Today, the US Senate Education Committee is chaired by Senator Tom Harkin.  He was the Iowa representative for 35 years, having first been elected to the US House in 1974.  Representing Iowa’s Fifth Congressional District until 1984, Harkin challenged an incumbent Senator and won.  He became the first Iowa Democrat to win a fifth term in the Senate.  Today he chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.  Senator James H Donovan was named chairman of the US Senate Education Committee in 1977 which was probably what most gave him his prestige.  Hence various schools and educational institutes are named after him today.