U.S. Representative — Texas's 20th District
Joaquin Castro
Democrat · Texas
Democrat U.S. Representative for Texas's 20th congressional district. Member of the 119th Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Legislative Record
Recently sponsored bills (50 on record)
- H.R.9698 — Advanced Coursework Equity Act (Introduced, Jul 15, 2026)
- H.R.7675 — Securing Partner Supply Chains Act (Reported, Feb 25, 2026)
- H.R.7059 — No Unauthorized War in Mexico Act (Introduced, Jan 14, 2026)
- H.R.6910 — United States International Development Corporation Chief Development Officer Act (Introduced, Dec 19, 2025)
- H.R.6736 — ARMAS Act of 2025 (Introduced, Dec 16, 2025)
- H.R.6562 — United States Development Finance Corporation Effectiveness Act (Introduced, Dec 10, 2025)
- H.R.6563 — Terrorist Watchlist Modification Review Act (Introduced, Dec 10, 2025)
- H.R.6347 — Global Child Thrive Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Reported, Dec 2, 2025)
Recent floor votes (100 on record)
- Voted Nay on H.R.8884 — Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act (Passed, Jul 23, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.Con.Res.89 — Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran (Passed, Jul 23, 2026)
- Voted Nay on H.Con.Res.113 — Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2027 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2028 through 2036 (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
- Voted Nay on H.R.7008 — Stop Insider Trading Act (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.R.7008 — Stop Insider Trading Act (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)
- Voted Nay on H.R.8800 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (Passed, Jul 22, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.R.8800 — National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)
- Voted No on H.R.8800 — On Agreeing to the Amendment (Failed, Jul 22, 2026)
Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)
- H.R.9944 — TPS Review Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- H.R.8592 — No WAR Act (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
- H.R.5106 — Restore Trust in Congress Act (Introduced, Jul 20, 2026)
- H.R.6289 — Promoting a Safe Internet for Minors Act (Introduced, May 13, 2026)
- H.R.4332 — YALI Act of 2025 (Reported, May 13, 2026)
- H.R.210 — Dental Care for Veterans Act (Introduced, May 7, 2026)
- H.R.8494 — To prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from entering into, modifying, extending, or renewing, any contract or intergovernmental service agreement to establish or operate any new immigration detention model, including the use of warehouses, modular facilities, soft-sided structures, tent systems, and processing centers. (Introduced, Apr 23, 2026)
- H.R.4664 — Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act (Introduced, Jul 23, 2025)
Voting analysis
One of Joaquin Castro's bills is titled against unauthorised war in Mexico. Not war in general — that country specifically. Filing a war powers measure naming a single neighbouring state means the possibility was live enough to legislate against, and it is the most concrete thing on this page.
He also voted for a war powers resolution his caucus declined to support. The bill and the vote are the same argument made in two registers: that the decision to use force belongs to Congress, and that saying so afterwards is too late.
Of the 50 most recent of those, 47 currently sit at Introduced.
A record with one subject
International affairs account for the great bulk of his classified filings; the category in second place is a small fraction of the size, and everything below that is a rounding error. He holds two ranking-member posts, on the Western Hemisphere at Foreign Affairs and on oversight and investigations at Intelligence, and both point the same way.
Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Joaquin Castro's cluster into: International Affairs (29), Education (6), Crime and Law Enforcement (4), Armed Forces and National Security (3), Government Operations and Politics (2), Labor and Employment (2).
The other filings and votes
An advanced coursework equity measure, a partner supply chains bill, a development corporation staffing act, and one carrying an acronym. On the floor, beyond war powers, he backed a fuel retailing bill that failed and refused three that passed: organised retail crime, an Iran resolution, and the year's spending package.
| Roll call | Date | Outcome | Their vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.Con.Res.84 Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from Lebanon On Agreeing to the Resolution · roll call 201 | Jun 4, 2026 | Failed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.R.1346 Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act On Motion to Recommit · roll call 163 | May 13, 2026 | Failed | Yea (party: Nay) |
| H.R.2853 Combating Organized Retail Crime Act On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended · roll call 157 | May 12, 2026 | Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.Res.1099 Reaffirming Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree · roll call 84 | Mar 5, 2026 | Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R.7148 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 On Passage · roll call 45 | Jan 22, 2026 | Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
Below the Texas Democrats
Texas's thirteen House Democrats keep a high combined rate and Castro's sits far beneath it.
Among the 13 Democrats in the Texas delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 7.1%. Joaquin Castro is below that average at 2.4%.
Tenure and attendance
Seven terms from early in the last decade. He is away from the floor rather more than the median member here.
First elected in 2013, now serving across 7 terms. Joaquin Castro falls in the veteran cohort.
By the numbers
In the 119th Congress, Joaquin Castro has 187 bills sponsored, 1687 cosponsored, 100 recent floor votes recorded.
Committee assignments
- House Committee on Foreign Affairs
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
- House Committee on Foreign Affairs: East Asia and Pacific
- House Committee on Foreign Affairs: Western Hemisphere (Ranking Member)
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Central Intelligence Agency
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: National Security Agency and Cyber
- House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Oversight and Investigations (Ranking Member)
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