Press Releases
Congressman Castro Votes Against Republican Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 6126, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act: “For weeks, I have called for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to protect more innocent people from becoming victims of this conflict. As the death toll continues to rise, the United States must play an active role in rescuing hostages, supplying humanitarian aid to Gaza, and saving lives. “The world is … Continue Reading
November 02, 2023
Castro, Issa Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand U.S. Cybersecurity Partnerships with Southeast Asian Nations
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), senior members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the Southeast Asia Partnership Expansion Act, bipartisan legislation to expand existing U.S. partnerships with countries in Southeast Asia to enhance their cybersecurity training and practices and improve their capability, capacity, and infrastructure to protect against foreign cyberattacks. Specifically, the bill would expand the list … Continue Reading
November 02, 2023
Castro, Issa Introduce U.S.-ASEAN Center Act to Strengthen Trade, Investment, and Cultural Exchange Between U.S. and ASEAN
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), senior members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced the U.S.-ASEAN Center Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow the United States to establish a U.S.-ASEAN Center focused on strengthening trade, investment, and people-to-people relationships between the United States and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In September, the leaders of ASEAN and the … Continue Reading
October 30, 2023
Congressman Castro, Founder of Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, Calls on Congress to Avert Looming Child Care Crisis
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), founding co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, released the following statement urging Congress to approve a one-year extension for Child Care Stabilization Grants, which support more than 225,000 child care facilities across the country. Congressman Castro’s statement follows a request from the Biden administration for Congress to pass a new domestic funding package with $16 billion to keep the end of … Continue Reading
October 30, 2023
Congressman Castro, Founder of Bipartisan Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, Calls on Congress to Avert Looming Child Care Crisis
SAN ANTONIO - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), founding co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pre-K and Child Care Caucus, released the following statement urging Congress to approve a one-year extension for Child Care Stabilization Grants, which support more than 225,000 child care facilities across the country. Congressman Castro’s statement follows a request from the Biden administration for Congress to pass a new domestic funding package with $16 billion to keep the end of … Continue Reading
October 27, 2023
Statement from Congressman Castro on Texas House Passage of Bills Targeting Diverse Communities
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) shared the following message with his constituents in response to the passage of House Bill 4, House Bill 6, and Senate Bill 4, three Republican-led bills targeting immigrants and diverse communities that advanced through the Texas House of Representatives this week: “A few weeks ago, the most powerful, influential Texas Republican group hosted the country’s most notorious white nationalist. That’s who’s shaping the Republican agenda at … Continue Reading
October 26, 2023
Congressman Castro Pushes for Answers from Brooke Army Medical Center After Alarming Express-News Report on Contaminated Surgical Equipment
Read his letter WASHINGTON - Today, after an alarming report from the San Antonio Express-News about ongoing issues related to contaminated surgical equipment at one of San Antonio’s two Level I Trauma Centers, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) sent a letter asking Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) leaders for a detailed explanation of how widespread equipment sterilization failures were allowed to occur and how the institution will protect patients going forward. In the letter, Congressman … Continue Reading
October 24, 2023
Congressman Castro Demands Answers After USPS Ends Cluster Box Maintenance, Threatens to Halt Mail Delivery for Thousands of San Antonio Residents
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) released a letter he sent to the San Antonio headquarters of the United States Postal Service (USPS) demanding answers and accountability after USPS suddenly ended a longstanding policy of maintaining the cluster boxes that San Antonio neighborhoods rely on for safe and secure mail delivery. “For years, my constituents have been able to count on USPS to maintain and replace neighborhood cluster boxes. However, in recent months, USPS has … Continue Reading
October 23, 2023
Congressman Castro Announces Planning Grant for UTSA to Expand Cybersecurity and Secure Manufacturing in San Antonio
As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Commerce leverages Tech Hubs Program to spur regional innovation and job creation. WASHINGTON — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Secure Manufacturing in South Texas Strategy Development Consortium in San Antonio, Texas, was awarded a Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant to strengthen cybersecurity and secure … Continue Reading
October 20, 2023
Castro, McGovern, Meeks, and Lee Welcome Progress on Restoring Democracy and Human Rights in Venezuela
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Congressman James P. McGovern (MA-02), Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-12), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs ,issued the following … Continue Reading
October 19, 2023
Statement from Democratic Leaders of the House and Senate Western Hemisphere Subcommittees on Progress Toward Democracy in Venezuela
