Retiring Sen. Tom Harkin delivered his Farewell speech on the Senate floor today. He is retiring after 40 years in Congress.
Harkin entered the House of Representatives in 1975 as one of the “Watergate babies,” a group of 75 Democrats who flooded Congress after the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
A decade later he ran for Senate, defeating incumbent Roger Jepson by a whopping 11 points.
During his four decades in Congress, Harkin says his proudest achievement is the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which he authored.
Senator-Elect Joni Ernst will take over Harkin's seat in January. The Republican will be the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress.