Edward Randall Royce (born October 12, 1951) is an American retired politician and lobbyist. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California from 1993 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Royce served as Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as a member of the California Senate from 1982 to 1993.
He was reelected to his seat in 2016, having spent over $3.5 million on his campaign. On January 8, 2018, Royce announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of his term and not run for reelection in 2018.
In September 2020, Royce became a lobbyist at the law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
Royce was born in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Katella High School in Anaheim, California. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and Finance in 1977 from California State University, Fullerton.
Royce was a business owner and corporate tax manager for a Portland cement company before becoming a California State Senator in 1983, serving in that post until his election to the U.S. House of Representatives.
After redistricting following the 1990 United States census, incumbent Republican U.S. Representative William Dannemeyer decided to retire and run for the 1992 U.S. Senate election. Royce won the Republican primary for what was then California's 39th congressional district, which included most of northern Orange County and southern Los Angeles County.
He defeated Democrat Molly McClanahan in the general election with 57% of the vote.
He won re-election to the 39th district four more times with at least 63% of the vote. After redistricting after the 2000 United States census, his district was renumbered the 40th and cut back to northern Orange County. He won re-election from this district five more times with at least 63% of the vote.
After redistricting, Royce's home in Fullerton was drawn into the 39th district. That district had previously been the 42nd District, represented by fellow Republican Gary Miller. Although it was geographically more Miller's district than Royce's, Royce would have been favored in a primary battle with Miller–which would have been the real contest in this heavily Republican district. Ultimately, Miller opted to move to the neighboring 31st District, effectively handing the seat to Royce.
Royce defeated Jay Chen in the general election.
In 2012 he was endorsed by 11 of 14 Republicans as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and has served as chairman since January 2013.
Royce voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
Committee on Financial Services
Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
Committee on Foreign Affairs (Chair)
Congressional Military Family Caucus
International Conservation Caucus