Dear friend,
Great news for Earth Day! Today I am thrilled to announce - along with the Biden-Harris NOAA officials - two grants for Tampa Bay and Gulf of Mexico restoration and resilience funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act:
1. Restore America’s Estuaries – led locally by Tampa Bay Watch – awarded $4.9M to restore oyster reef habitat in the Gulf of Mexico. Shells will be collected from restaurants, recycled, and restored to oyster reef restoration sites. Shell recycling and oyster reef restoration is designed to habitat for a diverse species, including recreationally and commercially important fish and their prey. Benefits to communities will include shoreline protection from waves and water quality improvements.
2. Pinellas County, Keep Pinellas Beautiful, and the Tampa Bay Estuary Program will remove more than 200,000 tires from Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico that were placed in the 1960s-1980s as artificial reefs with a $2.25M grant.
Meanwhile in the House, Republicans continue to spin their wheels on hearings and policies that do not move America forward. Democrats are delivering on policies to create jobs, lower costs, protect Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and safeguard other critical initiatives.
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Do you support the Republican plans to end infrastructure and clean energy investments?
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Submit survey to sign up for updates on my work in Congress.*
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Local partners have joined me to create “Centro de Bienvenida” for people fleeing communist Cuba, Haiti and other countries via new humanitarian parole. Our state is rich with a wide range of diversity and cultures, and I continue to work in Congress for fair pathways to citizenship and opportunities to achieve the American Dream. The sooner you get a job, the sooner you can afford housing and the sooner you can be on a successful path in life. That’s why my Centro de Bienvenida is bringing together local partners from skill centers, health care, and schools to help those beginning their lives in the United States. Our next Centro de Beinvenida event is Monday, May 15th from 10 AM – Noon at Egypt Lake Recreation Center. Spread the word to your neighbors who may benefit.
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From outlining the ways that nuclear energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act are bolstering energy security to speaking with Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan about the need to commit to keeping children safe online, it has been a busy week in my Energy and Commerce Committee. Many of you share my concerns about updating federal protections for kids using the internet – I’m proud to announce that my Kids Privacy Act will be reintroduced on Monday to finally give parents peace of mind and hold companies that are exploiting and surveilling children accountable.
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Tomorrow is Earth Day, and ahead of this important day I was glad to reintroduce a package of three clean energy bills to boost access to solar energy and help Americans power their homes with lower costing clean energy. Expanding access to affordable, clean energy will save families money on their utility bills, create jobs in communities across America, reduce pollution, and improve public health across the board. Extreme MAGA Republicans in D.C. want to take away the benefits of the transition to cleaner, cheaper energy sources that are being made more accessible than ever by the new tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act. My new bills will only smooth the path towards solar and other renewable energy sources. Let’s act now to improve our electric grid, cut the cost of electric bills and harness the power of the sun here in the Sunshine State and across the nation. You can read about the bills here.
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Thank you to all of our neighbors who participated in last night’s telephone town hall – we were joined by State Representative Lindsay Cross as well as the Tampa Bay Estuary Program’s Director Ed Sherwood and Assistant Director Maya Burke. I look forward to continuing conversations on how we can all work together to protect water quality and safeguard our way of life here in the Sunshine State. You can listen to a recording of the town hall here. If you couldn’t make yesterday’s call, I look forward to speaking to you on another telephone town hall soon.
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H.R. 734 – “Politics Over Participation Act”: As a member of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and Equality Caucus, I’m focused on real solutions to pressing issues impacting women’s and girls’ sports. I will not let anti-LGBTQI+ Republicans use ‘protecting women’ as an excuse for discrimination. I voted NO on this bill.
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H.J.Res. 42 – This disapproval resolution would nullify the D.C. Council’s recently passed “Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act,” which permanently extends the temporary law enforcement transparency and accountability measures that D.C. passed after the murder of George Floyd. I voted NO on this resolution.
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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. |
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Sincerely,
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Kathy Castor
Member of Congress
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