U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., announced this week she will remain a co-chair of the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus (CAMC) for the 118th Congress.
Castor said she would be one of the co-chairs with U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-NC, taking over from U.S. Rep. David McKinley, R-WV, as the other co-chair.
“Established in 2009, CAMC is a bipartisan group of lawmakers that promotes academic medicine in congressional policy discussions to ensure a healthier future for all Americans,” Castor‘s office noted.
“I am looking forward to continuing to lead the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus with my new co-chair, Rep. Greg Murphy, in the 118th Congress,” said Castor.“Since I was elected to Congress, I have worked to address the physician shortage and lift up the training, research and partnerships in academic medicine. Our bipartisan caucus was created to educate members of Congress and their staff on the critical, multi-faceted role of medical schools, teaching hospitals, and faculty physicians in improving our nation’s health. In Florida’s 14th Congressional District, I have witnessed firsthand the value of the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa General Hospital, and the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital that are tireless in teaching and training the next generation of medical professionals. They have been a godsend as we grapple with various health crises like the Covid19 pandemic and the children’s mental health emergency. The impact of academic medical centers on our health system is undeniable, and I look forward to helping them continue to grow and provide quality health care to our neighbors in the upcoming Congress.”
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus alongside my colleague, Kathy Castor,” said Murphy. “I have been a physician and professor of surgery for more than 30 years. It is therefore such a privilege to help inform my fellow members of Congress and the American people on the essential role that America’s medical schools, teaching hospitals, and faculty physicians play in improving our nation’s health outcomes. American medical innovation, science, and technology are driving unprecedented achievements in the research and development of lifesaving cures. I look forward to engaging in serious and productive conversations regarding the academic medicine community and the patients they serve.”
“Academic medicine is inextricably connected to the health of patients, families, and communities, nationwide,” said Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) President and CEO Dr. David Skorton. “The AAMC thanks Reps. Murphy and Castor for re-launching the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus and serving as its co-chairs. We look forward to working with them to grow the bipartisan membership of the Caucus and highlighting the patient care, health professions training, groundbreaking research, and community collaborations at medical schools and teaching hospitals across the country.”
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. She chairs the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis which is expected to be terminated when the Republicans take over the House in January.
