Rep. Ted Lieu - D California, 36th, In Office - Biography

Weekly Updates

LegiStorm is constantly adding new information on the people, places and reports in our database. In the past week, LegiStorm added:

203 new people
134 new organizations
224 new photos
960 job history records for people in our database
478 education records for people in our database
1141 contact addresses, emails and URLs (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)
58 new people through the revolving door
122 new policy reports
102 new trips to our privately funded travel database
90 new personal financial disclosures
7312 new press releases
2 new town halls
72 new hearings

Caught Our Eye Rss

Rep. Suozzi leads the pack as most educated

by Heavyn Lester on 04/25/2024
Rep. Gonzales LD takes wing to Southwest Airlines

by Heavyn Lester on 04/24/2024
Sen. Rounds LA jumps to GSK

by Andy Gottlieb on 04/22/2024
Higher House salaries came with smaller holiday bonuses last year

by Keturah Hetrick on 04/15/2024
House Democrats made thousands more than Republicans last year, data shows

by Keturah Hetrick on 04/08/2024

» More from Caught Our Eye

Follow @LegiStorm

LegiStorm adds Q4 salary analytics and turnover data

2024-03-14
LegiStorm adds House Q4 salaries and expenses

2024-03-08
LegiStorm publishes longform member biographies

2024-02-01
LegiStorm adds latest Senate salary data

2023-12-19

» More from our DevBlog

Viral post misrepresents McConnell's net worth, falsely links to insider trading | Fact check

by USA Today on 04/18/2024
Exclusive — Mike Johnson’s Top Policy Adviser Is Former Lobbyist: Clients Have Corporate Interest in Ukraine War

by DNYUZ on 04/17/2024
This senator wants an online privacy law. She’s slowed efforts for years.

by The Washington Post on 04/13/2024
Marjorie Taylor Greene won’t say what happened to her Trump Media stock

by CNBC on 04/12/2024

House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu

D California, 33rd (2015-2023), 36th (2023-) In Office

PowerBrief

PowerBrief gives you all the information you need about members of Congress and their staff in one printable PDF document. It is the perfect solution for getting you and your colleagues prepared to work with Capitol Hill.

If you are a LegiStorm Pro subscriber, log in now to get unlimited PowerBrief downloads.

Biographical

Full Name: Ted W. Lieu
Gender: Male
Pronunciation: ted loo
Date of Birth: March 29, 1969 (age: 55)
Place of Birth: Taipei, Taiwan
Religion: Catholic
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Place of Residence: Torrance, Calif.
Occupation: Attorney

Wikipedia

Family:

Married: Betty Lieu

Children include Brennan, Austin

Biography:

Congressman Ted W. Lieu has served California in Congress since 2015.

Ted is a former active duty officer in the US Air Force and recently retired from the Reserves as a colonel.

In Congress, Ted has established himself as a leader on protecting the environment; Social Security and Medicare; civil liberties; and veterans.

He has been an outspoken proponent for tackling climate change. The first bill Ted wrote and introduced after coming to Congress was the Climate Solutions Act, which aims to make California’s ground-breaking renewable energy goals and climate emissions reduction targets a national model.

Ted is frequently sought out for his insight on technology and innovation matters including cybersecurity, cloud computing and innovation as well as the sharing and creative economy.

Ted has been a leader in Congress against ethnic and racial profiling, and discrimination against the LGBT community.

In just his first year in Congress, Ted successfully passed three laws. He successfully fought for $35 million in funding to the West Los Angeles VA for essential seismic retrofits; reauthorized the Advisory Committee on Homeless Veterans; and restored the Quarterly Financial Report, one of our nation’s principal economic indicators used by both businesses and the public sector.

Prior to serving in Congress, Ted was elected to the California State Senate in 2011 and the State Assembly in 2005. Ted's legislative accomplishments include authoring landmark legislation regulating the subprime mortgage industry; a first-in-the-nation ban on gay conversion therapy for children; and a first-in-the-nation ban on the use of tanning beds for minors.

Ted fought for California state tax reform that saved small businesses from millions in retroactive taxes, and tax incentives for film and TV production. Ted also co-authored California’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act and co-authored the law banning state pension funds from investing in Iran’s nuclear and energy industries.

Ted started his elected service as a Member of the Torrance City Council in 2002. Prior to serving on the Council, Ted was a Torrance Environmental Quality Commissioner.

Looking for a better life and opportunity, Ted and his family immigrated to the United States when he was three years old. His parents went to flea markets and sold gifts and jewelry to make ends meet. Ted's family went from being poor and not speaking English well to opening up a gift store where Ted and his brother would help out in the family business. After many years of perseverance his parents were eventually able to expand to six stores.

With the support of hard-working parents and a country that provided limitless opportunity, Ted would go on to attend Stanford for his undergraduate degrees in Computer Science and Political Science, and then Georgetown University, where he received his law degree magna cum laude after serving as Editor-in-Chief of the law review. Ted also received four American Jurisprudence Awards.

Recognizing the great opportunities America had given to his family, Ted wanted to serve his country to preserve the American Dream. He joined the United States Air Force, where he served in the JAG corps. After serving on active duty for four years, Ted wanted to continue to serve his country and joined the Reserves. Ted has received numerous medals for his outstanding military service, including the Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal and multiple Meritorious Service Medals.

After serving active duty, Ted joined the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson as a litigator. In 2003, Ted joined the legal office at UBS Financial Services.

