Victor H. Fazio
Encyclopedia
Victor Herbert Fazio, Jr. usually known as Vic Fazio (born October 11, 1942) is a former Democratic
congressman
from California
.
and Italian-American heritage. http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr11_10_98.asp in Winchester, Massachusetts
. After graduating from Madison High School in Madison, NJ in 1960, Fazio attended Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts
in 1961. He earned a B.A.
from Union College
in Schenectady, New York
in 1965, and did graduate work at California State University
in Sacramento, California
from 1969 to 1972. From 1965-1966 he was a Coro Foundation Fellow in Los Angeles.
Charter Commission from 1972 to 1974, on the Sacramento County Planning Commission in 1975, and as a member of the California State Assembly
from 1975 to 1978.
Fazio was a delegate to California state Democratic conventions in 1976 and 1978, and was a delegate to Democratic National Convention
s of 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996.
from 1979 to 1993 and after redistricting changed district numbers he represented California's 3rd congressional district
from 1993 to 1999.
As congressman, he lobbied to set aside area as a wildlife refuge below the I-80 overpass between Davis
and Sacramento
. His efforts led to the establishment of the Vic Fazio Wildlife Refuge, dedicated in 1997 by President Bill Clinton
. The region is in Yolo County
and is known to locals as the 'Yolo Bypass,' a seasonal wetlands generated by controlled fall, winter and spring flooding. The refuge provides valuable winter habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. It is additionally used as a Pacific Flyway stop-over by migrant waterfowl and shorebirds during fall and spring migrations, and can be accessed for visitation by an auto tour route.
Fazio won his first seven terms without serious difficulty, but his district was made measurably more rural and Republican
after the 1990s round of redistricting. He only won 51 percent of the vote in 1992 against former State Senator H.L. Bill Richardson. In 1994, he was nearly defeated, winning by only three percentage points. In 1996 he was elected by a larger margin, winning 54%. He announced he would not run for re-election in 1998, in November of the prior year.
and sits on the board of Northrop Grumman
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Early life
Born to a family of New England YankeeYankee
The term Yankee has several interrelated and often pejorative meanings, usually referring to people originating in the northeastern United States, or still more narrowly New England, where application of the term is largely restricted to descendants of the English settlers of the region.The...
and Italian-American heritage. http://www.osia.org/public/newsroom/pr11_10_98.asp in Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...
. After graduating from Madison High School in Madison, NJ in 1960, Fazio attended Williston Academy in Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
in 1961. He earned a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
in 1965, and did graduate work at California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
from 1969 to 1972. From 1965-1966 he was a Coro Foundation Fellow in Los Angeles.
Political career
Fazio was a congressional and legislative consultant from 1966 to 1975, during which time he co-founded California Journal magazine in 1970. He served on the Sacramento CountySacramento County, California
Sacramento County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Sacramento, which is also the state capital. As of 2010 the county had a population of 1,418,788....
Charter Commission from 1972 to 1974, on the Sacramento County Planning Commission in 1975, and as a member of the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
from 1975 to 1978.
Fazio was a delegate to California state Democratic conventions in 1976 and 1978, and was a delegate to Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
s of 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1996.
Congressional career
Fazio was elected as a Democrat to the 96th and to the nine succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1979 to January 3, 1999). He represented California's 4th congressional districtCalifornia's 4th congressional district
California's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers the northeastern corner of California along Route 395, encompassing El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, and Modoc counties, as well as parts of Butte County...
from 1979 to 1993 and after redistricting changed district numbers he represented California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district
California's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of California. It covers most of Sacramento County and part of Solano County, as well as all of Alpine, Amador and Calaveras counties...
from 1993 to 1999.
As congressman, he lobbied to set aside area as a wildlife refuge below the I-80 overpass between Davis
Davis, California
Davis is a city in Yolo County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. His efforts led to the establishment of the Vic Fazio Wildlife Refuge, dedicated in 1997 by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. The region is in Yolo County
Yolo County, California
Yolo County is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of California, bordered by the other counties of Sacramento, Solano, Napa, Lake, Colusa, and Sutter. The city of Woodland is its county seat, though Davis is its largest city....
and is known to locals as the 'Yolo Bypass,' a seasonal wetlands generated by controlled fall, winter and spring flooding. The refuge provides valuable winter habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. It is additionally used as a Pacific Flyway stop-over by migrant waterfowl and shorebirds during fall and spring migrations, and can be accessed for visitation by an auto tour route.
Fazio won his first seven terms without serious difficulty, but his district was made measurably more rural and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
after the 1990s round of redistricting. He only won 51 percent of the vote in 1992 against former State Senator H.L. Bill Richardson. In 1994, he was nearly defeated, winning by only three percentage points. In 1996 he was elected by a larger margin, winning 54%. He announced he would not run for re-election in 1998, in November of the prior year.
Post Congressional career
Fazio currently works as a Senior Advisor in the Washington office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & FeldAkin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a law firm founded in Dallas, Texas, in 1945 by Robert Strauss and Richard Gump. The firm now numbers more than 800 attorneys and advisers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia...
and sits on the board of Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
.