Ed Royce (politician)

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Ed Royce
Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
In office
January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byIleana Ros-Lehtinen
Succeeded byEliot Engel
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byWilliam Dannemeyer
Succeeded byGil Cisneros
Constituency39th district (1993–2003)
40th district (2003–2013)
39th district (2013–2019)
Member of the California Senate
from the 32nd district
In office
December 6, 1982 – January 2, 1993
Preceded byRuben Ayala
Succeeded byRob Hurtt
Personal details
Born
Edward Randall Royce

(1951-10-12) October 12, 1951 (age 72)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1985)​
EducationCalifornia State University, Fullerton (BA)
Ed Royce's voice
Ed Royce on his support for H.R.6651, the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018
Recorded November 13, 2018

Edward Randall Royce (born October 12, 1951) is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California from 1993 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Royce served as Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as a member of the California Senate from 1982 to 1993.

He was reelected to his seat in 2016,[1] having spent over $3.5 million on his campaign.[2] On January 8, 2018, Royce announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his term and not run for reelection in 2018.[3]

In September 2020, Royce joined the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.[4] He is currently registered as a foreign agent for Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry.[5]

Early life and education[edit]

Royce was born in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Katella High School in Anaheim, California. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance in 1977 from California State University, Fullerton.[6]

Early career[edit]

Royce was a business owner and corporate tax manager for a Portland cement company before becoming a California State Senator in 1983, serving in that post until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives[edit]

Elections[edit]

After redistricting following the 1990 United States census, incumbent Republican U.S. Representative William Dannemeyer decided to retire and run for the 1992 U.S. Senate election. Royce won the Republican primary for what was then California's 39th congressional district, which included most of northern Orange County and southern Los Angeles County.

He defeated Democrat Molly McClanahan in the general election with 57% of the vote.[7]

He won re-election to the 39th district four more times with at least 63% of the vote. After redistricting after the 2000 United States census, his district was renumbered the 40th and cut back to northern Orange County. He won re-election from this district five more times with at least 63% of the vote.[8]

2012
Main article: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California § District 39

After redistricting, Royce's home in Fullerton was drawn into the 39th district. That district had previously been the 42nd District, represented by fellow Republican Gary Miller. Although it was geographically more Miller's district than Royce's, Royce would have been favored in a primary battle with Miller–which would have been the real contest in this heavily Republican district. Ultimately, Miller opted to move to the neighboring 31st District,[9] effectively handing the seat to Royce.

Royce defeated Jay Chen in the general election.[10]

Tenure[edit]

In 2012 he was endorsed by 11 of 14 Republicans[11] as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has served as chairman since January 2013.[12]

Royce voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[13]

Committee assignments[edit]

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce and wife Marie meet Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office in Taipei, Taiwan in 2016

Caucus memberships[edit]

Retirement[edit]

Situated in a district that supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election by a margin of eight points,[18] Royce was widely viewed as one of the most vulnerable members of Congress.[19] As of December 2017, polling in the 39th District showed a 36% approval rating for Royce and a 60% disapproval rating for President Trump.[20] Additionally, the data showed that a large majority of voters disapproved of Royce's public support and vote in favor of the Republican Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[20] Acknowledging the difficult campaign ahead and the end of his six-year term as Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee,[21] Royce decided to announce his retirement and decision to not run for reelection in 2018 via Twitter on January 8, 2018.[3] Thirty minutes following his announcement, President Trump formally nominated Royce's wife Marie Royce to be Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.[22] In retiring, Royce joined the "casualty list" of 36 Republican members of the 115th Congress who have left or announced their intention to leave the House of Representatives.[23]

Political positions and PACs[edit]

Royce voted in line with President Trump's position in 97.9% of the votes in the 115th United States Congress.[24] For the 114th United States Congress, Royce was ranked as the 27th most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives (and the most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California) in the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy that ranks members of the United States Congress by their degree of bipartisanship (by measuring the frequency each member's bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party and each member's co-sponsorship of bills by members of the opposite party).[25] Over his career, Royce has received nearly $7 million from PACs.[26] In the 2016 race, he raised over $4.2 million and spent over $3.5 million.[2]

His campaign committee received funds from Northwest Excavating, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and NorPac. The Sunlight Foundation gave Royce's web site a 24 percent rating for transparency,[27] with 40 percent being considered a passing score. Royce's website highlights support from conservative groups such as 60 Plus[28] and business organizations such as the National Taxpayers Union and Citizens Against Government Waste. He received praise from the American Share Holders Association, Citizens for a Sound Economy, and the Small Business Survival Committee.[29]

For the 113th Congress, the Washington Post named Royce as one of the “10 most effective lawmakers in the U.S. Congress”, citing his authorship of the Global Anti-Poaching Act (H.R. 2494) and the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015 (H.R. 2297).[30]

