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Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Member, Congressional Algae Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Arts Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, present

Member, Congressional China Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Creative Rights Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Disaster Relief Caucus, present

Member, Congressional German-American Caucus, present

Member, Congressional HIV/AIDS Bipartisan Congressional Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Kidney Caucus, present

Member, Congressional National Marine Sanctuary Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Small Business Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Sugar Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Taiwan Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus, present

Member, Congressional United States-China Working Group, present

Member, Congressional Urban Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Women’s Caucus, present

Member, National Service Congressional Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Maritime Caucus

Former Member, Education and the Workforce Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, United States House of Representatives

Member, Minority Certification Task Force, 1992-1998

Education

  • MS, Elementary Education, University of Miami, 1972
  • BS, Elementary Education, Fisk University, 1963

Professional Experience

  • MS, Elementary Education, University of Miami, 1972
  • BS, Elementary Education, Fisk University, 1963
  • Assistant Educational Coordinator, Head Start Miami
  • Former Teacher/Assistant Educational Coordinator, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Head Start program
  • Former Executive Director, Office of Alternative Education and Dropout Prevention, Miami-Dade County Schools
  • Former Principal, Skyway Elementary School
  • Former Assistant Principal, Skyway Elementary School

Political Experience

  • MS, Elementary Education, University of Miami, 1972
  • BS, Elementary Education, Fisk University, 1963
  • Assistant Educational Coordinator, Head Start Miami
  • Former Teacher/Assistant Educational Coordinator, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Head Start program
  • Former Executive Director, Office of Alternative Education and Dropout Prevention, Miami-Dade County Schools
  • Former Principal, Skyway Elementary School
  • Former Assistant Principal, Skyway Elementary School
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 24, 2013-present
  • Minority Leader Pro Tempore, Florida State Senate
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 24, 2018
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 17, 2011-2013
  • Minority Whip, Florida State Senate, 2008-2011
  • Senator, Florida State Senate, 2003-2010
  • Democratic Whip, Florida State Senate, 2002-2004
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, 1998-2002

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, Congressional Algae Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Arts Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, present

Member, Congressional China Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Creative Rights Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Disaster Relief Caucus, present

Member, Congressional German-American Caucus, present

Member, Congressional HIV/AIDS Bipartisan Congressional Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Kidney Caucus, present

Member, Congressional National Marine Sanctuary Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Philanthropy Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Small Business Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Sugar Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Taiwan Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Travel & Tourism Caucus, present

Member, Congressional United States-China Working Group, present

Member, Congressional Urban Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Women’s Caucus, present

Member, National Service Congressional Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Maritime Caucus

Former Member, Education and the Workforce Committee, United States House of Representatives

Former Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, United States House of Representatives

Member, Minority Certification Task Force, 1992-1998

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

Member, Education & Labor Committee

Member, Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education

Chair, Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment

Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials

Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • MS, Elementary Education, University of Miami, 1972
  • BS, Elementary Education, Fisk University, 1963
  • Assistant Educational Coordinator, Head Start Miami
  • Former Teacher/Assistant Educational Coordinator, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Head Start program
  • Former Executive Director, Office of Alternative Education and Dropout Prevention, Miami-Dade County Schools
  • Former Principal, Skyway Elementary School
  • Former Assistant Principal, Skyway Elementary School
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 24, 2013-present
  • Minority Leader Pro Tempore, Florida State Senate
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 24, 2018
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, Florida, District 17, 2011-2013
  • Minority Whip, Florida State Senate, 2008-2011
  • Senator, Florida State Senate, 2003-2010
  • Democratic Whip, Florida State Senate, 2002-2004
  • Representative, Florida State House of Representatives, 1998-2002
  • Founder, 5000 Role Models of Excellence Incorporated
  • South Atlantic Regional Director, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
  • Member, National Association of Black School Educators
  • Founder, Stop Day, Enough is Enough
  • Member, The Links Incorporated
  • Member, Cervical Cancer Elimination Task Force, 2004
  • Board Member, Women's Action for New Directions Educational Fund, 2004
  • Board Member, Miami-Dade County School Board, 1992-1998
  • Miami Delegate, President's Summit for America's Future, 1997
  • Member, Government Accountability to the People Commission, 1992-1994

Other Info

  • Thirlee Smith, Sr

Favorite Book:

