Key Facts
Career & Education
About
Jane Margaret Harman (born Jane Margaret Lakes on June 28, 1945, in New York City) is an American attorney, politician, and public policy expert renowned for her expertise in national security and foreign affairs. She served as a Democratic U.S. Representative from California from 1993 to 2011, with a brief interruption from 1999 to 2001 following an unsuccessful 1998 gubernatorial bid. A centrist Blue Dog Democrat, she was a key figure on national security and foreign affairs, serving as ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (2002–2006) and later as chair of the Homeland Security Committee's Intelligence Subcommittee (2007–2011). Her legislative focus included intelligence reform, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and U.S.-Israel relations, often aligning with moderate and pro-defense positions.
Before entering Congress, Harman worked as an attorney in private practice and held key roles in the Carter administration, including as special counsel to the Department of Defense and counsel to the House Armed Services Committee. After leaving Congress in 2011, she became President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (2011–2021), where she influenced policy discussions on global security. Harman has also taught at Harvard University and other institutions as an adjunct professor.
Harman's tenure has not been without controversy, particularly a 2009-2010 incident where she was recorded in an NSA wiretap discussing potential assistance from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in exchange for help quashing a corruption investigation against her; she denied any wrongdoing, and no charges were filed, but the episode drew criticism for perceived conflicts of interest. She was married to Sidney Harman until his death in 2011, and currently has four children from her first marriage. She maintains an active role in Democratic and Jewish advocacy circles.