Domestic policy[edit]

Royce's voting record, his scores on VoteMatch, and ratings by the Cato Institute indicate mixed or moderate positions on free trade,[31][32] privatization of social security, campaign finance,[31] and tax reform.[32]

Abortion[edit]

Royce is pro-life.[33]

Banking deregulation, business issues[edit]

One of Royce's early signature issues was banking deregulation. He has sponsored legislation on tax policy, small businesses, and credit. Many of his biggest campaign contributors have been banks: his five top contributors in 2006 were Credit Union National Assn, Irvine Co., Wells Fargo, Orange County Teachers Fed Credit Union, and GUS plc. He is among the representatives receiving the largest percentage of their campaign contributions from the banking industry.[34]

On November 13, 2013, Royce introduced the Credit Union Share Insurance Fund Parity Act (H.R. 3468; 113th Congress) into the House.[35] The bill would expand federal deposit insurance to include Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTAs) and similar escrow accounts housed within credit unions.[36]

Cannabis[edit]

Royce has a "C" rating from NORML regarding his voting record on cannabis-related matters. He voted against allowing veterans access to medical marijuana, if legal in their state, per their Veterans Health Administration doctor's recommendation.[37]

Guns[edit]

Royce had a "A" rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund regarding his voting record on gun-related matters.[33][38]

In the wake of the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Royce posted on Facebook: "We need to defeat the terrorists and make it our top national security priority to prevail in the war against radical Islamic extremism."[39]

Taxes and budgets[edit]

He has received 14 "Taxpayer Friend Awards" from the National Taxpayers' Union.[40] Royce opposes funding for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).[41] Royce has posited that these overseas investments expose taxpayers to a serious potential liability, just like the S&L crisis did.[42]

Victims' rights[edit]

Royce sponsored anti-stalking legislation signed into law by President Bill Clinton, which was based on legislation Royce had authored as a California State Senator. In 2003, he sponsored another bill as US representative related to victims.[43][44]

Health care[edit]

On May 4, 2017, he voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass the American Health Care Act.[45][46]

Foreign policy[edit]

In foreign policy, Royce's voting record has earned a 0% rating from the peace organization SANE.[32] In 2011, Royce voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 as part of a controversial provision that allows the government and the military to indefinitely detain American citizens and others without trial.[47]

Iran nuclear agreement[edit]

In 2016, Royce criticized the Iran nuclear agreement and Obama administration harshly, saying the deal was "a financial windfall” for Iran and a "a cash bonanza, a boost to its international standing, and a lighted path toward nuclear weapons."[48] He called for re-introducing sanctions on Iran.[49] Later, in 2017, after Donald Trump had become president, Royce said that he was in favor of staying in the Iran nuclear agreement.[50][51]

North Korea[edit]

Congressmen Royce, Jay Kim and House Speaker Newt Gingrich face North Korea from the Joint Security Area in 1997

Royce serves as a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia. He and has been especially involved in policy regarding North Korea, working on issues such as human rights, counterfeiting of U.S. currency, nuclear proliferation,[52] and stopping repatriation of refugees.[53] Royce's district includes Fullerton, which has a large population of Korean immigrants.[citation needed] During a slow-rolling crisis in 2017 between the US and North Korea, Royce introduced legislation expanding sanctions against North Korea and requiring that its designation as a state sponsor of terror be reinstated.[54]

Conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Yemen[edit]

Royce was a supporter of the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, he voted in favor of authorizing President George W. Bush to use force in Iraq.[55] In 2003, he voted yes on an emergency appropriation of $78 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.[32] From 2003 to 2006, he voted in favor of the annual supplemental spending bill to continue funding for the Iraq war.[55][56] In 2005, he voted against Amendment 214 to HR 1815, which called on Bush to develop a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq; in favor of Amendment 488 to HR 2601 to keep troops in Iraq; and in favor of HR 612 opposing a timetable for withdrawal of troops from Iraq.[57] In 2006, he voted for HR 861, a resolution labeling the war in Iraq as part of a global war against terrorism.[55]

He has supported U.S. broadcasting efforts in Asia, initiating legislation to create Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Afghanistan on the model of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.[58] Royce had a mixed voting record on the 2011 US involvement in Libya.[59] In 2015, he supported the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[60]

Genocide in Myanmar[edit]

In 2018, Royce condemned the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar and called for a stronger response to the crisis, saying that "Defining these atrocities for what they are is critical to building international public awareness – and support – to stop them."[61]

Africa[edit]

Royce was formerly chair of the Africa Subcommittee. He co-led, with Colin Powell, a delegation to observe Nigeria's historic elections in 1999 and led a delegation to Darfur to bring attention to the ongoing genocide in 2005 and led efforts in the House to bring Charles Taylor, the former President of Liberia, to stand trial before the Special Court of Sierra Leone.[62][63]

