Member, United States House of Representatives

From San Bernardino County, CA; born in Belen, NM, January 23, 1947; education: graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a bachelor's degree in Sociology; professional: GTE Corp. (community relations); Interstate World Travel (owner); military service: Army; public service: elected to the California State Assembly, 1992, and served as Assistant Speaker Pro Tempore, and the Speaker's Federal Government Liaison, 1997-1998; elected to the California State Senate, 1998; awards: American Legion California Legislator of the Year; VFW Outstanding Legislator; League of Women Voters Citizen of Distinction; San Bernardino Kiwanis Club Kiwanian of the Year; Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen; 2004 National Farmers Union Presidential Award; U.S. Department of Agriculture Coalition of Minority Employees Award of Excellence; Democratic Caucus Task Force on Homeland Security; vice chair, Democratic Caucus Task Force on Immigration; first vice chair, Congressional Hispanic Caucus; co-chair, Congressional Sex and Violence in the Media Caucus; House Army Caucus; Congressional Diabetes Caucus; Cancer Caucus; Military/Veterans Caucus and U.S.-Mexico Caucus; married: Barbara; four children: Joe Jr., Jeremy, Natalie, and Jennifer; committees: Agriculture; Financial Services; subcommittees: Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises; Departmental Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry; Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; Water and Power; elected to the 106th Congress on November 16, 1999, by special election; reelected to each succeeding Congress.