Congressman Jim Costa (D-20th CD) is seeking reelection to his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. First elected to Congress in 2004, Costa previously served 24 years in the California State Legislature representing the diverse interests and needs of the residents of the San Joaquin Valley.

The grandson of Portuguese immigrants, Costa has lived and worked in the Valley his entire life and during his years of public service has worked personally with every town and neighborhood in the district to make things better.

In less than two terms in Congress, Costa has been a leader in addressing the issues that face Valley residents. As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, he has sought legislation which would create a Regional Water Plan to address the long term water supply and water quality issues for Central California. He has worked closely with his House and Senate colleagues to support a bipartisan solution for the water users who rely on the San Joaquin River. As chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, Costa will play an important role in addressing the energy and mining resources needs and issues that confront the Nation. He is the author of legislation to retrofit diesel engines, a major source of stationery and mobile air pollution, and he has authored legislation to encourage clean-burning energy technologies.

As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, Costa has been heavily involved in crafting the 5-year Farm Bill reauthorization, and he has worked closely with Valley and State farm leaders to ensure that California’s beef, dairy, and fresh fruit and vegetables industry’s needs are adequately addressed. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Costa has personally visited the Middle East on several occasions to meet with foreign leaders and Valley soldiers in the region, and he is a leader on behalf of the Valley’s Armenian community in seeking recognition of the historic Armenian Genocide.

Costa has been an outspoken advocate on behalf of victims’ rights and co-chairs the House Victims’ Rights Caucus. He continues to be an active advocate on behalf of the Valley’s health and housing needs, remains involved in addressing the needs of Valley veterans, and has taken the lead at the federal level in the development of high speed rail -- continuing efforts that he started and was active in during his entire career in the California Legislature.

Jim also compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in the State Assembly and Senate, where he worked with local residents and state officials to help produce 10,000 local jobs, was principal co-author of California’s class size reduction law and helped improve child protective services. He also wrote the law to protect farmland and slow down sprawl and was the driving force behind the fight for clean, safe reliable drinking water, including seven successful statewide bond measures he authored to provide financing for much-needed infrastructure for water and transportation.