Representative Kathy Castor

Dear Friend:

I can’t wait to cheer on the Buccaneers this Sunday in our hometown Super Bowl! Please stay safe while we root on the Bucs to victory.

Wednesday, I paid respects to US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick on behalf of our community. President Biden and Vice President Harris honored Officer Sicknick as well. I felt the weight of the pall that remains over the Capitol and the country as I prayed for Officer Sicknick in the Capitol Rotunda a few weeks after the violent attack at the heart of our democracy. He and the other officers who stood in the breach that day are true heroes.

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, I am focused on working with President Biden to accelerate vaccine distribution and deliver aid home to support our neighbors in need. We must use every tool at our disposal to crush COVID-19, keep families afloat and help children return to school safely. The Congress will pass a budget resolution this week to clear a path for President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. We must come together to deliver emergency aid to carry us through both the health and related economic crises. Read more about the American Rescue Plan here.

I am particularly concerned that Florida failed to plan ahead for vaccine distribution in an equitable way especially for hard-hit communities of color and those without access to a Publix or appointments. This week, I wrote President Biden regarding my concerns with Gov. DeSantis’ disjointed rollout. I am thankful that the Biden Administration has a national strategy – it’s critical that we leave no one behind.

My team is working hard to compile the most up-to-date information on vaccines in Tampa and Hillsborough County, and you can access that information here.

My Committees

Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing entitled "Road to Recovery: Ramping Up COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing, and Medical Supply Chain." In Florida, we have seen a troubling pattern of withholding and censoring data regarding nursing home infections and deaths, overall mortality data and more. Now is the time to increase transparency and strengthen our public health infrastructure, and I’m working in Congress to do so.

The Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce held an important hearing entitled "Safeguarding American Consumers: Fighting Fraud and Scams During the Pandemic." Bad actors continue to try and scam our neighbors throughout the pandemic, and we must take serious action to protect seniors and families and hold fraudsters accountable.

If you believe you have received a solicitation that is a scam, report it to Hillsborough County - Consumer and Veterans Services or the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services by filing a consumer complaint. Call at 1-800-HELP-FLA or 1-800-FL-AYUDA for Spanish speakers, or file a complaint online at FloridaConsumerHelp.com.

Votes This Week

H.R. 447 – National Apprenticeship Act of 2021 amends the National Apprenticeship Act to invest in our workforce by prioritizing skills training and increasing access to trade schools. It will connect our Tampa neighbors to better jobs and better wages, as apprenticeship opportunities are direct pathways to high-paying, stable jobs that you can raise a family on.

H.Con.Res. 11 – Establishing the congressional budget for the U.S. Government for fiscal year 2021 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2022 through 2030: Passage of this resolution will allow for House Democrats to take decisive action and pass the American Rescue Plan to send aid home to families, small businesses, schools, hospitals, and more. It’s critical to crushing the coronavirus, saving lives and livelihoods, and getting our economy back on track.

H.Res. 72 – Removing a certain Member from certain standing committees of the House of Representatives: I support removing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from the Education Committee after her harassment of a student victim of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, FL came to light. In any other workplace, if someone threatened coworkers, espoused dangerous conspiracy theories and cheered on QAnon, they would be terminated entirely.

Thank you to all of our neighbors who joined my telephone town hall yesterday with local experts to answer your questions on COVID-19 and resources available to you. If you missed Wednesday's event, you can watch it here.

As always, my office is here to help you at 813-871-2817. Stay safe and healthy. Let’s go Bucs!

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor
Member of Congress