CASTRO, JOAQUIN (a Representative from Texas)

Bills and resolutions cosponsored

Agreement for Cooperation Between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea Concerning Civil Uses of Nuclear Energy: extend (see H.R. 2449), H4726 [18JY]

Armed Forces: add a definition of spouse for purposes of military personnel policies and military and veterans benefits that recognize new State definitions of spouse (see H.R. 683), H544 [14FE]

——— award Congressional Gold Medal to the 65th Infantry Regiment known as the Borinqueneers (see H.R. 1726), H4858 [22JY]

——— express importance of easing the transition of members and their families from military to civilian life (see H. Res. 104), H2720 [16MY]

——— grant family of members temporary annual leave during deployment of such members (see H.R. 1333), H1822 [21MR]

——— restore full working-age military retiree cost-of-living adjustment by closing tax loopholes for offshore corporations (see H.R. 3793), H8125 [19DE]

C.W. Bill Young Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bay Pines, FL: designate (see H.R. 3302), H6674 [22OC]

Civil rights: award a Congressional Gold Medal to Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley honoring the 50th anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing (see H.R. 360), H1398 [13MR]

——— improve remedies for discrimination in the payment of wages based on sex (see H.R. 377), H344 [4FE]

——— prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity (see H.R. 1755), H2351 [25AP]

Claims: make the U.S. exclusively liable for certain claims of liability for damages resulting from, or aggravated by, inclusion of ethanol in transportation fuel (see H.R. 2267), H3929 [19JN]

Colleges and universities: exempt certain State-provided loan programs from being subject to preferred lender arrangement requirements (see H.R. 3371), H6901 [29OC]

Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces (House, Special): establish (see H. Res. 213), H2804 [20MY]

Corp. for National and Community Service: anniversary (see H. Res. 355), H5833 [25SE]

Defense of Marriage Act: repeal and ensure respect for State regulation of marriage (see H.R. 2523), H4078 [26JN]

Dept. of Agriculture: oppose any legislation or Committee on Agriculture (House) proposal to reduce Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (see H. Res. 90), H3016 [3JN]

Dept. of Commerce: authorize appropriations for the SelectUSA Initiative (see H.R. 1413), H3929 [19JN]

Dept. of Defense: declare the attack at Fort Hood, TX, a terrorist attack and ensure victims of such attack and their families receive the same honors and benefits as those killed or wounded in overseas combat zones (see H.R. 3111), H5884 [26SE]

——— provide service records of veterans to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs in an efficient electronic format (see H.R. 1729), H5476 [10SE]

——— require Inspector General investigation of allegations of retaliatory personnel actions in response to protected communications regarding sexual assault (see H.R. 1864), H3592 [13JN]

——— require notification of congressional defense committees about certain sensitive military operations (see H.R. 1904), H2720 [16MY]

——— review operation of certain ships during the Vietnam Era (see H.R. 1494), H1955 [11AP]

Dept. of Education: extend the reduced interest rate for Federal Direct Stafford Loans (see H.R. 1433), H1857 [9AP] (see H.R. 1595), H2123 [17AP]

——— make grants for pilot programs at institutions of higher education that support the use of open textbooks to achieve savings for students (see H.R. 3538), H7689 [11DE]

Dept. of HHS: provide for the participation of optometrists in the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment programs (see H.R. 920), H5051 [24JY]

——— reauthorize grant programs for education and outreach on newborn screening and coordinated followup care once newborn screening has been conducted (see H.R. 1281), H5767 [19SE]

Dept. of Justice: provide definitions of terms and services for community-based gang intervention to ensure funding for such intervention is utilized in a cost-effective manner and agencies are held accountable (see H.R. 2669), H4482 [11JY]

Dept. of State: enhance security for facilities and personnel at U.S. diplomatic and consular posts abroad (see H.R. 2723), H4724 [18JY]

Dept. of Veterans Affairs: ensure South Texas Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Harlingen, TX, includes a full-service inpatient health care facility (see H.R. 552), H411 [6FE]

