Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat, has represented the 20th District of Florida in the House of Representatives since 2004.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Support for gun control
Wasserman Schultz cosponsored H.R. 1022 (Assault Weapons Ban Reauthorization Act of 2007) on March 22, 2007.

FY2008 budget
On June 22, 2007, the House passed the legislative branch appropriations bill in a vote of 216 to 176. The bill granted more than $3.1 billion to run the House of Representatives and nine legislative branch agencies during FY2008. Rep. Wasserman Schultz commented that members made safety and security of the Capitol complex the top priority in the bill.

Biography
Schultz was born September 27, 1966 in Queens, New York and grew up on Long Island. She currently lives in Weston, Florida. She is a mother of three and is married to Steve Schultz.

Before being elected to Congress, Schultz was a program administrator and an instructor at a Florida college as well as a state legislative aide to Peter Deutsch, with whom she is considered closely aligned in ideology.

She joined the Florida House at age 26, becoming the youngest female legislator in the history of Florida. She was elected to the Florida Senate in 2000. During her tenure in both Florida's House and Senate, she was considered one of the most liberal representatives in Florida. She fought for legislation protecting women, seniors, and children, including legislation requiring gender price parity for dry cleaning and ensuring an equal number of men and women were appointed to state boards. Her critics gaver her the nickname, "Wasserperson" to satirize her work to make language in the state more gender neutral.

Schultz, who is Jewish, is an active member of the National Jewish Democratic Council, Planned Parenthood and Hadassah. She received an award from the Save The Manatee Club for commitment to manatee protection as state senator.

During her campaign for U.S. House in 2004, her opponent Margaret Hostetter, who had never held public office, criticized Wasserman Schultz for protesting an American flag photograph with a Christian cross on it that was on display in a government building. Hostetter wrote, "Elect Margaret Hostetter to Congress November 2 and send the clear message that Americans respect and support ... the foundational role Christianity has had in the formation of our great nation. Our rights come from God, not the state."

After spending approximately $1.2 million dollars, Schultz would end up winning the election, taking 70.2% to Hostetter's 29.8%. However, Hostetter only spent about $30,000 to get 30% of the vote.

Schultz is considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, as shown by her appointment to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She is a member of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's 30-Something Working Group, which is comprised of congressional Democrats under 40. The group concentrates on issues affecting young people, including Social Security. She also has joined the bi-partisan Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus.

During the Terri Schiavo controversy, she was one of the strongest opponents of congressional intervention. She publicly accused President Bush of hypocrisy for signing a 1999 bill as governor of Texas which allows health care workers to remove life support for terminally ill patients if the patient or family is unable to pay the medical bills. In an editorial, the Miami Herald wrote: "During three hours of debate ... the freshman Democrat distinguished herself by repeatedly challenging those who tried to misstate the facts surrounding Schiavo's health."

Schultz is pro-choice, pro-gun control and pro-gay rights. The 20th district is considered a liberal stronghold and is home to a large population of Jewish senior citizens. Schultz has committed to building relationships with Republicans while in Congress, and shares many of their positions on Israel.

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) leadership position
On January 22, 2007 Schultz was named to head the the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) Frontline program. The program is designed to help those "vulnerable" Democrats win reelection. DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) announced that Schultz would lead the program in a memorandum that also stated that, Democrats would “organize early to raise money and staff up to defend their new majority.”

Van Hollen wrote that Frontline Democrats must raise between $650,000 and $1 million by June 30, build a network of 30,000 e-mail addresses by November 2008, and identify 1,000 volunteers. 

2006 elections
No major candidates announced their intentions to contest Schultz’s seat in the November 2006 election. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006)

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * House Committee on Appropriations
 * Subcommittee on Legislative Branch
 * Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties

Committee assignments in the 109th Congress (2005-2006)

 * House Committee on Financial Services
 * Subcommittee on Capital Markets Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises
 * Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy Trade and Technology
 * Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
 * House Committee on the Judiciary
 * Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law

Coalitions and Caucuses

 * Chair, South Florida Democratic Caucus, 1998-present
 * Member, Southern Regional Education Board Legislative Advisory Council, 1995-present
 * Member, Florida Supreme Court Gender Bias Study Implementation Commission, 1992-present
 * Second Vice President, Gwen Cherry Women's Political Caucus, 1992-present
 * Co Chair, Senate Democratic Caucus Policy Committee, 2002-2004
 * Governor's Commission on Education, 1996-1998
 * Member, Board of Directors, Florida Distance Learning Network, 1995-1997
 * Member, Florida Education Facilities Study Committee, 1994
 * Member, Classrooms First Task Force, 1993
 * Member, National Women's Political Caucus, Gwen Cherry Chapter

Boards and other Affiliations

 * Board of Trustees, Westside Regional Medical Center, 1993-present
 * Secretary, Vice President, Broward County Young Democrats, 1990-1992
 * Secretary, Young Leadership Council, Jewish Federation of Greater Fort Lauderdale, 1989-1990
 * Board of Directors, American Jewish Congress, Southeast Region
 * Member, American Jewish Committee
 * Member, Broward National Organization for Women
 * Member, Hadassah
 * Secretary, Hawkes Bluff Panel and Homeowner's Association
 * Member, Miramar, Pembroke Pines and Weston Chambers of Commerce
 * Member, National Council of Jewish Women
 * Board of Directors, National Jewish Democratic Council
 * Board of Directors, National Safety Council, South Florida Chapter
 * Former Board Member, Planned Parenthood, Broward and South Palm Beach Counties
 * Policy Council, Center for Women Policy Studies

Resources

 * Official website
 * Campaign website
 * "S. Florida's Wasserman Schultz gains national notice in Schiavo debate" (March 22, 2005), Orlando Sun-Sentinel
 * Debbie Wasserman Schultz refuting arguments on the house floor during Schiavo debate (wmv)
 * Schultz' endorsements ad (wmv)
 * Schultz for Congress (wmv)
 * Several videos of Schultz on the house floor debating Social Security
 * Open Secrets - 2006 congressional races database

Articles

 * Jonathan E. Kaplan, "Wasserman Schultz to lead Frontline," The Hill, January 23, 2007.
 * John Amato, "I like Debbie," Crooks and Liars, February 27, 2007. re Christopher Shays