Ted Deutch

Ted Deutch
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 22nd district
21st (2013–2017)
19th (2010–2013)
Assumed office
April 13, 2010
Preceded by Robert Wexler
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 30th district
In office
November 7, 2006 – April 13, 2010
Preceded by Ron Klein
Succeeded by Maria Sachs
Personal details
Born Theodore Eliot Deutch
(1966-05-07) May 7, 1966
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Jill Weinstock
Children 3
Education University of Michigan (BA, JD)

Theodore Eliot Deutch /ˈdɔɪtʃ/ (born May 7, 1966) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Florida's 22nd congressional district. He first won election to Congress during a special election in April 2010 in Florida's 19th congressional district. He previously served in the Florida Senate. In 2012, due to redistricting, he ran for and won re-election in Florida's 21st congressional district.[1]

Early life, education, and law career

Deutch was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the son of Jean (née Mindlin) and the late Bernard Deutch. His grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Belarus, Russia.[2] A graduate of Liberty High School in Bethlehem,[3] Deutch graduated from the University of Michigan, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of Consider magazine and was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship, and received his J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School.

Florida Senate

As a member of the National Young Leadership Cabinet of United Jewish Communities, Deutch organized over 2,500 people to march on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with the intent of pressuring Congress on a slate of issues affecting children and the elderly. At the end of his tenure in the state senate, Deutch served as Vice Chair of the Committee on Regulated Industries, and the Policy and Steering Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2010

Special

In late 2009, Deutch declared himself a candidate in a special election to fill the 19th congressional district seat formerly held by Robert Wexler, who left Congress to lead the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. He won the Democratic primary with 85% of the vote, and on April 13, 2010, won the special election, defeating Republican Edward J. Lynch.[5]

Deutch's district is located on the East coast of Florida. It includes parts of Palm Beach and Broward counties.

General

Deutch was challenged by Republican nominee Joe Budd and write-in candidate Stan Smilan.[6] He won the election.

2012

After Florida underwent redistricting in 2012, Deutch filed for re-election in the 21st congressional district.[1] Deutch won the November 6, 2012 general election with no major party opposition.[7]

2014

In the general election, against write-in opposition, Deutch won with 99.6% of the vote.[8]

2016

In December 2015, Florida underwent redistricting due to a Supreme Court ruling, swapping the districts of Deutch and fellow Democrat Lois Frankel of the 22nd congressional district. Deutch and Frankel agreed to run for each other's seats in 2016.[9]

Tenure

Deutch meets with Emma González on February 19, 2018.

Deutch was sworn in as a member of the United States House of Representatives on April 15, 2010.

In the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Deutch spoke out in favor of expanded gun control legislation. He spoke at a CNN town hall meeting and urged action. "A lot of people have told this community -- people from all around the world -- that it's too soon," he said. "It's too soon to get together to have this kind of forum. It's too soon to talk about preventing another tragedy like the one that struck our community from happening anywhere again. It's too soon to talk about getting weapons of war out of our communities. It is not too soon. It is too late for the 17 lives that were lost."[10]

Legislative record

Shortly after his election, Deutch introduced the Preserving our Promise to Seniors Act, which aims to keep Social Security benefits in line with retirees' costs and gradually raises the cap on FICA taxes over a period of seven years.[11]

During the 2011 debate regarding the debt ceiling, Deutch assembled and brought to the house floor an elaborate, game-show style wheel to illustrate which government services he claimed would be endangered by a default on the U.S. national debt.[12]

On November 19, 2011, Rep. Deutch introduced a resolution[13] proposing "an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of Congress and the states to regulate corporations and to regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures".

Rep. Deutch’s amendment is a blend of "ideas from "Move to Amend, Free Speech for People, Public Citizen, People For the American Way, Common Cause, and the Center for Media and Democracy".[14]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

Gun policy

Deutch believes that acceptable limitations can be placed on the Second Amendment right to bear arms, saying, "the majority of people in this country now understand that there are limitations on the Second Amendment. You cannot own an automatic weapon. You cannot own a bazooka. And so there is no reason to continue to sell to people a weapon of war like this," referencing semi-automatic rifles.[17] During his tenure as Congressman, Deutch has voted on several pieces of gun legislation. He voted against H. R. 38 (the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act), which would enable concealed carry reciprocity among all States if and when it is signed into law.[18] Deutch also voted against H. J. Res. 40, which ultimately passed and used the Congressional Review Act to block implementation of an Obama-era Amendment to the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 that was aimed at preventing the mentally-infirm from legally purchasing firearms.[19] Deutch has an "F" rating from the NRA, indicating that it does not believe he adequately supports gun rights.[20]

