rights and health care reform. He played a significant role in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and was a strong proponent of mental health services and education initiatives. Throughout his tenure, Harkin focused on issues affecting working families and rural communities in Iowa.
And that shield is money. There are going to be other amendments that might focus on one thing or another. My second question for the Senator: Is it his belief, from all of his long experience involving education, that we have to look at…
The Grassley amendment, first of all, does not meet the legitimate needs of agriculture. It falls far short of what we need. The Johnson amendment meets that need. Secondly, in terms of conservation, where we want to really move forward…
I will shortly send an amendment to the desk that deals with education, which I think should be the No. 1 priority of this Congress. Quite frankly, the President has said it should be our No. 1 priority. The American people think it should…
our amendment ``Leave No Child Behind,'' the third one says that all students, including special needs students, will master challenging subject matter and Federal education programs will be held accountable and focus on practices proven…
I appreciate Senator Byrd bringing that up. Our country was founded on an ideal that no matter who you are or the circumstances of your birth, no matter how much money your parents have or don't have, if you are willing to work hard…
I wonder why we are jumping the gun with this resolution when there are already other avenues open to repeal a rule which took a decade in the making. Why are we using a measure that would in a sense prevent any similar rule from even…
I strongly support the ``Helping Children Success by Fully Funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, Act.'' This is a bi-partisan effort to help our states provide a free and appropriate public education to children…
I add to what the Senator from Massachusetts just said, how about the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food Safety and Inspection Service that inspects all our meat plants and processing plants? These are not elected either, but we…
when I heard that my friend, Alan Cranston, passed away this New Year's Eve, I couldn't quite believe it. I remember Alan as a man in a constant state of motion, always pressing on for the causes he cared for, plotting the next steps…
just under 3 years ago, on March 31, 1998, Senators Harkin, John Chafee and Graham teamed up to introduce the first comprehensive bipartisan legislation to reduce teen smoking. Today, I am pleased to announce that Senators Harkin, Lincoln…
as you know, many members on both sides of the aisle have concerns about the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the lack of an advance appropriation for that program in fiscal year 2002. As you know, home heating costs…
we are finally at the finish line at the end of a legislative triathalon. It's been a long, difficult road, but we've finally come up with a health and education appropriations bill for this fiscal year. It truly was a test of endurance…
I rise to continue to address the key pending piece of legislation that has not been enacted this year. It has been passed by both the House and Senate. In the conference committee, we finished our work. But it is sort of hanging in limbo…
over a month has passed since the Republican and Democratic negotiators came to agreement on the health and education appropriations bill for this year. As I said back then, the agreement was reached as a product of long and difficult…
Senator Dick Bryan is one of few people who has served in this Chamber who has literally devoted nearly his entire life to serving the people of his state and nation. Senator Bryan's distinguished career started the day he took the oath of…
I should like to take a few moments today to honor the life of a great Iowan and a great American--a man who dedicated many years of his life in service to the people of Iowa and our nation--our friend Park Rinard. It's been said that on…
I am introducing the Agricultural Producer Protection Act of 2000, a bill which will help ensure an open competitive agricultural marketplace. There is no issue raising more concerns in agriculture today than the rapid increase of economic…
This is not fair. After listening to the Senator, it raises another question in my mind. Sometimes it seems that Republicans don't believe there is anybody in this country who makes $20,000 or $30,000 a year. Maybe they think this is a…
I would say, if you want to end the partisan gridlock, Republicans should start working in a bipartisan fashion around here to fashion. I hear George Bush out there. He is saying he wants to come to Washington and end this gridlock. I say…
That is true. That is the way the legislative process works. I am not always right. You are not always right. Republicans are not always right. But if we work together in that kind of a spirit, it can be worked out. That is the way it…
The Senator is right. It does not pass the fairness test at all. I might ask the Senator one other question. We know that there are a lot of people in this country who lack health insurance. As I understand it, in this tax bill, there is a…
while we are encouraged by democratic gains in Serbia, the people of Burma continue to suffer at the hands of the world's most brutal military dictatorship--a regime which, perversely, calls itself the State Peace and Development Council…
I just want to talk a little about my friend Bob Kerrey as he seeks to retire from the Senate to start a new career. Bob Kerrey is what I have often referred to as two dying breeds all rolled into one: He is a true American war hero, the…
Sometimes they ask can we afford it. I ask: can we afford to add 600,000 additional individuals under their bill by giving a tax incentive for health insurance that costs $18,000 per person per year that gains coverage, how can we afford…
Again, I will just add on top of that, the other unfairness part of this bill is that they didn't what they should have to really expand health insurance coverage in a meaningful way to low-income people. I am talking about people who are…
Politicians like Tom Harkin
