Jobs and the Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic plunged the global economy into a severe crisis, causing widespread unemployment, and placing immense financial strain on Americans.

In response, Jim Costa worked with President Biden to revitalize the American economy. He championed landmark laws like the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which ignited one of the strongest economic recoveries, surpassing even other nations' recoveries.

  • 16 million jobs created nationwide - 34,300 jobs in CA-21
  • Over 17 million new business applications filed nationwide - 13,400 new businesses in CA-21.
  • Delivered $299 million in child tax credits, which lifted 27,300 children out of poverty.
  • 88,444 households saved $30 on their monthly internet bills – $51 million in total benefits.
  • Secured $140 million to rehabilitate old hotels into affordable housing in Fresno and Visalia.

Costa remains committed to growing the San Joaquin Valley’s economy for the future. With a $88 million federal investment for the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation (F3) Coalition and Good Jobs 4 The Central Valley, its uniting dozens of local employers to create over 12,500 jobs and attract $250 million in private investments across the San Joaquin Valley.

Public Safety

Every American has the right to feel safe in their own home and community. That is why, Jim Costa has fought for federal funding to support law enforcement and first responders, help domestic violence victims, and crack down on fentanyl in the San Joaquin Valley.

  • Supported federal grants for the Fresno Police Department to hire more police officers.
  • Co-leading bipartisan legislation to hire more police officers in small communities like Kingsburg, Reedley, and Selma.
  • Secured federal funding to address staffing shortages at Fresno's 911 call center, ensuring 90% of all emergency calls can be answered in 15 seconds.
  • $4.7 million for the Central Valley’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Program (CVC HIDTA) to combat drug trafficking and seize illicit drugs like fentanyl.
  • Introduced bipartisan legislation to formalize partnerships between the FBI and Children’s Advocacy Centers to better tackle child sexual abuse and exploitation cases. (Signed into Law)

As Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, Costa helped enact the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant piece of gun violence prevention legislation in nearly 30 years. The law is keeping guns out of dangerous hands by enhancing background checks on firearm purchases for individuals under 21, helping implement red flag laws, all while investing in school mental health programs like Fresno Unified School District.

Reproductive Freedom

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the Supreme Court has diminished a fifty-year precedent that is having a profound impact nationwide. Jim Costa believes women, not politicians should be making their own healthcare decisions. That is why, he is fighting against extreme Republicans attempts to restrict access to reproductive care.

Costa is a cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would enshrine Roe v. Wade into federal law and guarantee a woman’s right to access reproductive care. He supported legislation to protect women’s rights to travel out of state for reproductive healthcare. And he fought against Republican efforts to restrict access to mifepristone and contraceptives.

In collaboration with the Biden-Harris Administration, Costa announced a public-private partnership to expand access to patient-centered, contraceptive care across Fresno County. Thanks to Costa’s strong record in standing up for reproductive freedom, he is endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Reproductive Freedom for All.

Healthcare

Every American has the right to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Yet, in the San Joaquin Valley there are severe healthcare inequities exacerbated by language barriers, financial constraints, and staffing shortages, which prevent many residents from getting essential care. That is why Costa is working to reform our broken healthcare system.

  • Capped the cost of insulin at $35 per month for seniors.
  • Created a $2,000 out-of-pocket limit on prescription drug costs.
  • Empowered Medicare to lower costs for 10 major prescription drugs – saving $6 billion.
  • Leading legislation to build a medical school and train medical professionals in the San Joaquin Valley.
  • Fought to keep emergency care and services open at regional hospitals in Madera, and Visalia.

In 2010, Costa worked with President Barack Obama to enact the historic Affordable Care Act, which has expanded health insurance to over 35 million Americans nationwide. To build on those efforts, Costa championed the American Rescue Plan, which helped over 25,000 people newly enroll in his district and saved an average of $800 per year in health premiums.

Immigration

A proud descendant of Portuguese immigrants, Jim Costa knows that immigration is more than a political issue—it's a deeply personal matter for millions of families across the San Joaquin Valley. He supports comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform that keeps families together, secures our borders, and fixes our broken immigration system.

Over the years, Costa has been at the forefront of comprehensive solutions and has voted to enhance border security. He championed legislation like the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to provide a pathway to legal status to DACA recipients and reform our farm labor sector.

As a member of the Border Security Taskforce, he is working with both parties to strengthen border security. He voted to fund and hire 22,000 border patrol agents, co-led legislation to invest in border security technology, personnel, and streamline immigration courts. By focusing on common-sense solutions, Congress can create a fair immigration system that upholds our American values.

