Ted Lieu

Ted Lieu is a Democratic U.S. Representative representing California's 36th congressional district, having first been elected to Congress in 2014. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, he immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of three and settled in Cleveland, Ohio. Lieu graduated from Stanford University in 1991 with degrees in Computer Science and Political Science, and later earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the law review. Before his political career, he served on active duty in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) and continued his service in the Air Force Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 2021. His political career began at the local level on the Torrance City Council in 2002. He later served in the California State Legislature, holding seats in both the State Assembly (2005–2010) and the State Senate (2011–2014). During his tenure in the state legislature, Lieu was noted for authoring landmark legislation, including a first-in-the-nation ban on gay conversion therapy for minors and regulations on the subprime mortgage industry. Since joining Congress, he has risen to a leadership role as the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and sits on the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees. In Washington, Lieu has established himself as a prominent voice on technology and civil liberties. He is recognized as a leader on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity policy, having co-chaired the House Bipartisan Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence. His legislative focus often centers on environmental protection, veterans' affairs, and government oversight. He gained national attention for his role as an impeachment manager during the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump and remains an active proponent of measures to safeguard the American democratic process and civil rights.

Ted Lieu maintains a voting record and public platform centered on progressive policy goals and technological oversight. On healthcare, he strongly supports the Affordable Care Act and has advocated for expanding its subsidies and protections for Social Security and Medicare. Regarding the environment, he is a proponent of aggressive climate action, having introduced the Climate Solutions Act to set national renewable energy and emissions targets. His immigration stance includes support for the DACA program and a pathway to citizenship for essential workers, while frequently opposing increased funding for border wall construction and certain interior enforcement operations by ICE. In the realm of technology, Lieu advocates for the responsible regulation of artificial intelligence and increased national cybersecurity funding. His foreign policy positions include support for international alliances and aid to Ukraine, while his economic priorities emphasize infrastructure investment and consumer protections in the financial sector.