Ted's wife, Betty, is a former California Deputy Attorney General. They live in Torrance and have two sons, Brennan and Austin. See more >>

Miscellaneous Links:

Ballotpedia

C-SPAN

GovTrack

Project VoteSmart

Campaign Links:

Website, campaign

Email, campaign: info@tedlieu.com

X (Twitter), campaign

Facebook, campaign

Open Secrets political finance profile

YouTube, campaign

Social Networking:

LinkedIn

Facebook, official

X (Twitter), official

YouTube, official

Instagram, official

Official Links:

Website, official

Press Releases

Official press releases »

Education

Georgetown University Law Center - JD, magna cum laude (1994)

Activities and notes: Georgetown Law Review, editor-in-chief
Stanford University - BS, computer science; BA, political science (1991)

Greek Organizations:

Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity

Office History

Congressional Offices:

U.S. House of Representatives (Jan. 3, 2023-) In Office

Member, 36th Congressional District of California
U.S. House of Representatives (Jan. 6, 2015-Jan. 2, 2023) Changed District

Member, 33rd Congressional District of California

State Legislature Offices:

California Senate (Feb. 18, 2011-Nov. 30, 2014)

D Senator, District 28
California Assembly (Sept. 21, 2005-Nov. 30, 2010)

D Assembly Member, District 53

Election Results

2021 (Nov. 3, 2020 election)

33rd Congressional District of California

Ted W. Lieu, 67.58%
Democrat

James P. Bradley, 32.42%
Republican
2019 (Nov. 6, 2018 election)

33rd Congressional District of California

Ted W. Lieu, 70.03%
Democrat

Kenneth W. Wright, 29.97%
Republican
2017 (Nov. 8, 2016 election)

33rd Congressional District of California

Ted W. Lieu, 66.44%
Democrat

Kenneth W. Wright, 33.56%
Republican
2015 (Nov. 4, 2014 election)

33rd Congressional District of California

Ted W. Lieu, 59.19%
Democrat

Elan S. Carr, 40.81%
Republican

Employment History

UBS Paine Webber (2003-2005)

Corporate Vice President
Munger Tolles & Olson LLP (2000-2003)

Attorney

Associated Organizations

Own leadership PAC:

Blue Momentum PAC

Membership:

Friends of Torrance (Calif.) Library
Reserve Officers Association of the United States
Torrance (Calif.) Historical Society

Board membership:

YMCA of Torrance-South Bay (Calif.)
Board Member
Switzer Learning Center
Board Member
U.S. Air Force Academy (March 2020-)
Member, Congressional Board of Visitors

Election campaign:

Ted Lieu for Congress (California)

Elected office:

Torrance (Calif.) City Council (2002-2005)
City Councillor

Awards

Spirit of Enterprise Award (U.S. Chamber of Commerce) (June 2020)
Distinguished Community Health Defender Award (National Association of Community Health Centers Inc.) (2018)
Internet Freedom Champion (Daily Dot) (Jan. 2016)

Military History

U.S. Air Force Reserve (2000-2021)

Colonel
U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps (1995-2000)

Served in Operation Desert Strike and Operation Pacific Haven

Awards and Honors:

Air Force Commendation Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal

Official Signature

Contact Information

Email, member official contact form

Office Addresses:

Main Office:

Address:	2454 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-0536
Phone:	202-225-3976

View Larger Map

» District Offices

Privately Financed Travel

5 trips taken between 2015 - 2024 costing $49,284

See map of trips

Trip Destinations:

Trip Sponsors:

» see more

Personal Financial Disclosures

Disclosures as a member:

Annual: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2019 (Amendment), 2018, 2018 (Amendment), 2018 (Amendment), 2017, 2017 (Amendment), 2017 (Amendment), 2017 (Amendment), 2017 (Amendment), 2016, 2016 (Amendment), 2016 (Amendment), 2016 (Amendment), 2015, 2015 (Amendment), 2014 (Amendment)
Election Candidate: 2014
Extension Letter: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
Stock transaction: 08/21/2019 (Amendment)
» see more

Congressional Staff

Staff Turnover:

Turnover Index: 0.05
(House Average: 0.25)
» See more

Staff Salary Rate:

Office Median Annual Salary: $73,749.96
» See more

Staff Salaries Paid:

» See full staffer list

» view all salaries

Committees

House Judiciary Committee Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust Subcommittee

House Judiciary Committee Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet Subcommittee

Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission

Caucuses

Caught Our Eye

Congress reacts to Scalia's passing

Posted by Sean Myers on Feb. 16, 2016
Congressional members and their staffers took to Twitter over the weekend to react to Justice Antonin Scalia's death and, in some cases, fire political barbs. read more
'Downton Abbey' decor ignites Twitter response on the Hill

Posted by Jenna Ebersole on Feb. 6, 2015
The news that Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) had a bold new office theme may have seemed like it would be the communications low point of the week. read more
New members start hiring staff

Posted by Jenna Ebersole on Nov. 10, 2014
They have volunteered with the Peace Corps, produced TV news in Texas and helped write a retrospective on Mitt Romney's plans to transition to the White House. read more

Weekly Updates

Caught Our Eye Rss

Social Media

DevBlog Rss

In the News

House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu

Biographical

Family:

Biography:

Miscellaneous Links:

Campaign Links:

Social Networking:

Official Links:

Press Releases

Education

Greek Organizations:

Office History

Election Results

2021 (Nov. 3, 2020 election)

2019 (Nov. 6, 2018 election)

2017 (Nov. 8, 2016 election)

2015 (Nov. 4, 2014 election)

Employment History

Associated Organizations

Awards

Military History

Awards and Honors:

Official Signature

Contact Information

Privately Financed Travel

Trip Destinations:

Trip Sponsors:

Personal Financial Disclosures

Congressional Staff

Staff Turnover:

Staff Salary Rate:

Staff Salaries Paid:

Committees

Caucuses

Caught Our Eye