——— provide additional assistance under the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Program to veterans pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) (see H.R. 1816), H4858 [22JY]

Diplomatic Security Act: revise provisions relative to Accountability Review Board personnel recommendations (see H.R. 925), H815 [28FE]

Doolittle Tokyo Raiders: award Congressional Gold Medal (see H.R. 1209), H2354 [25AP]

Equal Pay Day: observance (see H. Con. Res. 28), H1858 [9AP]

Executive Office of the President: establish the National Office for Cyberspace (see H.R. 3032), H5397 [2AU]

Fair Labor Standards Act: provide specific limited exemption for insurance claim adjustment work after a major disaster from overtime pay requirements (see H.R. 3179), H7508 [4DE]

Firearms: ensure prohibited purchasers are included in National Instant Criminal Background Check System, require background checks for commercial sales, and establish a National Commission on Mass Violence (see H.R. 1565), H2719 [16MY]

Hispanic Heritage Month: observance (see H. Res. 363), H5922 [27SE]

Horse Protection Act: designate additional unlawful acts, strengthen penalties for violations, and improve Dept. of Agriculture enforcement (see H.R. 1518), H6344 [7OC]

House of Representatives: encourage Speaker to immediately request a conference and appoint conferees to complete fiscal year 2014 budget resolution with the Senate (see H. Res. 174), H2397 [26AP]

Houston, TX: express condolences to families of firefighters killed in hotel fire (see H. Res. 246), H3095 [4JN]

Immigration: allow U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their permanent partners for U.S. residence (see H.R. 519), H1359 [12MR]

——— reform (see H.R. 15), H6173 [2OC]

Intelligence services: conduct study on use of contractors for intelligence activities (see H.R. 2434), H3927 [19JN]

Iran: impose additional human rights and economic and financial sanctions to compel Iran to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons (see H.R. 850), H2839 [21MY]

Juneteenth Independence Day: observance (see H. Res. 268), H3687 [17JN]

Mandela, Nelson R.: tribute (see H. Res. 434), H7689 [11DE]

Medal of Honor: award to Bennie G. Adkins, Donald P. Sloat, and certain other veterans who were previously recommended (see H.R. 3304), H6675 [22OC]

Medicaid: require coverage of optometrists (see H.R. 855), H5089 [25JY]

Medicare: provide entitlement to immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant recipients (see H.R. 1428), H6957 [30OC]

National Nonprofit Day: designate (see H. Res. 345), H5547 [12SE]

National Park Service: mint coins in commemoration of anniversary (see H.R. 627), H1860 [9AP]

National Stroke Awareness Month: designate (see H. Res. 123), H3760 [18JN]

Northern Mariana Islands: convey certain submerged lands (see H.R. 573), H412 [6FE]

Postal Service: recalculate and restore retirement annuity obligations, eliminate Retiree Health Benefits Fund prefunding requirement, restrict closure of facilities, create innovation incentives, and maintain level of service (see H.R. 630), H2027 [15AP]

Puerto Rico: set forth the process to be admitted as a State (see H.R. 2000), H4309 [9JY]

Sabin Vaccine Institute: anniversary (see H. Res. 114), H1396 [13MR]

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park: expand boundary and conduct a study of potential land acquisitions (see H.R. 885), H814 [28FE]

Schools: end discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools (see H.R. 1652), H6829 [28OC]

Sergeant William Moody Post Office Building, Burleson, TX: designate (see H.R. 3060), H5399 [2AU]

Tariff: increase and adjust for inflation the maximum value of articles that may be imported duty-free by one person on one day (see H.R. 1020), H6676 [22OC]

Taxation: allow credit for amounts paid by a spouse of an Armed Forces member for a new State license or certification required due to permanent change in duty station of such member to another State (see H.R. 1620), H2157 [18AP]

——— assist in the support of children living in poverty by allowing a refundable credit to grandparents of those children for the purchase household items for the benefit of those children (see H.R. 2051), H4309 [9JY]

——— establish ABLE accounts to pay for qualified disability expenses of family members with disabilities (see H.R. 647), H1550 [15MR]

