Kathy Castor Joins John Joyce to Lead the Children’s Health Care Caucus on Capitol Hill

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., recently announced that she and U.S. Rep. John Joyce, R-Penn., will lead the Children's Health Care Caucus.

Castor helped found the caucus which is "dedicated to building bipartisan support for ideas that improve the quality of care for children and their access to this high-quality care.:

"The children and families who call the Tampa Bay area home benefit from the compassionate, cutting-edge care provided at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. I am committed to supporting our medical professionals and researchers so that kids are connected to the best treatment and outcomes possible," said Castor. "I’m glad to have Congressman Joyce join me and continue the bipartisan nature of the Children's Health Care Caucus – when we come together, we can save lives, expand critical research, and provide America's children healthy, successful futures."

"As every parent knows, nothing is more important than our children's health. Ensuring that children both in rural Pennsylvania and across the country have access to life-saving priorities is one of my top priorities in Congress," said Joyce. "I’m proud to join Congresswoman Castor to lead the Children's Health Care Caucus, and look forward to finding solutions that improve health outcomes for American children."

"The Children's Health Care Caucus is an essential voice for children on Capitol Hill, playing an integral role in informing Congress about the importance of children's health coverage and what makes children's health care unique," said Mark Wietecha, the CEO of Children's Hospital Association. "We are grateful for Rep. Kathy Castor's longstanding leadership of the Caucus, and we look forward to working with Rep. John Joyce as he steps into his new role as co-chair."

"Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital serves the most complex pediatric patients and has the highest percentage of children receiving Medicaid in the state of Florida," said Alicia Schulhof, the president of Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. "We are thankful for all of the members of the Children's Health Care Caucus who are working together ensure that no family has to travel far for specialized pediatric care or sacrifice the quality of care for their child."

First elected to Congress in 2006, Castor is one of the top Democrats on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees health policy among other things. Castor represents parts of Hillsborough County.