Today U.S. House Rules Committee will consider an amendment filed by U.S. Representative Kathy Castor to stop the harmful expansion of offshore oil drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Castor is joined by a bipartisan group of Florida lawmakers in opposition to the Republican leadership proposal to bring rigs close to Florida beaches. Read more »

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor today heralded three important reforms that will improve the way Congress works and limit the influence of money and special interests on politics. “Americans are crying out for fairness in government,” Castor said. “Our neighbors feel like the deck is stacked against them. We must stand up to the powerful special interests in Washington and ensure that Congress works for middle class families and small businesses on a level playing field.” Read more »

In advance of Friday’s U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to be held in Tampa, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor today joined with leaders in the African American, Hispanic, and student communities to highlight how Gov. Rick Scott’s voter suppression laws are disproportionately harming their communities and the ability to vote. Read more »

I applaud President Obama’s actions today to create a National Travel & Tourism Strategy to promote domestic and international travel that will boost jobs in the Sunshine State. Read more »

The House Republicans are causing real economic damage again to families across the country. Thanks to the tea party extremists in the House, middle-class taxes will rise, 147,000 Floridians will lose their unemployment benefits by the middle of February and more than 3 million Florida seniors on Medicare will have their access to doctors jeopardized. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor released the following statement regarding the removal of a harmful legislative policy rider that would have reinstituted harsh travel restrictions on Cuban-Americans. Castor worked with the White House, Conference negotiators and her Tampa Bay neighbors this week to emphasize the importance of Obama-era Cuba travel policies to our entire community: Read more »

U.S. Representative Kathy Castor today urged Congressional appropriators to remove a harmful legislative policy rider that would reinstitute harsh travel restrictions on Cuban-American families. Castor and the Tampa Bay business community oppose efforts by Congressional Republicans to retain a proposal introduced by U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart to limit family travel to once every three years. The restriction is being considered this week as part of the fiscal year 2012 appropriations “megabus” bill. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced today that Hurricane Hunter jobs and funding have been restored in a proposed fiscal year 2012 appropriations bill. The legislation is expected to be considered on the House floor by the end of the week. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced today that she has filed a bill to rename the Produce Station Post Office in East Tampa after the late Rev. Abe Brown. Castor filed her bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. She notified the Rev. Abe Brown’s church, First Baptist Church of College Hill, during services on Sunday and held a news conference today with Brown’s family, the East Tampa community and some of its leaders, including County Commissioner Les Miller and City Councilman Frank Reddick. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor called for immediate action on jobs legislation today so that schools in our community can get the improvements they need and small business contractors and construction workers have more job opportunities in our region. Castor made her remarks today at Chiaramonte Elementary School in south Tampa. Chiaramonte is undergoing a $9 million renovation this year. Read more »