Dennis Cardoza advises a broad range of clients on legislative, regulatory, and public policy and advocacy matters, and has extensive policy experience with respect to housing, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education and foreign affairs issues.

Prior to joining Manatt, Mr. Cardoza served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 18th District.  His committee roles included Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, where he played a leading role in the formation of the 2007 Farm Bill, and ranking member of the Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia.

Throughout his federal service, Mr. Cardoza took a leading role in advocating for fiscal discipline on the part of the government, serving as cochair of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of House Democrats committed to fiscal responsibility and accountability for taxpayer dollars.  He was also an advocate for homeowners facing mortgage difficulties following the housing crisis, and his work included authoring a modified version of the Housing Opportunity & Mortgage Equity Act and establishing a new congressional task force on housing stabilization.

Prior to his role in the House, Mr. Cardoza spent six years in the California State Assembly, where he chaired the Rules Committee and helped found the Moderate Democratic Caucus.  A number of organizations honored then-Assemblyman Cardoza as Legislator of the Year for his efforts to cut taxes, help family farms and promote education and children's safety.  He has also served as a council member in the cities of Merced and Atwater in California.