Mark Takano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Takano
Official portrait, 2023
Ranking Member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Mike Bost
Acting July 8, 2016 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Corrine Brown
Succeeded by	Tim Walz
Chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by	Phil Roe
Succeeded by	Mike Bost
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Jerry Lewis (redistricted)
Constituency	41st district (2013–2023) 39th district (2023–present)
Personal details
Born	Mark Allan Takano (1960-12-10) December 10, 1960 (age 64) Riverside, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican (before 1983) Democratic (1983–present)
Education	Harvard University (BA) University of California, Riverside (MFA)
Signature
Website

Mark Allan Takano (born December 10, 1960) is an American politician and teacher. Since 2013, he has been a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing parts of California. The House of Representatives is one of the two parts of the U.S. Congress, which makes laws for the country.

Takano is a member of the Democratic Party. When he was elected, he became the first openly LGBT person of Asian descent to serve in Congress.

Early Life and Teaching Career

Mark Takano was born in Riverside, California. His grandparents were immigrants from Japan. During World War II, his family was forced to live in an internment camp.

He was the valedictorian (top student) of his class at La Sierra High School. In high school, he was active in the Junior State of America, a club that helps students learn about government and debating.

Takano went to Harvard University and later earned a Master's degree from the University of California, Riverside. For 23 years, he worked as a public school teacher, teaching British literature.

He was first elected to a local office in 1990, serving on the Riverside Community College Board of Trustees.

U.S. House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is made up of 435 members from all over the country. They are elected to represent the people in their specific area, called a congressional district.

How He Got Elected

1990s Elections

Takano first ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. He won the Democratic primary but lost the main election to Republican Ken Calvert by a very small number of votes. He ran again in 1994 but lost to Calvert a second time.

2012 Election

After teaching for many more years, Takano decided to run for Congress again in 2012. This time, he ran in a newly created district, California's 41st congressional district.

In an open primary, where candidates from all parties compete, Takano came in second place. This allowed him to move on to the final election. In November 2012, he defeated Republican John Tavaglione, winning with 58% of the vote.

His Work in Congress

As a representative, Takano has an interesting way of showing his opinion. In 2013, another representative, Bill Cassidy, was trying to get signatures for a letter against a new law. Takano took the letter, marked it up with a red pen like a teacher grading a paper, and gave it an "F" grade.

Committee Work

In Congress, much of the work happens in small groups called committees. These committees focus on specific topics like farming, education, or the military. For the 118th Congress, Takano serves on these committees:

• Committee on Education and the Workforce
• Committee on Veterans' Affairs (as the Ranking Member, which means he is the leader of the minority party on that committee)

From 2019 to 2023, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. This committee is in charge of overseeing programs that help military veterans.

Caucus Memberships

Representatives can also join groups called caucuses to work on issues they care about. Takano is a member of several caucuses, including:

• Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus (which he co-chairs)
• Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• U.S.-Japan Caucus

Political Views

A politician's views on different subjects are called their political positions. These views guide how they vote on laws.

Gun Control

Takano supports stricter gun control laws. After a shooting in San Bernardino, California, in 2015, he said that the event showed the serious cost of Congress not passing new gun laws.

Foreign Policy

Regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Takano supports a two-state solution. This is the idea of creating two separate countries, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians, to live peacefully side-by-side.

Presidential Elections

In the 2020 Democratic primary, Takano supported Bernie Sanders. When Joe Biden became the final Democratic candidate, Takano endorsed him.

In July 2024, Takano was one of the politicians who called for Joe Biden to step down from his re-election campaign.

See also

• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
• List of LGBT members of the United States Congress