Legislation[edit]

On April 26, 2013, Royce introduced the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2013 (H.R. 1771; 113th Congress), a bill that would increase U.S. sanctions on North Korea.[64] Royce said that "by shutting down North Korea's illicit activities, we deprive the Kim regime of the money he needs to pay his generals and to conduct nuclear weapons research."[65] Royce also argued that "North Korea is undoubtedly one of the most significant security threats that we here face and our allies face."[65]

On June 27, 2013, Royce introduced the Electrify Africa Act of 2013 (H.R. 2548; 113th Congress), a bill that would direct the President to establish a multiyear strategy to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa develop an appropriate mix of power solutions to provide sufficient electricity access to people living in rural and urban areas in order to alleviate poverty and drive economic growth.[66]

On November 13, 2013, Royce introduced the Taiwan Relations Act Affirmation and Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2014 (H.R. 3470; 113th Congress) into the House.[67] The bill would allow the sale of several Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates to Mexico, Thailand, and Taiwan.[67] Four naval vessels would be sold to Taiwan for about $10 million each.[68] Mexico and Thailand would each receive two vessels as a grant.[67] Royce argued in favor of the bill saying that "these ships would bolster Taiwan's defense."[69] Royce also said that "these transfers help support the priorities of the U.S. Navy while strengthening the capability of allies and our close partners to meet our share maritime security objectives."[69]

In January 2017, Royce introduced a House resolution condemning the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which condemned Israeli settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories as a violation of international law.[70]

Awards and honors[edit]

Personal life[edit]

Royce is married to Marie Therese Porter, a businesswoman, former professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs.[citation needed]

