Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who was selected to lead the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, writes that lessons learned in South Florida will inform solutions for the rest of the nation. Read more »

Today, U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (FL14), Tampa business owner Ivan Montoya, Solar Axiom’s Elio Muller and Tampa Bay Solar’s Steve Rutherford called on Congress to extend the federal solar tax credit by the end of the year. Castor highlighted the significant cost savings for small businesses like the Montoya Family Maaco Paint and Collision Repair in Town ‘N Country, which has nearly eliminated its entire monthly electric bill and draws almost all its power from clean energy after installing a solar rooftop . Read more »

Florida and coastal states across the country declared a victory today with the passage of H.R. 205, the Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act. Protecting Florida’s beaches and coastal resources has been a part of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor’s (D-Tampa, Fla.) life work and she sponsored the bipartisan bill with U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Naples, Fla). The landmark bill protects Florida’s way of life and America’s national security by making the moratorium on oil drilling in federal waters off Florida coasts permanent. The moratorium is set expire in 2022. While the Trump administration has worked to open areas in the Gulf of Mexico and coastal areas to drilling, the Democratic-led House of Representatives acted to stop the unneeded and unwanted expansion. Read more »

Offshore drilling has no place in our oceans today. This week, Congress has an opportunity to protect our coastal beaches and communities from being subjected to a lifetime of dangerous offshore drilling. The communities we represent and others like them across the country are standing up to the Administration’s plans to open nearly all federal… Read more »

Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) urged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet, in their role as the Power Plant Siting Board, to make a thorough review of Tampa Electric Company’s (TECO) Big Bend project as required by Florida’s Power Plant Siting Act. Read more »

Legislation to ban oil drilling off the coast of Florida passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee this week and is now headed to the House floor. H.R. 205, the Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act sponsored by U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa, Fla.) and Francis Rooney (R-Naples, Fla.), is now headed to the House floor thanks to their bipartisan leadership to unite the Florida congressional delegation – Democrats and Republicans – to protect Florida’s coasts from oil and gas development. Earlier this year, the entire bipartisan Florida congressional delegation demanded that the Department of the Interior take formal action to prohibit drilling off Florida’s coast. And, the Florida congressional delegation prevailed again last night when the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan appropriations amendment to block oil and gas pre-leasing, leasing and related activities in the outer continental shelf planning areas around Florida. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced today two federal grants awarded to the University area, continuing her work to lift up the families, students and businesses who live and work in this growing area of innovation. These grants, awarded to University Area Community Development Corporation Inc. ($300,000) and the University of South Florida ($7.5 million), will bolster the region’s economy and continue investment in research and innovation burgeoning from the USF area. Read more »

Tomorrow will mark two years since Donald Trump announced his intent to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement. However, the Trump Administration cannot formally withdraw until November 4, 2020. Earlier this month, the House passed H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which would prevent Trump from leaving the agreement. Read more »

Congresswoman Kathy Castor of Florida, Chair of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, delivered the Weekly Democratic Address. In this week’s address, the Congresswoman highlighted the passage of H. R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which takes a bold first step to protect our planet by keeping us in the Paris Climate Agreement and laying the foundation for further innovative action. Read more »

The U.S. House today voted 231 to 190 for the Climate Action Now Act (H.R. 9), a bill that would prevent the Trump Administration from withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement. Read more »