Kathy Castor

Kathy spearheaded new jobs and investments in the Tampa Bay area, including the Port of Tampa, Port Manatee, University of South Florida, the Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa International Airport, MacDill Airforce Base, and new and expanded community health centers.  She also worked to bring new jobs to redevelop downtown Tampa and Encore and improve local transportation through the I-4 Selmon Crosstown Connector.

In recent months, Kathy helped pass the bipartisan JOBS Act, which helps create new jobs and businesses by cutting the red tape that too often gets in the way of growth.  And earlier this year, she brought together over 75 employers at the Tampa Bay Jobs Fair to help foster economic development in the region and provide opportunities for local job seekers. 

Kathy knows that there is more work to be done, and she looks forward to fighting for jobs and investment in Tampa Bay.  The economy is growing, and Kathy will help keep the momentum going.

Kathy is a proven leader when it comes to environmental protection, clean energy, smart growth management policies and maintaining a flourishing natural environment. She is concerned about the quality of the environment and is dedicated to protecting Florida’s beaches, unique ecosystems, and the economies that rely on them. In Congress, Kathy leads the fight for complete gulf coast restoration in the aftermath of the BP oil blowout. She authored the Florida Coastal Protection Act, which would make the 235-mile drilling ban off of Florida’s west coast permanent, and in June 2010, she secured $10 million from BP to support Florida college and university marine research, including the University of South Florida College of Marine Sciences and related endeavors.

Kathy is also focused on creating a clean energy economy in Tampa Bay – focusing on solar energy, which is clean, affordable, and plentiful in sunny Florida. Our state’s tourism and economy depends on clean air, clean water, and a thriving environment. As Tampa Bay’s Representative, Kathy stands up for the protection of our natural resources that make Florida special.