Further Reading Irate Congressman gives cops easy rule: “just follow the damn Constitution” first press conference, the only Democrat with a computer science degree was named to the House Judiciary Committee. The House of Representatives has three other members who hold computer science degrees (all Republicans), but none of them sit on the Judiciary Committee.

Despite being a new face to Congress, over the last year, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) has been very outspoken on issues pertaining to law enforcement and encryption. The Judiciary Committee, which helps guide law enforcement and judicial policy federally, has been one of the primary vehicles to attempt a revision of the balance between privacy and law enforcement needs.

Further Reading Congressman to FCC: Fix phone network flaw that allows eavesdropping spoke out against efforts to weaken encryption during a subcommittee hearing in April 2015: "It is clear to me that creating a pathway for decryption only for good guys is technologically stupid—you just can't do that.”

Lieu said in a statement that he hopes to take on the Trump administration as “one of only a handful of immigrants serving in Congress.”

“The Judiciary Committee takes on exceptional importance given the prior statements of Trump—who lost the popular vote—in which he advocated for a Muslim-American registry as well as the deportation of millions of people, which would include children, high school, and college students who are undocumented,” he continued.

“I will fight like hell on the Judiciary Committee to stop all unconstitutional, discriminatory, and stupid ideas by our next president."