La noticia sobre los planes del presidente Barack Obama de hacer una visita oficial a Cuba no ha hecho sino reforzar la postura de la congresista demcrata, Kathy Castor, de seguir construyendo ms puentes de intercambio y poner fin al embargo. 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 »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary leader and pillar of the St. Petersburg community, Mr. Thomas “Jet” Jackson, this Black History Month. I am proud to pay tribute to African American men and women who exemplify the spirit of altruism and selfless service. Read more »

Mr. Speaker: I rise today to honor the accomplishments of a true champion of progress during Black History Month and all year long, Barbara Shorter. Her invaluable contributions to the Tampa Bay community is an inspiration to us all. Today, I am grateful to recognize her selfless dedication and honor her valuable service to our community. 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 »

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) called for a congressional hearing with experts on the Zika virus as soon as possible in a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee and its Subcommittees on Health and Oversight and Investigations. U.S. Rep. Castor serves on both subcommittees. U.S. Rep. Castor is pressing for the most up-to-date information from public health experts on Zika's current and potential impact in the United States, especially in Gulf states like Florida, which has been designated as an area of year-round risk. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Castor represents Florida's 14th District, which includes parts of both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Castor was first elected to Congress in 2006. Before that, she served on the Hillsborough County Commission and chaired the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission. She is the author of the Florida Coastal Protection Act to make the drilling ban for waters up to 235 miles off Florida's west coast permanent. In 2013, the Center for Democracy in the Americas presented her with the Courage in Congress Award for her work in changing U.S. policy toward Cuba. Politics run in her family. She is the daughter of former Hillsborough County Judge Don Castor and former University of South Florida president and statewide-elected Education Commissioner Betty Castor. Read more »

With more than 400 WWII veterans dying each day, the National WWII Museum estimates there are less than 700,000 living in 2016, with 65,000 in Florida -- Emanuel P. Johnson, 94, is one of them. Following his brave tour of duty in Germany, Mr. Johnson settled with his family in Tampa and helped to cultivate the Progress Village community. Mr. Johnson’s oral history has been captured and will be forever memorialized when it is presented to the U.S. Library of Congress by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor as part of the Veterans History Project. Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and to honor the life of an extraordinary leader and passionate advocate for freedom and justice, Ms. Patricia Spencer. Read more »

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary leader and pillar of the Tampa Bay legal community, Mr. Delano Stewart. Read more »