26 Facts About Howard Berman

Howard Lawrence Berman was born on April 15,1941 and is an American attorney and retired politician who served as a US representative from California from 1983 to 2013.

Howard Berman won election to the Assembly in 1972 from a district in the Hollywood Hills, unseating the incumbent Republican speaker pro tempore.

Howard Berman served as Chairman of the Assembly Democratic Caucus and on the Policy Research Management Committee of the Assembly.

In 2005, $50,000 in consulting fees were paid to the company, and Michael Howard Berman himself was paid a further $80,500 in campaign management and consulting fees.

Howard Berman received the endorsements from about two-thirds of California's Democratic congressional delegation.

Howard Berman ran as the more conservative Democrat, hoping to divide the Democratic vote and dominate in the independent and conservative vote.

Howard Berman has been described as "one of the most creative members of the House, and one of the most clear-sighted operators in American politics".

Howard Berman has been an active legislator on several issues, but has been described as "not one who gets much publicity".

Howard Berman was the House sponsor of the 1986 False Claims Act that authorized civil litigation by whistleblowers.

Howard Berman has championed protecting American film industry jobs from outsourcing.

Howard Berman has voted against amending the constitution to require a balanced budget, against banning the desecration of the American flag, against the Defense of Marriage Act, and against restrictions on abortion.

Howard Berman voted in support of the invasion of Iraq in both 1991 and 2003, as well as for the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, positions that have hurt his standing among many liberals in his district.

Howard Berman opposes withdrawing US support for the World Trade Organization.

In Congress, Howard Berman led the investigation into the conduct of House members in the Mark Foley page scandal.

In May 2012, Howard Berman co-sponsored a bill with Republican Congressman David Dreier of California to reinstate tax credits given to films produced mainly in the United States.

Howard Berman stressed that we "must make every effort to keep American productions here in the United States".

Howard Berman is known for his protection of copyright interests, and his alliances with the entertainment industry; he was sometimes referred to as the "representative from Hollywood".

Howard Berman has been named as one of the primary politicians involved in the creation of the Stop Online Piracy Act and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.

In June 2006, Howard Berman voted for the Republican resolution to reject a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

In 2003, Howard Berman expressed his concerns over the Patriot Act with then-United States Attorney General John Ashcroft, specifically on the method to hold illegal immigrants until they prove they are not terrorists.

In 2005, Howard Berman was part of the bi-partisan group in Congress that fought for immigration reform efforts.

Howard Berman served on the subcommittee investigating the House's page program in the wake of the Mark Foley scandal.

Howard Berman himself had taken 14 trips at the Aspen Institute's expense, including two to China with Mrs Howard Berman.

Howard Berman serves on the Board of Directors of the National Democratic Institute.

Howard Berman serves on the board of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and is an advisory board member of the Counter Extremism Project.

Howard Berman married Janis Gail Schwarz in 1979; they have two daughters, Brinley and Lindsey.