27th District - Congresswoman Judy Chu
Dr. Judy Chu was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in July of 2009. On her very first day in office, she worked through the night during a marathon debate to help pass President Obama's healthcare reform bill. In 2012, she was re-elected to the newly drawn 27th District of California.
In the 113th Congress, Rep. Chu serves on the House Judiciary Committee, where she is a member of two Subcommittees: Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations, and Intellectual Property (IP) and the Internet. Recognizing the critical need to protect the rights of the creative community in the U.S., Rep. Chu spearheaded the creation of the Congressional Creative Rights Caucus (CRC) in January 2013. Spanning both ends of the political spectrum and including Representatives from all across the country, the CRC now boasts 43 members. The CRC educates Members of Congress and the general public about the importance of preserving and protecting the rights of the creative community.
Congresswoman Chu also serves on the House Small Business Committee, where she is the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax and Capital Access and a member of the Subcommittees on Contracting and Workforce and Investigations, Oversight and Regulations. In the 112th Congress, Rep. Chu passed major federal contracting and reform for small businesses, including her bill, the "Building Better Business Partnerships Act", which strengthens federal mentor-protegé programs. The reforms increase contracting opportunities for small business and create protections against contracting fraud and abuse.
Rep. Chu holds the distinction of being the first Chinese American woman
elected to Congress. In 2011, her peers elected her as the Chair of the
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). In this capacity,
she fights for the rights, needs, and concerns of the Asian American and
Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Most notably, her resolution that
formally expresses the regret of the U.S. House of Representatives for
the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was unanimously approved by Congress.
The Chinese Exclusion Act prevented Chinese citizens from becoming
naturalized American citizens, voting, or immigrating to the United
States until it was repealed 60 years later.Congresswoman Chu’s bill,
H. Res 683, marks the fourth time Congress has passed such apologies in
the last 25 years. The others were for the Japanese American
concentration camps during World War II, the overthrow of the Hawaiian
monarchy, and for slavery.
Congresswoman Chu is also a leading voice in the fight against
military hazing. In 2011, Rep. Chu tragically lost her nephew, a Marine
stationed in Afghanistan. Lance Crpl. Harry Lew committed suicide after
enduring several hours of hazing at the hands of his peers. Since then,
the Congresswoman has worked hard to prevent future tragedies,
introducing legislation that was included in the Fiscal Year 2013
National Defense Authorization Act that will help combat military
hazing. Thanks to her efforts, each branch of the Armed Forces will
provide a report to Congress that provides, among other things, an
evaluation of the definition of hazing, a discussion of hazing
prevention and response policies, an explanation of how hazing is
reported and tracked, and an analysis of the scope of hazing within each
branch. For a full list of anti-hazing provisions, click Here
Last Congress, Rep. Chu sponsored the POWER Act, which protects
immigrant workers from exploitation by their employers. In the 113th
Congress, she is continuing to fight for passage of Comprehensive
Immigration Reform.Congresswoman Chu’s career began as an educator. She taught
psychology at Los Angeles City College and East Los Angeles College for
20 years.
She was first elected to the Garvey School District Board of
Education in 1985. She was then elected to the Monterey Park City
Council, where she served as Mayor for three terms, before moving on to
the California State Assembly. Chu served as Chair of the powerful State
Appropriations Committee, which oversees all legislation with a fiscal
impact on California. While in the Assembly, she introduced and helped
pass the most successful tax amnesty bill in the nation, which was
estimated to bring in $300 million but actually raised $4.8 billion in
revenue for the state budget without increasing taxes. After serving in
the Assembly house, Chu was elected to California’s tax board, known as
the State Board of Equalization.
Rep. Chu earned her B.A. in mathematics from UCLA and her Ph.D. in
psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology.
Visit Congresswoman Judy Chu's website Here
31st District - Congressman Pete Aguilar
Pete Aguilar represents the 31st Congressional District of
California. He was sworn in January 6, 2015 and serves on the Armed
Services and Agriculture Committees.
Raising his family in the community his family has called home for
four generations, Representative Aguilar understands the challenges that
Inland Empire’s families face today. He started his first job at the
age of twelve, working with his grandfather at the San Bernardino County
Courthouse cafeteria. He then put himself through college with the
assistance of student loans and federal grants, and later established a
life in public service to give back to his community.
Representative Aguilar is a voice for middle class families
throughout San Bernardino County and prioritizes legislation that will
nurture a more fair economy, where everyone has the opportunity to
succeed. He is committed to policies that create jobs, support our
students, and safeguard vital programs for seniors and veterans.
Representative Aguilar previously served as the Mayor of Redlands,
where he earned a reputation for his bipartisanship and steadfast
commitment to making his community a better place to live, work, and
raise a family. He resides in Redlands with his wife Alisha and their
two sons.
Visit Congressman Pete Aguilar's website Here