Congressman Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Congressman Lamar Smith (R-TX) reintroduced the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, landmark legislation to criminalize certain acts of animal cruelty. This bill is endorsed by the Humane Society of the United States. In 2010, Congress passed the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act, which made the creation and distribution of animal crushing videos illegal. The PACT Act targets the underlying animal cruelty by prohibiting certain cases of animal abu... Read more

Today, Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Mia Love (R-UT) introduced the Fair Treatment for Families of Veterans Act. This legislation comes after Rep. Deutch heard about the challenges facing a local family that was forced to pay back VA benefits because their mother passed away at the end of the month. This bill would fix the current law to ensure that veteran families are not put in a difficult financial situation simply because of how late into the month a beneficiary dies. This correctio... Read more

During this morning's House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing titled “Undermining Democratic Institutions and Splintering NATO: Russian Disinformation Aims,” Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, urged for an independent, bipartisan investigation into President Trump's ties to Russia, including his administration, his campaign, and his family's business ties. "Until there is a full investigation into the Trump campaign, the Trump White H... Read more

Today, to mark the ten year anniversary of Robert Levinson’s disappearance from Iran, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22), Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced a resolution to bring attention to Bob’s case and pressure the Iranian government to do more to help bring him home to his family. Bob, a retired FBI agent and a private investigator, went missing from Iran’s Kish Island on March 9, 2007 and is the longest held America... Read more

Today, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22-) joined as a cosponsor of the Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act. This legislation would expand Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care. While these items are needed by many Medicare beneficiaries, they are generally ineligible for Medicare coverage. A copy of H.R. 508 is available here. Read more

Today, the Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism delivered a letter to President Trump urging him to prepare and implement a comprehensive strategy to combat anti-Semitism. In light of the recent waves of anti-Semitic threats and attacks since January 1 and following President Trump's condemnation of these incidents in his address to Congress, the Co-Chairs outline specific proposals for improving the federal government's approach to anti-Semitism. “If 100 branches o... Read more

Today, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) co-introduced the CPI-E Act of 2017, legislation to provide for cost-of-living increases based on the Consumer Price Index for the elderly. The purchasing needs of seniors differ from the rest of the population. The cost of living formula currently used by the Department of Health and Human Services to determine whether Social Security recipients will receive an increase in benefits does not adequately take into account the rising expenditures of retirement,... Read more

Today, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) signed on as a cosponsor of legislation to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF uses royalties paid by oil and gas companies' drilling to preserve national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges. Since its creation by Congress in 1964, the Fund has provided nearly one billion dollars in funding to protect public lands in Florida alone. Recipients include the Florida Everglades, Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, B... Read more

Congressman Ted Deutch has signed on as a cosponsor of H.R. 333, the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act. This bill would reduce taxes on U.S. veterans who acquired a disability while serving their country. While veterans who have been injured in the line of duty currently may collect retirement and veteran’s disability pay, they must pay taxes on both. Additionally, veterans who are forced to retire prematurely due to an injury in the line of duty are not allowed to collect their retirement p... Read more

(Washington) This week, Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Congressman Bill Foster (IL-11) introduced two bills to protect the rights of immigrants. The legislation would protect immigrants from fraud schemes and ensure immigrants are informed of their legal rights. The Protecting Immigrants from Legal Exploitation Act (H.R. 912) would impose a fine and possible jail sentence for offering fraudulent immigration legal services. The Immigrant Detainee Legal Rights Act (H.R. 913) would require immi... Read more