Despite his relatively short tenure in Congress, Ted has hit the ground running with legislative initiatives on behalf of Florida's 19th district. During the 111th Congress, he earned national attention for introducing the Preserving our Promise to Seniors Act, comprehensive legislation to extend Social Security's solvency, ensure adequate cost of living adjustments to retirees, and improve benefits for all Americans. His commitment to protecting the hard-earned benefits of America's retirees and ensuring seniors have access to quality Medicare benefits led him to join the House Democratic Seniors Task Force just a few short weeks after taking office.

A lifelong activist in the pro-Israel community, Ted has led efforts to intensify economic sanctions on Iran and prevent the regime from becoming a nuclear-armed power. As a Florida State Senator, Ted passed legislation making Florida the first state in America to exert economic pressure aimed at thwarting Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The language of Ted’s law was later incorporated into sanctions legislation by federal lawmakers drafting the Iran Sanctions Act of 2010. Within his first month in Congress, Ted’s expertise on divestment and the identification of companies supporting Iran’s energy sector was solicited for testimony by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Intergovernmental Affairs. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ted will continue to focus on initiatives that advance our national security goals.

While serving in the Florida State Senate, Ted also passed legislation in Florida that reduced smoking across the state and funded critical health care programs, including cancer research. Organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and the Florida Education Association have recognized Ted for his advocacy on behalf of seniors, children, and working families. Ted considers the opportunity to serve in Congress a great honor and a continuation of his lifelong commitment to bettering the community and the world. This commitment to service has earned him prominent awards, including the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the James and Marjorie Baer Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Ted Deutch, 44, was born and raised in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is the youngest son of Jean Deutch and the late Bernard Deutch, a World War II veteran who earned a Purple Heart during the Battle of the Bulge. After graduating from Liberty High School in 1984, Ted went on to study at the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School. Ted and his wife of 19 years, Jill Deutch, moved to South Florida in 1997. They live in West Boca Raton with their 14-year old twin daughters, Gabrielle and Serena, and their 11-year old son, Cole.