Darren Soto

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Darren Soto graduated from Rutgers College in 2000 and received a law degree from George Washington University in 2004. Soto's professional experience includes working as president of D. Soto Law Offices, summer associate with L.A. Gonzalez Law Offices, and financial analyst with Prudential Insurance.[1] Soto was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2007 to 2012 and a member of the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2016.[2]

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Campaign website

The following themes were found on Soto's official campaign website.

Puerto Rico

In Congress, I fought for and voted for the Disaster Relief package for Puerto Rico and Florida which provided $4 billion for Puerto Rico and $5 billion for Central Florida.

When President Trump wanted to pull out food and water aid going to Puerto Rico, I led the effort to ensure these basic necessities continued to reach Puerto Ricans on the island by leading a Congressional letter with 50 co-signers to FEMA Administrator Long.

The Trump administration has tried to get rid of these program many times but I continue pressuring the administration by bringing sustained public and media attention to these issues. I also have fought for months to get FEMA lease vouchers approved in the face of major opposition from the Trump administration.

I will continue to fight for the Island’s recovery from Hurricane Maria for as long as it takes to get the job done. And I will work to make the Puerto Ricans who have relocated to Florida feel welcome.

Gun safety reform

Following the shocking massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub in 2016, I called for a special session of the Florida Legislature to reform our gun laws.

In Congress, after the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I proposed a 5 point gun safety plan:

Universal background checks for all gun purchases

Keeping guns away from those who are a danger to themselves or others

Banning assault weapons and bump stocks

Creating a “red-flag” system to issue gun restraining orders

No Fly, No Buy – ban guns for those on FBI terror watch list

My call for reform immediately put me in the crosshairs of the Florida NRA:

“These ultra-liberal, gun hating Democrats should be ashamed.” - NRA Florida lobbyist Marion Hammer

I’m not afraid to stand up to the gun lobby. In Congress, I’ll continue to fight for common sense gun safety reforms. We can respect Second Amendment rights while keeping guns out of dangerous hands. We owe it to the victims and survivors of the gun violence epidemic in our country.

Reproductive rights and women's health

I am proud to have Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement for my 2018 re-election campaign. I have been endorsed by Planned Parenthood in my previous 4 elections (2018, 2016, 2012, 2010).

Women have a right to control their own bodies. Reproductive health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor – and nobody else.

I was proud to lead the fight on the Florida State Senate Floor to defeat an outrageous 24-hour abortion waiting period bill. Soon after, the ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging the law that used my arguments as a framework – and in a huge win for women, the Florida Supreme Court agreed with us and put that anti-choice law on hold.

I was also proud to lead the fight in the Florida Senate to successfully double the statute of limitations for crimes of sexual violence, so that rapists and predators can be held accountable and taken off the street.

In Congress, I always stand up for the right of women to make their own health and family planning decisions – and I will continue to fight tooth-and-nail against any effort to defund Planned Parenthood and take away comprehensive women’s health services.

Social Security

At a time when nine out of ten seniors rely on Social Security to make ends meet, we must strengthen and expand Social Security, not cut it. Social Security is among the most successful government programs in our Nation’s history: It nearly eradicated destitute poverty in old age, made a dignified retirement possible for millions of Americans, and helped build the great American middle class.

I am a cosponsor of the Social Security 2100 Act which would fully fund Social Security to 2100 and beyond. In Congress, I stand up for our seniors and fight every attempt to privatize or cut Social Security. I was proud to vote against the GOP tax scam which will lead to major cuts to Social Security due to “Pay-go” Laws.

Environmental protections

I am thrilled to be the greenest member of the Florida Congressional Delegation. My National Environmental Scorecard from the League of Conservation Voters is 100%, the highest of any Florida legislator.

In Congress, I’m pushing for investments in renewable energy sources and education for a new generation of scientists to conquer the challenges ahead. We’ve made tremendous progress, but we can’t afford to go backward.

Corporate polluters and their political allies are fighting tooth and nail to do away with critical regulations that protect our land, water, air, and people from pollution and climate change.

Trump signed an executive action to expand offshore drilling along our coasts – an unmistakable threat to our ecosystem and communities, particularly here in Florida.

Florida is blessed with a unique and beautiful environment, from America’s Everglades to endless miles of pristine beaches. Our economy and quality of life depend on keeping Florida clean – and that’s not worth sacrificing for the short-term gain of corporate polluters.

That’s why I’m fighting to pass a statewide ban on fracking and have fought to protect our sensitive ecosystems. I was named Champion of the Everglades by Audubon Florida in 2015 because of my record on fighting for our environment. In Congress, I’m fighting to ban fracking on all our public lands and finish the work begun by President Obama to reduce our reliance on carbon fuels.

Climate change

I'm outraged that Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement. Trump's decision is hurting our environment, our national security, and America's standing in the world.

America should be at the forefront of the effort to reduce fossil fuel emissions and confront the threat of climate change. That's why I'm fighting in Congress to invest in renewable energy, protect our environment, and reduce the financial burden on students who graduate with degrees in science and technology. We have the opportunity to build a clean energy economy and drastically reduce our fossil fuel emissions; we can't afford to lose the progress we've made.

