Ed Royce

Member For

33 weeks 3 days

Website:

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (CA)

Contact:

2185 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4111

BIOGRAPHY

U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R) is serving his ninth term in Congress representing Southern California's 40th District, based in Orange County. He and his wife, Marie, are longtime residents of Fullerton, CA.

Royce's priorities in Congress are: protecting our homeland, supporting our troops and veterans, providing meaningful tax relief for workers, protecting the budget and cutting excessive government spending, fighting crime and supporting victims of crime, strengthening education for all students, and preserving Social Security and Medicare.

Royce has a strong history of public service. In 1982, he was elected to the California State Senate where he began his fight for victims' rights. He authored the nation's first anti-stalker law and versions of his bill have been adopted in all 50 states. He was also the legislative author and campaign co-chairman of California's Proposition 115, the Crime Victims/Speedy Trial Initiative, approved by the voters in 1990. In Congress, Royce continues his fight for victims' rights. He wrote and passed the Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act in 1996. This law makes it a federal crime to pursue a victim across state lines and enables law enforcement to intervene before violence occurs. Royce was active in passing AMBER Alert legislation in 2003, and legislation in 2004 to enhance rights for victims of crime.

For the 111th Congress, Royce serves as a senior member of two important Committees in the House: Foreign Affairs and Financial Services. As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Royce has been named Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade; member of the Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Enviornment and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, Royce is at the forefront of some of the most important issues facing our country. The Subcommittee explores issues including the threat posed by Islamist terrorism, especially the al-Qaeda network; terrorist financing; terrorist sanctuaries and failed states; and capacity building of foreign forces to fight terrorism. The Subcommittee's jurisdiction over nonproliferation issues is crucial given the severity of the threat of weapons of mass destruction falling into terrorist hands.

Within the Financial Services Committee, Royce sits on three Subcommittees: Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises; Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and Oversight and Investigations. Royce has served on the conference committees for some of the most significant legislation in the financial services arena. For more than a decade Royce has called for a stronger federal regulator to limit Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's excessive risk taking at the expense of taxpayers. In 2003, he offered the first legislation that sought to bring Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank System under a strong federal regulator.

Royce has consistently earned honors and awards from the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens Against Government Waste, National Federation of Independent Businesses, Watchdogs of the Treasury, Americans for Tax Reform, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, United Seniors Association, 60 Plus, American Share Holders Association, Citizens for a Sound Economy and the Small Business Survival Committee.

A California native, Royce is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, and School of Business Administration. Prior to entering public service, his professional background includes experience as a small business owner, a controller, a capital projects manager, and a corporate tax manager for a Southern California company.

COMMENTARIES

Rift Between Medvedev and Putin Appears to be Brewing

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/25/09

Is the Russian ruling duo's love affair over? That's the question Kremlin watchers are asking after observing the jockeying between President Medvedev and ex-President Putin in recent weeks. In May 2008, Vladimir Putin stepped down as President, made sure his protégé Dmitry Medvedev took his place, and then became Prime Minister with expanded powers. "Although Putin rearranged the musical chairs, he... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »Orange County (CA) | National |

The U.N.'s "Invisible Man" Draws Fire from Detractors

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/23/09

If you're among the 80 percent of Americans with no opinion/have never heard of the U.N. Secretary General, you're forgiven. As all eyes are on the U.N. rogues gallery this week, many may indeed be wondering who is the man standing off to the side? He is Ban Ki-moon, United Nations chief. When Mr. Ban won election to succeed Kofi Annan as Secretary General in 2006, I wrote in a Washington Times oped ("No U.N.... read more »

1 Comment | Related Topics »National | Orange County (CA) |

World Moves Forward as U.S. Sits Still

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/22/09

There's a lot of economic news to follow. Here's some you may have missed. These issues are especially interesting to me because I've been very involved in our policy toward South Korea, India and Africa. They might interest you. Trade rolls on. The world is moving forward with trade measures, while the U.S. sits still. Last month, South Korea and India signed a pact slashing tariffs. I've chaired panels... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »Orange County (CA) | National |

Obama to Eastern Europe: Drop Dead

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/17/09

Over the past few months, the Iranian regime has stolen an election, cracked the skulls of dissidents, and made a former Revolutionary Guards leader defense minister. Oh, and in February it successfully launched a satellite into orbit using the same technology needed for an ICBM. But, the threat from the Iranian long-range missile program has decreased. That's the Obama Administration line as it scraps planned missile defense... read more »

4 Comments | Related Topics »National | Orange County (CA) |

Front-Runner to Head U.N. Agency has Free Speech Advocates Worried

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/16/09

When most people hear "book burning," they think back to Nazi "action against the un-German spirit" campaign of 1933. But there it was just last year: "I'd burn Israeli books myself if I found any in libraries in Egypt." Words of Farouk Hosny, Egypt's culture minister, said during an exchange in parliament with Muslim Brotherhood legislators. Troubling, for sure. But the words begin to reverberate... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »Orange County (CA) | National |

Terrorist on FBI's Most Wanted List Killed by U.S. Commandos

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/15/09

Space just opened up on the FBI's most wanted list. Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a top al-Qaeda go between in Africa, was killed yesterday by U.S. forces operating in Somalia. Nabhan was wanted in connection with terrorist attacks on the African continent. This is much more intriguing than the usual "terrorist killed" headline though. The attack on the terrorist's convoy was carried out by airborne U.S. Special... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »National | Orange County (CA) |

U.N. Favors Ditching Dollar for New Global Reserve Currency

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/11/09

A new report from an organization called the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) calls for the dollar to be ditched and replaced with a new global reserve currency. Why is it that the U.N. always concludes that central is better? This discussion, of course, has been prodded by our country's financial crisis and drunken sailor-like spending. It's not just the U.N. The dollar's standing as the... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »National | Orange County (CA) |

Islamic Regime Blinks in Case of Pants Wearing Journalist

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/09/09

A single pair of pants has done what world powers have been unable (or unwilling) to do: shake the Islamist regime in Khartoum, Sudan. Earlier this week, Lubna Hussein, a 34-year old journalist was tried for the "crime" of wearing trousers. In early July, she and a group of her friends were arrested at a Sudanese restaurant and accused of being prostitutes - for wearing pants - and charged under indecency laws. Of course,... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »Orange County (CA) | National |

Iran's New Defense Minister is a Wanted Man

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/04/09

He is wanted by Argentina for a terrorist attack. He is listed by the E.U. as a person linked to Iran's proliferation activities. He appears on an Interpol "Red Notice." He is...Iran's new Defense Minister. Yesterday, the Iranian "parliament" approved the appointment of 18 cabinet posts. Three were not approved. When the roster of all 21 nominees was announced the other week, Ahmadinejad's... read more »

3 Comments | Related Topics »Orange County (CA) | National |

Election in Gabon: Like Father, Like Son

By Rep. Ed Royce | 09/03/09

A pivotal election, allegations of voter fraud, delayed results... Not Afghanistan. The poll in Gabon, the former French colony rich in natural resources, is getting nasty. A few months back, President Omar Bongo dies after ruling the country for more than 40 years. Twenty-two candidates entered the race to succeed him, including (in true ruler-for-life fashion) his son, Ali. Five candidates pulled out on the eve... read more »