Rep. Anna Eshoo

Anna G. Eshoo was first sworn in as a Member of the United States House of Representatives in 1993, after serving on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for 10 years. For more than a decade in Congress she has defended consumers, promoted American competitiveness and innovation, fought for access to health care for families and children, and protected the environment.

Rep. Eshoo has served on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee since 1995 and is a member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet and the Subcommittee on Health. The Energy and Commerce Committee is responsible for legislation affecting Medicare, Medicaid, telecommunications, energy, the Internet, health-based environmental laws, children's health, biotechnology, high technology, water resources, bioterrorism, homeland security, interstate commerce, gun safety, consumer protection, and food and drug safety.

Rep. Eshoo was appointed to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in January 2003. In the 111th Congress, Rep. Eshoo chairs the Subcommittee on Intelligence Community Management, which focuses on policies and management challenges affecting all 16 agencies that comprise the nation's Intelligence Community. She has authored legislation to protect our national security and our civil liberties, as well as legislation to require that any surveillance or intelligence gathering be conducted in accordance with the law, requiring court warrants based upon probable cause. Her legislation has also been directed at reforming the Intelligence Community, and increasing human intelligence to better meet the security challenges of the 21st Century.

In addition, Rep. Eshoo co-chairs the Congressional High-Tech Caucus, the E-911 Caucus and the House Medical Technology Caucus, and serves as Vice Chair of the 21st Century Health Care Caucus. She is also a member of the Congressional Humanities Caucus.

Rep. Eshoo has been a leader on environmental and energy issues. As Chair of the Intelligence Community Management Subcommittee, Rep. Eshoo held a joint hearing with Chairman Markey’s Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming on national security implications of global climate change. This year, Rep. Eshoo introduced H.R. 1742, a bill that would create the infrastructure needed to integrate electric cars into our transportation system, which would reduce our need to import oil, encourage innovation, and create clean energy jobs. This legislation is in the draft American Clean Energy and Security Act currently under consideration in the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Eshoo's provision to improve the efficiency of computer data centers was included in the 2007 Energy Bill and during the California energy crisis Rep. Eshoo was a key leader in bringing price relief to consumers. Rep. Eshoo has worked with the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, local government and community groups to secure the funding for the restoration of Bair Island. With a 100% voting record score from the League of Conservation Voters Rep. Eshoo has demonstrated a strong commitment to preserving, protecting, and enhancing our natural resources.

Rep. Eshoo has sponsored legislation aimed at "cleaning up the House" to restore the confidence of the American people in their government. She has co-sponsored numerous reform bills to require more transparency and accountability in lobbying, as well as a fairer and more open legislative process. Last year, the House passed a bill authored by Rep. Eshoo that would invest in research and support services for the 46.3 million Americans living with arthritis. In the 110th Congress Rep. Eshoo introduced legislation that would modernize the medical records system and protect the privacy of patients. Rep. Eshoo also introduced legislation to protect national forests, federal lands and wildlife refuges from aggressive logging practices.

Rep. Eshoo has authored landmark legislation that has:

Created the use of electronic signatures, making legally binding digital documents possible and allowing online commerce to flourish;

Given discounts to schools and libraries to increase public Internet access;

Provided emergency call centers with funding to obtain the necessary technology to locate mobile phone users when they call 911;

Promoted better labeling and testing of pharmaceuticals for children;

Exempted FEMA mitigation grants from income taxes, saving homeowners from being required to pay the government for vital damage prevention;

Ensured that low-income women who are diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer receive treatment, and requires insurance companies to pay for reconstructive surgery for cancer patients.

In 2005, Rep. Eshoo led House Democrats in introducing The Innovation Agenda - A Commitment to Competitiveness to Keep America #1. This comprehensive policy plan was developed in conjunction with leaders from the high technology, biotechnology, academic and venture capital communities.

The Agenda makes a bold and critical national commitment to achieve energy independence for America within the next decade. It calls for legislation to increase investment in research and development to promote sustainable biofuels and hybrid technology. The Agenda calls for the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy, a new laboratory within the Department of Energy to engage in high-risk, high-reward experimentation to yield discoveries of new sustainable energy sources.

Education is a key element of the Innovation Agenda, with a national commitment to:

Educate 100,000 new scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in the next four years;

Place a highly qualified teacher in every math and science K-12 classroom;

Tuition assistance to talented undergraduates;
Pay for competitive salaries to established teachers working in the fields of math and science;
Create a special visa for the best and brightest international doctoral and postdoctoral scholars in science, technology, engineering and mathematics;
Make college tuition tax-deductible for students studying math, science, technology, and engineering.
Rep. Eshoo's work has earned the approval of a wide range of organizations. She consistently receives an ‘A' rating from the League of Conservation Voters and recently received a 100% rating from the American Association of University Women for her work to protect educational funding and women's rights. In 2008 she received an 'A' rating from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. She was honored with the 2006 Government Leadership Award from the Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturing Industry, and the 2006 Inaugural Congressional Award from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. In 2008 she received the "Legislator of the Year" award from the Biotechnology Industry Organization and in 2009 she received the Arthritis Foundation Leadership Award.