Transportation/Infrastructure

For far too long, Americans have been living off the investments of their parents and grandparents made decades ago. During his time in Congress, he has led efforts to improve Highway 99, upgrade the San Joaquin Valley Air District, and the downtown revitalization efforts in Fulton Mall.

Jim Costa was instrumental in enacting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and wrote legislation to invest in modern high-speed rail infrastructure. Since 2021, Costa has secured over $7.5 billion to repair our infrastructure and transportation systems in his district, including:

  • $3.3 billion to advance California’s High-Speed Rail, which has already created over 15,000 jobs.
  • $42.8 million to improve Highways 41, 99 and State Route 68.
  • $21.3 million to expand the Fresno Yosemite International Airport terminal as part of the FAT Forward plan, which will bring an $85 million local economic impact.
  • $21 million to purchase zero-emission, clean school buses in Fresno, Orosi and Selma.

In addition, Costa secured over $53 million for 40 local projects across his district and the San Joaquin Valley. Whether it was repairing roads in Calwa, revitalizing the Sanger Fire Station to building the Central Valley Training Center, these investments are tackling the immediate challenges facing our communities.

Learn more about projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Federal Funding Projects.

Water

Water is the bloodline of the San Joaquin Valley. As a third-generation farmer, Jim Costa knows firsthand the challenges our farmers and farming communities face without a reliable water supply. In Congress, he has worked across the aisle and with state partners to take immediate action to address the drought crisis.

In Congress, he championed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the largest investment in clean drinking water in American history. Through his advocacy, he secured over $1.4 billion for water projects to improve water storage, and repair aging infrastructure, including major projects like:

  • $213 million to raise BF Sisk Dam, which would develop nearly 130,000 acre-feet of additional water.
  • $210 million to Friant Kern Canal.
  • $15 million to install solar panels and conserve water along the Delta-Mendota Canal.
  • $14 million to ensure clean drinking water in the City of Parlier.
  • $8.8 million to make aging infrastructure repairs and reduce flood risk at Pine Flat.

As part of a larger effort, Costa secured funding for Sites and Los Vaqueros Reservoirs, which would provide additional water storage for farmers and farming communities in the San Joaquin Valley. He is not only focused on short-term but long-term solutions that will fix our broken water system. Learn more about these projects HERE.

Veterans

In Congress, Jim Costa has upheld America’s promise to our veterans and their families that we will take care of them when they come back home. He has secured millions in funding to improve the Fresno Veterans Hospital and Fresno Veterans Home, along with eliminating copayments for disabled veterans.

To build on these efforts, Costa helped enact the PACT Act into law, which for the first time in American history guarantees healthcare to veterans exposed to toxic substances like agent orange and burn pits. The law is expanding healthcare to over 3.5 million veterans, including 22,000 eligible veterans in his district – most of which serves in the Vietnam, Gulf War, and Post-9/11.

As part of the federal budget, Costa has fought to end the VA benefits backlog and restore soldiers' full, 4-year college GI Bill benefits. Through his efforts, he has helped increase funding to reduce veteran suicide, provide housing for homeless veterans, and build VA healthcare facilities in underserved communities like Visalia. It remains one of his top priorities to support VA health care, including funding to administer much needed benefits to veterans and their families.

Agriculture

A champion for California's agriculture sector, Costa has played a crucial role in advancing fair trade deals, nutrition initiatives, market stability, and bolstering the food supply chain. As a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, he was instrumental in crafting the Farm Bills of 2008, 2014, and 2018. With a strong track record, Costa has brought significant leadership and experience to address the challenges of American agriculture.

During the pandemic, Costa designed the framework to provide essential relief to farmers, and farmworkers including PPE, crop insurance and vaccination services. Through the American Rescue Plan, he successfully advocated for a 15% increase in benefits for families struggling with food insecurity nationwide. To protect these life-saving benefits, he is fighting against Republican’s attempts to cut SNAP and other nutrition programs.

Costa has worked across the aisle to negotiate fair trade deals like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). His advocacy led to the Biden-Harris Administration negotiating a new trade deal with the Republic of India to remove retaliatory tariffs on almonds, walnuts, and apples – many of which are grown in the San Joaquin Valley.

In the aftermath of the 2023 winter storms and flooding, Costa worked with the White House to approve an Emergency Declaration for California. This helped mobilize federal resources to help rural communities and farmers affected. Furthermore, he has secured millions for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help Valley farmers improve efficiencies in agricultural conservation.