After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Deutch endorsed several gun control measures. Deutch cosponsored H. R. 5087, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018, saying, "Americans don't own tanks or missiles; so why should our streets be flooded with weapons of war made for the sole purpose of killing people?"[21] Deutch also announced his support for H. R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018. The STOP School Violence Act would allow grants to train school staff how to identify troubled students and intervene before crises. The grants could also be used for developing an anonymous reporting system for students to submit concerns, as well as improving the physical infrastructure of schools against attacks.[22] Deutch also supports universal background checks, banning bump stocks, raising the minimum age to buy a rifle to 21, and repealing the 1996 Dickey Amendment.[17] In May 2018 he advocated for the complete ban of all semi automatic weapons.[23]

Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance

In 2013, a bipartisan congressional group of Greek-American and Jewish-American members was created by Deutch and Gus Bilirakis, a Republican representative from Florida. The group, called the Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance, was announced at a special congressional event.[24] The Greek–Israeli caucus consisted of members of the Democratic and Republican parties.[25][26][27]

Personal life

Deutch is vegan.[28]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Candidate Tracking system - Florida Division of Elections - Department of State". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  2. ↑ Stone, Kurt F. (2010). The Jews of Capitol Hill: A Compendium of Jewish Congressional Members. Scarecrow Press. p. 625. ISBN 9780810877382.
  3. ↑ "Arena Profile: Rep. Ted Deutch". Politico. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "About Ted". Ted Deutch for Congress. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010. Retrieved April 14, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Republican concedes; Deutch keeps Wexler's South Florida congress". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Candidates and Races - Candidate Tracking system - Florida Division of Elections - Department of State". Election.dos.state.fl.us. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  7. ↑ Carney, Heather. "Hastings, Deutch, Wasserman Schultz win re-election". sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  8. ↑ "November 4, 2014 General Election Official Results". Florida Department of State Division of Elections. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Man, Anthony; Sweeney, Dan (December 3, 2015). "Ted Deutch to run in Broward-based district, leaving Lois Frankel to run in all-Palm Beach County district". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Transcript: Stoneman students' questions to lawmakers and the NRA at the CNN town hall". CNN. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 2018-02-25.
  11. ↑ "FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, A BIRTHDAY MAKEOVER". New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Rep. Ted Deutch spins 'GOP wheel of misfortune' on house floor". Crooks and Liars. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved September 26, 2012. wheel
  13. ↑ "Rep. Deutch Unveils OCCUPIED Constitutional Amendment". US Congressman Ted Deutch. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Finally, a Constitutional Amendment for the 99%". Nation of Change. Archived from the original on November 24, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  16. ↑ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Bipartisan Members of Congress in Meeting on School and Community Safety". whitehouse.gov. U. S. Federal Government. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  18. ↑ "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 663". clerk.house.gov. U.S. Federal Government. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  19. ↑ "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 77". clerk.house.gov. U. S. Federal Government. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  20. ↑ "Rating Group: National Rifle Association". ISPY. Vote Smart. 2012. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  21. ↑ "Reps. Deutch, Cicilline Introduce Assault Weapons Ban". Congressman Ted Deutch. U. S. Federal Government. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  22. ↑ "Sandy Hook Promise Applauds Bipartisan Introduction of Critical School Safety Legislation entitled the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, Urging Swift Passage in Congress". United States Congressman Hal Rogers. U. S. Federal Government. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  23. ↑ Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch: ‘No More Manufacture’ Of Semi-Automatic Rifles, ‘Get Them Out Of Our Communities’
  24. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Ambassador hosts congressional Hellenic-Israel caucus". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  26. ↑ "New Greek-Israeli Committee in U.S Congress". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  27. ↑ "Israel's US envoy hosts meeting on Israeli-Greek-Cypriot ties". Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  28. ↑ Anthony Man,"Going Vegan Was Winning Move for South Florida Congressman," Sun Sentinel, 12 September 2014.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Robert Wexler		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 19th congressional district
2010–2013		 Succeeded by
Trey Radel
Preceded by
Mario Diaz-Balart		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 21st congressional district
2013–2017		 Succeeded by
Lois Frankel
Preceded by
Lois Frankel		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 22nd congressional district
2017–present		 Incumbent
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
John Garamendi		 United States Representatives by seniority
186th		 Succeeded by
Tom Graves
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