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Favorite Movie:

The Color Purple

Favorite Quote:

"It takes a village to raise a child." - African proverb

Favorite TV Shows:

Jeopardy

Favorite Type of Music:

Motown

  • Beulah Finley Smith

  • 5

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Yes

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

Crime

1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- No

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- No

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- No

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Yes

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes

Florida State Legislative Election 1998 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- X

2. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only when pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer

6. Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
- No Answer

7. Prohibit the late-term abortion procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion.
- No Answer

8. Support "buffer zones" by requiring demonstrators to stay at least 15 feet away from abortion clinic doorways and driveways.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Should Florida government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?
- Yes

Affirmative Action

Indicate the principles you support (if any) concerning affirmative action. State government agencies should take race and sex into account in the following sectors:

1. College and university admissions
- Yes

2. Public employment
- Yes

3. State contracting
- Yes

4. Other
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime.

1. Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
- No Answer

2. Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
- No Answer

3. End parole for repeat violent felons.
- X

4. Support the use of the death penalty.
- No Answer

5. Oppose the death penalty.
- No Answer

6. Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- X

7. Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- X

8. Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
- X

9. Decriminalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

10. Strengthen penalties and sentences for drug-related crimes.
- No Answer

11. Strengthen penalties and sentences for sex offenders.
- No Answer

12. Lower the blood-alcohol-content limit defining drunk driving.
- No Answer

13. Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious violent crimes as adults.
- No Answer

14. Allow recording devices in execution observation rooms.
- No Answer

15. Support chemical castration for convicted sexual offenders.
- X

16. Maintain electrocution as Florida's method of execution.
- No Answer

17. Adopt lethal injection as Florida's method of execution.
- X

18. Other
- No Answer

19. Should violent sexual offenders eligible for parole, be committed to mental hospitals until they are deemed safe to return to society?
- Yes

Economy and Employment

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning the economy and employment.

1. Provide low interest loans and tax credits for starting, expanding, or relocating businesses.
- X

2. Reduce state government regulations on the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- X

3. Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
- No Answer

4. Increase funding for state job-training programs that retrain displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

5. Allow Native American tribes to operate gambling casinos on tribal land in Florida.
- No Answer

6. Other
- No Answer

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
- X

2. Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.
- X

3. Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
- No Answer

4. Favor charter schools where independent groups receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer

5. Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
- X

6. Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
- X

7. Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
- X

8. Increase state funds for hiring of additional teachers.
- X

9. Endorse teacher-led voluntary prayer in public schools.
- No Answer

10. Grant merit pay raises each year to teachers who excel.
- No Answer

11. Other
- No Answer

12. Should Florida require that all new state school buses be equipped with passenger seat belts?
- Yes

13. Do you support adding the Bible to high school literature or history curriculums in Florida public schools?
- No

Environment & Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Require the use of cleaner burning fuels in order to prevent pollution.
- No Answer

2. Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
- No Answer

3. Require a cost/benefit analysis to determine the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
- No Answer

4. Require the state to fully compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses on privately owned land.
- No Answer

5. Provide funding for recycling programs in Florida.
- No Answer

6. Request added flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
- No Answer

7. Suspend participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
- No Answer

8. Restructure the electric utility industry to allow consumers to choose their power company.
- No Answer

9. Other
- No Answer

10. State environmental regulations should not be stricter than federal law.
- No Answer

11. Do you support extending the Preservation 2000 program in Florida?
- No Answer

Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding government reform.a) Do you support limits on the number of terms of the following Florida officials?b) Do you support limiting the following types of contributions to state legislative candidates?

1. State Senators and Representatives
- No

2. Governor
- No

3. Members of the Cabinet
- No

4. Individual
- Yes

5. PAC
- Yes

6. Corporate
- Yes

7. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

8. Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
- Yes

9. Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
- No Answer

10. Would you vote to ratify an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring an annual balanced federal budget?
- No Answer

11. Do you support providing immunity from civil liability to persons who are participating in the process of government?
- No Answer

12. Should using payroll deductions for political contributions from union members be illegal?
- No Answer

13. Other
- No Answer

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

1. Ban the sale or transfer of all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
- X

2. Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- X

3. Maintain state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- X

4. Ease state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer

5. Repeal state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms by law-abiding citizens.
- No Answer

6. Favor allowing citizens to carry concealed firearms.
- No Answer

7. Require manufacturers to provide child-safety locks with firearms.
- X

8. Require a waiting period and criminal records check for weapons bought at gun shows.
- X

9. Other
- No Answer

10. Should Florida visitors be permitted to carry concealed weapons if they have permits from other states?
- No Answer

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health issues.