Royce is Roman Catholic.[73]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "2016 Election results: U.S. Senate, House and California legislature". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  2. ^ a b "Rep. Ed Royce: Campaign Finance/Money - Elections - Representative Career". opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  3. ^ a b Royce, Ed [@RepEdRoyce] (January 8, 2018). "It's truly an honor to represent the people of California's 39th Congressional District. My full statement on the decision not to seek reelection this November:" (Tweet). Retrieved January 9, 2018 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Ed Royce - Brownstein". Retrieved 2022-03-19.
  5. ^ "Former top Republican congressman registers as lobbyist for Saudi Arabia". Middle East Eye. 20 August 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  6. ^ "CSU Alumni". www2.calstate.edu. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  7. ^ "CA District 39 Race". Our Campaigns. November 3, 1992. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  8. ^ "Candidate - Edward R. Royce". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  9. ^ Trygstad, Kyle. Gary Miller Switches California Districts to Avoid Battle With Ed Royce. Roll Call, 2012-01-12.
  10. ^ "Representative Edward 'Ed' R. Royce's Political Positions". VoteSmart. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  11. ^ Strauss, Daniel (2012-11-27). "Rep. Royce selected as new chairman of House Foreign Affairs committee". The Hill. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  12. ^ "Rep. Ed Royce: The new House Foreign Affairs chairman". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-08-07.
  13. ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (19 December 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  14. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Members". House Baltic Caucus. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  16. ^ "Member List". Republican Study Committee. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  17. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  18. ^ "Supplement to the Statement of the Vote Counties by Congressional Districts for President" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  19. ^ "California could flip the House, and these 13 races will make the difference". Los Angeles Times. 13 September 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Congressional Republicans Vulnerable in Upcoming Re-Elections" (PDF). Public Policy Polling. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  21. ^ "Ed Royce, Longtime Orange County Congressman, Plans to Leave Congress". Orange County Register. 8 January 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  22. ^ "California Republican Rep. Ed Royce won't seek reelection, creating bigger opening for Democrats". Los Angeles Times. 9 January 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  23. ^ Bycoffe, Aaron (2017-01-30). "Tracking Edward R. Royce In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 2017-02-18.
  24. ^ The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index (PDF), The Lugar Center, March 7, 2016, retrieved April 30, 2017
  25. ^ "Rep. Ed Royce: Campaign Finance/Money - Summary". opensecrets.org. Retrieved 2017-03-26.
  26. ^ Congressional Web Site Investigation Project: Sunlight Foundation Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-12-11. Retrieved 2007-08-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ^ "Royce". Edroyce.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  29. ^ Volden, Craig; Wiseman, Alan (2015-12-28). "These are the 10 most effective lawmakers in the U.S. Congress". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-05-29.
  30. ^ a b Ed Royce profile, issues2000.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c d Ed Royce on the Issues, ontheissues.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  32. ^ a b Wisckol, Martin (1 September 2017). "Rep. Ed Royce rebukes Trump on Arpaio pardon". Orange County Register. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  33. ^ Races to Watch IX: Wall Street’s Favorite Candidates – OpenSecrets Blog, OpenSecrets.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  34. ^ "H.R. 3468 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  35. ^ "CBO – H.R. 3468". Congressional Budget Office. 10 January 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  36. ^ "California Scorecard - NORML.org - Working to Reform Marijuana Laws". norml.org. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  37. ^ "NRA-PVF | Grades | California". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  38. ^ Berkowitz, Bonnie; Cai, Weiyi; Lu, Denise; Gamio, Lazaro. "Everything lawmakers said (and didn't say) after the Orlando mass shooting". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 17, 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  39. ^ Government Bytes: The Official Blog of National Taxpayers Union, blog.ntu.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  40. ^ Corporate Welfare OPIC Archived 2007-06-09 at the Wayback Machine, progress.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  41. ^ Corporate Welfare Reform, reason.com; accessed April 3, 2017.
  42. ^ Royce legislation, stalkingalert.com; accessed April 3, 2017.
  43. ^ Phinney, David (September 24, 1996). "Clinton Signs O.C.-Born Bill Outlawing Stalking". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  44. ^ "How the House voted to pass the GOP health-care bill". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  45. ^ "Health care vote puts pressure on dozens of vulnerable GOP reps". USA Today. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  46. ^ Connor Adams Sheets (2011-10-27). "NDAA Bill: How Did Your Congress Member Vote?". Ibtimes.com. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  47. ^ "House GOP Panel Grills John Kerry on Iran Nuclear Deal". NBC News. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  48. ^ "Exclusive: U.S. House to vote on Iran Sanctions Act renewal as soon as November". Reuters. 2016. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  49. ^ Watkins, Eli. "Royce suggests US should stay in Iran deal". CNN. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  50. ^ Kheel, Rebecca (2017-10-11). "House Foreign Affairs chairman: US should stay in Iran deal, but 'enforce the hell' out of it". The Hill. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
  51. ^ "Kim the Counterfeiter," by Ed Royce, March 10, 2007, https://www.wsj.com
  52. ^ Green Light on U.S. Legislation to Help North Korean Refugees in China, dailynk.com; accessed April 3, 2017.
  53. ^ Dagyum Ji (2017-03-22). "New North Korea sanctions bill introduced to U.S. House of Representatives". North Korea News. Retrieved 2017-05-04.
  54. ^ a b c Legislative Resources Archived 2007-08-14 at the Wayback Machine, unitedforpeace.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  55. ^ January 2007 – House Of Representative Voting Records Archived 2007-08-14 at the Wayback Machine, Voices for Creative Nonviolence CIV website; accessed April 3, 2017.
  56. ^ Profile, peace-action.org; accessed April 3, 2017.
  57. ^ Radio Free Afghanistan Celebrates Five Years Of Broadcasting, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; accessed April 3, 2017.
  58. ^ "Ed Royce - Libya". Thepoliticalguide.com. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
  59. ^ "Saudi Arabia Gets Bipartisan Backing for Yemen Airstrikes". USNews.com. March 27, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-03-28.
  60. ^ "Lawmakers urge U.S. to call Myanmar's Rohingya campaign genocide". Reuters. September 26, 2018.
  61. ^ Royce, Ed (May 5, 2005). "Bring Charles Taylor to Justice". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  62. ^ "Royce, Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Call for Charles Taylor to be Brought to Justice". Archived from the original on November 20, 2006. Retrieved October 9, 2008.
  63. ^ "H.R. 1771 – Summary". United States Congress. 29 July 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  64. ^ a b Marcos, Cristina (July 28, 2014). "House passes bill to toughen North Korea sanctions". The Hill. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
  65. ^ "H.R. 2548 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  66. ^ a b c "H.R. 3470 – Summary". United States Congress. 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  67. ^ "H.R. 3470 – CBO" (PDF). Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved April 5, 2014.
  68. ^ a b Marcos, Cristina (April 7, 2014). "House approves sale of missile frigates to Taiwan". The Hill. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  69. ^ Cortellessa, Eric (January 6, 2017). "US House Passes Motion Repudiating UN Resolution on Israel". The Times of Israel. Retrieved January 17, 2017.
  70. ^ Huang, Kelven; Hou, Elaine (March 13, 2015). "President confers medal on U.S. congressman for supporting Taiwan". Central News Agency. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  71. ^ Yeh, Sophia; Low, Y. F. (1 September 2017). "President confers medal on U.S. Congressman Ed Royce". Central News Agency. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  72. ^ "Religious affiliation of members of 115th Congress" (PDF). Pew Research Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-03-25.

External links[edit]

California Senate
Preceded by Member of the California Senate
from the 32nd district
1982–1993 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 39th congressional district
1993–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 40th congressional district
2003–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 39th congressional district
2013–2019 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
2013–2019 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
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