View source for Jim Costa

{{Short description|American politician (born 1952)}}
{{distinguish|Jim Acosta}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Jim Costa
| honorific_suffix    = [[Order of Merit (Portugal)|ComM]]
| image               = Rep Costa Headshot 2 (cropped).jpg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2018
| office              = Chair of the [[Blue Dog Coalition]] for Policy
| term_start          = January 3, 2023
| term_end            = May 24, 2023
| predecessor         = [[Tom O'Halleran]]
| successor           = [[Mary Peltola]]
| office1             = Chair of the [[Blue Dog Coalition]] for Administration
| term_start1         = January 3, 2017
| term_end1           = January 3, 2019
| predecessor1        = [[Kurt Schrader]]
| successor1          = [[Stephanie Murphy]]
| office2             = Chair of the [[Blue Dog Coalition]] for Communications
| term_start2         = January 3, 2015
| term_end2           = January 3, 2017
| predecessor2        = [[Kurt Schrader]]
| successor2          = [[Henry Cuellar]]
| state3              = [[California]]
| term_start3         = January 3, 2005
| term_end3           = 
| predecessor3        = [[Cal Dooley]]
| successor3          = 
| constituency3       = {{ushr|CA|20|C}} (2005–2013)<br>{{ushr|CA|16|C}} (2013–2023)<br>{{ushr|CA|21|C}} (2023–present)
| state_senate4       = California State
| district4           = [[California's 16th senatorial district|16th]]
| term_start4         = December 5, 1994
| term_end4           = November 30, 2002
| predecessor4        = [[Phil Wyman]]
| successor4          = [[Dean Florez]]
| state_assembly5     = California
| district5           = [[California's 30th State Assembly district|30th]]
| term_start5         = December 4, 1978
| term_end5           = November 30, 1994
| predecessor5        = [[Kenneth L. Maddy]]
| successor5          = [[Brian Setencich]]
| birth_name          = James Manuel Costa
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1952|4|13}}
| birth_place         = [[Fresno, California]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| education           = [[California State University, Fresno]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
| website             = {{url|costa.house.gov|House website}}<br>{{url|jimcosta.com|Campaign website}}
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Rep. Jim Costa on the Humanitarian Crisis at the Southern Border.ogg |title=Costa's voice |type=speech |description=Costa on the humanitarian crisis at the [[Mexico-United States border]].<br>Recorded July 11, 2019}}
}}
'''James Manuel Costa''' {{post-nominals|list=[[Order of Merit (Portugal)|ComM]]}} (born April 13, 1952) is an American politician serving as the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for {{ushr|CA|21}} since 2023. He previously represented the [[California's 20th congressional district|20th congressional district]] from 2005 to 2013 and the [[California's 16th congressional district|16th congressional district]] from 2013 to 2023. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], his district includes most of [[Fresno]].

Costa served in the [[California State Assembly]] from 1978 to 1994, and then in the [[California State Senate]] from 1994 until 2002. During his time in the Assembly, he served as Majority Caucus Chair. Costa chaired the [[Blue Dog Coalition]] in the U.S. House of Representatives during the [[116th United States Congress|116th Congress]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Members|url=https://bluedogcaucus-costa.house.gov/members|publisher=Blue Dog Coalition|access-date=October 2, 2024|archive-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819093254/https://bluedogcaucus-costa.house.gov/members|url-status=dead}}</ref> and chaired the [[United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture|Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture]] during the [[117th United States Congress|117th Congress]].

