Welcome to Castor for Congress

Submitted by NGP Admin on February 8, 2006 - 11:57am.

It is time for a new direction!

Thank you for visiting our Castor for Congress campaign website!  We have a lot of work to do in 2008
Last November, the American people demanded a change in leadership and new direction for our nation. While I have helped take many steps toward change, I am just getting started.

Powerful interests in Washington often do not have the interests of hardworking middle class families at heart.  Help me continue to stand up for you in the face of special interests and focus on the priorities that families care about most, like fighting for health care, working on energy solutions, making education for our children affordable and a plan for success in Iraq and the broader war on terrorism. America needs a new direction. I understand our communities and will continue to bring fresh ideas to make a real change.

While I have brought change on many issues that are important to our communities, like making a college education more affordable, reforming health care, raising the minimum wage for hardworking Americans, tackling the culture of corruption in Washington, requiring better gas mileage and energy solutions, and demanding accountability from the Bush Administration, there is so much more to do.  

 

Our communities and families face so many challenges today, challenges that I am ready to continue to fight alongside you.
In order to set our country in the right direction, I need your support.  I invite you to get active in our campaign by sending a contribution todaysigning up for our updates, or by reading news about our reform efforts. I need your help every step of the way so please volunteer, make a financial contribution, and tell your friends about our campaign.  Thanks.
 
Kathy Castor    
U.S. Representative
Florida - District 11



Honor Soldiers While They Serve

Submitted by campaign on November 9, 2007 - 7:46pm.

By Kathy Castor

Tampa Tribune

With Veterans Day approaching, it's a good time to review important new initiatives under way here in the Tampa Bay area and in the nation's capital to honor our veterans and support our troops.

Our returning soldiers and veterans deserve the best medical care available. A new partnership between Tampa James A. Haley VA Medical Center and the University of South Florida Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Public Health was authorized in Congress.

The partnership will improve medical care for our most critically injured soldiers who suffer brain and spinal cord injuries. Haley and USF will collaborate and develop a plan for the highest quality medical care for doctors and medical centers across the country to use.

More doctors and better medical care for veterans are planned for VA hospitals across America after Haley Medical Director Dr. Steven G. Scott highlighted the shortage of physician residents - doctors in training.

An increase in the number of physician residents is now approved for Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country, including Haley VA Medical Center in Tampa and Bay Pines VA Healthcare System in St. Petersburg - an important improvement for the quality of care for returning soldiers and veterans.

We honor our veterans by providing the largest investment in veterans' health care in the VA's 77-year history. Our veterans need sweeping upgrades to medical care, mental health care and the disability claims process. I urge President Bush not to veto our landmark veterans' care bill which will arrive on his desk shortly.

In addition to health care, we will help our veterans transition back to the community once they return from combat. The Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2007 provides access capital so our veterans have an opportunity to start and support small businesses.

The Congress also granted troops, in their time of sacrifice, a pay raise in 2008 of 3.5 percent - 0.5 percent more than the President's budget request, and blocked fee increases in TRICARE and the TRICARE pharmacy program for service members and retirees.


Thanks to you Kathy is already at work in Washington

Submitted by NGP Admin on December 13, 2006 - 8:50pm.