Rep Jane Harman

First, Hughes Aircraft Co., long a high-tech fixture in Playa del Rey, El Segundo and Torrance, generated controversy by distributing a form letter "encouraging" its employees to give money to incumbent Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey), believing that Harman could help Hughes and the rest of the aerospace industry. Then, (last week), Hughes announced 3,200 job cuts in California. I doubt that the many Hughes employees who dutifully gave Jane Harman their contributions and votes, and who will soon join the unemployment rolls, feel that they made a wise investment.

Rancho Palos Verdes Councilwoman Susan Brooks narrowly won the 36th Congressional District Republican primary early Wednesday after a bitter race that left opponent Ron Florance doubting whether he would support her in the general election. Brooks, 44, will face Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey) in November. Harman was unopposed in the primary. "Now is the big job, guys; the real job is ahead of us," Brooks said to the remnants of her campaign staff at about 1:40 a.m.

As a debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement looms in Washington, battle lines are forming in the South Bay. Leading the opponents of the trade pact is Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey), who contends that dropping barriers between the United States, Canada and Mexico will lead to a loss of highly skilled manufacturing jobs and will accelerate the flight of businesses to Mexico.

Hoping to reverse sagging employment caused by defense cuts, Rep. Jane Harman (D-Marina del Rey) has introduced a bill that would provide Pentagon contractors with tax breaks and other incentives to help them switch to non-defense business. Harman, whose district includes much of the economically ailing South Bay, introduced the Defense Reinvestment and High-Tech Job Act of 1993 this week as a way to spur industries, especially aerospace, to take up non-defense manufacturing and research.