Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great educator and leader in the Tampa Bay community, Dr. Davina Arleen Jones.    Dr. Jones is one of six children, born and raised in the Tampa Bay area. Her mother worked for the county library as a book processor and her father was a city bus operator while also serving as a full-time pastor. Dr. Jones’ parents instilled in her and her… Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Black History Month with immense gratitude for the life of service of veteran and retired educator, Dr. John L. Smith, Jr. Because of Dr. Smith’s long-standing commitment and dedication to education and leadership, higher learning institutions throughout the United States are advancing diversity and inclusion at the highest levels. He charted a course… Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Black History Month to celebrate a change agent and one of Tampa Bay’s most accomplished businesswomen, Ms. Bridgette Heller. Ms. Heller was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Fla. She attended segregated schools through elementary school, but credits success during her formative years to being raised by a village of love that had very high standards for… Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with immense gratitude for Bishop Preston D.H. Leonard, who inspires us all through his lifetime of public service deeply rooted in his faith. For more than 60 years, he has served as pastor at Christ Gospel Church of St. Petersburg! Bishop Leonard is the only living pastor in the church’s history and has the longest tenure of any pastor in the St. Petersburg… Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise during Black History month to honor the life of an extraordinary leader, educator and pillar of the St. Petersburg community, Mr. Mordecai Walker.    Mr. Walker was born in Citrus Park in rural Hillsborough County on July 4, 1924, to Charlie and Pearl Walker. He attended segregated schools in Hillsborough County – Citrus Park School for colored children,… Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor led all Florida Congressional Democrats in urging Governor Ron DeSantis to take action to keep costs down and keep Floridians covered during the Medicaid redetermination period. Congress acted during the Covid19 pandemic to ensure that Medicaid beneficiaries would not lose health coverage, but beginning on April 1, the state must redetermine eligibility for… Read more »

This week, Representatives Kathy Castor (FL14), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA01), and Lauren Underwood (IL14) reintroduced H.R. 1117, the Advancing Safe Medications for Moms and Babies Act of 2023. This bipartisan bill would build upon prior legislation to better our understanding of the effect of medications on pregnant and lactating women and their infants. By updating FDA… Read more »

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the second wave of approximately $1 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to start new cleanup projects at 22 Superfund sites and expedite over 100 other ongoing cleanups across the country. On Friday, Rep. Castor joined EPA Administrator Michael Regan and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA)… Read more »

Today, U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor (FL14) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO03) reintroduced H.R. 900, the Continuous Coverage for Flood Insurance Act, which would lower costs by ensuring that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allows consumers to exercise their right to maintain flood insurance outside of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). “Families, homeowners, and small… Read more »

This week, Energy and Commerce Committee Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Kathy Castor (D-FL), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of the Treasury urging immediate action to roll back the Trump administration’s… Read more »