Dan Lungren

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Dan Lungren
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2005
Preceded by	Doug Ose
29th California Attorney General
In office 1991 – 1999
Governor	Pete Wilson
Preceded by	John Van de Kamp
Succeeded by	Bill Lockyer
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 42nd district
In office January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989
Preceded by	Duncan Hunter
Succeeded by	Dana Rohrabacher
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 34th district
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1983
Preceded by	Mark W. Hannaford
Succeeded by	Esteban Edward Torres
Born	September 22, 1946 (1946-09-22) (age 63) Long Beach, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Bobbi Lungren
Residence	Gold River, California
Alma mater	University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University Law Center
Occupation	attorney
Religion	Roman Catholic

Daniel Edward (Dan) Lungren (born September 22, 1946), is a Republican of the United States House of Representatives representing California's 3rd congressional district (see map) since 2005. The district is located in the southeastern suburbs of Sacramento. Lungren previously represented the Long Beach area from 1979 to 1989, and served as California Attorney General from 1991 to 1999.

Biography

Lungren was born in Long Beach, California of Irish and Swedish extraction.^[1] Lungren's father was the long-time personal physician, beginning in 1952 when Lungren was a child, and a close friend of President Richard Nixon.^[2] He is married to Bobbi Lungren and has three children and five grandchildren.

After graduating from St. Anthony High School in 1964, Lungren earned a A.B. with honors in English from the University of Notre Dame in 1968, upon which he returned to California to chair Youth for Nixon during Nixon's first successful run for the presidency.^[3]

Lungren began law school at the University of Southern California and later transferred to Georgetown University Law Center from which he earned his J.D. in 1971. During his years at Georgetown, Lungren worked on the staff of U.S. Senators George Murphy (R-CA) and Bill Brock (R-TN). He also was special assistant to the Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from 1971 to 1972. In addition, during his period of time in Washington, Lungren's wife worked in the Nixon White House.^[4]

Lungren later returned to Long Beach, where he joined a law firm and practiced civil trials for a short time before he first ran for Congress in 1976. He was unsuccessful, but tried a second time and was elected in 1979.^[5]

Member of Congress (1979-1989)

Lungren first served in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1989, representing portions of Long Beach and Orange County. He was one of Newt Gingrich's chief lieutenants during this time, and was a founding member of the Conservative Opportunity Society. He served on the House Judiciary Committee, where he pushed for sanctions against employers who hired illegal immigrants, but supported a temporary guest-worker program. He was the principal House cosponsor of the Simpson-Mazzoli immigration bill, which became the Immigration Reform Act of 1986. He also independently sponsored a "guest worker" bill, designed to allow for importation of "temporary" immigrant laborers.

California statewide offices

Lungren did not seek re-election to the U.S. House when California Governor George Deukmejian appointed him as California's acting State Treasurer, but was never confirmed. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Democrats "praised Lungren's integrity, but said they were unwilling to vote for a Republican whose congressional voting record was so conservative." However, Lungren was later elected as California Attorney General in 1990, and served from 1991-1999. Lungren worked in passing such legislation as "Megan's Law," "3-Strikes-and-You're-Out," "Sexual Anti-Predator Act," and the "California's Safe Schools Plan."

In 1996, he was considered as a possible running mate for Republican nominee Bob Dole.

Return to Congress

Lungren ran for Congress again in the 3rd Congressional District after six-year incumbent Congressman Doug Ose announced his retirement.^[6] Lungren has stated that his desire to serve in Congress again was rekindled by the September 11, 2001 attacks. He won a come from behind victory in a three-way primary against Mary Ose and State Senator Rico Oller. ^[7]

Lungren was reappointed to the Judiciary Committee based on his previous five terms of seniority, and also serves on the Homeland Security committee. He is the Ranking Member in the House Administration Committee. He has expressed an interest in becoming involved in immigration issues again.

On April 4, 2007, Lungren cosponsored a bill indicating that U.S. citizenship is a privilege and should be granted to children born to U.S. citizens or residents with legal immigration status in the U.S., not grant automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. to illegal aliens

Shortly after the 2008 election, a newly reelected Lungren challenged Congressman John Boehner for Minority Leader. Lungren did not win the post. Despite the challenge, Boehner appointed Lungren as Ranking Republican Member of the House Administration Committee. To serve on this new role, Lungren left his spot with the Budget Committee.

On July 21 2009, whilst speaking on the floor of the House, Lungren performed his own version of the song Ya Got Trouble from the Broadway musical The Music Man,^[8] rhyming:

"Mr. Speaker, trouble, oh, we got trouble right here in Capital City. With a capital T, and it rhymes with B and that stands for Broke. Right here in Capital City, right here, we've gotta figure out a way to help the Americans we're about to choke.

You've got trouble right here in Capital City. With a capital T, and that rhymes with D and that stands for debt. Right here in Capital City we've got trouble. Remember the millions, the billions, the trillions. And don't you forget, we've got trouble. We're in terrible, terrible trouble. The game of some 256 Members is a devil's bet. Oh, yes, we've got trouble, trouble. Trouble with a T. It rhymes with D, and it stands for Democrat."^[9][10]

Committee assignments

• Committee on House Administration (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Capitol Security (Ranking Member)
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law
  • Task Force on Judicial Impeachment
• Committee on Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection
  • Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology (Ranking Member)
• Joint Committee on Printing

Electoral history

References

External links

• U.S. Congressman Dan Lungren official House site
• Dan Lungren at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Federal Election Commission — Daniel E Lungren campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — Dan Lungren issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Dan Lungren campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative Dan Lungren (CA) profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Dan Lungren voting record
• Sourcewatch profile

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