Press Releases
Reps. Castro, Jayapal, Raskin, Scanlon Demand Answers Over Detention and Attempted Deportation of Mahmoud Khalil
WASHINGTON — Today, Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Ranking Member of the Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee, are leading 103 Members of Congress in demanding answers from Department of Homeland … Continue Reading
March 07, 2025
Reps. Castro, Tran Lead 40+ Democrats Demanding Immediate Action to Reverse Mass Firings of Veterans, Military Spouses
WASHINGTON — This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) led 41 of their colleagues to demand that the Trump administration halt the mass firings of veterans and military spouses from federal agencies and reverse previous terminations. In a letter sent yesterday, lawmakers expressed outrage at the administration’s callous disregard for military families and instructed the Office of Personnel Management to provide comprehensive data on the specific number of … Continue Reading
March 05, 2025
Congressman Castro Slams Trump-Musk Plan to Sabotage PACT Act Implementation with Mass Firings at the Department of Veterans Affairs
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement in response to reports that President Trump and Elon Musk plan to fire more than 80,000 employees who work at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including tens of thousands of employees who were hired in recent years to support implementation of the 2022 Honoring Our PACT Act: “San Antonio is home to more than 90,000 veterans who risked everything to serve our country. I challenge Trump and Elon Musk to … Continue Reading
March 05, 2025
Congressman Castro, 150+ Democrats Fight Back Against Trump-Musk Plan to Gut Social Security Workforce
WASHINGTON — On Monday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and more than 150 House Democrats sent an urgent demand to the acting head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), pushing to halt a Trump-Musk plan that would gut the Social Security workforce and threaten benefits for millions of American seniors. Multiple reports have indicated that the Trump administration is advancing plans to close Social Security field offices and significantly cut the SSA workforce. In San Antonio, more … Continue Reading
March 03, 2025
Congressman Castro Selects San Antonio Children’s Cancer Foundation Leader as Guest for 2025 Joint Address to Congress
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his guest for President Trump’s 2025 Joint Address to Congress will be Jason Massiatte, the President and CEO of Ma Hila’s Heart Children’s Cancer Foundation in San Antonio. Ma Hila’s Heart provides critical support to families battling childhood cancer, offering financial assistance, mental health resources, and respite care, among other services. On Tuesday, March 4 at 3:30 pm CT / 4:30 pm ET, Congressman Castro and Mr. … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
“Heroes in the Firing Line:” Congressman Castro Slams Trump’s Attacks on American Veterans During Introduction of Protect Veteran Jobs Act
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) joined veterans and fellow Democrats in a press conference on Capitol Hill to slam the Trump administration’s unjustified and illegal mass layoff of American veterans who work for the federal government. Castro’s district in San Antonio is home to more than 50,000 veterans and thousands of military families. During Wednesday’s press conference, Congressman Castro joined Congressman Derek Tran (CA-45) and 45 co-sponsors to introduce … Continue Reading
February 28, 2025
Statement from Congressman Castro on Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement after President Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s disastrous Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Today, Donald Trump and JD Vance disgraced the United States of America. They did so not in the usual manner, as mendacious candidates on the stump, but as the highest representatives of our government in the most official … Continue Reading
February 27, 2025
Reps. Castro, García, Velázquez Lead Resolution Opposing U.S. Military Action Against Mexico
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led nearly two dozen members of Congress in introducing a resolution reaffirming the United States’ commitment to respecting Mexico’s sovereignty. The resolution condemns any call for U.S. military action in Mexico without authorization from the U.S. Congress … Continue Reading
February 24, 2025
Congressman Castro Leads Top Foreign Affairs, Appropriations Democrats in Fight to Protect Development Aid to Latin America
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, led six top-ranking Foreign Affairs and Appropriations Democrats in a letter expressing strong opposition to the Trump administration’s illegal attempt to eliminate the Inter-American Foundation and end lifesaving and stabilizing development work in Latin America and the Caribbean. Today’s letter was signed by Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), ranking … Continue Reading
February 20, 2025
Congressman Castro Demands Answers from Trump Administration on Mass Firings at the Department of Veterans Affairs
Read the full letter HERE SAN ANTONIO — Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), who represents more than 50,000 San Antonio veterans, joined dozens of House Democrats in a letter last Saturday to demand answers and accountability from the Trump administration’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs after mass firings that affected more than 1,000 VA employees, many of whom are service-disabled veterans or military spouses. “The Administration’s late-night actions on February 13, 2025, to terminate over … Continue Reading
