Jerry Lewis ’56

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U.S. Rep. Jerry Lewis ’56 represents the 41 st Congressional District of California, a region encompassing a great deal of San Bernardino County and some of Riverside County.

A member of Congress since 1995, Lewis was named chair of the House Appropriations Committee on Jan. 6, 2005. The committee is concerned with funding for all federal programs. From 1999-2005, Lewis was chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, responsible for overseeing all national security issues including expenditure of the $416 billion Pentagon budget. In his leadership role, he advocated the need for defense and aerospace jobs in California. From 1994-99, Lewis chaired the VA-HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee, a panel entrusted with funding federal housing, veterans affairs and the operations of other federal agencies. In addition to these committees, Lewis is a member of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee and the Transportation and Treasure Appropriations Subcommittee.

Lewis has been instrumental in making policy to toughen clean-air standards, to create effective drug and crime policy and to solidify emergency funding for earthquake, fire, flood and drought relief in California. He has been involved with creating an innovative housing program that provides 500 low-income families with the power to purchase renovated public housing. He has completed critical projects, to improve Southern California roads and highways, erecting cancer and NASA research centers and construct the Santa Ana flood control project.

He has been chair of the House GOP California delegation from 1996-2001, and was significant in unifying California Democrats and Republicans toward effective state legislation.

Prior to his election to Congress, Lewis served in the California State Legislature, authoring legislation on the South Coast Air Quality Management District in Southern California and the Child Development Act of 1972.

Lewis received a fellowship in public affairs with the Coro Foundation in San Francisco. He now resides in Redlands with his wife Arlene. They have seven children.

“Congressman Lewis is a proud and unabashed Bruin. No one who visits his office on Capitol Hill can escape noticing the blue and gold UCLA regalia that adorns it, nor miss the pride in his sharing his UCLA connection, nor, best of all, miss the chance to meet his little pet dog that roams his office and answers to the name of ‘Bruin.’ I consider Congressman Lewis a distinguished representative of the people, California and UCLA, and I unreservedly recommend him for this award.”
-- Ronald Sugar ’68, M.S. ’69, Ph.D. ’71, chairman, president and C.E.O., Northrop Grumman