U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize September 24, 2019 as National Voter Registration Day. 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 »

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Dena Gross Leavengood, a tireless advocate for Florida, our Tampa Bay community and indeed our planet. Her determined advocacy has left a profound impact on our community and almost impossible shoes to fill.  A Florida native, Dena graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Florida and received her… Read more »

Madam Speaker, I rise today in admiration and respect to honor the life and unselfish works of Amy Shimberg. Amy’s remarkable contributions to our hometown of Tampa had a tremendous impact on our neighbors and is worthy of recognition. She is survived by her five children and their spouses, 15 grandchildren, brother and numerous nieces and nephews who she loved very much. Amy was born,… 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 »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the following statement after a federal judge ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s expansion of the sale of short-term junk health insurance plans that do not meet standards set in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), could leave Americans on the hook for costly medical bills and discriminate against neighbors with preexisting conditions: Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) led her colleagues in passing the Raise the Wage Act, landmark legislation to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. According to independent economic analysis, the bill would increase pay for up to 33 million American workers including 129,600 neighbors in Tampa and Hillsborough County. Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) helped lead the U.S. House of Representatives in passing the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA provides for a 3.1 percent pay raise for military service members and a strong and a smart national defense strategy. U.S. Rep. Castor championed several important provisions in the bill that directly help MacDill Air Force Base service members and families, including tackling the mold problem in base housing and a new Tenants’ Bill of Rights. Read more »

Today Republicans, with the unfortunate support of our own State of Florida, pressed in court to destroy affordable health care coverage for millions of Floridians and Americans. If the GOP and President Trump prevail in Texas v. U.S. in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, coverage for preexisting conditions and other consumer protections will end. Read more »