Representative Kathy Castor

Dear friend,

I hope this finds you safe and well. On Tuesday I was overjoyed to represent our community as President Biden honored the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the White House! Thanks Bucs for giving us so much to cheer for during a difficult year.

And we have more reason to celebrate…

Talented Floridians, including Hillsborough’s own Erriyon Knighton, are set to represent the United States in the Olympics. We all will be cheering on the Team USA women’s softball team which is being coached by our own USF Women’s Softball Coach Ken Eriksen! As we gather together, please be safe and remember that Covid19 is still a present threat to public health. Cases are rising in the Florida especially due to the more infectious Delta variant. The safe and effective Covid19 vaccine is the best way to protect your loved ones and decrease your risk of serious illness and hospitalization. Get vaccinated as soon as you can!

There are plenty of convenient locations to receive your shot here in Tampa Bay. You can always find the latest information on my website – be sure to share with family and friends.

CHILD TAX CREDIT

The expanded Child Tax Credit- the tax cut for most families with children - is hitting family bank accounts now! Have any questions about this payment? United Way Suncoast is teaming up with the IRS for community information sessions on federal aid available to you through the American Rescue Plan. There will even be free tax preparation available – find out more information here.

CUBA

I love the Cuban people and have consistently advocated for families, human rights and a better life for our neighbors. Since the historic protests, I’ve urged President Biden to help empower the people of Cuba and sanction the communist oppressors. Today, President Biden unequivocally condemned “the mass detentions and sham trials that are unjustly sentencing to prison those who dared to speak out in an effort to intimidate and threaten the Cuban people into silence. The Cuban people have the same right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as all people. The United States stands with the brave Cubans who have taken to the streets to oppose 62 years of repression under a communist regime.”

The Administration is imposing new sanctions targeting elements of the Cuban regime responsible for the crackdown—the head of the Cuban military and the division of the Cuban Ministry of the Interior. This is just the beginning.

President Biden said, and I agree wholeheartedly: “our support for the Cuban people is unwavering and we are making sure Cuban Americans are a vital partner in our efforts to provide relief to suffering people on the Island. We are working with civil society organizations and the private sector to provide internet access to the Cuban people that circumvents the regime’s censorship efforts. We are reviewing our remittance policy to determine how we can maximize support to the Cuban people. And we are committed to restaffing our embassy in Havana to provide consular services to Cubans and enhance our ability to engage with civil society, while ensuring the safety of U.S. diplomats serving in Cuba. Advancing human dignity and freedom is a top priority for my Administration, and we will work closely with our partners throughout the region, including the Organization of American States, to pressure the regime to immediately release wrongfully detained political prisoners, restore internet access, and allow the Cuban people to enjoy their fundamental rights.”

RENEW YOUR PASSPORT

As you plan your travel, don’t forget to renew your passport! It takes a few months once you apply, so get it done now.

MY COMMITTEE

This week, my Energy and Commerce Committee passed a number of important, bipartisan bills pertaining to health and technology out of committee, including my legislation to increase HPV vaccination rates with an eye towards health equity. In addition to Covid19 vaccinations, it’s important to ensure children and adolescents receive their life-saving immunizations including the HPV vaccination that prevents certain types of cancer! Hillsborough County is holding free Back-2-School health clinics where your children can receive immunizations, health physicals and the Covid19 vaccine. Sign up here.

After these bills pass out of the Committee, they will head to the House Floor. I am urging all of my colleagues to support my Prevent HPV Cancers Act to educate our communities on lifesaving vaccinations!

VOTES THIS WEEK

H.R. 2467 – PFAS Action Act of 2021: This bipartisan legislation that I cosponsor aims to protect all Americans and our environment from harmful forever chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The package establishes a national drinking water standard for select PFAS chemicals, designates as hazardous to allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to clean up contaminated sites across the country, as well as list under the Clean Water Act, limits industrial discharges, and provides $200 million annually to assist water utilities and wastewater treatment.

H.R. 2668 – Consumer Protection and Recovery Act: This bill I cosponsored would restore the Federal Trade Commission’s ability to retrieve money for victims of fraud and scams, protecting our neighbors from the bad actors that have taken advantage of so many throughout the Covid19 pandemic, credit card scams, false treatments and beyond.

H.R. 3985 – Allies Act of 2021: This important bill is designed to protect our Afghan partners and expedite the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) process as the U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan. Over the years, our Afghan allies have worked with U.S. troops at great personal risk to themselves, and we must fulfill our promise to provide them safety in our country after years of their loyalty and service.

DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE STATUE UPDATE

The statue of educator & civil rights advocate, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, has started her journey to the U.S. Capitol following a ceremony in Italy. She will represent the State of Florida in the National Statuary Hall Collection and will be the first African American to represent any state in the collection. Dr. Bethune takes the place of an obscure confederate general who has represented Florida in the state collection since 1922. Dr. Bethune also will be one of only a few women to represent a state in the 100-statue collection.

The citizens of the State of Florida can take great pride in being represented by the great educator and civil rights icon, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. Her legacy and the sculpture will provide a symbol of unity, hope and reconciliation in a state and a country that continues to grapple with racial justice and equal rights for all. I am very proud to have helped spearhead the effort over a number of years.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at any time, 813-871-2817. Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Kathy Castor
Member of Congress