Representative Kathy Castor

Dear friend,

I am more focused than ever on lowering costs, making our streets safer, and investing in neighborhoods to make them more resilient to flooding. I was thrilled to announce a major new investment in the historic Palmetto Beach neighborhood – a $24,467,804 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to the City of Tampa.

Palmetto Beach, south of Ybor City and near Port Tampa Bay, is rich in history but hasn’t received much investment over the decades.

Thanks to President Biden’s landmark Infrastructure law, the city will reconstruct the seawall, improve roads, upgrade sidewalks, add pedestrian crossings, plant trees and much more. Read more about this historic investment here. Thanks to Mayor Jane Castor, her team and neighborhood leaders, too.

DO YOU SUPPORT FEDERAL INVESTMENTS TO REDUCE RESIDENTIAL FLOODING?

YES

NO

I DON'T KNOW

MY COMMITTEE WORK

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee dove into the latest sports doping scandal with the help of Olympic champions Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) turned a blind eye to negative tests of Chinese swimmers. We intend to hold them accountable and work to ensure a fair playing field in international competitions. Watch here.

In the Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee, Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and I discussed strategic ways to grow our economy, lower costs for families, making America more competitive.

Local small business accelerators like Tampa Bay Wave and the St. Pete Innovation District are boosting our local entrepreneurs through a recent NOAA grant for an Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators initiative funded by the landmark Inflation Reduction Act.

This entrepreneur and business-centric approach will help promote new technology that we can deploy to protect our precious coastal environments and strengthen communities’ resilience in the face of climate change. Watch my remarks here.

In the Innovation, Data and Commerce Subcommittee, Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and I discussed strategic ways to grow our economy, lower costs for families, making America more competitive.

Local small business accelerators like Tampa Bay Wave and the St. Pete Innovation District are boosting our local entrepreneurs through a recent NOAA grant for an Ocean-Based Climate Resilience Accelerators initiative funded by the landmark Inflation Reduction Act.

This entrepreneur and business-centric approach will help promote new technology that we can deploy to protect our precious coastal environments and strengthen communities’ resilience in the face of climate change.

VOTES THIS WEEK

Republican extremists in the House offered horrendous spending bills H.R. 8752 – Department of Homeland Security, H.R. 8771 – Department of State/Foreign Operations, and H.R. 8774 – Department of Defense that undermine America’s national security and capitulate to tyrants on the world stage. I opposed them all and am thankful that they will not become law.

PEOPLE OVER POLITICS

As your voice in Congress, I promise to defend your freedoms and your neighborhoods. The Surgeon General issued a gun violence public health advisory this week due to the epidemic of death by firearm.

Local law enforcement officials, State Rep. Diane Hart, advocates, and I gathered to urge neighbors to safely secure their firearms as too many are stolen and used in crimes. We also urged Republican lawmakers to pass common-sense gun safety legislation like background checks. Gun violence is a public health emergency, and we can’t allow this epidemic to continue to plague everyday life.

I held a roundtable with Tampa Bay area LGBTQ+ advocates, health care providers and government leaders to commit to keeping St. Petersburg and Tampa inclusive for all and embrace our vibrant diversity. Our LGBTQ+ neighbors deserve to live freely and safely. I see and hear you and promise to continue fighting for you.

I trust women to decide their own pathways in life. Two years after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, it is evident Donald Trump's appointed Supreme Court Justices and extreme MAGA agenda will stop at nothing to ban abortion nationwide. I will always work tirelessly to ensure that women have the right to make personal, private decisions about their bodies, families and futures.

As always, you can call my office at (813) 871-2817 or (727) 369-0201.

I hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor

Member of Congress