A new AARP report issued today details the out-of-pocket costs for caregivers in the United States – on average, family caregivers are spending 20 percent of their total income on caregiving expenses. This builds on last year’s AARP family caregiving report, which revealed the number of family caregivers in the United States – about 40 million, with Florida home to nearly 2.7 million of these caregivers. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the following statement and timeline relating to misplaced congressional priorities that led to the substantial delay in providing an emergency response to the Zika virus. The U.S. Congress finally passed $1.1 billion in emergency funding late last night, more than seven months after action was requested by President Obama. Read more »

After calling for a congressional hearing last week on the outrageous cost increases by Mylan corporation for the price of the EpiPen, today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) cosponsored bipartisan and bicameral legislation to address skyrocketing prescription drug price increases by corporations. The FAIR Drug Pricing Act would require basic transparency for pharmaceutical corporations that increase drug prices by more than 10 percent a year. Read more »

After returning from the longest summer recess in at least 60 years, House Republicans once again refused to address the public health threat of the Zika virus and announced they have no plans to take up a bill next week to address the fight against a growing outbreak. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor released the following statement today following the news that the first non-travel related case of Zika has been reported in Pinellas County: Read more »

Today, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (FL-14)and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) visited with patients and families of St. Joseph’s Children’s Chronic-Complex to update the progress of the ACE Kids Act in Congress and build momentum on getting it passed this year. Read more »

Today the Energy and Commerce Committee, Subcommittee on Health convened a legislative hearing on the ACE Kids Act. The ACE Kids Act, HR. 546, was first introduced in the 113th Congress and subsequently in the 114th Congress by Reps. Joe Barton (R-TX), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Gene Green (R-TX), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA), Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), and David Reichert (R-WA). Read more »

In a step forward to improve mental health services, the U.S. House today passed the bipartisan Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2016, supported by U.S. Rep. Castor, who serves on the powerful House Energy & Commerce Committee as well as its Health Subcommittee. Read more »

Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion today for Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt: Read more »

Memorial Day is a day to remember Americans who lost their lives on the battlefield in service to our great nation. Read more »