——— extend and modify the American Opportunity Tax Credit (see H.R. 1738), H2719 [16MY]

——— make permanent the special rule for contributions of qualified conservation contributions (see H.R. 2807), H7357 [21NO]

——— permanently extend lower threshold for refundable portion of child tax credit and adjust credit for inflation (see H.R. 769), H2803 [20MY]

——— promote savings through a credit for low- and middle-income taxpayers who deposit tax refunds into designated savings options (see H.R. 2917), H5342 [1AU]

Veterans: ensure education and training received by Armed Forces members and veterans better assists them in obtaining civilian certifications and licenses (see H.R. 1796), H2392 [26AP]

——— extend work opportunity tax credit to certain veterans, improve coordination of job training services, and improve Federal contracting with small businesses owned by disabled veterans (see H.R. 2056), H2959 [23MY]

Violence Against Women Act: reauthorize (see H.R. 11), H221 [22JA]

Voting: modernize voter registration, promote access to voting for disabled individuals, and protect the right to vote (see H.R. 12), H277 [23JA]

Women: constitutional amendment to ensure equal rights (see H.J. Res. 56), H6605 [15OC]

World War II: award Congressional Gold Medal to members of the Civil Air Patrol (see H.R. 755), H3760 [18JN]

——— award Congressional Gold Medal to the First Special Service Force (see H.R. 324), H1993 [12AP]

Bills and resolutions introduced

Colleges and universities: exempt certain State-provided loan programs from being subject to preferred lender arrangement requirements (see H.R. 1529), H1991 [12AP]

Constitutional authority statements

Colleges and universities: exempt certain State-provided loan programs from being subject to preferred lender arrangement requirements (H.R. 1529), H1992 [12AP]

Remarks

Appropriations: making continuing (H.J. Res. 59), H5913 [27SE]

——— making continuing (H.J. Res. 59), Senate amendment, H8083 [12DE]

Budget: setting forth the Federal budget for 2013–2023, H8083 [12DE]

Civil rights: improve remedies for discrimination in the payment of wages based on sex (H.R. 377), H1849 [9AP]

Colleges and universities: exempt certain State-provided loan programs from being subject to preferred lender arrangement requirements (H.R. 1529), H2494 [8MY]

Corps of Engineers: funding, H4515 [16JY]

Dept. of Defense: allow use of funds to transfer individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to U.S. facilities or to construct facilities for such enemy combatants in the U.S., H3313 [12JN]

——— authorizing appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction (H.R. 1960), consideration (H. Res. 256), H3313 [12JN]

——— authorizing appropriations for military activities, prescribing personnel strengths, and military construction (H.R. 1960), consideration (H. Res. 260), H3376 [13JN]

——— improve prevention and response to sexual assaults, H3376 [13JN]

Dept. of Education: extend the reduced interest rate for Federal Direct Stafford Loans, H4515 [16JY]

Economy: impact of budget sequestration, H643 [26FE], H5913 [27SE], H8083 [12DE]

——— impact of immigration reform, H4584 [17JY]

Education: importance of investment in public education, H4514, H4515 [16JY]

Employment: importance of manufacturing jobs and Make It in America agenda, H4513, H4514, H4515, H4516 [16JY]

Energy and water development: making appropriations (H.R. 2609), H4515 [16JY]

Equal Pay Day: observance, H1849 [9AP]

Government: shutdown relative to budget process, H5913 [27SE], H6095 [1OC]

Immigration: cancel removal and adjust status of certain long-term resident alien students, H4584 [17JY]

——— reform, H4513 [16JY], H4584 [17JY]

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: impact of implementation on Texas, H5913 [27SE]

——— implementation, H6095 [1OC]

——— prohibit funding to implement, H5913 [27SE]

Transportation: importance of infrastructure investment, H4513, H4514, H4515, H4516 [16JY]

Votes: position on missed, H8085• [12DE], E1864• [12DE]

Tributes

Rodriquez, Demetrio P., H2379 [26AP]