Representative Kathy Castor

Dear friend,

I am excited to share some great news: The deadline to submit your intent to file for PACT Act benefits has been extended to August 14^th at 11:59 PM EST! This historic legislation signed into law by President Biden makes good on the promise we have to take care of our Veterans, just as they have taken care of us and our country.

Visit va.gov/pact to submit your intent to file so you can earn benefits backdated to August 10^th, 2022.

BACK TO SCHOOL!

I wish my neighbors who are students, parents, teachers, or administrators’ good luck this 2023-2024 school year! I am grateful for our teachers in Hillsborough and Pinellas County and the critical role they play in our children’s lives.

My office has great opportunities in the Fall for middle and high school students:

Interested in serving at our country & attending one of America’s prestigious service academies?

Please join my office on September 30th from 9 AM – Noon to meet with representatives from our nation’s service academies! Students and parents are welcome to attend to learn about the congressional nomination process and ROTC scholarships. Students can apply for a nomination to a U.S. Service Academy here.

Student and parents must RSVP to gain access to MacDill Air Force Base. RSVP by September 23^rd here.

Apply to my Congressional App Challenge if you attend a middle or high school in FL14 or have a home address in FL14!

Apps are due by November 1^st, 2023 and no experience is required. Register today for yourself, or in a team of 4.

The winner will have the incredible opportunity to present their app to lawmakers on Capitol Hill this spring. Click here for more information.

Don’t forget this school year to set guardrails on your students’ cellphone and social media usage so they can be successful in their learning and maintain positive mental health. Check out my back-to-school checklist for parents when navigating online protections for students.

SHOULD BIG TECH PLATFORMS BE ALLOWED TO TRACK CHILDREN ONLINE, TARGET THEM WITH ADVERTISEMENTS AND MORE?

YES

NO

I DON'T KNOW

ONE YEAR OF THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the historic CHIPS and Science Act signed by President Biden into law! Thanks to this legislation, we are strengthening our supply chains, creating good-paying jobs to bolster our ‘Make it in America’ economic strategy, and investing in cleaner, cheaper energy for electric vehicles and kitchen appliances – saving you your hard-earned money!

As always, my office is here to help by calling (727) 369-0201 or (813) 871-2817 to receive assistance with casework or other concerns. People over Politics, always!

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor
Member of Congress