==Early life and education==
Costa was born on April 13, 1952, in [[Fresno, California]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Rep. Jim Costa - D California, 21st, In Office - Biography {{!}} LegiStorm |url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/51331/James_Manuel_Costa.html |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=www.legistorm.com |language=en}}</ref> His parents were Manuel and Lena Cardoso Costa.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CDOC-108hdoc225/pdf/GPO-CDOC-108hdoc225.pdf |title=Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-2012 |date=2013 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |isbn=978-0-16-092028-8 |editor-last=Wasniewski |editor-first=Matthew A. |location=Washington, DC |pages=660–661 |editor-last2=Kowalewski |editor-first2=Albin |editor-last3=O'Hara |editor-first3=Laura Turner |editor-last4=Rucker |editor-first4=Terrance |editor-last5=United States |editor-last6=United States |editor-last7=United States}}</ref> All of his four grandparents immigrated from the [[Azores]], a [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] [[archipelago]] in the [[North Atlantic]], in the early 20th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute Collection · Jim Costa Interview · Omeka S |url=https://omeka.library.fresnostate.edu/s/portuguese-beyond-borders-institute/item/263 |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=omeka.library.fresnostate.edu}}</ref> Three of them were unable to read or write and initially found work as laborers on dairy farms before eventually establishing their own. His parents grew up speaking [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] and did not learn English until they started school. He grew up working on the family farm.<ref name=":1" />

Costa attended [[San Joaquin Memorial High School]], a private [[Catholic schools in the United States|Catholic school]] in [[Fresno, California|Fresno]], where he graduated in 1970.<ref name=":1" /> He then enrolled at [[California State University, Fresno]] (commonly known as Fresno State), earning a [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[political science]] in 1974. While in college, he was a member of [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]]<ref name=":0" /> and interned in the office of U.S. Representative [[B. F. Sisk]].<ref name=":1" />

Following his graduation, Costa worked as an aide to U.S. Representative [[John Hans Krebs|John Krebs]], assisting in policy matters related to [[Central Valley (California)|California's Central Valley]]. He later became [[chief of staff]] to California State Assemblyman and future U.S. Representative [[Rick Lehman]].<ref name=":1" />

==California Legislature==
In 1978, Costa was elected to a seat in the [[California State Assembly]]. At the time of his election to the Assembly, he was the youngest member of the [[California State Legislature|state legislature]] at age 26. He represented part of [[Fresno County]] in the legislature for 24 years, serving in the state Assembly for 16 years (1978–1994) and in the state Senate for eight years (1994–2002). He was a sponsor of the [[Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act]], a bill signed into law in 1995 that prohibits rent control on single-family homes, condominiums, and any rental unit constructed after February 1, 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil Code CIV: Chapter 2.7. Residential Rent Control |url=https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&division=3.&title=5.&part=4.&chapter=2.7.&article |access-date=2022-12-12 |website=California Legislative Information}}</ref>

From 2000 to 2001, Costa served as the president of the [[National Conference of State Legislatures]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NCSL Current and Past Presidents, 1975-2024 |url=https://www.ncsl.org/about-us/executive-committee/ncsl-current-and-past-presidents-1975-2023 |website=NCSL |access-date=August 17, 2025}}</ref>

==U.S. House of Representatives==
===Elections===

==== 2004 ====
{{see also|2004 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 20}}
In 2004, Costa entered the Democratic primary for the 20th Congressional District, which was opened up by the retirement of [[Cal Dooley]], its seven-term incumbent. Dooley endorsed his chief of staff, Lisa Quigley, as his successor, but most of the state's Democratic Party establishment, including [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Dianne Feinstein]], endorsed Costa, who won the bruising primary and faced [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[California State Senate|state senator]] [[Roy Ashburn]] in November.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

The 20th District at the time was a heavily Democratic, 63% Latino-majority district; it gave [[Al Gore]] his highest vote total outside the state's two large [[conurbation]]s ([[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] and the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] in the north and [[Los Angeles]] and [[San Diego]] in the south). Nonetheless, the Republicans spent a substantial amount of money on the race. Ashburn's campaign made plays on Costa's name ("Costa's going to cost ya") and linked him to former governor [[Gray Davis]], calling them "two taxing twins".{{citation needed|date=August 2018}} Costa won the election with 53% of the vote to Ashburn's 47%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=STATEMENT OF VOTE 2004 |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2004-general/sov_2004_entire.pdf |website=elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov}}</ref> Ashburn kept the margin within single digits by winning heavily Republican [[Kings County, California|Kings County]].

