Representative Douglas Harry Bosco

Douglas Harry Bosco (born July 28, 1946) is an American lawyer, politician, and newspaper owner from California who served as a Representative from California in the United States Congress from 1983 to 1991. A member of the Democratic Party, he served four terms in the House of Representatives, during which he contributed to the legislative process and represented the interests of his constituents during a significant period in American political history.

Bosco was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to California, where he attended Fremont High School in Sunnyvale. As a young man he went to Washington, D.C., and graduated from the Capitol Page School in 1963, an experience that introduced him early to the workings of the federal government and the legislative process. He then enrolled at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968, followed by a Juris Doctor from Willamette University College of Law in 1971.

After receiving his law degree, Bosco was admitted to the California bar in 1971 and commenced the practice of law in San Rafael, California. He soon moved into public administration, serving as director of the California Department of Human Relations in 1973, where he worked on issues related to equality and public services. In 1974 he became executive director of the Marin County Housing Authority, overseeing local housing programs and gaining further experience in public policy, administration, and community development.

Bosco entered elective office at the state level when he was elected to the California State Assembly in 1978. He was re-elected in 1980, representing his district during a period of growing environmental and resource-management concerns in California. In 1979 he co-authored, with Governor Jerry Brown, the Renewable Resources Investment Act, which established a state fund to protect fisheries, forests, urban forests, and the coastline, reflecting his emerging focus on environmental conservation and sustainable resource use. He also participated in party affairs, serving as a delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention and to the California Democratic State Convention in 1982.

In 1982 Bosco sought federal office and won the Democratic nomination for California’s 1st congressional district, which had been renumbered from the 2nd District after redistricting. In the general election he achieved a major upset by defeating 20-year Republican incumbent Donald H. Clausen by just over two percentage points. Taking his seat in January 1983, he served four consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, remaining in office until January 1991. During his tenure in Congress, Bosco became known as an advocate of fishery and natural resource conservation. He authored the California Wilderness Act and the Smith River National Recreation Area Act, measures designed to protect significant natural areas in northern California. In 1989, working alongside Representatives Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi, he co-authored legislation to preserve the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, helping to protect the northern California coast from offshore oil drilling and further cementing his reputation as a defender of coastal and marine resources.

Bosco’s congressional service came to an end following the 1990 election, when he was narrowly defeated for re-election. In that contest he lost to Republican Frank D. Riggs by a margin of 42 percent to 43 percent of the vote, with approximately 15 percent going to a Peace and Freedom Party candidate. Although no longer in Congress, Bosco remained active in electoral politics. In 1994 he attempted a comeback by challenging Democratic incumbent Daniel E. Hamburg—who had defeated Riggs in 1992—for the Democratic nomination to his former House seat. Bosco lost that primary by a margin of 38 percent to 62 percent, and Hamburg subsequently lost the general election to Riggs in a rematch, 47 percent to 53 percent.

In the years following his congressional career, Bosco continued to be influential in state and local public affairs, particularly in the area of coastal and environmental policy. He has served as chairman of the California State Coastal Conservancy, an agency dedicated to preserving public access to California’s coastline and protecting coastal resources, thereby extending the environmental priorities that marked his legislative career. In addition to his public service, Bosco entered the newspaper business; in 2012 he became a part-owner of The Press Democrat, a local newspaper based in Santa Rosa, California. Formerly a resident of Occidental, California, he has resided in Santa Rosa with his family, remaining engaged in civic and community life while maintaining his professional and business interests.