The long-overdue, bipartisan education reform bill, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), received final passage today in Congress and is now headed to President Obama’s desk for signature. Read more »

The $305 billion transportation bill approved by Congress last week could prove beneficial locally in highway improvements and by providing more funding and planning capabilities for Port Tampa Bay and the regional bus system. Read more »

After numerous stopgap measures used over the past several years to merely keep transportation funding afloat, a bipartisan agreement for the long-stalled transportation and infrastructure bill passed the House and Senate yesterday and is on its way to the President to be signed into law. The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act will invest $281 billion in local communities across the country over the next five years, boosting Florida’s share of the Federal Highway Funding by more than $890 million. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) applauded yesterday’s passage of the bipartisan education reform bill in the U.S. House of Representative yesterday and encouraged Pinellas and Hillsborough School Districts to renew their focus on the achievement gap. The Every Student Succeeds Act replaces No Child Left Behind, which was overdue for reauthorization and reform. Democrats fought off radical cuts proposed by the GOP that would have cut $437 million from Florida public schools over the coming years. Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) urged House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan and House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Rep. Fred Upton to disband the Select Panel to Attack Women’s Health, which targets Planned Parenthood without justification. Read more »

Mr. Speaker: I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary leader of the Tampa Bay community, John Germany. His remarkable career in public service and his many contributions to our community are worthy of recognition by all. Read more »

To combat the ever-evolving terrorist threat, our military must have the flexibility to adapt to the tactics of the radical jihadis, and the Global Coalition to Counter IS must contribute more to the effort. Specifically, America’s Special Forces must have the most modern intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tools to battle terrorist extremists and to keep us safe. Read more »

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) released the following statement regarding H.R. 4038. Please also see U.S. Rep. Castor’s op-ed, “To combat Islamic State, strengthen Special Forces and insist on more help from other nations,” published today. Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor sent a letter to Sunil Gulati,  president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, urging the Federation to support and advocate for FIFA reform that places a stronger emphasis on girls’ and women’s soccer across the globe. Rep. Castor also called for greater gender balance in the governance of FIFA. Rep. Castor states in her letter: “[a]s Co-Chair of… Read more »

Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor announced a $600,000 U.S. Department of Justice grant to Gulfcoast Legal Services in Pinellas County to bolster assistance to human trafficking victims in the Tampa Bay area. Read more »