Darrell Issa is a senior member of the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees. Highlighted as one of the ten most effective members of Congress, Darrell Issa represents the people of California's 49th Congressional District. Issa is an Army veteran, father and successful entrepreneur. A tech industry leader, he is the founder of Directed Electronics, a company he built from humble origins into the the nation’s largest manufacturer of vehicle anti-theft devices, including the highly-successful Viper system.
The grandson of immigrants, Issa enlisted in the United States Army as a senior in high school. Through his Army service, he received an ROTC scholarship and graduated with a degree in business from Sienna Heights University in Adrian, Michigan. Upon graduation, Issa was commissioned as an Army officer, and ultimately obtained the rank of captain. He completed his active-duty military service in 1980 and turned his interests to the private sector.
His recent legislative initiatives focus on promoting innovation, creating jobs, protecting consumers, enhancing government transparency, and closing loopholes used to ship jobs overseas. His successful efforts to fight human trafficking in San Diego County led to tougher laws, stiffer penalties, and more consistent enforcement by federal prosecutors. Other congressional oversight efforts led by Issa during both Republican and Democrat administrations resulted in significant reforms to stop waste and abuse at agencies including the Minerals Management Service, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, and the Internal Revenue Service. As a principled leader, he voted against the 2008 bailout of Wall Street banks during the Bush Administration and supports efforts to balance the federal budget by curbing government spending.
His other legislative accomlishments include strengthening the Violence Against Women Act, passing the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights, opening government though significant reforms to the Freedom of Information Act, advancing Sober Homes Reform, and working to hold our government leaders accountable.