Linda Sanchez

Linda S&aacute;nchez, a Democrat, has represented the 39th Congressional District of California in the United States House of Representatives since 2003.

Official Conduct Investigation
Currently Sanchez and her sister, Rep. Loretta Sanchez are under investigation by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. The Committee is reviewing whether either member of Congress broke House rules when three of Rep. Loretta Sanchez's aides were put on her payroll in late 2006. This occurred after an embezzlement scandal left her sister's office short on funds.

In the first quarter of 2009, Sanchez did not report any legal fees, while Rep. Loretta Sanchez reported $6,000 in legal fees.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Resigning from the CHC
As a response to Chairman Joe Baca's alleged name-calling controversy in January of 2007, Sanchez resigned from the caucus on April 12, 2007.

Biography
Linda Sanchez was born January 28, 1969 in Orange, California, earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Berkeley and in 1995 her Juris Doctor degree at the University of California, Los Angeles, and was an attorney specializing in labor law prior to her public service career. She is the sister of Representative Loretta Sanchez, making Linda and Loretta Sanchez the only sister pair to ever serve in Congress.

In 1998 Sanchez joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 441 and became a compliance officer. In 2000 she was unanimously elected to the position of Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the Orange County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Sanchez started her political career after a new 39th Congressional District was created following the 2000 Census (the old 39th district had very different boundaries). She finished first in a six person primary for the Democratic Party nomination in March 2002. She won the primaries with 33.5% of the vote, with the second place candidate receiving 29.3%. She went on to win the general elections against Republican Tim Escobar by a 54.9 to 40.8 margin. She ran unopposed in the Democratic Primaries in 2004, and faced Escobar again in the general elections. She defeated Escobar by a margin of 60.7 to 39.3.

Following Hurricane Katrina in late August 2005, President George W. Bush suspended the Davis-Bacon Act, a 1934 law which requires government contractors to pay prevailing wages. Linda Sánchez was a very vocal critic of the suspension, and lead the fight to reverse it. Sánchez eventually won, as Bush reverted himself on October 26.

2006 elections
In 2006, the Republicans nominated James L. Andion to face Sanchez in her November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) Sanchez retained his seat.

Money in Politics
cid=N00024870&cycle=2008

Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Education and Labor
 * Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education
 * Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
 * House Committee on Foreign Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Europe and Emerging Threats
 * Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere
 * House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims
 * House Committee on Homeland Security

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Government Reform
 * Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Drug Policy and Human Resources
 * Subcommittee on National Security Emerging Threats and International Relations
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Task Force on Antirust
 * Subcommittee on Courts the Internet and Intellectual Property
 * Subcommittee on Immigration Border Security and Claims
 * House Committee on Small Business

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Congressional Hispanic Caucus
 * Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus

Boards and other Affiliations

 * Member, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 441, 1998-present

Articles and resources

 * Official website
 * Bio from the official Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
 * Bio in the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus
 * Bio from the National Women's Political Caucus
 * Linda Sanchez's Colbert Report interview. (Other Colbert Report interviews with members of Congress)
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Tiger Beat: Music, Culture, and Politics