Press Releases
Chairman Castro Launches Investigation of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Participation in the Republican National Convention
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, sent a letter to Deputy Secretary Biegun opening an investigation and demanding answers on Secretary Pompeo's participation in a political party convention in the course of official government work, which is a potential violation of federal regulations, U.S. State Department policy, and the Hatch Act. According to multiple … Continue Reading
August 20, 2020
Chairman Castro Statement on Trump Administration Attempt to Invoke Snapback Sanctions on Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee released the following statement on Trump administration attempt to invoke snapback sanctions on Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA): "Last week, the Trump Administration embarrassed the United States on the world stage when it failed to convince our allies and adversaries to extend the arms embargo … Continue Reading
August 18, 2020
MEDIA ADVISORY: Tomorrow Congressman Joaquin Castro Will Tour GMF San Antonio Post Office and Hold Press Conference
SAN ANTONIO, TX - Tomorrow, August 19, 2020, Congressman Joaquin Castro will hold a press conference after touring the GMF San Antonio Post Office. The tour will be closed to press, per USPS guidance, and the Congressman will update members of the media afterwards. Today, after national mail delays and public outrage, Postmaster General DeJoy announced that all changes being made to the U.S. Postal Service will now be suspended until after the November 3 election. Here's Congressman Castro's … Continue Reading
August 18, 2020
Chairmen Castro, Bera, Deutch Demand Answers Trump Administration on Saudi Arabia Nuclear Program
WASHINGTON - Today, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Vice Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of its Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation, and Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism, sent Secretary of State Michael Pompeo a letter demanding information on recent … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Castro, Titus Introduce Promotion Accessibility Act
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20),Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, and Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-1), today introduced The Promotion Accessibility Act. This legislation would ensure that any foreign service officer who is up for promotion at the State … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
ICYMI: Castro, Blumenauer, Bonamici, Garcia Unveil Appropriations Amendments to Defund Trump’s Secret Police
WASHINGTON—In response to the Trump administration’s continued occupation of Portland, Oregon and the president’s threat to expand such operations to other cities, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor … Continue Reading
July 21, 2020
Congressman Castro Announces He Will Seek House Foreign Affairs Chairmanship
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement announcing his intention to run for Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee: "We need a new generation of foreign policy leadership with a … Continue Reading
July 16, 2020
Subcommittees Oppose Potentially Dangerous Language and Raise Public Health Concerns in the State Department’s Unalienable Rights Draft Report and Release Event
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Today, Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8), Chairman of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, issued the following statement after the State Department revealed a draft report from the Commission on Unalienable Rights. "Based on Secretary Pompeo's remarks today and an initial review of the report, it seems that our fears about the … Continue Reading
July 14, 2020
Castro, Scott, Others Urge Department of Labor to Reverse Work Visa Ban
WASHINGTON-Today, in response to the Trump Administration's June executive proclamation suspending all work visas during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-3), Chair of the Education and … Continue Reading
July 01, 2020
Castro Joins Curtis, Others in Leading Bipartisan Coalition to Introduce The Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, joined Congressman John Curtis (R-UT), in leading a bipartisan coalition to introduce the Hong Kong Safe Harbor Act, which would designate the people of Hong Kong as Priority 2 refugees, … Continue Reading
June 29, 2020
Castro, Omar Urge USAID to Rescind its Appointment of Mark Kevin Lloyd as USAID Religious Freedom Adviser
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20),Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (MN-5),today urged USAID to rescind its appointment of Mark Kevin Lloyd as USAID Religious Freedom Adviser. Mr. Lloyd has a proven track record of prejudice towards … Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Castro Floor Speech on George Floyd Justice in Policing Act
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today delivered the below floor speech on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act: "For far too long, far too many people have lost their lives to police brutality. And for far too long, the … Continue Reading
June 25, 2020
Castro Statement on 70th Anniversary of Start of Korean War
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement on the 70thAnniversary of the beginning of the Korean War: "Seventy years ago today North Korea invaded South Korea, setting off the tragic Korean War. … Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
Castro Statement on First House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee Diversity in Diplomacy Hearing
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement after his first subcommittee hearing on diversity on diplomacy: "One of my top priorities as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations … Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Castro Statement on Bolton Allegations Against President Trump
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement after allegations were reported in Ambassador John Bolton's new book against President Trump: "Ambassador John Bolton should have testified … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Chairs Castro and Raskin Raise Concerns that Upcoming Report by State Department’s “Unalienable Rights” Commission Will Harm Global Human Rights
Washington, D.C. (June 9, 2020)-Today, Rep. Joaquin Castro, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations within the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties within the Committee on Oversight and Reform, sent a letter to the State Department's Commission on Unalienable Rights to express serious misgivings about reports that the Commission may change the way the United States upholds human … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Castro Statement on Justice in Policing Act of 2020
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement as House Democrats and Senate Democrats introduced the Justice in Policing Act of 2020: "This moment in history requires nothing short of a … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Castro Statement on Anniversary of Tiananmen Square Massacre
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre: "Thirty-one years ago today, the Chinese government used military force to crush young protesters … Continue Reading
May 21, 2020
Castro Statement on Trump Administration Withdrawal From the Open Skies Treaty
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration's withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty: "The decision to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty is the latest … Continue Reading
May 15, 2020
Castro Statement on Passage of the HEROES Act
WASHINGTON-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, and member of the House Intelligence and Education and Labor Committees, today released a statement following passage of the HEROES Act in the House of Representatives: "I voted in support of the Heroes Act today because it delivers urgent relief to match the … Continue Reading