Henry Waxman ’61, J.D. ’64

---

U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman represented California’s 33rd Congressional district, which includes UCLA. He retired from Congress in January of 2015, bringing to a close his 40-year Congressional career. Throughout his legislative years in office, he led many initiatives in areas such as healthcare, the environment and food and drug safety, as well as chairing multiple committees, such as the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce. He has been called one of the most prolific, successful and effective lawmakers of this era, first entering the U.S. House of Representatives to become a champion for the poor, the sick and the powerless, but later earned the reputation of government watchdog. Brief highlights of his career include his fight to secure millions in funding to combat the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, as well as helping to expose the deception of the tobacco industry, enacting laws that reduce tobacco use and save lives. He also played a key role in the Nutrition Labeling Act, allowing consumers to understand what is in their packaged foods, as well as the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, which established new programs to reduce air pollution, acid rain and prevent further depletion of the ozone layer. As a watchdog, he launched investigations of White House ties to Enron, contract abuses in Iraq by Halliburton and through Congressional hearings, held BP accountable for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to working on behalf of his constituents, he has also been a tremendous advocate for UCLA. He has been honored by UCLA’s Hillel, the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, among others. Prior to earning his Juris Doctorate, Waxman received his bachelor’s degree in political science.