Mark Takano

Democrat Representative of California's 39th district

  • Representative

    California, district 39

    January 3, 2023 - January 3, 2025

202-225-2305

@RepMarkTakano

takano.house.gov

6

Congresses Served

6

House Terms

December 10, 1960 (63 years old)

Birthday

  • Has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2013
  • Became the first gay person of Asian descent in Congress
  • Family was interned during World War II
  • Graduated as class valedictorian from La Sierra High School
  • Holds a B.A. in government from Harvard University and an MFA in creative writing from the University of California, Riverside
  • Taught British literature in public schools for 23 years
  • Initially a member of the Republican Party, switched to the Democratic Party in college
  • Elected to the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees in 1990
  • Ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992 and 1994 before winning in 2012
  • Serves on the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, where he is the Ranking Member
  • Co-chairs the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus and the Congressional Energy Storage Caucus
  • Acted as the Ranking Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee temporarily in 2016 and became the chair after the 2018 elections
  • Criticized Congress for its inaction on gun control following the 2015 San Bernardino attack
  • Endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2020 presidential primary before supporting Joe Biden
  • Supports transgender rights and opposed the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act
  • Has a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America for his abortion-related voting record and opposed the overturning of Roe v. Wade
  • Supported both impeachments of Donald Trump