Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ros and the second or maternal family name is Adato.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida
In office
August 29, 1989 – January 3, 2019
Preceded byClaude Pepper
Succeeded byDonna Shalala
Constituency18th district (1989–2013)
27th district (2013–2019)
Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byHoward Berman
Succeeded byEd Royce
Member of the Florida Senate
from the 34th district
In office
November 4, 1986 – August 29, 1989
Preceded byJoe Gersten
Succeeded byLincoln Díaz-Balart
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 110th district
In office
November 2, 1982 – November 4, 1986
Preceded byRoberta Fox
Redistricted
Succeeded byLincoln Díaz-Balart
Personal details
Born
Ileana Carmen Ros y Adato

(1952-07-15) July 15, 1952 (age 72)
Havana, Republic of Cuba
NationalityAmerican
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
​
(m. 1984)​
Children2, including Rodrigo Lehtinen
Parent(s)Enrique Ros
Amanda Adato
EducationMiami Dade College
Florida International University (BA, MA)
University of Miami (EdD)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's voice
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on human rights in relation to trade relations with Russia
Recorded November 16, 2012

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (/ˌɪliˈɑːnə rɒs ˈleɪtənən/ Il-ee-AH-nə ross LAY-tən-ən; née Ileana Carmen Ros y Adato; born July 15, 1952) is a politician and lobbyist from Miami, Florida, who represented Florida's 27th congressional district from 1989 to 2019. By the end of her tenure, she was the most senior U.S. Representative from Florida. She was Chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee from 2011–2013. In 1989, Ros-Lehtinen won a special election and became the first Cuban American elected to Congress. She was also the first Republican woman elected to the House from Florida. Ros-Lehtinen gave the first Republican response to the State of the Union address in Spanish in 2011, and gave the third in 2014.[1]

In September 2011, Ros-Lehtinen became the first Republican member of the U.S. Congress to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.[2] In July 2012, Ros-Lehtinen became the first Republican in the House to support same-sex marriage.[3]

On April 30, 2017, Ros-Lehtinen announced that she would not be running for re-election in 2018.[4]

  1. ^ "Ros-Lehtinen to deliver Spanish SOTU response". The Hill. January 28, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  2. ^ Reilly, Ryan J. (September 23, 2011). "Ros-Lehtinen First GOPer To Sponsor Bill Repealing DOMA". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  3. ^ "A First: GOP Congresswoman Supports Marriage Equality". Advocate=date=July 13, 2012. 13 July 2012.
  4. ^ Mattezi, Patricia. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to Retire from Congress, Miami Herald, April 30, 2017.