Peter Deutsch - Fighting for Florida
With more than 20 years of public service, Peter currently represents the people of Florida's 20th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Born April 1, 1957 in the Bronx, New York, Peter is the son of Arthur & Beulah Deutsch. His parents taught him the importance of hard work, honesty and perseverance-values that have earned him the respect of his colleagues throughout his career.
He first expressed interest in public service as a college intern for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. After graduation from Swarthmore College in 1979, he went on to graduate from Yale University Law School in 1982.
Upon graduation, Peter moved to Florida and established a nonprofit health care advocacy organization-the Medicare Information Program of Broward County. During this time, he discovered that many of our most vulnerable citizens-nursing home patients-were being kicked out of their beds for no reason. At the time, Florida law permitted nursing home providers to put seniors on the street with no reason other than profit.
In 1982, recognizing the need for change, Peter ran and was elected to the Florida House of Representatives at the age of 25. As a freshman member, he introduced an amendment to the state statutes protecting seniors that was subsequently adopted by the full legislature. To this day, nursing home residents are safe from being pushed out on the streets by unscrupulous nursing homes.
During his service in the Florida House, Peter served on the Veterans Affairs Committee, the Health Care Committee, the Criminal Justice Committee, and later went on to chair the Insurance Committee. As a State Representative, Peter established a reputation as a tenacious advocate for his constituents and an independent voice in the Democratic caucus.
The people of Florida's 20th congressional district first elected Peter to Congress in 1992 at the age of 35 and have continued to give him their full support - re-electing him 6 subsequent times. While in the U.S. Congress, Peter has built a solid record on:
- Balancing the budget
- Promoting National Security
- Improving access to quality health care
- Strengthening our children's educational opportunities
- Combating crime in our community
- Preserving Florida's unique ecosystem
On an international level, Peter has played a key role in promoting peace in the Middle East, advancing U.S. trade policy, and strengthening U.S. policy toward Cuba.
Deutsch, 47, lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with his wife Lori, and their two children Jonathan and Danielle. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with his family.