15 Minutes with Donna Shalala

A Q&A with our Congresswoman

By Lizzie Wilcox//Photography by Michael Campina

January 2020

Donna Shalala, the former University of Miami president, was elected in 2019 to Florida’s 27th Congressional District, which represents Coral Gables, South Miami, Pinecrest, Kendall, Miami Beach and about half of Miami. With the 2020 election now less than a year away, we took a minute (actually 15) to talk with the congresswoman about her time in office.

Was it a Big Change Going from UM to D.C.?

Well, the difference was from being an executive to being a legislator. And it’s a more substantive job, in that all we do is policy and politics. And I’m a political scientist, so I knew the subject matter, I knew the way the House was organized, I had spent eight years in Washington the last time as a cabinet secretary [of Health and Human Services, under President Clinton]. I had spent a lot of time testifying on the Hill. I knew probably half of the Democrats in the House and Senate because they had been there when I was there. Some of them were old friends. So, I didn’t find the transition very complicated.

How Would You Describe the Current Atmosphere in Washington?

It’s more partisan than I’ve experienced it before, but you still can get bipartisan things done. You can still work with Republicans on issues that we’re both concerned on. We’ve worked with Mario Diaz-Balart on Venezuelan TPS [The Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status Act of 2019] and other issues related to Latin America. We actually have tried in every case to get bipartisan support. I mean, that’s what people in South Florida elected me to do – to get things done.

As A Congresswoman, What Can You Do For Coral Gables?

We just got a big grant for the Underline, $22 million, which a number of us worked on. Again, a bipartisan effort. That affects Coral Gables directly. And I, of course, work directly with the mayor and with the commissioners in Coral Gables.

Is There Anything in Particular on your Agenda That’s a Priority for You?

Probably a bill to ban e-cigarettes from young people and the flavors [vapes]. A bill to lower drug costs, which we’ll probably pass before the end of the year [2019]. Those are two big priorities for me. My name is on both of those bills. In fact, I’m the original co-sponsor of the bill on e-cigarettes, and I’m one of the original co-sponsors of the bill on lowering drug costs.

How is Your Time Split Between Washington and South Florida?

I’m here most of the time. I’m in Washington three days a week, sometimes four, [for] three weeks a month. And then I’m here for a whole week with two weekends. But I come back every weekend. There may have been, this whole year, only two weekends where I didn’t get back here. Both occasions I was working up in D.C. with bills that just held over.

Are You Still Involved in the UM Community?

Well, I’m still teaching. I don’t have responsibility for a course, but I’m still teaching in people’s classes. Mostly Health Policy, both in the graduate School of Business and the MBA program, and in the School of Nursing. Wherever someone is teaching Health Policy, I do at least one of the lectures. And I’ve done lectures on other subjects, too, in the School of Communication, and Arts and Sciences. So almost every weekend, I’m over at UM teaching a class.

What is Next for You?

Getting re-elected. I haven’t formally started the campaign. Obviously, you have to raise money all year round, but we don’t formally start it until next spring.

How Long Do You Want to Stay in Office?

Oh, forever. As long as the people want me to stay in office.

How Much Support Do You Feel From the People of Coral Gables?

A lot. I live in Coral Gables, and I’ve always lived in Coral Gables – or in Pinecrest, for a short period of time. But, basically, I started out living in Coral Gables. My family came from Coral Gables – my mother’s side of the family. They were here since after World War II. My cousins went to Coral Gables High School, so I have a long history in Coral Gables. I get a lot of support out of Coral Gables. People know me. I was just in the grocery store and, you know, lots of people came up to me, mostly to say, “Do you shop for your own groceries?” And I said, “Yes, who else would do it?”