Press Releases
Castro Q&A with USAID Administrator Ambassador Mark Green
As Delivered - Click Here for Video - Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, had the following question and answer session with USAID Administrator Ambassador Mark Green at the House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2019 foreign affairs budget proposal: Rep. Castro: “Thank you Ambassador Green for your testimony today. Over the last few decades, the character of foreign assistance has … Continue Reading
March 21, 2018
Castro Dallas Morning News Op-Ed: “4 Things Texas Must Do To Secure Elections”
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, authored an op-ed in the Dallas Morning News today about four things Texas must do in order to secure our midterm elections this year. A preview of the op-ed can be found below, with a full version available here. “Here are four ways we can protect Texas' midterm elections. “1. Texas Gov. Greg Abbot should call a special session … Continue Reading
March 21, 2018
Castro Statement on Austin Bombings
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement after receiving a personal briefing from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal Investigative Division: “In the last three weeks, there have been four bombs in Austin and one just outside San Antonio killing two and injuring five others. But the psychological effects continue to ripple … Continue Reading
March 20, 2018
Castro Leads Bipartisan Request to Fund Preschool Development Grant Program
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), founding co-chair of the Pre-K Caucus in Congress, led a bipartisan request to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Chairman Tom Cole and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro urging them to fund the Preschool Development Grant Program at $350 million. Rep. Castro led the effort along with his colleague Rep. John … Continue Reading
March 19, 2018
Castro Leads Bipartisan Push for National Trauma Research Action Plan
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, led a bipartisan request to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Chairwoman Kay Granger and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Ranking Member Peter J. Visclosky to include $9.2 million in the Defense Health Program Research and Development account for the National Trauma Research Action Plan. The letter was led by … Continue Reading
March 17, 2018
Castro Statement on Firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, this evening released the following statement: "The allegations against FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe are serious. But without the full Inspector General report, it’s impossible to judge Attorney General Jeff Session’s seemingly harsh decision to fire him. What’s most concerning is just days before, President Trump urged the … Continue Reading
March 15, 2018
Castro Statement on New Russia Sanctions
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the only Democratic member on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement: “Last summer, Congress passed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act in a sweeping bipartisan vote 419-3. This legislation provided President Trump the authority to sanction Russia for its malign activity and specifically for its 2016 interference in … Continue Reading
March 14, 2018
Castro, Meadows Introduce the Global Electoral Exchange Act
Washington, D.C.-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows (NC-11), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the Global Electoral Exchange Act (H.R. 5274) that would promote international exchanges on best election practices and cultivate more secure democratic institutions around the world. “Free and fair elections are one of the best litmus tests for healthy democracy. While the United States sustains … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Castro Statement on CIA Director Replacing Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the only democratic member on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement: “Today’s decision to fire Rex Tillerson and appoint CIA Director Mike Pompeo—all on Twitter—is deeply concerning. While I disagreed with Rex Tillerson, the President put him in a position to fail by proposing a 26% cut to the State Department and USAID. In turn, Mr. Pompeo … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Castro Statement on House Republicans’ Premature Russia Investigation Findings
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee, released the following statement this evening: “The premature closing of this investigation represents a betrayal of the American people and public trust, and an obvious partisan ploy to protect the President at all costs. It’s also clear that House Republicans are trying to set a pretext to discredit whatever Special Counsel Mueller will discover through his … Continue Reading
March 13, 2018
Castro Joins Lawmakers in Urging Trump to Stop Ignoring Attacks on American Democracy
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, joined 139 other Democratic lawmakers in calling on President Trump to follow the letter and spirit of the law by imposing sanctions against those behind Russia’s attacks on American democracy. In a letter led by Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot L. Engel, the lawmakers underscored that President Trump has failed to punish those … Continue Reading
March 09, 2018
Castro Statement on President Trump-Kim Jong Un Talks
Washington, D.C.- Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement: “Last night’s announcement of upcoming talks with President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to discuss denuclearization has the potential to mark a new beginning towards peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and international stability. But the United States should proceed with a … Continue Reading
March 09, 2018
Castro Statement on Trump’s Tariff Imposition
Washington, D.C.- Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement: “For years, the Chinese government has subsidized its steel and aluminum industries, flooding the United States and the international market with cheap steel. This has undoubtedly contributed to the loss of thousands of American jobs, and is a real challenge that affects the United States and our … Continue Reading
March 08, 2018
Castro Joins HFAC Democrats Letter Blasting the State Department’s Refusal to Use Money Allocated to Counter Russian Propaganda
Washington, D.C.— Yesterday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) joined all Democratic Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in urging Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to confront the threat of Russian election interference and stop allowing Russian propaganda to go unanswered. In a letter to the Secretary, the lawmakers blasted the Department’s refusal to use $120 million provided to counter Russian propaganda and urged the Secretary to act against this threat to American … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Castro, Lieu Question Why State Department Funds For Countering Election Meddling Are Unspent
Washington, D.C.-Today, Congressmen Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Ted Lieu (CA-33) urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to explain why the State Department has not used any of the resources Congress allocated with bipartisan support in 2017 to counter foreign propaganda designed to influence elections and undermine democracies. In the letter, the Congressmen ask the Secretary why State has not enacted Congress’s bipartisan directive to address foreign disinformation campaigns. In the … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Castro, McCaul Introduce Foreign Service Officer Civil Relief Act
Washington, D.C.- Today, Congressmen Michael McCaul (TX-10) and Joaquin Castro (TX-20), members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced H.R. 5167, the Foreign Service Officer Civil Relief Act. This legislation allows our Foreign Service Officers (FSO) to receive the same benefits offered to our military men and women. Specifically, it permits FSOs to terminate personal cell phone contracts, as well as domestic housing and vehicle leases while deployed abroad. Congressman … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Castro Remarks at Election Security Press Conference
- As Delivered - Click Here for Video - Washington, D.C.- Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today joined a press conference which called on House Republicans to uphold their oath of office and protect our elections at all levels of … Continue Reading
March 06, 2018
Castro Urges House Appropriations Committee to Strongly Support Election Assistance Commission, State Grants for Election Security
Washington, D.C.- Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today joined a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Reform Chairman Tom Graves, and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government … Continue Reading
March 02, 2018
Castro Joins HFAC Democrats Letter to Budget Committee on Pushing Back on Trump’s Foreign Affairs Budget Cuts
Washington, D.C.— Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) joined all Democratic Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs in urging House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack and Ranking Member John Yarmuth to continue to reject the Trump administration’s cuts to the international affairs budget in Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019. In a letter, the Members said it is essential that the international affairs budget be funded at no less than the FY 2017 level of $59.1 billion for both … Continue Reading
February 26, 2018
Castro, Doggett Seek Accountability for Detention Center Sexual Assault & Abuse
Washington, D.C.-Today, Congressman Lloyd Doggett (TX-35) and Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) urged the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency to take immediate action to eradicate sexual assault and abuse in its detention centers. Their letter, which was joined by more than 40 colleagues, requests ICE officials to direct an investigation into its handling of sexual assault cases in Texas immigration detention facilities, share the results of this investigation with Members of … Continue Reading