Ric Keller (born September 5, 1964) is an American politician, and has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2001, representing the 8th District of Florida (map). He was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, was educated at East Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt University, and was a lawyer before entering the House. Noted in the 2000 campaign for commercials that were anti-gay and pro-life. Mr. Keller is the author of "The Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act". The so-called "Cheeseburger Bill" prohibits lawsuits by obese customers who blame restaurants, supermarkets, and grocery manufactures for their own overconsumption of food. The bill passed the house in 2004 but the Senate didn't vote on it and Mr Keller resubmitted it in 2005.
On October 18, 2005, Keller was hospitalized in Orlando, Florida, after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia. He was driving his car and blacked out and hit another car in a parking lot. He has been told by his doctor not to drive for 6 months. He recovered, though he missed the vote on his Cheeseburger Bill. The bill passed anyway, 306-120.