February 18, 2025
Congressman Castro, Texas Democrats Fight to Protect Clean Air and Drinking Water from Trump-Musk DOGE Agenda
Read Friday’s letter HERE SAN ANTONIO — On Friday February 14th, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), and eleven of their Democratic colleagues from the Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana delegations sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding that the Trump administration reverse the illegal firing of hundreds of EPA employees who perform critical and nonpartisan work … Continue Reading
February 15, 2025
Congressman Castro, House Foreign Affairs Leaders Urge U.S. Engagement at CARICOM Conference
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congresswoman Yvette Clark (NY-09), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus, and Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett (VI-ATL) sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the State Department to send a high-level U.S. delegation to the 48th Regular … Continue Reading
February 15, 2025
Congressman Castro Calls on Trump Administration to Reverse Harmful Cuts to Medical Research in Texas
Read Friday’s Letter HERE WASHINGTON — On Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and all Democrats in the Texas delegation to Congress sent an urgent request for the Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to reverse harmful changes in the funding structure for federal research grants that could risk lifesaving medical research in Texas and across the country. While a federal judge has temporarily halted these changes, the future … Continue Reading
February 14, 2025
Congressman Castro Announces Appointment to Board of Trustees for National Museum of the American Latino
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement after the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) voted to appoint him to the Board of Trustees for the National Museum of the American Latino: “The National Museum of the American Latino is a beacon of light for our communities,” said Congressman Castro. “I am deeply honored to earn the trust of my colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as our representative to the Board of Trustees. As a member of … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
Congressman Castro Demands Action from President Trump to Lower Egg Prices and Confront Spread of Avian Flu
Read today’s letter HERE WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and more than 30 members of the Congressional Dads Caucus sent a letter demanding immediate action from President Trump to tackle the skyrocketing price of eggs, which is placing a significant financial strain on working families and small businesses in San Antonio. “As members of the Congressional Dads Caucus, we write to demand immediate action from your administration to address the skyrocketing price of eggs. … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
“These decisions will come back to haunt the United States:” Congressman Castro Slams Trump Administration’s Dismantling of USAID
WASHINGTON — Today, during a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) emphasized the dire consequences of shuttering the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), slamming the Trump administration’s attacks on the agency as a gift to dictators and strongmen who oppose USAID’s work to promote democracy around the world. Congressman Castro is the ranking member (the highest-ranking Democrat) on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee … Continue Reading
February 13, 2025
WATCH: Congressman Castro Honors Dr. Joseph “Joe” Bernal in House Floor Speech
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to honor Dr. Joseph “Joe” Bernal, a veteran, educator, and champion for bilingual education and Hispanic civil rights in Texas who served in the Texas House of Representatives, the Texas Senate, and the Texas State Board of Education. Dr. Bernal passed away on January 25, 2025 at 97 years old. Congressman Castro’s remarks (as delivered) are below: I rise to honor the … Continue Reading
February 06, 2025
OPM Letter - National Security Spouses
OPM Letter Regarding National Security Spouses and Telework … Continue Reading
February 06, 2025
Castro, Van Hollen, Booker Lead House and Senate Democrats in Push to Protect Military, National Security Families from Forced Attrition
WASHINGTON - This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD), and Senator Cory Booker (NJ) led House and Senate Democrats in a letter asking the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to explicitly exempt military and national security families from the Trump administration’s new restrictions on telework and remote work for federal employees. Spousal employment challenges are a major cause of forced attrition in both the military and the national security community. … Continue Reading
February 04, 2025
Reps. Castro, Escobar, Frost, and Senator Durbin Introduce Stop Arming Cartels Act
Bicameral legislation builds on the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to prevent trafficking of high-caliber weapons from the United States WASHINGTON — This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10), and Senator Dick Durbin (IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led the bicameral introduction of the Stop Arming … Continue Reading