==== 2006 ====
{{see also|2006 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 20}}
In 2006, Costa was unopposed for re-election. The Democrats won control of the House in that election, and Costa became chair of the [[U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources|Natural Resources Committee]]'s Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee. He is a member of the [[United States House Committee on Agriculture|House Agriculture Committee]].{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

==== 2008 ====
{{see also|2008 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 20}}
Costa was re-elected in 2008 with 74% of the vote, the highest percentage for a Democratic incumbent outside Sacramento, the Bay Area, and Southern California.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

==== 2010 ====
{{see also|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 20}}
In 2010, Costa was challenged for re-election by Republican [[Andy Vidak]]. In his closest race yet, the race was officially called for Costa nearly three weeks after election day,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/-200878-1.html|title=Costa Holds Seat, Keeps GOP Pickups at 63: Roll Call Politics|publisher=Rollcall.com|date=November 23, 2010|access-date=October 30, 2011}}</ref> with the unofficial final tally standing at 45,806 votes (51.8%) for Costa and 42,773 (48.2%) for Vidak.

==== 2012 ====
{{see also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 16}}
For his first four terms, Costa represented a district including most of the majority-Latino portions of Fresno and [[Bakersfield]]. Redistricting after the 2010 census renumbered his 20th district as the 21st and made it slightly more Republican. In February 2012, Costa announced that he would run in the newly formed 16th district, a much more compact district that included most of Fresno as well as most of [[Merced, California|Merced]].<ref name="Announces 2012">{{cite news|title=Rep. Jim Costa Announces Reelection Campaign|url=http://www.cbs47.tv/news/local/story/Rep-Jim-Costa-Announces-Reelection-Campaign/b1uJQZDfuUCMqVVX0QJXCg.cspx|newspaper=[[KGPE]]}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> That district had previously been the 19th, represented by freshman Republican [[Jeff Denham]]. Denham's home had been drawn into the neighboring 10th district (formerly the 18th), and he sought re-election there. While most of Costa's old territory remained in the 21st, the new 16th absorbed most of the old 20th's share of Fresno County, including his home.

Costa faced Republican Brian Whelan in the general election. After the new districts were announced, it was reported that the [[National Republican Congressional Committee|NRCC]] considered Costa vulnerable,<ref name="Redistricting Gains">{{cite news|title=Republicans Tout Redistricting Gains |url=http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2012/03/republicans-tou-1.php |newspaper=National Journal |date=March 28, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019031129/http://hotlineoncall.nationaljournal.com/archives/2012/03/republicans-tou-1.php |archive-date=October 19, 2012}}</ref> but had the district existed in 2008, [[Barack Obama]] would have carried it with 57% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VfkHtzBTP5gf4jAu8tcVQgsBJ1IDvXEHjuMqYlOgYbA/edit#gid=0|title=Daily Kos Elections 2008, 2012 & 2016 presidential election results for congressional districts used in 2016 elections|access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref>

In November 2011, the [[League of Conservation Voters]] ran a series of television ads in Costa's district criticizing his environmental record.<ref name="Right and left">{{cite news|title=Jim Costa responds to attacks from the right, and the left|url=https://abc30.com/archive/8429406/|newspaper=ABC News}}</ref> Costa was reelected with 54% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/results/state/CA/house/16|title=U.S. House: California District 16 - 2012 Election Center|work=CNN}}</ref>

==== 2014 ====
{{see also|2014 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 16}}
Costa faced an unexpectedly close race in 2014 against Republican Johnny Tacherra, a dairy farmer from rural Fresno County. On election night, Tacherra led by 736 votes, a margin that grew to 1,772 a few days later. Tacherra's lead narrowed as counting continued, and Costa ultimately defeated him by 1,319 votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/05/4220380/political-parties-scratching-heads.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109110504/https://www.fresnobee.com/2014/11/05/4220380/political-parties-scratching-heads.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 9, 2014|title=Jim Costa keeps House seat, edging out Johnny Tacherra in another late-vote rally|work=Fresno Bee |date=November 19, 2014|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref> While Tacherra carried the district's portions of Merced and Madera counties, Costa defeated him in Fresno County by 9,600 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/election/2014/results/state/CA/house/16/|title=California House results -- 2014 Election Center -- Elections and Politics from CNN.com|website=[[CNN]] |access-date=May 25, 2018}}</ref>

