Darrell Issa
Representative (R-CA)
U.S. Congress
Congressman Darrell Issa is an honorary co-chair of ITIF.
First elected to Congress in 2000, Representative Issa currently serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Representative Issa founded Directed Electronics, the Vista, CA-based industry-leading manufacturer of automobile security and convenience products. He has served as chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association, served as a member of the board of governors of the Electronics Industry Association, and as director of the San Diego Economic Development Association and the Greater San Diego County Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, Representative Issa received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from Inc. Magazine, Ernst & Young, and The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Representative Issa is perhaps best known as the leader of the successful effort to recall former California Governor Gray Davis in 2003. In 1996, he also co-chaired the campaign to pass the California Civil Rights Initiative that ended racial and gender preferences and quotas in state contracting and college admissions.
Representative Issa enlisted in the Army during his senior year in high school and attended college on an ROTC scholarship. In the Army, he served as a bomb disposal technician, tank platoon commander, computer R&D specialist, and attained the rank of captain. He is a graduate of Siena Heights University in Adrian, MI, and serves as a member of the university Board of Trustees. Darrell and Kathy Issa are longtime residents of Vista, CA. They have one son, William.
Recent Events and Presentations
Foreign Online Piracy: How the Courts Can Protect American IP
The event featured remarks from policymakers, legal experts, and industry leaders who assessed the scope of the threat and the legal and technical frameworks that can help address foreign online piracy.
AR/VR Policy Conference 2022
Join the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the XR Association for the second annual AR/VR Policy Conference.
Three Paths to Update U.S. Labor Law for the Gig Economy: Adapt It, Fix It, or Suspend It
Please join ITIF to discuss a new report arguing that the common law-based distinction between employees and independent contractor no longer serves workers or companies well and should be updated.
ITIF 10-Year Anniversary Conference: Restoring Investment in America’s Economy
On the occasion of ITIF’s 10-year anniversary, with the generous support of Bernard L. Schwartz, ITIF will hold a half-day conference exploring policy solutions to restore America’s investment-driven economy.
Crafting a National Strategy for the Internet of Things
Join ITIF's Center for Data Innovation for a panel discussion and release of a new report examining why a comprehensive national strategy that addresses the numerous obstacles facing the Internet of Things is necessary to ensure the United States can successfully secure the benefits of this promising technology.
The Innovation Policy Saga 2006-2016
ITIF marks its 5th anniversary with a special policy forum on U.S. innovation and competitiveness.
The Emerging Mobile Broadband Economy and its New Business Models
Learn more about the commercial significance of mobile broadband and what policymakers must do to ensure its vitality.
