U.S. Representative from CA, District 42

Robert Garcia is a Democratic U.S. Representative from California's 42nd District and Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.
Robert Julio Garcia is the U.S. Representative for California's 42nd Congressional District, a Democrat first elected in 2022 and currently serving his second term. Born in Lima, Peru, Garcia immigrated as a child and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He earned degrees from California State University, Long Beach, the University of Southern California, and Cal State Long Beach, where he earned a doctorate in education. He served as a Long Beach City Council member and as mayor during the COVID-19 pandemic before entering Congress. In the 119th Congress, Garcia was unanimously elected by House Democrats as Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, making him the first second-term Democratic member elected to lead an oversight committee in over a century. He also sits on the Homeland Security Committee and is a prominent Democratic voice on LGBTQ rights, immigration reform, and the defense of democratic institutions. His legislative work emphasizes protecting vulnerable communities, strengthening democratic norms, and advancing civil rights.