UCLA alumus Rep. Henry Waxman to retire from Congress

After four decades as one of the most prominent liberal voices in the House of Representatives, UCLA alumnus Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Beverly Hills) announced Thursday that he will retire from his office at the end of the year.

“It’s time for someone else to have the chance to make his or her mark,” said Waxman, who serves California’s 33rd congressional district that includes UCLA and Westwood, in a statement.

Waxman, once called the “Scariest Guy in Town” by Time magazine because of his tenacity, had a role in the passage of many pieces of legislation, including the Affordable Care Act and the Clean Air Act. He also conducted several high-profile investigations on matters such as the 2010 British Petroleum oil spill.

Although Waxman said he is not retiring out of frustration with the current Congress, he said he was troubled by its growing polarization.

“I am embarrassed that the greatest legislative body in the world too often operates in a partisan intellectual vacuum, denying science, refusing to listen to experts and ignoring facts,” Waxman said in a statement.

Waxman said he first entered the House to become a champion for the poor, the sick and the powerless.

“I first ran for office because I believe government can be a force for good in people’s lives,” Waxman said. “I will leave the House … with my conviction intact.”

Waxman attended UCLA and UCLA Law School in the 1960s. He founded Bruin Democrats with former congressman and UCLA alumnus Howard Berman.

After entering Congress, Waxman later hosted multiple lectures and public forums at UCLA. Waxman also helped secure the funding for the university’s Engineering VI building in 2012.

“As a two-time UCLA graduate, he understands our special place in the community and our role as an engine for opportunity and discovery,” said Phil Hampton, a spokesman for UCLA, in a statement. “UCLA wishes him well.”

In 1968, Waxman became one of youngest state assemblymen when he was elected to the office at the age of 29. Six years later, he was elected to the House of Representatives.

Waxman also played a prominent role in shaping the Westwood’s transportation infrastructure. In 1985, Waxman designated the Mid-Wilshire area as a “methane zone,” banning tunneling through the area. Metro eventually scrapped its initial plan for the Purple Line extension following the designation of the zone.

In 2005, Waxman introduced legislation to reverse the ban after a report that said tunneling through the “methane zone” has become safe. The bill passed in 2007, and the Purple Line extension, scheduled to reach Westwood by 2036, is now under way.

Throughout his legislative career, he led several initiatives in areas such as healthcare, the environment and food and drug safety.

“Congressman Waxman has been a fierce advocate for health care programs,” said Gerald Kominksi, the director of UCLA Center for Health Policy Research in a statement.

As the member of Energy and Commerce Committee, Waxman also created the Clean Air Act in 1990, which gave the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

“(Waxman) is among a handful of environmental leaders in Congress, so having him connected to the center … is invaluable,” said Ann Carlson, an environmental law professor and a director for Emmett Center on Climate Change and the Environment, in which Waxman serves as a board member of. “(His retirement) is a tremendous loss for the environmental community.”

Waxman, one of leading Jewish voices in Congress, said he also sought to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Israel.

According to the Cook Partisan Voter Index, the 33rdCongressional district leans Democrat by 11 percentage points. Waxman faced a challenge in the 2012 election from independent candidate Bill Bloomfield, who spent more than $8 million for the campaign.

Waxman’s retirement will likely bring heavy competition from Democrats and more.

Wendy Greuel, former Los Angeles mayoral candidate and a Democrat, announced Thursday she would run for Waxman’s seat. In May, she lost to current Mayor Eric Garcetti by about 8 percentage points after raising several million dollars.

“I am going to fight like Congressman Henry Waxman on issues important to our families,” Greuel tweeted on her account Thursday.

There has also been speculation that California Senators Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Bloomfield might run for Waxman’s seat.

The congressional midterms election will take place on Nov. 4 this year.