Biography
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez is proud to represent California's 46th Congressional District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Santa Ana, and parts of the cities of Orange and Garden Grove in Orange County. She began her congressional career in January 1997 and is currently serving her ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
A recognized leader on military and national security issues, Rep. Sanchez is the second highest ranking Democrat and the most senior female member on the House Armed Services Committee. She currently serves as the Ranking Member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, where her top priority is preparing our Armed Forces for a new generation of security challenges. On the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, Rep. Sanchez’ focus is on Army and Air Force acquisition programs and weapons systems, along with the Navy and Marine Corps aviation programs and National Guard issues. Rep. Sanchez is also a senior member of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, of which she has served as Ranking Member. Rep. Sanchez was appointed by Leader Pelosi to the prestigious Board of Visitors of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Rep. Sanchez is the second ranked Democrat and most senior female member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, where she has served since the committee's founding and has emerged as an expert on intelligence and counterterrorism issues.
As a member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, Rep. Sanchez provides strict oversight on important security issues, including the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card program and the Visa Waiver Program. In overseeing the TWIC program, which screens and provides credentials for workers with access secure areas at ports, Rep. Sanchez has fought to ensure port workers can continue working during their application process. She also guided key maritime security provisions through Congress in the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act (SAFE PORT ACT) in 2006. She is also a member of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.
In Congress, Rep. Sanchez has been a leader in securing America's border with Mexico. A strong advocate for southwest border security, she frequently appears on MSNBC, CNN, C-SPAN, FOX News, and other national media outlets to discuss the importance of economic development and trade along the U.S.-Mexico border and ports of entry. She frequently meets with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and other national security officials to provide guidance on critical issues, including combating human, weapons, and drug trafficking and ensuring interagency cooperation on national security issues.
Rep. Sanchez is founder and Co-chair of the Women in the Military Caucus. She is also Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, the New Democrat Coalition, and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. She is also Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Korea. She was appointed by Leader Pelosi to serve on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), a bipartisan, bicameral committee that continually monitors matters relating to the US economy, including unemployment, foreclosures, and interest rates. Congresswoman Sanchez strongly supports small businesses and is founder and co-chair of the Small Business Information Technology (IT) Caucus. Last year, Congresswoman Sanchez founded the Regulatory Review Caucus, which she co-chairs.
House Minority Whip Hoyer has named Rep. Sanchez to the Democratic National Security Working Group. She is a board member of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation and the U.S. Air Force Board of Visitors. The Blue Dog Coalition appointed Rep. Sanchez to the Task Force on Oversight and Regulatory Review and she is also a member of the New Democratic Coalition's Task Forces on Innovation, Competitiveness and Tax Reform and Education. Leader Nancy Pelosi appointed Rep. Sanchez to serve on the Vietnam Education Board. Congresswoman Sanchez has also been appointed by Leader Pelosi to serve as co-chair of the prestigious Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue.
A product of public schools and Head Start, Sanchez is a graduate of Chapman University and American University's MBA program. Prior to serving in Congress, she was a financial manager at the Orange County Transportation Authority, an assistant vice president at Fieldman, Rollap and Associates, and an associate at Booz, Allen, and Hamilton.
