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Steven T. Kuykendall

Steven T. Kuykendall served in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to 2001 representing California’s 36th Congressional District. Congressman Kuykendall served on the Armed Services, the Science and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committees of the House.

In his first year in Congress, he helped craft a plan to pay down the national debt while still providing a tax cut and protecting Social Security. He secured funds to clean up Santa Monica Bay, replace the Ballona Wetlands tidal gate and dredge the Marina del Rey south entrance. Kuykendall also authored a provision in the defense authorization bill that allowed active duty military bases to swap surplus land for new structures on the sites they retain, making them better stewards of their assets.

Before his election to Congress, Kuykendall served two terms in the California State Assembly, from 1994 to 1998. During his first term in the state legislature, he served as Republican Whip. He also served on the Banking and Finance, Labor and Employment, Higher Education, and Utilities and Commerce Committees and oversaw the Assembly's first "clean" fiscal audit in 10 years. In addition, he co-authored California's "Megan's Law" and wrote the "Tyler Jaeger Act" to protect children from abuse and child molesters.

He began his public service as councilman and mayor of Rancho Palos Verdes. He has also served as president and trustee of the Peninsula Education Foundation, regional commissioner for AYSO Youth Soccer, trustee of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, chairman of the Palos Verdes Regional Law Enforcement Committee and vice-chairman of the Los Angeles County Emergency Preparedness Commission.

Commissioned as a Marine Corps Second Lieutenant in 1968, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam, participating in the effort to stop the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive in 1972. He rose to the rank of Captain and retired in 1973 after a permanent shoulder injury.

In 1973, Kuykendall became a businessman working in the commercial and mortgage-banking field until 1994. During that time, he founded and served as president of Lockheed Mortgage Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Corporation. He was also a principal with David Buxton Financial Corporation from 1984-1994. Since leaving Congress, he is engaged in local, state and federal government relations as proprietor of Steven T. Kuykendall & Associates.

Kuykendall holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Oklahoma City University and a Masters of Business Administration from San Diego State University. He is a member of Veterans of Foreign War, American Legion, Navy League, and First Marine Division Association.