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Senator Tim Kaine (VA), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, released the following statement in recognition of an agreement between Venezuela’s Unitary Platform and the Maduro regime to institute democratizing electoral reforms and the Biden administration’s subsequent conditional easement of U.S. sanctions … Continue Reading
October 17, 2023
After Recent Vandalism, Castro, Cuellar, and Casar Press National Park Service to Protect San Antonio Missions
WASHINGTON - This week, San Antonio congressmen Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Greg Casar (TX-35) wrote to the director of the National Park Service (NPS), urging the federal government to work with state and local partners on a comprehensive plan to protect the San Antonio Missions after recent acts of vandalism. The Missions, which were designated as a National Historic Park in 1978, are under the shared responsibility of the National Parks Service, which manages the land … Continue Reading
October 17, 2023
Castro, Casar, Escobar, McGovern, Lee, Jayapal, García Call for Ceasefire to Protect Civilians
WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20) issued the following statement calling for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, or, at minimum, a temporary cessation of all hostilities in Israel and Gaza to protect civilians. The statement was issued alongside Texas Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35) and Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and Representatives James P. McGovern (MA-02), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04). “We remain … Continue Reading
October 16, 2023
Statement from Families Belong Together Sponsors Castro and Blumenthal on Settlement for Trump-era Family Separations
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) released the following statements after the Biden administration announced the terms of a settlement between the Biden administration and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that, if approved, would provide humanitarian parole and access to housing, medical, and legal services to families affected by Trump-era family separations: “The Trump administration’s … Continue Reading
October 11, 2023
Castro, Cherfilus-McCormick, Salazar, and Frost Lead Letter Asking President Biden, Secretary Mayorkas, and Director Jaddou to Redesignate TPS Status for Nicaraguans
WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20) led a letter with María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Maxwell Frost (FL-20) to President Biden, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services Ur Jaddou asking the Biden Administration to redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nicaragua. “As the Ortega-Murillo regime becomes increasingly authoritarian and … Continue Reading
October 06, 2023
Castro, García, Velázquez Lead Dozens of House Democrats in Push for Congress to Condemn Calls to Invade Mexico
WASHINGTON - Today, Representative Joaquin Castro (TX-20) the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, joined by co-leads Reps. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia (IL-04) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), introduced a House Resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to respecting the sovereignty of Mexico and condemning calls for military action in Mexico without Mexico’s consent and U.S. congressional authorization. The resolution was introduced with original … Continue Reading
October 06, 2023
Statement from Congressman Castro on Border Wall Construction Announcement
SAN ANTONIO — Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, issued the following statement in response to the Biden administration’s recent decision to waive 26 federal laws to permit more border wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley: “Yesterday, news broke that the Biden administration is waiving 26 federal laws — including the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, … Continue Reading
October 04, 2023
Congressman Castro Selects “El Rey,” “Como la Flor,” “Rinconcito en el Cielo,” and “Propuesta Indecente,” Among 35 Nominations to the National Recording Registry
WASHINGTON - This week, as part of his longstanding work with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to improve Latino representation and visibility across American media, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) nominated 35 songs and albums by Latino musicians to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress. The nominations were selected from nearly 700 submissions submitted by members of the public through social media and other channels. The National Recording Registry is the nation’s … Continue Reading
September 29, 2023
Castro, Crow, Jacobs, Phillips, Titus, Wild, Keating, and Connolly Urge President Biden to Halt Transfer of Military Financing to Egypt
WASHINGTON - Today, Reps. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jason Crow (CO-06), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Dina Titus (NV-01), Susan Wild (PA-07), Bill Keating (MA-09), and Gerry Connolly (VA-11) released the following statement urging the Biden Administration to halt the transfer of military financing to Egypt following news of potential foreign influence by the Egyptian government and ongoing concerns of human rights violations in Egypt: “As Members of the House Foreign Affairs … Continue Reading
September 29, 2023
Our Casas Resident Council Launches Westside Home Repair Program with Grant Secured by Congressman Castro
SAN ANTONIO - With the help of more than $1 million in federal funding secured by Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Our Casas Resident Council, Inc. has opened applications for the High Impact Housing Project, a new program to repair owner-occupied homes in the near Westside. At least 20 homes will be repaired in census tracts 1703 and 1709 in the near Westside with the funding from Congressman Castro, and 10 additional homes in the surrounding area will be repaired with a $300,000 grant … Continue Reading