With her swearing in on January 7, 2003 as the United States Representative for the 13th District of Florida, Katherine Harris opened the newest chapter in her distinguished career of public service to her native state. Continuing her work on behalf of Florida with a strong focus on economic and national security issues, Congresswoman Harris is a member of the House Financial Services Committee, the House International Relations Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. Katherine has also been appointed to serve on the leadership team as a deputy whip

A Leader in the Florida State Senate...

During her term in the Florida state senate, Congresswoman Harris passed over one hundred bills, while serving as chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce and Economic Opportunities and as vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance and the Senate Committee on Governmental Reform. Her legislative achievements included an economic development package that helped fuel Florida's dramatic rise from 42nd place to 1st place in the nation as a state to start a new business or grow an existing business; a significant increase in teacher salaries; and stiffened penalties for white collar crime and for crimes committed against the elderly.

Distinguished Service as Florida's Secretary of State...

As Florida's 23rd and last elected secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris jointly exercised responsibility for clemency, education, law enforcement and the environment with the governor of Florida as a member of Florida's unique Executive Cabinet. She also served as head of the Florida Department of State, a multifaceted agency that managed Florida's state-level responsibilities in international affairs, elections, corporate and business registrations, licensing, historic preservation, libraries, and culture and the arts.

As secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris concurrently served as the head of Florida's Office of International Affairs and led the development of a wide variety of innovative programs that sought to employ diplomatic, humanitarian, educational and cultural tools to provide economic opportunities at home while building understanding, prosperity and stability abroad.

While serving as secretary of state, Congresswoman Harris laid the strong foundation for Florida's preeminent campaign to win the Permanent Secretariat for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). She worked intensively to ensure Florida as the lead location among all candidates for the Secretariat in the Western Hemisphere by obtaining the unanimous vote of both houses of the United States Congress expressing a preference for Florida's candidacy over any other potential site in the United States, as well as securing funding from Congress to assist Florida's bid for the Secretariat.

Fighting for Issues Important to Florida...

Congresswoman Harris also led the transformation of the Gulf of Mexico States Accord into a vibrant partnership that has made tremendous strides towards its objective of unifying the Gulf region through the enhancement of investment, trade and tourism, as well as through the promotion of economic, transportation, academic and cultural exchanges between its member states. Launched in 1995, the Gulf of Mexico States Accord had lapsed into near dormancy when then-Secretary of State Harris negotiated the location of the Accord's Secretariat in Tampa. During the four months following the establishment of the Secretariat, the Tampa Bay region's trade with Mexico grew by $30 million, inspiring Chrysler to reroute the shipping of the automobiles manufactured in Mexico through the Port of Tampa, and establishing a pilot program ferry service between Tampa and the Yucatán.

In the aftermath of the 2000 election controversy, Congresswoman Harris' leadership provided a driving impetus for election reform. In 2001, she testified before the U.S. House Administration Committee and proposed legislation that became the blueprint for Florida's nationally acclaimed Election Reform Act. In 2002, she successfully proposed and achieved passage of historic civil rights legislation in Florida that forcefully addresses the exclusion of persons with disabilities from full and equal participation in the electoral process.

A Record of Success...

A former IBM marketing executive and vice president of a commercial real estate firm, Congresswoman Harris earned a Master's Degree from Harvard University with a specialization in international trade and negotiations, and a Bachelor's Degree in history from Agnes Scott College. She studied abroad at the University of Madrid and at L'Abri outside Geneva, Switzerland. Congresswoman Harris has received numerous honors for her dedicated work on behalf of Florida including: the Mel Fisher Award for International Trade Advocacy; the Florida Economic Development Council Legislator of the Year Award; the Florida United Business Association Outstanding Legislator Award; the Florida Arts Advocacy Award; the Sarasota Manatee Jewish Family and Children Service's Philanthropy Award; the Sarasota Humanitarian of the Year Award and the Sarasota Statesman of the Year Award.

Congresswoman Harris was born in Key West, Florida. She returns to the district every weekend to spend time with her husband Anders Ebbeson and his 24-year-old daughter, Louise and the constituents of District thirteen.