Press Releases
Congressman Castro Secures Commitment from CIA to Declassify Information on Surveillance of Latino Civil Rights Movement
WASHINGTON - Today, during an open hearing of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the Committee, pressed the leaders of U.S. intelligence agencies to declassify and release materials pertaining to surveillance of the Latino civil rights movement. During questioning, CIA Director William J. Burns committed to working with Congressman Castro to improve the historical record and ensure U.S. intelligence agencies can … Continue Reading
March 09, 2024
Congressman Castro Gets $10.6 Million in Funding for Housing, Libraries, Safer Streets, and More Community Projects in San Antonio
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his office has secured $10.6 million through the Fiscal Year 2024 federal appropriations process to support thirteen community projects, including affordable housing, library campus development, safe streets construction, and water pumps to help ensure that San Antonio households can continue to receive safe drinking water during power outages. The funding is included in HR 4366, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which … Continue Reading
March 06, 2024
Reps. Castro, Raskin, and Schakowsky Lead 30+ House Democrats in Urgent Appeal to Prevent Israeli Ground Invasion of Rafah
WASHINGTON — Last night, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), a Chief Deputy Whip for the House Democratic Caucus, led 34 other House Democrats in a letter backing warnings from Biden administration officials about the humanitarian risk of an Israeli military ground invasion of Rafah. A city in southern Gaza, Rafah has … Continue Reading
February 29, 2024
In Face of Rising White Nationalism, Congressman Castro’s Guest for 2024 State of the Union to Spotlight the Deadly Impact of Anti-Latino Hate
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his guest for President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union will be Priscilla Martinez of Forney, Texas. Mrs. Martinez is the widow of Aaron Martinez, a rancher who was murdered in May 2023 by a neighbor who had previously harassed the Martinez family and told them that Latinos were not welcome in their growing North Texas community. “Last year, Aaron Martinez was murdered in cold blood by a man who was trying to drive … Continue Reading
February 27, 2024
Congressman Castro Announces $117,629 to Support Research into Kidney Disease at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that UT Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) was recently awarded $117,629 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease for the San Antonio Program for Undergraduate Research in Renal Science (SPURRS). SPURRS is a unique program based at UT Health San Antonio’s Long School of Medicine that provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to work directly with faculty … Continue Reading
February 23, 2024
After Pressure from Congressman Castro, Department of Education Implements Changes to Fix Ongoing Issues with 2024-2025 FAFSA Rollout
WASHINGTON, DC —This week, following pressure from Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the Department of Education released a temporary workaround to help students from mixed-status families apply for financial aid for the 2024-2025 school year. On February 16, Congressman Castro and nearly 100 of his colleagues wrote a letter pressuring the Department of Education to work quickly to solve ongoing challenges with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In their letter, the … Continue Reading
February 21, 2024
Congressman Castro Visits Burbank High School to Announce $4.5 Million in College and Career Readiness Funding for San Antonio ISD
SAN ANTONIO - Yesterday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) visited Luther Burbank High School to announce a $4.5 million grant award from the U.S. Department of Education to support college and career readiness programs at Burbank High School and six other high schools in San Antonio Independent School District. During the visit, Congressman Castro met with students enrolled in a Theory of Knowledge course through the Burbank International Baccalaureate program and visited a Health Sciences … Continue Reading
February 20, 2024
Congressman Castro and Congresswoman Salazar Press VA to Extend PACT Act Benefits to Panama Canal Zone Veterans
WASHINGTON - On Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) led a bipartisan group of 17 members of the House of Representatives in a letter urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand benefits and services for veterans who developed cancer and other health conditions after exposure to toxic herbicide during service in the Panama Canal Zone (PCZ). “As the Department of Defense routed herbicide to Southeast Asia in the 1950s, 1960s, and … Continue Reading
February 16, 2024
Congressman Castro Secures $4.6 Million for CentroMed Community Health Services
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his office has secured $4,658,823 in federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Center Cluster grant program to help San Antonio’s CentroMed network provide high-quality, compassionate health care to more than 121,000 patients at 24 clinical sites throughout Bexar, Comal, and Guadalupe Counties. “For more than half a century, CentroMed has been an important center of affordable care for … Continue Reading
February 15, 2024
Congressman Castro Announces $18 Million to Expand Operations at San Antonio Airport
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that San Antonio International Airport will receive $18 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to support expanded operations, including the development of a new terminal connector to allow passengers to move between terminals without having to leave and re-enter secure areas. “San Antonio International Airport is our portal to the rest of the world. Over the last year, the airport has seen incredible growth - … Continue Reading
