Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen served as a Representative from Florida in the United States Congress from 1989 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen contributed to the legislative process during 15 terms in office.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen ( Il-ee-AH-nə ross LAY-tən-ən; née Ileana Carmen Ros y Adato; born July 15, 1952) is an American politician and lobbyist from Miami who represented Florida’s 27th congressional district from 1989 to 2019. At 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, she won a special election becoming 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. 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. In July 2012, she became the first Republican in the House to support same-sex marriage. On April 30, 2017, Ros-Lehtinen announced that she would not be running for re-election in 2018.