Rep. Henry Waxman (California)–Government Reform Committee

By Stephanie A. Salmon

Posted 10/26/06

Henry Waxman was born Sept. 12, 1939, in Los Angeles. The grandson of Russian immigrants, he grew up in an apartment over a grocery store near Watts.
Waxman graduated from UCLA in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in political science and from UCLA Law School in 1964.
In the 1960s, Waxman, along with friend Howard Berman, who also later became a congressman, was active in California's Federation of Young Democrats.
He's married, with two children and three grandchildren.

He was first elected to the House in 1974. His district contains some of the most affluent areas of Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills and Bel Air.
His main legislative interests have been healthcare and environmental issues. He once blocked an attempt to weaken the Clean Air Act by having shopping carts filled with 600 amendments wheeled into a committee room.
Waxman is known to have few hobbies or interests outside work.
After the 2000 election, Waxman accused Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, of intervening in NBC's election night coverage to prematurely declare Bush the winner.
In 2005, Waxman received a rating of 0 from the American Conservative Union.
Waxman, a former smoker, is a leading congressional activist against the tobacco industry.

Sources:

Politics