Who Is Zoe Lofgren? (Record & Background)
Official Portrait of Rep. Zoe Lofgren
Who Is Zoe Lofgren?
Serving the people of California since 1995, first in California’s 16th district, and then the 19th after redistricting, Democratic congresswoman and impeachment manager Zoe Lofgren participated in every modern impeachment process. An aid to Representative Don Edwards in 1974 during the Richard M. Nixon impeachment hearings, Lofgren herself was in Congress and on the Judiciary Committee during Bill Clinton’s impeachment hearing. Now, she is one of seven impeachment managers appointed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) making the case in the Senate for impeachment.
After scholarships to Stanford University and Santa Clara School of Law, Lofgren spent eight years on Edward’s staff. Later, she practiced and then taught immigration law before her election to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. A congressional powerhouse representing much of Santa Clara County, including Silicon Valley, Lofgren played key roles in legislation from the DREAM Act and immigration reform to electronic surveillance, electronic access, and digital rights. She is the Chair of the California Democratic Delegation and serves as Chair of the Committee on House Administration, a committee intended to streamline and modernize the House.
How Long Has Zoe Lofgren Been A Congresswoman?
Zoe Lofgren succeeded Don Edwards upon his retirement. She was elected to her first term of Congress in 1994, and was sworn in as a freshman in 1995. She served on Edwards’ staff for eight years, including during the impeachment hearings of Nixon in 1974.
What Committees Does Zoe Lofgren Belong To?
Lofgren, who was slow to support impeachment, was appointed one of seven impeachment managers by Speaker Pelosi on January 15, 2020. She is the second-longest serving member on the House Judiciary after Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler. Lofgren previously chaired the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship from 2007-2011, when Republicans took control of the House; she was reappointed chair in 2019. She was appointed Chair of the Committee on House Administration in 2019. Lofgren’s current committees:
Chair of the Committee on House Administration (2019)- Member of the Committee on the Judiciary (1995 2nd longest-serving member)
• Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship (Initially 2007, 2019)
• Member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet - Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
• Member of the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
Zoe Lofgren’s Record As A Congresswoman
As the representative for the Silicon Valley area, technology factors heavily into Zoe Lofgren’s extensive legislative history. Lofgren helped to limit the government’s ability to covertly electronically monitor citizens with the bipartisan Massie-Lofgren amendment to the 2015 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which requires the government to obtain a warrant for private electronic communications. She also fights for net neutrality, for electronic access for schools, libraries and rural hospitals, and vocally opposed the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).
As a former immigration attorney, Lofgren supports the rights of immigrants, working diligently on the passage of the DREAM Act, and receiving the gavel that ushered it in for her efforts.
While chair of the Ethics committee in 2010, Lofgren oversaw the hearing on, and eventual censure of Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel. The Democratically-controlled House censured Rangel for, among other things, using official Congressional letterhead to solicit donations from businesses and individuals, including Donald Trump.
In addition to writing an op-ed on why this impeachment is the most serious in her career, upon her appointment as one of seven impeachment managers, Lofgren said:
“It is with honor and determination that I accept this responsibility to fulfill my oath of office to hold the president accountable. As the only member of Congress who has participated as part of the Judiciary Committees for all three modern impeachment proceedings, I must be clear that this is not something I sought or relish. Impeachment is a grave and solemn matter. It’s a stress test for our democracy. I hope every Senator is prepared to seriously consider and vote honestly with an open mind for the future of our democracy.”
A long-serving member of Congress, Zoe Lofgren’s vast body of legislative work includes authorship of seven enacted bills:
- H.R. 5277: To amend section 442 of title 18, United States Code, to exempt certain interests in mutual funds, unit investment trusts, employee benefit plans, and retirement plans from conflict of interest limitations for the Government Publishing.
- Office.H.R. 398 (112th): To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to toll, during active-duty service abroad in the Armed Forces, the periods of time to file a petition and appear for an interview to remove the conditional basis for permanent resident status.
- H.R. 4543 (111th): To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4285 Payne Avenue in San Jose, California, as the “Anthony J. Cortese Post Office Building.”
- H.R. 1127 (111th): To extend certain immigration programs.
- H.R. 5571 (110th): To extend for 5 years the program relating to waiver of the foreign country residence requirement with respect to international medical graduates, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 5837 (110th): To make technical corrections to section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which provides special immigrant status for certain Iraqis, and for other purposes.
- H.R. 1087 (104th): For the relief of Nguyen Quy An and Nguyen Ngoc Kim Quy
Personal Details About Zoe Lofgren
Age: 72 years- Birthday: December 21, 1947
- Religion: Lutheran
- Spouse: John Marshall Collins
- Hometown: San Mateo, CA
- Education: Stanford University, Santa Clara University School of Law
- Twitter: @RepZoeLofgren
The Rantt Rundown
Serving California in Congress since 1995, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has participated in all three modern impeachments. On the House Committee on the Judiciary since 1995, she is the committee’s second-longest serving member. Within her extensive body of legislative work, Lofgren strengthened digital rights, privacy and security, while also focusing on fairness in immigration. One of seven impeachment managers appointed by Speaker Pelosi, Lofgren has the rare experience of presiding over the censure of one of her congressional colleagues, Charles Rangel, for, among other charges, leveraging government assets for personal gain.
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