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Biography of Rep. Robert Wexler

Robert Wexler is a Democratic member of Congress serving his sixth term in the House of Representatives. He has earned a reputation as a straight-forward and articulate legislator who energetically advocates for his constituents. Wexler has been named one of the "50 Most Effective Legislators in Congress" by the influential magazine Congressional Quarterly and was named to the Forward 50 list as one of the most influential leaders in the American Jewish community.

Congressman Wexler's legislative initiatives have covered a broad range of issues important to residents of Florida's 19th district and to Americans around the country.  He is a committed advocate for several health care and prescription drugs initiatives, enhanced benefits for veterans, increased funding for public schools, and both a foreign policy and an energy policy that protects Americans at home while advancing our interests abroad in Israel, the Middle East, and elsewhere.

During his tenure in Congress, Wexler has authored numerous bills including the Honor Thy Parents Act, which proposed an inexpensive and comprehensive Medicare prescription drug benefit for seniors, and the Social Security Forever Act, which extended the life of the Social Security trust fund for future generations. Wexler is committed to providing health care to all Americans and ensuring that senior citizens have access to the high quality care that they deserve.

Congressman Wexler is a nationally recognized advocate for the integrity of our election system.  Following the 2000 presidential election controversy in Florida that centered in his district, Congressman Wexler has worked to ensure that all election machines produce a voter verified "paper trail." Wexler has filed federal and state lawsuits asking that a paper trail be mandatory, and during the summer of 2007 Wexler joined Florida Governor Charlie Crist as the state's historic paper trail legislation was signed into law.

Congressman Wexler is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, a senior Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and a member of the Middle East Subcommittee.  On the Foreign Affairs Committee, Wexler has worked to strengthen the transatlantic alliance, build security and economic bonds with the European Union and the nations of Europe, and help guide the economic and political development of the former Soviet States. Wexler serves as an American representative to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and is the co-founder of the Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations, the Taiwan Caucus and the Indonesia Caucus. He is also an active member of the India Caucus and the Serbia Caucus.

In addition, Wexler serves as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet and Intellectual Property. He is also the co-founder and co-chairman of the Caucus on Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention. As a member of the Judiciary Committee in the late nineties, Wexler was an outspoken critic of the impeachment proceedings against President Bill Clinton.  In 2007, Wexler strongly fought to restore honesty and integrity to the US Department of Justice under the Bush Administration, opposing the unlawful domestic spying and the political agenda of former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Congressman Wexler also serves on the Financial Services Committee, where he has worked to address the homeowners insurance crisis occurring in Florida and other states around the nation that face natural disasters.  He sits on the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises; the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology; and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Wexler has used his role on the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over all of the nation's housing, insurance, and financial services sectors, to address the insurance crisis occurring in Florida.

Throughout his tenure in Congress, Wexler has been an outspoken advocate for the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel and a leading proponent of Israel's right to self defense. He has traveled on numerous congressional delegations to the Middle East and met with the leaders of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Kuwait, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman. At President Clinton's invitation, he was the only member of the House of Representatives present during the signing of the Wye River Peace Agreement. In addition, Wexler was one of two Congressmen to travel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague to oppose the Palestinian case against Israel's construction of a security barrier.

Congressman Robert Wexler has become a familiar face on national television through his appearances on many programs; including NBC's Meet the Press and The Today Show, CNN's Larry King Live, and ABC's Nightline. He has discussed a range of domestic and international issues, including the Middle East, North Korea, health care, missile defense, energy policy, the environment, counter-terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Wexler, who previously served in the Florida Senate for six years, represents Florida's 19th Congressional district, which comprises portions of Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Born in Queens, New York, Congressman Wexler moved to South Florida with his family at age 10. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Florida and law degree from George Washington University. Congressman Wexler and his wife, Laurie, have three children.