1. Provide tax incentives to small businesses that provide health care to their employees.
- X

2. Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state funded care where necessary.
- X

3. Provide health care to uninsured children by designing a children's health insurance program.
- X

4. Transfer more existing Medicaid recipients into managed care programs.
- No Answer

5. Use state funds to continue some Medicaid coverage for legal immigrants.
- X

6. Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- No Answer

7. Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
- No Answer

8. Require HMOs to provide access to mental health care.
- X

9. Other
- No Answer

Social

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding social issues.

1. Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
- X

2. Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
- X

3. Increase state funds to provide child care to children in low-income working families.
- X

4. Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
- X

5. Favor banning smoking in public places.
- X

6. Allow local municipalities in Florida to ban smoking in public places.
- X

7. Increase state funding for Head Start in order to serve additional children and/or increase services from a half to a full day.
- X

8. Increase state funding for community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
- X

9. Support state funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.
- X

10. Require a waiting period between the time a mother consents to adoption and the time the adoption is finalized.
- X

11. Other
- No Answer

12. Do you believe that the Florida government should include sexual orientation in Florida's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

13. Do you believe that the Florida government should recognize same-sex marriages?
- Undecided

14. Should physician-assisted suicide for the terminally ill be legal in Florida?
- Undecided

State Budget

Indicate the funding levels you will support for the following general categories. Select one level only.

1. Agriculture
- Slightly Increase

2. Economic Development
- Greatly Increase

3. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Increase

4. Education (Higher)
- Greatly Increase

5. Environment
- No Answer

6. Health care
- Greatly Increase

7. Law enforcement
- Greatly Increase

8. Tourism
- Maintain Status

9. Transportation infrastructure (highways, roads, bridges)
- Maintain Status

10. Welfare
- Maintain Status

11. Other
- No Answer

12. Do you support using state money to fund a proposed bullet train between Miami, Orlando and Tampa?
- Undecided

State Taxes

Indicate the tax levels you will support. Select one level only.

1. Alcohol Taxes
- No Answer

2. Capital gains taxes
- No Answer

3. Cigarette taxes
- No Answer

4. Corporate taxes
- No Answer

5. Gas taxes
- No Answer

6. Property taxes
- No Answer

7. Sales taxes
- No Answer

8. Other
- No Answer

9. Do you support implementing a state income tax?
- Undecided

Welfare

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare.

1. Maintain the four-year limit on welfare benefits.
- No Answer

2. Require that able-bodied recipients participate in work-related activities in order to receive benefits.
- X

3. Increase employment and job training programs for welfare recipients.
- X

4. Provide tax incentives to businesses that hire welfare recipients.
- X

5. Provide child care for welfare recipients who work.
- X

6. Increase access to public transportation for welfare recipients who work.
- X

7. Allow welfare recipients to remain eligible for benefits while saving money for education, starting a business, or buying a home.
- X

8. Limit benefits given to recipients if they have additional children while on welfare.
- No Answer

9. Eliminate government-funded welfare programs.
- No Answer

10. Other
- No Answer

11. Do you support establishing a relocation assistance program for WAGES participants that relocate within the state as long as the relocation contributes to them attaining self-sufficiency?
- Undecided

Legislative Priorities

Please explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected. Please explain how you would obtain any additional government funding needed to implement these priorities.
- No Answer

2019

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-choice

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Yes

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- Unknown Position

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No

Energy & Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Yes

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- No

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- No

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Yes

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- No

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- No

Congress Bills
Speeches
Articles

Decision to self-quarantine for coronavirus on March 19, 2020

Jan. 1, 1900

On March 19, 2020, Wilson announced a self-quarantine after a member of the U.S. House she previously had contact with tested positive for coronavirus. Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more.Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryDaily updatesElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsSubmit COVID-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019.