Representative Kathy Castor

Dear friend,

It was a good week for democracy this week as the House passed the Protecting Our Democracy Act and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that contain important reforms to strengthen America. Similar to the post-Watergate Congress, it is vital that Congress address recent abuses of power. The Protecting Our Democracy Act aims to strengthen guardrails that were tested by the former president, including on presidential pardons, the submittal their personal tax returns for presidential candidates, and clarity on any foreign or domestic emoluments.

The NDAA provides a 2.7 percent pay raise for our troops, expands family and medical leave, and reforms the prosecution of sexual assault and harassment. Through the NDAA, I worked to improve the health assessments for special forces and for better base housing for our service members and their families. This follows up on my work to ensure that housing is safe and free from mold and shoddy construction. This bipartisan defense bill will bolster our national security and invest in new, innovative technologies to maintain America’s competitive edge over our adversaries including Russia and China.

The Senate must do everything in its power to send this bill to President Biden’s desk without delay.

This week, I hosted SOCOM Commander, General Richard Clarke, along with my bipartisan colleagues who lead the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Caucus. The SOF Caucus provides an opportunity for Members and staff to learn more about the U.S. Special Operations. I was pleased that the NDAA included investments in SOF that emanated from a bipartisan congressional delegation visit to Tampa earlier in the year. I look forward to continuing to advocate for these quiet professionals and their families.

CHILD TAX CREDIT

The final 2021 payment of the expanded Child Tax Credit- the tax cut for most families with children - is hitting family bank accounts on December 15! I have heard from so many Tampa families about how this tax credit has been a lifeline, providing an extra boost to purchase food, diapers, new clothes and so much more.

I’d love to hear how this payment has helped you and your family here.

LATEST COVID19 RESOURCES

The best protection against the Omicron variant is getting fully vaccinated and receiving your Covid19 booster. Take time to get vaccinated this holiday season by finding a convenient Tampa location at http://vaccines.gov. The Covid19 vaccine is safe and effective for all of our neighbors aged 5+!

Take time to get vaccinated in order to stay safe and enjoy time with loved ones!

MY COMMITTEE

My Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled, "The Future of Biomedicine: Translating Biomedical Research into Personalized Health Care."

My Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce held a hearing entitled, "Holding Big Tech Accountable: Legislation to Build a Safer Internet." As more and more children find themselves with access to smart devices, it is critical we take steps to protect them from harmful and damaging content online. At this hearing to build a safer internet, we will discuss my KIDS Act to implement key safeguards to protect young people’s wellbeing online and rein in the relentless and dangerous actions of manipulative marketers and Big Tech.

My Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled, “Cleaner, Cheaper Energy: Climate Investments to Help Families and Businesses.” Clean energy has the potential to make electricity bills and transportation costs cheaper for families across America. We will hear from experts on how investments in the House-passed Build Back Better Act will help families avoid the volatility of natural gas and oil prices, make long-term progress to reduce energy prices across the board, and help businesses achieve their clean energy goals.

VOTES THIS WEEK

H.R. 5487 – SHINE for Autumn Act: The House passed my bipartisan bill to to invest in research and solutions to lower the stillbirth rate in the United States and address disparities that exist in all stages of pregnancy. The loss of a child is a tragedy that far too many of our neighbors have suffered, and this legislation will work to improve health outcomes in pregnancies.

H.R. 5314 – Protecting our Democracy Act: This sweeping package of reforms will strengthen America’s democratic institutions against future presidents, regardless of political party, who seek to abuse the power of their office for corrupt purposes. By passing this bill, we will move to restore the American people’s faith in our government and ensure that no one, not even the president, is above the law.

House Amendment to S. 1605 – National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022: Our men and women in uniform risk their lives daily to protect our families, our nation and our interests across the globe. We owe them the support necessary to meet ever-changing national security threats, and that’s why I am pleased that we have a path forward to overcome Senate Republican obstruction of the passage of the NDAA.

Passage of House Amendment to S. 610 – Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act: This week, the House moved to address the debt limit and prevent a catastrophic debt default. In addition, this legislation prevents several cuts to Medicare that would have negatively impacted hospitals and doctors as we continue to confront the COVID-19 pandemic.

H.R. 1155 – Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act: This bill would create a “rebuttable presumption” that any goods made in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) are made with forced labor and prohibited from entering the United States unless “clear and convincing” evidence is shown to the contrary. This legislation is key to countering human rights abuses committed by the Chinese Communist Party – including the genocide being perpetrated against the Uyghur people and makes clear that the government of China must be held accountable for its crimes.

BUILDING BACK BETTER FOR

TAMPA BAY

All of our neighbors have reason to be excited about the president signing the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law. On Monday, I met with local labor leaders to update them on this historic legislation, and they shared how they are already ramping up skill trades training and apprenticeships in anticipation of the impact this package will have on Tampa Bay. As we rebuild our roads, bridges and water infrastructure, we will create good-paying, family sustaining jobs right here in Tampa.

Stay safe and know that my office is here to help at 813-871-2817.

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor
Member of Congress