Here in Florida, we have a lot to lose from climate change – we have more private property at risk from climate change than any other state. If we don’t act now, rising sea levels and intensified hurricanes will pose a growing threat to our economy and our well-being.

We must listen to the scientists: Climate change is real and it is caused by human activity. We must dramatically reduce our carbon emissions and transition to a clean energy future.

Jobs and the economy

I’m focused on bringing high-paying, high tech jobs to Central Florida by funding local initiatives:

$15 million to help build a high-tech sensor manufacturing facility in Kissimmee

$25 million to develop the Poinciana campus of Valencia College.

Millions of dollars for high-tech training (UCF RESTORES)

More funding for medical research in Lake Nona (Nemours) --> Millions of National Early Child Care *Collaboratives Program (Nemours)

Millions of dollars in increased funding for NASA and commercial space flight (Cape Canaveral)

Next: I’m working on funding to develop a high-tech sensors manufacturing center in Osceola County.

I am fighting for long overdue investments to modernize our roads, bridges, schools, water systems, and clean energy capacity. These investments in our country are what created the middle class, and renewed investment would help local business and provide employment and purpose to Floridians currently out of work.

LGBT equality

Here in Central Florida, we embrace our proud LGBT community – and after the horrific attack on the Pulse nightclub in 2016, we all rallied together to support our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters. Our neighbors are of every race, religion, nationality, gender identity, and sexual orientation and we are proud of it. We celebrate it. We believe love is love. That’s what makes us Orlando Strong.

In the Florida Senate, I sponsored legislation to remove the provision in Florida statutes that defined marriage between a man and a woman. I also led the effort to filibuster a bill that would allow discrimination of LGBT couples in the adoption process.

In Congress, I was proud to vote against banning transgender Americans from serving in our military. I continue to strongly oppose the Trump administration’s attempts to reduce healthcare rights for the LGBT+ community. In addition, I stand strongly against Trump’s attempts to allow open discrimination against the LGBT+ community under the guise of religion. In Congress, I’ll fight to pass the Equality Act to provide nationwide protections to LGBT+ Americans against discrimination in employment, housing, and education.

Health care

I was proud to vote against the disastrous “TrumpCare” proposal, and will continuously fight to preserve and improve the Affordable Care Act to ensure high quality healthcare to all Americans.

I support Medicare for All to provide a public option to complement the ACA. There have been several attempts to cut healthcare coverage under the Trump Administration. We expect more of their attempts to undermine our health care system in order to give tax cuts to wealthy corporations.

When someone is sick or injured, we have a responsibility to ensure they get the care they need--without going bankrupt. President Obama’s Affordable Care Act expanded access to quality health care and brought the number of uninsured to a historic low. With your support, I’ll do everything I can in Congress to stop the Republicans from repealing it.

In all, over 1.6 million Floridians now have quality health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and it’s making a real difference in the lives of those who went years without seeing a doctor.

All Floridians should have access to health coverage. I’ve been leading the fight to expand Medicaid in Florida, and in Congress, I’ll continue the fight to defend and improve on the Affordable Care Act.

Immigration reform

In Congress, I have fought alongside my fellow members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to fight for a clean DREAM Act. I joined them to literally shut down the government in order to force Trump and the GOP to provide a permanent solution for our DREAMers. In addition, I pushed for an extension of TPS and a pathway to citizenship for our immigrant communities.

Passing comprehensive immigration reform – with a pathway to citizenship – must be at the top of our agenda. Our laws need to catch up with our values and with reality. We aren’t going to deport 11 million undocumented people, the vast majority of whom are working hard, paying taxes, playing by the rules, and contributing to our economy and our community.

In the Florida Legislature, I worked across the aisle to get progressive priorities signed into law in a contentious political environment – including bills to allow DREAMers to pay in-state tuition at our public universities and to be admitted to the Florida Bar.

Trade

NAFTA didn't work, and I opposed the TPP as well. I believe we can and must do better, but insulting our allies and friends is not the way to achieve our trade goals.

"Free trade" is a nice idea, in theory. But when a "free" trade deal is unfair to working families in Florida, I'll fight it every step of the way.

[26]

—Darren Soto Democrat for Congress[27]

Campaign website

The following issues were listed on Soto's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.

Gun Safety Reform: My proposal: Ban gun sales in Florida to anyone on the “no fly” and terrorist watch lists. It’s a commonsense idea that enjoys broad support in Florida and across the country. It also could have potentially stopped the Pulse shooter from buying the weapon that allowed him to kill so many people.

Reproductive Rights and Women’s Health: Women have a right to control their own bodies. Reproductive health care decisions should be between a woman and her doctor – and nobody else.

Social Security: At a time when nine out of ten seniors rely on Social Security to make ends meet, we must strengthen and expand Social Security, not cut it. Social Security is among the most successful government programs in our nation’s history: It nearly eradicated destitute poverty in old age, made a dignified retirement possible for millions of Americans, and paved the way to the great American middle class.

Environmental Protections: Florida is blessed with a unique and beautiful environment, from America’s Everglades to endless miles of pristine beaches. Our economy and quality of life depend on keeping Florida clean – and that’s not worth sacrificing for the short-term gain of corporate polluters.

Trade: I oppose the TPP and I would vote against it as a member of Congress.[26]

—Darren Soto's campaign website, http://www.darrensoto.com/issues/