[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 36 (Thursday, February 25, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JANE HARMAN

  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I rise to recognize the extraordinary 
service of my friend Representative Jane Margaret Lakes Harman, who 
will be leaving her position as president and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson 
International Center for Scholars after nearly a decade of 
distinguished leadership.
  Born in New York City, Representative Harman grew up in Los Angeles 
and received her bachelor's degree magna cum laude from Smith College 
and her law degree from Harvard Law School. Like many young people who 
believe in the unmatched power of public service, Jane moved to 
Washington, DC, where she served as a staffer to Senator John Tunney 
and with the Senate Judiciary Committee. She would go on to serve her 
country in the Department of Defense and as President Carter's 
Secretary of the Cabinet.
  From 1993 until 2011, Representative Harman served the people of 
Southern California's 36th District. Throughout her tenure, 
Representative Harman fundamentally improved the national security of 
the United States through her work on the Armed Services, Intelligence, 
and Homeland Security Committees. Not content with leading just from 
the halls of Congress, she sought to find the truth for herself. Her 
work in pursuit of the facts relevant to protecting our democracy and 
our allies took her to Guantanamo Bay, Syria, and North Korea. Her 
oversight and leadership on national security was especially critical 
throughout this time period, as the United States sought to understand 
and push back from threats both new and old, including foreign 
terrorism. While Representative Harman's contributions speak for 
themselves, her receipt of the Defense Department Medal for 
Distinguished Service, the CIA Seal Medal, the CIA Director's Award, 
and the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal 
highlight an extraordinary career serving the American people.
  At the Wilson Center, Representative Harman continued her diligent 
work keeping our policymakers and the public informed on the ongoing 
security challenges the United States and her allies face. As we 
prepare and steel ourselves for the next era of security challenges, 
knowledge produced under her leadership and the relentless efforts of 
her colleague and staff will continue to be an invaluable resource.
  Like many extraordinary Americans, Representative Harman carried out 
this work while also caring for her family, including her four 
children, her four grandchildren, and her late husband Sidney, an 
enormous personality in his own right. After a lifetime of public 
service, from staffer to elected official to thought leader in the 
policy-making community, Representative Jane Harman has left an 
indelible mark that has deeply strengthened the safety of our Nation. I 
am forever grateful for her service, her friendship, and wish her all 
the best in her next adventures.

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