Congresswoman Linda Sánchez
United States House of Representatives

Congresswoman Linda Sánchez was sworn into Congress on January 7th, 2003, and is currently serving her third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. She represents the 39th Congressional District of California, which includes the communities of Artesia, Cerritos,
Florence, Hawaiian Gardens, Lakewood, La Mirada, Long Beach, Lynwood, Paramount, South Gate, Watts, Whittier, and Willowbrook.

As Chairwoman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (CAL), Congresswoman Sánchez has helped lead the Congressional investigation into the Bush Administration’s potentially improper firing of nine United States Attorneys in
2006. As Chairwoman, she has also brought greater scrutiny to the misuse of arbitration and has advanced legislation to address the mortgage crisis through modest changes to existing
bankruptcy law. A former labor lawyer, she has also been a central leader in recent Congressional efforts to reshape this country’s trade model.

Congresswoman Sánchez is the first Latina in history to serve on the Judiciary Committee. She is the first woman to serve as Chair of the CAL Subcommittee, and she also sits on the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International
Law. The Judiciary Committee considers civil and criminal judicial reform, civil liberties, constitutional amendments, and immigration and naturalization. It also has jurisdiction over the U.S. Department of Justice as well as federal aid to local law enforcement.

A co-founder of the Labor and Working Families Caucus, Congresswoman Sánchez serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor. She is a member of the Subcommittee on
Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education, which will lead efforts this year to improve high quality public schools by revising the No Child Left Behind Act. She will also work on the nation’s retirement security crisis on the Subcommittee on Health, Labor, Employment and Pensions.

Congresswoman Sánchez also serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. She is a member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, which will focus on rebuilding international relationships in Central and South America, a region that has seen a recent surge
in anti-U.S. sentiment. She also sits on the Subcommittee on Europe, which is focused on restoring strong strategic relationships with allies across Europe.

Congresswoman Sánchez is a strong advocate for California’s working families. She is committed to reducing crime, making schools safe, providing quality education and affordable health care, improving our economy by creating new opportunities, and decreasing unemployment. Since coming to Congress, she has brought back more than $25 million in federal investments in her district. In the 110th Congress, the House of Representatives has passed bills she introduced to develop systems that will improve the local water quality supply and prevent ocean pollution, as well as provide a long-overdue recognition to Vietnam veterans.

The sixth of seven children, Congresswoman Sánchez was born in the City of Orange to immigrant parents from Mexico. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature with an emphasis in Bilingual Education.
After working her way through school as a bilingual aide and ESL instructor, she earned her law degree from U.C.L.A.

After law school, she worked in a private practice before going to work for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 441 and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). She then was selected to serve as the chief executive of the Orange
County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Congresswoman Sánchez is still an active and card-carrying member of IBEW Local 441.

Congresswoman Sánchez’ service in the U.S. House of Representatives is historic as she proudly works with her sister Loretta, Congresswoman from the 47th District of California. They are the first sisters and the first women of any relation to ever serve in Congress.
Congresswoman Sánchez resides in Lakewood with her dogs Baloo, Pip and Chavo.

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