In the 1990s, Florida Education Commissioner Betty Castor worked with then-Gov. Lawton Chiles on developing a health insurance program for Florida’s uninsured children. Florida Kidcare became the model for the national State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) which was enacted on the national level in 1997. Betty’s daughter, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, later took up the mantle and became a leading Florida advocate for families’ access to affordable health care under SCHIP. Rep. Castor was invited by President Obama to the White House to join him today as he signs the children’s health care expansion bill into law. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has written a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, outlining her recommendations to combat the housing crisis. Castor has held three foreclosure assistance workshops and has heard from more than 1,000 families about how the economic crisis is affecting them. Based on those conversations, Castor is urging more direct help to homeowners. Read more »

In the midst of the most serious economic downturn since the Great Depression, Congresswoman Kathy Castor voted to pass the $825 billion American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act one week after President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address to the nation and call for urgent action. The Recovery Plan creates and preserves much-needed jobs through infrastructure improvements, new energy technology, and health care and education initiatives. Read more »

Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced today that the city of Tampa will receive a nearly $4 million grant to hire more firefighters. “Homeland security is really hometown security,” Castor said. “We count on our first responders to keep us safe”. Read more »

Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced today that the economic recovery plan will direct at least $4.3 billion in health care investments to Florida. Castor is a member of the Energy & Commerce Committee which is marking up the economic recovery plan today. The $4.3 billion investment comes from an increased federal match for Medicaid which is one of the largest boosts in the country. Castor has been pushing for this increase in health care investments since last year. Read more »

Congresswoman Kathy Castor voted today to establish strict and extensive new accountability measures on the release of any new economic recovery funds. The bill also provides direct help to homeowners and communities. The first TARP bill’s lack of these provisions was among the reasons Castor voted against it twice in September. A Castor amendment enacts a holiday on foreclosures. Also, working with Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, she secured language in the bill to improve outreach to homeowners. The bill contains guidelines on executive compensation and increased oversight. Read more »

"President Barack Obama’s inauguration renews the promise of a more perfect America. Today we turn a page of American history and start a new chapter – a chapter full of hope, engagement, and shared responsibility." Read more »

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Kathy Castor successfully amended the new TARP Reform and Accountability Act by providing extensive new conditions on the future use of the next $350 billion in recovery funds and tackling the housing crisis. The amendment calls for enacting a holiday on foreclosures until the Obama Administration’s new housing and community stabilization plan is in place. Castor also secured language in the bill that will improve outreach to homeowners. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, an early leader on affordable children’s health legislation, moved the SCHIP reauthorization bill out of the Rules Committee last night and onto the House floor, where she spoke this morning and championed the importance of affordable health care. The bill includes several provisions from the first bill she filed as a member of Congress that were later blocked by President Bush. President-elect Obama has pledged to sign this bill. Read more »

As Congress works on renewing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor and state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink proposed a plan today that will expand health insurance coverage to more of Florida’s and the nation’s children. The plan was outlined in a letter to President-Elect Obama. Read more »