Representative Kathy Castor

Dear friend,

It is wonderful to work with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to solve problems and deliver for my hardworking Tampa Bay neighbors. President Biden can be proud of his legacy as he summarized Wednesday night:

“Today we have the strongest economy in the world, creating nearly 16 million new jobs — a record. Wages are up, inflation continues to come down, the racial wealth gap is the lowest it’s been in 20 years. We are literally rebuilding our entire nation... Manufacturing has come back to America. We are leading the world again in chips and science and innovation. We finally beat Big Pharma, after all these years, to lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors… More people have health care today in America than ever before. I signed one of the most significant laws helping millions of veterans and their families who were exposed to toxic materials. You know, [the] most significant climate law ever, ever in the history of the world. The first major gun safety law in 30 years… We are a nation of promise and possibilities. Of dreamers and doers. Of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things.”

Rep. Kathy Castor with President Biden in Oval Office for signing of the Inflation Reduction Act

President Biden’s agenda, including the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and clean energy plan, is having an incredible impact across the Tampa Bay area. Through these investments, we’re rebuilding our nation’s roads and bridges while making our communities more resilient to extreme weather fueled by climate change.

Thank you, Mr. President. You have made a huge difference in the lives of my Tampa Bay neighbors.

WATCH OUT FOR SNEAKY SCAMS!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our telephone town hall this week regarding scam artists who rob consumers of their hard-earned cash. The Federal Trade Commission Southeast Director discussed tips to avoid being scammed, and many neighbors shared their personal stories.

Here are some helpful tips: consumer.ftc.gov - Scams

Report fraud to the FTC here: ReportFraud.ftc.gov - FAQ, in addition to local law enforcement

Listen to the full conversation here.

Have you encountered scams online or through phone calls or texts?

Yes

No

I don't know

VOTES THIS WEEK

Electric bills in Florida are sky-high, so I fight back when Republicans in Congress propose legislation that would make energy bills go up. The GOP offered a Project 2025 - “Polluters first” bill that I opposed on the floor. The Energy and Water funding bill was so extreme it eventually was pulled before the final vote.

H.R. 8998, another Project 2025 funding bill, was passed by Republicans that guts support for National Parks and opens up public lands and waters to drilling and mining for Big Oil. I voted “no”.

Finally, instead of working on a bipartisan bill to reform immigration and border laws, the GOP offered H.Res. 1371, which criticizes Vice President Harris.

CHECKING IN WITH MY NEIGHBORS

Rep. Castor meets with leaders at MacDill Air Force Base

MacDill Air Force Base leaders and I discussed improvements to Tinker K-8 school on base, housing, and the timeline for the new KC-46 tanker jets. Thank you to the Tampa Bay community for supporting our military families who serve at MacDill.

Rep. Castor meets with leaders of Project I Can

High school students involved in “Project I Can” are matched with Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Department mentors to learn life skills and prepare for college. I enjoyed listening to their goals and am committed to fighting for community project support to help them succeed in life.

Rep. Castor hosts roundtable with local union

Many pensions across America were saved when we passed the American Rescue Plan, and local union leaders provided an update on the outlook for workers, apprenticeships and projects. Democrats' historic Infrastructure and Clean Energy Laws are creating thousands of jobs and projects that need skilled labor. These are great, good-paying careers.

Rep. Castor visits with St. Anthony’s Hospital summer high school volunteers

I enjoyed visiting with St. Anthony’s Hospital summer high school volunteers. These students are incredibly talented and selfless and spend their summers assisting patients, from directing patients to where they need to go to offering cookies to those waiting to be discharged from surgery. Thank you for your service to our neighbors.

Rep. Castor and State Rep. Lindsay Cross tour Riviera Bay

St. Pete City Council Member Brandi Gabbard and Riviera Bay neighbors hosted a neighborhood tour for me, Mayor Ken Welch, State Representative Lindsay Cross and others as the neighborhood continues to grapple with flooding and costly repairs. Many solutions involve stormwater upgrades, greater resilience and stopping the pollution that is heating the planet and causing sea levels to rise. If you have issues with FEMA or the SBA when weatherizing your home, call my office and my caseworkers are here to help.

MY OFFICE IS HERE TO ASSIST YOU!

Do you have a casework issue related to passports, Social Security, Medicare, the IRS or Veterans Affairs? My office is here to help you cut through the red tape of federal agencies.

You can call my office at (813) 871-2817 or (727) 369-0201 for assistance.

I hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor

Member of Congress