After months of urging, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act today. U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL), who pressured House Republican leadership for months to address the problem, hailed the measure as an important step to bring relief to families and businesses across the Tampa Bay area and across the country. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Castor highlights State of Florida’s hypocritical request for new federal Medicaid dollars, while Legislature appears ready to block expansion again Please see the attached letter sent today from U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) to the Senate President and House Speaker of the Florida Legislature.   Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) announced her support today for an increase in the minimum wage, which would boost the economic security of women across America. Castor is a cosponsor of the Fair Minimum Wage Act (H.R. 1010), which would raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. Read more »

Every year during Black History Month, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor gathers with neighbors in St. Petersburg to recognize local extraordinary individuals and honor their service in the Congressional Record. This year, she celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. David T. Welch, and she was joined by his family. Dr. Welch was a champion for civil rights, education and health care. His remarkable career in public service and many contributions to our area stand as a testament to his tremendous character. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa, St. Petersburg, FL), ACLU and NAACP officials today called for an end to an insidious and discriminatory Florida policy that has disenfranchised over 1.5 million Floridians, including 20 percent of the state's African-American population. The officials urged change one month before Florida's Governor and Cabinet (sitting as the Clemency Board) will… Read more »

Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) again attempted to bring up the bipartisan Senate-passed flood insurance bill for a vote by the U.S. House in her unrelenting fight to stem the recent flood insurance rate spike and help neighbors pounded by these hikes. Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) highlighted significant progress for Head Start students and parents in Pinellas County at a visit to the Connie Momarro Head Start Center in St. Petersburg. The bipartisan budget agreement recently passed by Congress and signed by President Obama restores funding for Head Start students across the country, and includes an increase of $1 billion over the sequester level and $612 million over the 2013 enacted level. The progress is especially significant for Pinellas County Head Start that has faced numerous challenges over the past few years. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Sen. Bill Nelson (FL) and several members of the Florida Congressional Delegation sent the attached letter to Florida Gov. Rick Scott for abandoning his expressed support of Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor today pressed the House Republican leadership on the floor to allow an immediate vote on the bipartisan flood insurance bill that passed the Senate last week. The bill would provide an important delay to skyrocketing flood insurance rates and growing harm for homeowners across Tampa Bay and the country. It would also support our economic growth without roadblocks from Washington. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor’s guest to the 2014 State of the Union is Nikki Gaskin-Capehart, Director of Urban Affairs for the City of St. Petersburg, who is responsible for economic development and progress in St. Petersburg’s most challenged neighborhoods. “The State of the Union address will focus everyone across the Tampa Bay area on concrete, practical proposals to grow the… Read more »