Richard H. Lehman

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Richard Henry Lehman (born July 20, 1948) is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from California and former member of the California State Assembly. Lehman served as a member of the United States House of Representatives between 1983 and 1994.

Lehman was born in Sanger, California and attended local public schools. He attended Fresno City College before transfering to Fresno State University, from which he earned his degree. Upon graduating from college, he enlisted as a reservist in the National Guard and received a job as a staff member for California state Senator George Zenovich. In 1976, Lehman was elected to the California State Assembly as a Democrat. He rose quickly through the ranks, becoming assistant majority leader by 1978. In 1983, he successfully ran for a seat in Congress. Lehman served six terms, until he was defeated during the Republican Revolution of 1994 by George Radanovich.

Lehman was known in Congress for his passionate commitments to important causes such as environmental protection, recognition of the Armenian genocide, and gun control. He was able to strike delicate balances on many of these issues, a particularly important skill given the increasingly conservative nature of his Fresno-based congressional district. His notable successes include playing instrumental roles in passage of laws to protect the Kings and Tuolumne Rivers, the California Desert Protection Act, and expansions of wilderness areas in the Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.