February 14, 2024
Statement from Congressman Castro on Deferred Enforced Departure for Palestinians
WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement in response to President Biden’s designation of Deferred Enforced Departure for certain Palestinian nationals in the United States: "Last November, I asked President Biden to extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status to Palestinians in the United States. I'm relieved to see today's announcement. "Nearly 30,000 people in Gaza - mostly women and … Continue Reading
February 13, 2024
Congressman Castro Fights to Renew Federal Funding for Affordable Child Care in San Antonio
WASHINGTON - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the co-founder and chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus joined Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1), who is also a co-chair of the Caucus and Reps. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), along with U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (VA), Bob Casey (PA), Bernie Sanders (VT), and Tina Smith (MN) to lead more than 100 members of Congress in an urgent push to renew federal funding for child care. Despite widespread … Continue Reading
February 07, 2024
Congressman Castro Announces $25,000 for UTSA Exhibition Featuring Texas-Based Printmaker Delita Martin
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his office secured a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the University of Texas at San Antonio to hold a solo exhibition by Delita Martin, a master printmaker known for creating representations of Black women in complex and luxuriant narrative portraits. Delita Martin is an artist currently based in Huffman, Texas. She received a BFA in drawing from Texas Southern University and an MFA in printmaking … Continue Reading
February 06, 2024
WATCH: Congressman Castro Condemns Baseless Republican Impeachment Against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) spoke on the House floor to condemn the baseless Republican attempt to impeach U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: Watch and download here A transcript of Congressman Castro’s remarks (as delivered) is below: This impeachment against Secretary Mayorkas is a sham. The process was a sham. The charges are a sham. And you might wonder — if that's the case, then why go through all of this trouble? Well, last November, … Continue Reading
February 06, 2024
Statement from Castro, McGovern, Jesús “Chuy” García, Casar, Kamlager-Dove, Ramirez on the General Election in El Salvador
WASHINGTON - Following Sunday’s general election in El Salvador, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere released the following statement with Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Congressman Greg Casar (TX-35), Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-30), and Congresswoman Delia Ramirez (IL-03): “As members … Continue Reading
January 26, 2024
Congressman Castro Announces $6 Million for San Antonio Head Start Programs During Visit to Hutchins Elementary School
SAN ANTONIO — This week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, announced that his office secured more than $6 million in federal grant funding for San Antonio Head Start early education programs. The funding was announced during a visit on Thursday to South San Antonio Independent School District’s Hutchins Elementary School, which operates three Head Start classrooms. Photos and B-roll of the visit are … Continue Reading
January 25, 2024
Congressman Castro Secures $4.5 Million to Expand College and Career Readiness Programs at Seven SAISD High Schools
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced that his office has secured an anticipated $4.5 million in federal grant funding over the next three years to support college and career readiness programs at seven San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) high schools. Earlier this month, the Department of Education issued a notification of the first grant allocation, which includes $1,492,381 to cover the budget period from 2/1/2024 to 1/31/2025. “Over the last several … Continue Reading
January 24, 2024
Castro, Warren, Durbin, Torres Push Commerce Department to Prevent Gun Violence Abroad by Strengthening Firearm Export Controls
In new letter, lawmakers call on Commerce to Improve Firearm Export License Approval and Monitoring Policies Text of Letter (PDF) WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Senator Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Senator Dick Durbin (Ill.), the chair of the Senator Judiciary Committee, and Congresswoman Norma Torres (CA-35) sent a letter urging the Commerce Department to incorporate a set of … Continue Reading
January 23, 2024
Statement from Congressman Castro on Installation of Additional Razor Wire Along the Rio Grande
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement in response to reports that Texas National Guard soldiers are placing additional razor wire along the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, just one day after the Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing the Biden administration to remove existing wire that prevented federal immigration enforcement officers from carrying out their duties: “Governor Abbott is using the Texas National Guard to obstruct and create … Continue Reading
January 19, 2024
Castro, Cuellar, Gonzales, Casar Push for Full Ecosystem Restoration of Martinez Creek on San Antonio’s Westside
WASHINGTON - Today, San Antonio representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), and Greg Casar (TX-35) launched a bipartisan push for Congress to approve a full aquatic ecosystem restoration of Martinez Creek on the Westside of San Antonio. Under their proposal, Martinez Creek would be eligible for the full range of measures that are available for San Antonio’s San Pedro, Apache, and Alazán creeks. “Martinez Creek and the adjacent historically … Continue Reading