Let's make this birthday one to remember.

85 years old (Born on September 12, 1939)

Happy Birthday, Henry Waxman! May your special day be filled with more joy than a congressional hearing without interruptions. Your tireless dedication as Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee from 2007 to 2009 made even bureaucracy entertaining—no small feat!

From championing environmental protections to advocating tirelessly for healthcare reform, you've proven that politics can indeed have heart (and humor). California has been lucky since you began representing us in Congress back in 2003; we’re still trying to figure out how you managed oversight hearings without losing patience—or hair.

Here's wishing another year full of laughter and fewer filibusters!