Haim Ramon, a Labour Party member, has been a Member of Knesset since 1983, serving on the Committees for Constitution, Law and Justice (1983-92); State Audit (1984-88); Finance (1984-92); and the House Committee (1988-92). Ramon served as Coordinator of the Labour Party in the Finance Committee, and was the Chairman of the Labour faction in the Knesset. From 1992 to 1994 he served as the Minister of Health. Ramon was elected Chairman of the Histadrut General Federation of Labour, in which he served from 1994 until his appointment in November 1995 as Minister of the Interior. From 1996-1999, he served as a member of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In July 1999, Ramon was appointed Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibilities for Jerusalem, government reform, and as a liaison between the government and the Knesset. In August 2000 he was also assigned the Interior portfolio. He held these posts until March 2001. Ramon served as Minister without Portfolio from January 2005 until November, when Labour resigned from the government. Ramon subsequently announced his resignation from the Labour Party to join Ariel Sharon's new party.