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Welcome to another edition of The Castle Record.

Dear Friends,

It was enjoyable to see so many of your familiar faces this year at the Delaware State Fair!  Thank you to everyone who recently signed up to receive my e-mail updates.  I hope this e-newsletter helps keep you informed as well as encourages you to voice your concerns.

It has been an extremely busy month in Congress.  As many of you know, last week the U.S. House voted last week to adjourn for a five-week District Work Period.  I voted against adjourning the session because there has still not been an effort to put together a comprehensive energy plan.  In addition to increasing American supply of energy, we need long-term solutions in order to become independent on foreign sources of oil.  Congress can and should put forth solutions, such as tax incentives -which can be used right here in Delaware- to spur development of the innovative technologies of tomorrow that we will soon all be using.  I believe that we have to look at all the options out there including solar, wind, nuclear, and geothermal among others.

American innovation has always been respected around the world, so I have confidence that we can solve this problem but only if government couples with the private business sector to come up with a comprehensive plan.

Additionally, for those of you who will be driving to vacation destinations this summer, remember simple tips like slowing driving speeds and proper tire inflation to make the gas stretch just a bit farther.  Find more gasoline saving tips and the cheapest gas near you by going to www.fueleconomy.gov

Please read below for more updates on my work representing Delawareans in the U.S. Congress.  For other updates from my office, please visit my new website at www.castle.house.gov. I hope to see many of you this August in my travels throughout the state of Delaware.

Sincerely,

In the photo above, Congressman Castle speaks with constituents about his legislative work in Washington at the Delaware State Fair.

This month, in an effort to encourage consumer confidence in the U.S. housing market, I supported House passage of the most significant piece of housing legislation in over a generation, known as the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act.  I agree that this bill may over-reach in many ways; however, investors and homeowners should take note that leaders in Congress and the Administration sat down and worked out a compromise in order to put people before partisanship. The bill includes many crucial reforms to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Administration to establish new lending and borrowing standards and prevent predatory lending as well as my safe harbor legislation to incentivize lenders to work with borrowers in danger of foreclosure to renegotiate their loan terms.

Congress and the President passed legislation to return taxpayer dollars in order to generate local economic activity and reduce some strain on family budgets.  Many Delawareans are eligible for a rebate from the IRS, including many who normally do not file income tax forms, such as Social Security and Veterans Administration beneficiaries.  These individuals are uniquely qualified this year for a stimulus payment because their benefits place them within the qualifying income requirement.  But to obtain their stimulus payment, they must file a 2007 federal income tax return by October 15th of this year, even if they have zero income to report for the year, in order to join the list of Delawareans who will receive an economic stimulus payment.  My office and I are working to raise awareness among those beneficiaries and encourage people to submit the short 1040A form to the IRS.  I will be hosting two workshops to help those individuals who do qualify.  The first will be held on Monday, August 18th at the Wilmington Senior Center from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., and the second will be later this month at the CHEER Community Center in Georgetown from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Delaware Embraces Plan for Offshore Wind Energy

We should all be proud to see our state leading the way in alternative energy technology with the development of an offshore wind park. Clean, stable, and domestic energy that powers our homes will make a valuable contribution to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and reducing harmful greenhouse gases.  Senators Biden and Carper and I joined in writing U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to urge that the long-overdue regulations for alternative energy projects in federal waters are issued as soon as possible. Weeks later, the Secretary proposed regulations for offshore wind projects, like Bluewater Wind's in Delaware. Now, such projects will not face delays and regulatory uncertainty.

I introduced bi-partisan legislation to alleviate heavy congestion at chokepoints across the country.  During a time of rising gas prices and economic concern, this legislation, the National Highway Congestion Chokepoint Relief Act, would reduce the amount of fuel wasted by lessening traffic delays.  On the stretch of I-95 through Delaware, commuters spend approximately 111,000 hours and 70,000 gallons of fuel sitting in traffic jams and delays, which amounts to approximately $2 million every year.  As more new residents move into New Castle and Kent counties, coupled with the expansion of Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, it is clear that congestion will increasingly choke our roadways unless we act now.  This requires cooperation between Democrats andRepublicans in Congress and the Administration to reform the way we fund high priority transportation projects at the national level.  Cutting travel delays will save commuters time and money, and with gas prices above $4 a gallon, it is vital that Congress take action now. Photo above of Congressman Mike Castle discussing his legislation with Delawareans.

Learn more about my record on energy and other issues by visiting my new website: www.castle.house.gov.