Congressman Darrell Issa represents California's 50th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The District encompasses the central and northeastern parts of San Diego County and a portion of Riverside County, including Fallbrook, San Marcos, Valley Center, Ramona, Escondido, Santee, Lakeside, El Cajon, Temecula, and the mountain and desert areas of the San Diego-Imperial County line.
Originally from Ohio, Issa enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was a senior in high school. Through his military service, he received an ROTC scholarship and graduated with a degree in business from Sienna Heights University in Michigan. After graduation, Issa was commissioned as an Army officer and obtained the rank of captain. He completed his active-duty military service in 1980 and entered the private sector.
At the height of his career in business, Issa served as CEO of California-based Directed Electronics Incorporated, which he founded 1990s and became the nation’s largest manufacturer of vehicle anti-theft and auto security devices. He has served as chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association, served as a member of the board of governors of the Electronics Industry Association, and as director of the San Diego Economic Development Association and the Greater San Diego County Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, Representative Issa received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Inc. Magazine, Ernst & Young, and The San Diego Union Tribune.
Issa is a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. From 2011-2015, he was the Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and previously served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Energy & Commerce Committee, and the Small Business Committee. A holder of 37 patents, Issa has enacted numerous reforms to protect intellectual property rights and copyright protections for creators. His successful efforts to fight human trafficking along the U.S. border have resulted in tougher laws and more consistent enforcement. And his commitment to consumer privacy, public access to data, and the people’s right to know has established Congressman Issa as a leading voice in developing forward-looking reforms that advance cutting-edge innovation throughout the private sector.
