Representative, United States House of Representatives, California, District 8, 2023-present

Former Senate Majority Leader, California State Senate

Representative, United States House of Representatives, District 3, 2009-2022

Candidate, United States House of Representatives, California, District 8, 2022

Lieutenant Governor, State of California, 2006-2009

Senator, California State Senate, 1976-1991

Assembly Member, California State Assembly, 1974-1976

Member, Armed Services Committee

Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Member, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation

Member, Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management

Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Member, Subcommittee on Readiness

Member, Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces

Member, Subcommittee on Strategic Forces

Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Member, Air Force Caucus, present

Co-Chair, American Sikh Caucus, present

Member, Anti-Bullying Caucus, present

Member, Beef Caucus, present

Member, Bike Caucus, present

Member, Defense Energy Security Caucus, present

Member, Democratic Caucus, present

Member, Maritime Caucus, present

Member, Military Families Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Mobility Air Forces Caucus, present

Member, Organic Caucus, present

Member, Populist Caucus, present

Member, Ports Caucus, present

Member, Rice Caucus, present

Member, Safe Climate Caucus, present

Member, Shipbuilding Caucus, present

Member, Specialty Crop Caucus, present

Member, United Service Organizations (USO) Caucus, present

Member, Wine Caucus, present

Former Member, Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Aviation, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, United States House of Representatives

Insurance Commissioner, State of California, 1991-1994, 2002-2006

Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Interior, 1995-1998

Member, Alzheimer's Task Force, present

Member, Board, California State Summer School for the Arts, present

Member, Conference Committee, Water Resources Development Act, present

Leader, Congo, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Team, present

Member, Make It In America Task Force, present

Member, Sigma Chi Fraternity, present

Member, Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, present

Former Member, Board of Trustees, California State University

Former Board Member, International Fund for Animal Welfare

Member, Board of Regents, University of California, 2007-2009

Member, California Emergency Council, 2007-2009

Chair, California State Lands Commission, 2007-2009

Trustee, California State University, 2007-2009

Chair, Commission for Economic Development, 2007-2009

Member, Don Bren School of Management, University of California, 1998-2009

Chair, Merced Foundation, University of California, 1999-2009

Member, Ocean Protection Council, 2007-2009

Member, Board, Natural Heritage Institute, 1998-2002

Member, Board, Operation Respect, 1998-2002

Member, Board, National Association of Service and Conservation Corps, 1998-2001

Member, Board, National Park Foundation, 1998-2001

Leader, Eritrea and Ethiopia, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Team, 1998-2000

Volunteer, United States Peace Corps, 1966-1968

Favorite Book:

Guns Germs and Steel, Jared Diamond; Master and Commander series, Patrick O'Brian; the Bible; Men to Match My Mountains, Irving Stone; The World Rushed In, J.S. Holiday

Favorite Movie:

Casablanca, An Inconvenient Truth, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Raiders of the Last Ark

Favorite Musician:

Peter Paul and Mary, John Denver, Garth Brooks, The Eagles

Favorite Quote:

"The test of our progress is not whether we add to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough to those who have little."- Franklin D. Roosevelt.

"The best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." -Theodore Roosevelt.

Favorite TV Shows:

60 Minutes, Meet the Press, Planet Earth

Hobbies or Special Talents:

Public Policy, Reading, Fishing, Horses and Backpacking;

Raising children and cattle, cooking Sunday meals for the family (my enchiladas are famous), writing poetry, staying in touch with old friends and colleagues in California and the Peace Corps

Number of Grandchildren:

11 Grandchildren

Spouse's Occupation:

Former Assistant Director, Peace Corps;
Former Deputy Administrator, United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service