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 »

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With Florida leading the country in the number of reported Zika virus cases, today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa Bay) criticized the Republican leadership in Congress for not only delaying support to fight the spread of the virus that causes severe birth defects, but also for falling short of the needed funding for CDC and NIH prevention and treatments. Read more »

Today U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) was joined by local public health experts, Hillsborough County Mosquito Control and Hillsborough County Healthy Start to rally the community to prepare and fight the Zika virus. U.S. Rep. Castor emphasized, “fighting Zika starts at home" as all speakers urged the public to take action now to prepare for the virus known to cause birth defects. U.S. Rep. Castor also highlighted a study earlier this year that found that Florida and other Gulf coast states are some of the most vulnerable parts of the continental United States for year-round incursion by the Zika. The virus is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito which can be found in warm weather climates. Read more »

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The Congressional Budget Act requires Congress to enact a budget resolution by today, April 15. However, while the Republican Congress introduced one of most brutal budgets ever and even passed it out of the Budget Committee, Republicans failed to meet their obligation to bring it to the House Floor for a vote today. The surprising turn of events for the “majority” party highlights the dysfunction and turmoil in the Republican-led Congress where their already-savage budget proposal proved not radical enough to move for final passage. House Democrats remain committed to fighting for working Americans and bringing forth a budget consistent with the bipartisan, bicameral agreement already reached last fall. Read more »

U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) and Renee Ellmers (R-NC-02) recently sent letters to House Leadership and leaders of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce requesting their assistance in advancing the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act, H.R.1197, to the House floor for a vote. Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the statement below following her recent trip to Cuba and President Obama’s announcement today of his planned trip to the island: Read more »

Following the landmark ruling today on America's clean energy future by the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor filed a bipartisan jobs and energy bill to spur investment and research in widespread distributed energy technology, such as rooftop solar. Often the cheapest, most reliable and efficient energy source, distributed energy creates electricity at or near the customer, as opposed to centralized generation at large power plants that often requires electricity to be transmitted long distances to consumers. Combined with incentives to reduce demand for electricity that were affirmed today by the U.S. Supreme Court, America must chart a modern course for powering our communities that includes localized sources. Read more »

Congress today came together to pass an important omnibus appropriations bill that funds medical research, education and clean energy initiatives that will boost jobs across the Tampa Bay area and America. Democrats successfully beat back scores of harmful Republican policy ‘riders’ on Planned Parenthood, Cuba, environmental protection and other topics. Read more »