Press Releases
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
February 25, 2018
Castro Statement on Democratic Memo Release
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement: "As lawmakers, we owe the American public the chance to make their own independent judgements. That's why I initially opposed the release of any House Intelligence Committee memos. But as Chairman Nunes released his own political document, wrought with inaccuracies that sought to discredit the DOJ and set a pretext for the … Continue Reading
February 23, 2018
Castro Statement on New North Korea Sanctions
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today released the following statement: “Sanctioning shipping and trading companies in North Korea sends a clear message to the Kim regime that the United States will not tolerate their current behavior. Such sanctions could be useful, especially when combined with a broader engagement strategy. But instead, the Trump Administration touts their desire for a ‘bloody nose’ strike while … Continue Reading
February 20, 2018
Castro, Engel Urge House Appropriators to Fully Fund America’s Development & Diplomacy
Washington, D.C.—Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Representative Eliot L. Engel (NY-16), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, sent a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, Ranking Member Nita Lowey and House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) Chairman Hal Rogers urging them to maintain the Fiscal Year 2017 funding level of $57.4 … Continue Reading
February 16, 2018
Castro Statement on Mueller’s Indictments in Russia Investigation
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement: “I’m encouraged to see Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s indictments today against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities for illegally influencing the 2016 presidential election. This is the exact reason FBI Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller in the first place, and … Continue Reading
February 15, 2018
Castro Announces $110K for UTSA Smart Cardiac Pacemaker Research
Washington, D.C.-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) today welcomed the Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) $110,250 research grant to the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) for ultra-low power computing for next generation implantable smart cardiac pacemakers. “Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in our country. On average, 225,000 artificial pacemakers are surgically implanted each year and these devices help save lives by alerting hospitals during … Continue Reading
February 14, 2018
CHC Urges Senate Leaders to Find Narrow Legislative Fix to Protect Dreamers Quickly
Washington, D.C.—Congressional Hispanic Caucus leadership today urged Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer to find a permanent, narrow, bipartisan legislative solution for Dreamers as quickly as possible. “It is critical that the Senate work to find a permanent solution for Dreamers as soon as possible. Every day Congress fails to address DACA it results in more DACA recipients losing their jobs and facing possible deportation,” the Members … Continue Reading
February 13, 2018
Castro Statement on DNI Director Concerns of Russia Interference in Midterms
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement after Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats’s comments that Russia will likely interfere in our 2018 midterm elections: “President Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats said today that Russia is set to meddle in our midterm elections this November, marking another senior advisor in Trump’s inner circle to sound … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Castro Statement on Trump’s 2019 Budget Request
Washington, D.C.-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), First Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today released the following statement on President Trump’s 2019 budget request: “The President’s 2019 budget request perpetuates the Republican plan to cut taxes for the rich, intensify the budget deficit, and demand cuts to programs that working class Americans rely on. … Continue Reading
February 12, 2018
Castro & McCaul Introduce Bill Protecting Foreign Service Officers from Unauthorized Surveillance Through Consumer Devices
Washington, D.C.-Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Congressman Michael T. McCaul (TX-10), Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security and senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the Protecting Diplomats from Surveillance Through Consumer Devices Act (H.R. 4989) which requires the Department of State to account for location-tracking consumer devices in the broader U.S. embassy and consulate security … Continue Reading
February 10, 2018
Castro Statement on Trump's Refusal to Release Democratic Memo
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February 09, 2018
Castro Welcomes the 2018 Winter Olympics
[[{"fid":"875","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":null,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"style":"height: 300px; width: 500px;","class":"media-element file-full","data-delta":"1"}}]] Washington, D.C.—Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), … Continue Reading
February 09, 2018
Castro Statement on Venezuela’s Presidential Elections
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today released the following statement: “Venezuelans deserve far better than the sham presidential election that President Maduro plans to hold in April. It is obvious that Maduro is silencing members of the opposition and avoiding a transparent election in an effort to evade accountability and preserve his power. This wholly undemocratic process exacerbates a growing economic and … Continue Reading
February 07, 2018
Castro Statement on Tillerson’s Russia Comments
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement in response to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s comments on Russia: “69% of Americans believe that Russia interferes in U.S. politics. The Intelligence Community declared that Russia interfered in our 2016 presidential elections. And CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson both believe Russia will target our elections later … Continue Reading