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Darren Michael Soto ( ; born February 25, 1978) is an American attorney and Democratic politician who has been the U.S. representative for Florida's 9th district since 2017.
Before his election to Congress, Soto served four years in the Florida Senate and five in the Florida House of Representatives, representing parts of central Florida.
During his three terms in the Florida House, Soto supported laws to curb illegal street racing, passed the “John C Curry” Firefighter Death Benefit Act to protect families of fallen firefighters who died in training exercises, and the Bus Driver Notification Act to help school bus safety.
In 2013, Soto voted for legislation to expedite driver's license access for DREAMers but it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Rick Scott, setting off statewide protests. He unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to require jury votes of 10 jurors rather than a majority of 7 for death penalties.
In 2014, Soto led the Democratic House and Senate Caucuses in drafting a Congressional map during the 2014 Special Session on Redistricting.
During the 2015 legislative session, Soto helped secure $11.9 million in funding for Valencia College's Poinciana campus. He also successfully pushed for $20 million to restore the Kissimmee River. This earned him the Audubon Society of Florida's "Champion of the Everglades" award. Soto also proposed legislation to ban fracking in Florida. He secured $10 million in Florida's budget to promote economic growth in Osceola County for a new facility to manufacture high-tech sensors, but Governor Scott vetoed the project. Soto also introduced a bill to boost minimum teacher pay to $50,000 per year.
Soto steered funding to his district, including $15 million for the UCF Sensors Manufacturing Center, $12 million to complete the construction of the Poinciana Valencia College campus, $4 million in supplemental school construction money, $750,000 for the Northern Everglades and Lake Toho initiatives, and $150,000 for a transition house that offers temporary housing for veterans. In 2016, Soto supported Chloe's Law to construct barriers around water bodies adjacent to state roads, the Deaf Floridian's ID bill, and the Juvenile Clean Slate bill, which automatically seals misdemeanor records for juveniles who reach 21 years of age and do not reoffend as adults.
On November 6, Soto won the general election, defeating Republican nominee Wayne Liebnitzky with 58% of the vote.
On April 5, 2017, Soto and Senator Bill Nelson passed their Hurricane Hunters bill (HR 1008) by amendment to the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017. This legislation adds two backup Hurricane Hunter aircraft to the NOAA fleet to increase hurricane monitoring and preparedness.
On December 23, 2017, Soto passed his second bill, the Foreign Spill Protection Act, with co-introducer Carlos Curbelo. The bill eliminates a $1 billion cap on damages for foreign oil drillers, whose oil spills pollute America’s waters, to better protect Florida’s coasts.
Soto introduced a bill to rename a Kissimmee Post Office (HR 4042) at 1415 West Oak St after the Borinqueneers. This bill passed both chambers of Congress and was signed into law on March 23, 2018. The Borinqueneers were a U.S. Army segregated unit of Puerto Ricans who fought in World War I, World War II and the Korean War.
Soto passed a law to protect billfish, such as marlin, spearfish, and sailfish. H.R. 4528 closes a loophole in the Billfish Conservation Act making it illegal to sell billfish in the continental United States. The law passed the House on June 25, 2018, and was signed into law on August 2, 2018.
Soto negotiated with Brightline (now Virgin Trains) to build the link between their train and SunRail. He was tied for first for most laws passed by a freshman member of the 115th Congress. He also filed the second most bills of any freshman.
Following reelection, Soto secured a spot on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
On June 24, 2019, Soto passed his first law of the 116th Congress, the Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) Act, which aims to combat future Zika outbreaks in Florida, Puerto Rico and other areas.
On July 25, 2019, Soto passed the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 out of the House as the last bill to pass before the August District Work Period.
On December 18, 2019, Soto voted for both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.
In his second term, Soto worked with Val Demings and Stephanie Murphy to renew federal grants to the Central Florida region, including over $30 million for affordable housing and to prevent homelessness, $3.25 million to fund local anti-terrorism efforts, and $1.961 million for zero-emission Lynx Lymmo buses.
Soto also assisted in securing federal grants of nearly $30 million for Hurricane Irma disaster relief to Polk and Osceola Counties, over $3 million for healthcare clinics in Osceola and Polk Counties, and $250,000 to improve Kissimmee and Winter Haven airports.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Soto voted for all four pandemic relief packages, including the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act 2020, Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act to help the nation combat the crisis. He has helped lead Florida’s delegation in securing additional supplies of remdesivir from his position on the Energy and Commerce Committee. On May 15, 2020, Soto voted for the HEROES Act, which passed the House and provided further pandemic relief. This legislation included his Save Our Homes Act, which helps homeowners save their homes from foreclosure by ending forbearance agreement balloon payments. On October 2, 2020, Soto voted for the updated HEROES Act. This compromise legislation amended the original bill, would provide further pandemic relief and passed the House. At the time of its passage, the Senate still had failed to pass a new pandemic relief package.
On June 26, 2020, Soto passed legislation out of the House designating the Pulse National Memorial in recognition and memory of the 49 killed and 53 injured at the Pulse Nightclub shooting. He introduced this bill with Demings and Murphy. Upon its passage, Soto said, "Today, we remind the world that hate will never defeat love, grief can turn into strength and that a place of loss can become a sanctuary of healing. Together, we will continue to open minds and hearts. We will make the Pulse Memorial a national symbol of hope, love and light."
He was an advocate in Congress for Alejandra Juarez, the wife of an Iraq combat veteran and mother of two American daughters, who was deported to Mexico due to Trump's policy. "Zero tolerance literally ripped this family apart", Soto said. "The administration is so extreme on immigration that they're deporting the spouses of military veterans."
On June 6, 2018, Soto passed his Shark and Billfish Protection Act out of House Natural Resources Committee. Bill Nelson passed the Senate companion bill on October 2, 2017.
After the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, Soto called for a special session to prevent those on the FBI's No Fly List from purchasing firearms. Since 2017, he has been a reliable vote for gun law reform. After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, he proposed a "Gun Safety Action Plan" with five steps: universal background checks for 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, and disallowing anyone on the federal terrorism no-fly list from buying a gun. Soto also said gun control would be "one of those litmus test issues" in the 2018 midterm elections.
Soto supported relief to assist Puerto Rico's economic recovery. He also co-signed a bipartisan letter requesting FEMA Designation of Individual Assistance for the citizens of Orange, Osceola, Polk, Lake and Seminole Counties after Hurricane Irma. In 2018, he voted to renew recovery funds to Central Florida and Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.
On April 1, 2018, Soto's wife, Amanda Soto, was arrested at Walt Disney World and charged with disorderly intoxication. In a statement, Darren Soto said his wife had been in treatment for depression for years and had recently stopped taking medication in accordance with her treatment plan and under her doctor's supervision. He added that "she deeply regrets her actions and takes full responsibility for them."
On March 24, 2025, Soto announced in a Facebook post that he was engaged to Sheyla Asencios. The two married on January 24, 2026 in Orlando.
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