Fordham University
Which school did Juan Vargas go to in 1983?
Juan Vargas Juan Carlos Vargas ( born March 7 , 1961 ) is an American businessman and politician who has been the U.S . Representative for Californias 51st congressional district since 2013 . The district includes all of Imperial County as well as the southernmost portions of San Diego County . Vargas previously served as a Democratic member in the California State Senate representing the 40th district , the California State Assembly representing the 79th district , and the San Diego City Council . Early life and education . Juan Vargas was born on a chicken ranch in National City , California , where he grew up very poor . He is the third of ten children of Tomas and Celina Vargas , who immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the late 1940s as part of the Bracero program . Vargas graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA from University of San Diego and earned an MA in Humanities from Fordham University in New York City . After college , Vargas joined the Jesuit Novitiate ( introduction ) in Santa Barbara . In the Jesuits , Vargas served in an orphanage in the civil-war-torn jungles of El Salvador . After leaving the Jesuits , he decided on law school and graduated in 1991 with a JD from Harvard Law School . Early political career ( 1992–2000 ) . 1992 congressional election . In 1992 , he decided to run for the newly created 50th congressional district , which was based in San Diego . He lost the Democratic primary , ranking fourth with 19% of the vote . Bob Filner won the primary with a plurality of just 26% and went on to win the election . San Diego City Council . Vargas served on the San Diego City Council from 1993–2000 . While on the Council , he created Operation Restore to employ homeless individuals to remove graffiti and to rehabilitate homes . 1996 congressional election . In 1996 , Vargas decided to challenge Filner in the Democratic primary . Vargas wouldnt debate Filner , so the incumbent instead sparred with a life-sized Vargas cardboard cutout . Vargas said he agrees with Filner on 99 percent of issues . Filner defeated him 55%–45% . California State Assembly ( 2000–2007 ) . Elections . In 2000 , Vargas decided to run for Californias 79th State Assembly district . He defeated Republican Jon Parungao 77%–19% . In 2002 , he defeated Republican Mark Fast 66%–30% . In 2004 , he defeated Libertarian Eli Wallace Conroe 85%–15% . Tenure . In his first year in the Assembly , he was appointed Assistant Majority Leader . He authored AB 188 , which was legislation that bans smoking in childrens playgrounds . He also introduced legislation aimed at protecting children from arcade video games . Vargas also authored legislation to mandate life sentences for people who commit violent sex crimes against children , which served as a model for Chelseas Law . Committee assignments . - Business and Professions - Insurance ( Chair ) 2006 congressional election . In 2006 Vargas decided to challenge Filner for a third time , this time in Californias 51st congressional district . Vargas accused Filner of being a part of the culture of corruption of Washington , pointing out that Filner had paid his wife more than $500,000 in campaign funds for consulting services performed from their condominium in Washington . Filner in return argued that Vargas had controversial payments to his brother-in-law , who was a lobbyist for realtors . Filner defeated Vargas 51%–43% , with Danny Ramirez getting 6% of the vote . Business career ( 2007–2009 ) . After leaving the State Assembly in 2006 due to term limits , Vargas took a job with a home , auto and small business insurance company , where he was tasked with creating jobs and outreach in diverse San Diego Communities as part of the companys diversity initiative . Vargas left that job at the end of 2009 to run as a Democratic candidate for the California State Senate . California State Senate ( 2010–2013 ) . 2010 election . In 2010 Vargas narrowly won a seat in the Californias 40th State Senate district . He defeated Assemblywoman Mary Salas by 22 votes , after recounts in San Diego and Riverside counties . He resigned from the Senate effective January 2 , 2013 so that he could take his seat as a Congressman . A special election to fill his seat was held in March 2013 . Committee assignments . - Standing Committees - Banking & Financial Institutions ( Chair ) - Agriculture - Business , Professions , and Economic Development - Education - Public Employment and Retirement - Subcommittee - Education : Sustainable School Facilities - Joint Committee - Rules - Select Committee - Recovery , Reform , and Re-Alignment U.S . House of Representatives ( 2012–present ) . 2012 election . In 2012 , when Filner announced he would retire from Congress to run for Mayor of San Diego , Vargas endorsed him despite their history of bitter rivalry . Vargas then ran for Filners seat in the 51st district . In the open primary , he ranked first with 46% of the vote . Republican Michael Crimmins ranked second with 20% , Democratic State Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny came in third with 15% , and four other candidates received single digit percentages . In November , he defeated Crimmins 71%–29% . 2020 election . In 2019 , Vargas spent $124,200 of campaign money on photography , printing , postage , mailing and shipping of holiday cards that he sent to constituents . Tenure . He was sworn in on January 3 , 2013 . In 2015 , Vargas and his wife , Adrienne , spent five days in Berlin and Elmau , Germany . The trip was paid for by Robert Bosch Stiftung and the German Marshall Fund and cost $18,200 . The trip , which was part of Vargas congressional work , was to help him develop a greater understanding of the key legislative topics of the 114th Congress through our [ Germany and the United States ] transatlantic relationship . Committee assignments . - Committee on Agriculture - Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management - Subcommittee on Horticulture , Research , Biotechnology , and Foreign Agriculture - Committee on Foreign Affairs - Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia - Subcommittee on Terrorism , Nonproliferation , and Trade - Committee on House Administration Caucus memberships . - New Democrat Coalition - Congressional Hispanic Caucus - Climate Solutions Caucus - Congressional Progressive Caucus Personal life . He and his wife , Adrienne , have two daughters , Rosa Celina and Helena Jeanne . During the 1999 armed conflict in Kosovo , Vargas welcomed a Kosovar refugee family into his familys home for nearly two years .