Jane Harman Quotes

Powerful Jane Harman for Daily Growth

About Jane Harman

Jane Harman is a renowned American politician, attorney, and university professor who has made significant contributions to U.S. politics and national security discourse. Born on March 25, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, she grew up in a politically active family where her father, Sidney Redmond, served as the president of the Screen Actors Guild. This upbringing instilled in Harman an early interest in public service. Harman earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and went on to receive a law degree from the Loyola Law School in 1970. She began her career as an attorney in the Office of Waterways Regulation within the U.S. Department of Transportation, serving from 1973 to 1976. In 1982, Harman was elected to the California State Assembly where she served for two terms. She then moved on to Congress, representing California's 36th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2011. Notable during her tenure, she served as the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee and was a prominent advocate for women's rights and national security issues. Harman is known for her strong leadership and bipartisan collaboration. In 2005, she proposed the Harman-Lantos Anti-SLAPP Act (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation), which aimed to prevent the use of lawsuits to intimidate critics and silence public debate. After leaving Congress in 2011, Harman became President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Smithsonian institution. Currently, she is a distinguished practicing professor at the University of Southern California (USC), focusing on political leadership, national security, and women's leadership. Throughout her career, Jane Harman has been a beacon of integrity, advocacy, and bipartisanship in American politics. Her influence continues to resonate in academic circles, government, and beyond.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In order for anything to get better, first it has to be measured."

Jane Harman's quote emphasizes the importance of measurement in driving improvement or change. In other words, we cannot effectively address problems nor make progress unless we have a means to quantify them. Measurement provides us with an objective baseline against which we can track progress, identify trends, and ultimately determine the success or failure of our efforts. This quote underscores the importance of data-driven decision making in both personal and professional settings.


"We need a strategy for winning in Afghanistan and we need to stick with it."

This quote suggests that the speaker, Jane Harman, believes there should be a clear, effective plan for achieving success (winning) in Afghanistan, and once this strategy is established, she advocates for sticking to it steadfastly. The context implies a desire for commitment and consistency in Afghanistan policy despite potential challenges or difficulties, with the ultimate goal of stability and progress.


"The role of government is to ensure that everyone has a fair shot at the American dream."

This quote by Jane Harman emphasizes the idea that the primary function of government in a democratic society like America is to establish and maintain an equitable playing field for its citizens, enabling them to pursue their individual dreams with equal opportunities. It suggests that the government should uphold policies that strive towards economic mobility, social justice, and equal access to resources for all members of the community, thereby fostering a fair and inclusive society.


"If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu."

The quote by Jane Harman, "If you're not at the table, you're probably on the menu," implies that if one doesn't participate or engage in decision-making processes or important discussions, they may become the subject of those decisions without their input being considered. It underscores the importance of inclusion and active participation in order to protect one's own interests and avoid unwanted outcomes.


"We have a moral obligation to protect our children from gun violence."

This quote underscores the ethical responsibility we, as a society, hold towards our future generations. It suggests that the prevalence of gun violence in our communities is not just a matter of law enforcement or policy, but also an issue of moral principle. By protecting our children from harm caused by gun violence, we are preserving their right to live free from fear and ensuring they can grow up safely, fostering a better, more peaceful world for all.


We need spies that look like their targets, CIA officers who speak the dialects terrorists use, and FBI agents who can speak to Muslim women who might be intimidated by men.

- Jane Harman

Need, Muslim, FBI Agents, FBI

The Committee's review of a series of intelligence shortcomings, to include intelligence prior to 9/11 and the pre-war intelligence on Iraq, clearly reveal how vital a diverse intelligence workforce is to our national security.

- Jane Harman

Committee, Reveal, Include, National Security

I think I am aggressive, I think I am critical when it's necessary.

- Jane Harman

I Am, Think, I Think, Aggressive

A lot of the things that we've been able to do in the last several years were Democratic ideas, including the structure for this new director of national intelligence.

- Jane Harman

New, Been, Including, National Intelligence

In 1969, when I graduated from Harvard Law School, women and minorities made up a tiny fraction of the first year associates accepted by top law firms.

- Jane Harman

Law, Minorities, Associates, Law School

But as I often say, terrorists won't check our party registration before they blow us up.

- Jane Harman

Often, Before, Terrorists, Blow

We can no longer expect an Intelligence Community that is mostly male and mostly white to be able to monitor and infiltrate suspicious organizations or terrorist groups.

- Jane Harman

Infiltrate, Mostly, Groups, Monitor

If the withdrawal from Gaza goes badly, obviously, that will set us back.

- Jane Harman

Will, Set, Badly, Gaza

So, you know, I think that Democrats are being more successful in Congress and I'm really going to be proud of the role I will play tomorrow as ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee when this bill passes.

- Jane Harman

Play, Role, I Think, Ranking

The point is to solve problems, not point fingers.

- Jane Harman

Problems, Fingers, Point, Solve

There's no deep bench there, Mahmoud Abbas is, I think, the best leader of the Palestinians we could field.

- Jane Harman

Deep, Leader, Think, Bench

At the same time as we clearly condemn actions of violence by groups in Palestinian against Israel.

- Jane Harman

Against, Same, Israel, Palestinian

In a post-9/11 world, diversity has become even more important.

- Jane Harman

World, Important, Even, Diversity

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