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Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren

Zoe Lofgren has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995. She represents the 18th District of California, which serves communities in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties.

A lifelong Bay Area resident and the daughter of a truck driver and a cafeteria cook, Zoe attended public schools and Stanford University on a California State Scholarship, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1970. She worked the night shift at the Eastman Kodak plant in Palo Alto to save for her college expenses not covered by the scholarship. After graduating from Stanford, Zoe attended Santa Clara University School of Law on a scholarship, graduating cum laude in 1975.

She served on Congressman Don Edwards’ staff from 1970 to 1978 and was the first executive director of the nonprofit Community Housing Developers. In 1979, Zoe was elected to the San Jose Evergreen Community College Board, followed by her election to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 1980, where she served for 14 years. In 1994, Zoe was elected to the House of Representatives following Congressman Edwards’ retirement.

Zoe is currently the Ranking Member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and serves on the House Judiciary Committee. She also chairs the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, the most diverse delegation in the House.

Immigrant Rights Leader

Zoe is known for her steadfast advocacy for immigrant communities and her expertise in U.S. immigration law and policy. She led Democrats on the House Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee for eight consecutive sessions of Congress and led bipartisan negotiations for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which provides a path to legal status for farmworkers and improves the H-2A visa program. Zoe has consistently pushed for common-sense immigration policies, including efforts to address visa backlogs and create a new visa program for immigrant entrepreneurs.

Zoe has also been a champion of comprehensive immigration reform and humanitarian protection, advocating for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for various nations, including Ukraine, El Salvador, and Haiti.

Focused on Innovation and Tech Policy

Zoe has made significant strides in patent reform, internet privacy, digital rights, and net neutrality. She successfully pushed for the “e-rate” program, providing affordable internet access for schools and libraries. Zoe led a bipartisan effort to decontrol encryption technology and was an early opponent of SOPA, successfully leading the fight against it.

In 2014, Zoe spearheaded efforts to close loopholes on unwarranted surveillance, and in 2020, she led bicameral reform efforts to protect civil liberties during FISA reauthorization. She introduced the Online Privacy Act to establish user rights and data protections.

As the top Democrat on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Zoe is focused on spurring innovation, accelerating research on fusion energy, and addressing wildfires.

Defending Democracy

Zoe has been a leader in anti-corruption, campaign finance, and pro-democracy reforms. She shepherded the For the People Act through the House, aiming to limit the influence of money in politics and protect voting rights. Zoe also served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack and was a House Manager in Trump’s 2020 impeachment trial.

Quick Facts

Personal Information

• Born on December 21, 1947
• Daughter of a truck driver and a cafeteria cook, later a secretary
• Grew up in Santa Clara County, California
• First in her family to go to college
• Married to John Marshall Collins
• Mother of two adult children
• Grandmother of three

Education

• K-12 public schools
• B.A., Political Science, Stanford University, 1970
• J.D., cum laude, University of Santa Clara School of Law, 1975

Professional Career

• Staff member for Congressman Don Edwards, 1970-1978
• Practiced immigration law as a partner at Webber & Lofgren, 1978-1980
• Elected to the San Jose Evergreen Community College Board, 1979
• First Executive Director of Community Housing Developers, 1979
• Taught immigration law at University of Santa Clara School of Law, 1977-1980
• Elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, serving from 1981-1994

U.S. Congress

• Elected in 1994 as the only freshman Democrat from west of the Rocky Mountains
• First woman to represent areas of the South Bay and Central Coast in Congress
• Only Member of Congress involved in all four modern impeachment proceedings
• First woman in U.S. history to address the Senate as an Impeachment Manager
• Former Chair of the Committee on House Administration and the House Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship
• Former Member of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack
• Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
• Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee
• Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation