REP. JIM COSTA

James Manuel (Jim) Costa has represented the San Joaquin Valley in the United States House of Representatives since 2005. Costa proudly represents California’s 21st Congressional District, which includes parts of Fresno and Tulare counties. 

A descendant of Portuguese immigrants, his grandparents immigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal to the United States to build a better life for themselves and their family. They started as dairy workers and worked hard to establish their own family dairy in Fresno’s Kearney Park. 

Growing up, Costa worked on the family dairy and now farms almonds in the San Joaquin Valley. Costa is a product of Fresno County schools, he graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University, Fresno. 

During college, he was an intern for U.S. Congressman B.F. Sisk, where he saw the Watergate hearings in person and opened his eyes to how government works. After graduation, he was an aide for Congressman John Krebs and Chief of Staff to California State Assemblyman and U.S. Congressman Richard Lehman (D-CA). 

In 1978, Costa was elected to the California State Assembly and was the youngest member of the State Legislature at the age of 26. He represented Fresno and other San Joaquin Valley counties in the legislature for 24 years, serving in the California State Assembly (1978–1994) and California State Senate (1994–2002). 

In his capacity, he established the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservancy, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the first and only regional trauma center between Sacramento and Los Angeles. As a state legislator, he secured funding to improve California’s highway systems including highways 41, 99, and 180; his efforts are recognized with a portion of State Route 180 known as the “Senator Jim Costa Highway.” He also served as Chair of the State Senate Agriculture Committee, where he championed the agricultural interests of the San Joaquin Valley while working on California’s long-term water solutions. 

In 2004, Costa was elected to represent the San Joaquin Valley in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was instrumental in passing landmark laws such as the Affordable Care Act to reduce barriers to healthcare, the PACT Act to expand VA healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure since the 1950s. 

In 2005, Costa co-founded the bipartisan Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus with the shared belief of elevating the voices of survivors and victims of crime. As Co-Chair he introduced the Victims of Child Abuse Reauthorization Act and the Respect for Child Survivors Act, which were signed into law. 

A long-time champion of California’s High-Speed Rail project, Costa authored legislation that created the CHSRA and got this project off the ground. He also secured major funding to widen Highways 41 and 99 and modernize regional public transportation systems.  

As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, he has crafted three Farm Bills and has worked across the aisle to reduce hunger and uplift rural America. Costa has been a strong advocate for bringing additional water to the San Joaquin Valley and secured funding for water infrastructure projects such as B.F. Sisk Dam, Friant-Kern Canal, and Sites Reservoir. 

Costa is a staunch defender of democratic principles at home and around the world. On the Foreign Affairs Committee, he has worked with each Congress to pass a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and is a strong supporter of Israel as a vital partner of the United States in the Middle East. Costa supports a strong posture towards Iran – he was a conference committee member negotiating the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, which invoked the first significant U.S. sanctions on Iran. 

Costa was principal in securing Congressional approval to keep Fresno’s 144th Air National Guard Fighter Wing viable well into the future. An outspoken advocate for Ukraine, he visited the capital city of Kyiv a few months after the invasion. In Congress, he has voted to provide weapons, military equipment, economic assistance, and humanitarian aid to help the Ukrainian government defend its people and sovereignty, as well as democracy around the world. 

Costa’s efforts have been recognized by organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the National Organization for Victim Assistance. Costa is committed to building a stronger nation for our children and protecting the future of our democracy for generations to come.