==== 2016 ====
{{see also|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 16}}
In 2016, Costa was the sole Democratic candidate in the "top two" primary, and received 50,917 votes (55.9%). In the general election he again faced Tacherra, who had received 30,342 votes (33.1%) in the primary.<ref>[http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/us-rep/district/16/ 16 District returns] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709180219/http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/us-rep/district/16/ |date=July 9, 2016 }}, ''[[California Secretary of State]]'', June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2016.</ref> Costa was reelected with 58% of the vote to Tacherra's 42%.<ref>[https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_16th_Congressional_District_election,_2016 California's 16th Congressional District election], ''[[Ballotpedia]]''. Retrieved November 23, 2019.</ref>

==== 2018 ====
{{see also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 16}}
In the 2018 "top two" primary, Costa defeated the only Republican candidate, Elizabeth Heng, 53% to 47%. He was re-elected that fall in a Democratic "wave" in California, 57.5% to 42.5%.<ref>[https://ballotpedia.org/California%27s_16th_Congressional_District_election,_2018 California's 16th Congressional District election], ''[[Ballotpedia]]''. Retrieved November 23, 2019.</ref>

==== 2020 ====
{{see also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 16}}
Costa and Republican challenger Kevin Cookingham, a former [[Clovis Unified School District]] educator,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Taub|first1=David|title=Retired Clovis Unified Educator Is First 2020 Costa Challenger|url=https://gvwire.com/2019/05/10/retired-clovis-unified-educator-is-first-2020-costa-challenger/|newspaper=GV Wire|date=May 10, 2019|access-date=May 13, 2019}}</ref> advanced through the "top two" primary in 2020, besting two Democratic challengers. Costa then won the general election with 59.4% of the vote to Cookingham's 40.6%.<ref name=SoSPrimary>{{Cite web|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf|title=STATEMENT OF VOTE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 3, 2020|access-date=2020-05-03|publisher=[[California Secretary of State]] [[Alex Padilla]]|archive-date=May 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517221055/https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-primary/complete-sov.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="CAgenr">{{cite web |title=November 3, 2020, General Election - United States Representative|url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2020-general/sov/24-us-reps.pdf|website=California Secretary of State |access-date=December 22, 2020}}</ref>

==== 2022 ====
{{see also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 21}}
For 2022, Costa was redistricted to District 21. In the general election, he defeated the Republican nominee, former FBI agent Michael Maher, with 54.2% of the vote to Maher's 45.8%.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - United States Representative |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2022-general/sov/48-congress.pdf |website=California Secretary of State |access-date=21 April 2023}}</ref>

==== 2024 ====
{{see also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in California#District 21}}
Costa and Maher met in a rematch in 2024. Maher again lost, but made the race closer—he finished with 47.4% of the vote to Costa's 52.6%.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 5, 2024 - United States Representative |url=https://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2024-general/sov/48-congress.pdf |website=California Secretary of State |access-date=21 December 2024}}</ref>

=== Tenure ===
Costa called in July for [[President Biden|Joe Biden]] to withdraw from the [[2024 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web |date=July 18, 2024 |title=Biden urged to pass torch to next generation by Rep. Jim Costa |url=https://wwmt.com/news/nation-world/biden-urged-to-pass-torch-to-next-generation-by-rep-jim-costa |access-date=19 July 2024 |website=[[WWMT]]}}</ref>

On March 6, 2025, Costa was one of ten Democrats in Congress who joined all of their Republican colleagues in voting to censure Democratic congressman [[Al Green (politician)|Al Green]] for interrupting President [[Donald Trump]]'s [[State of the Union Address]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/06/al-green-censure-house-trump-speech-democrats|title=Ten Democrats join Republicans to vote to censure Al Green over Trump speech|last=Gedeon|first=Joseph|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=March 6, 2025|accessdate=March 6, 2025}}</ref>

===Committee assignments===
For the [[118th United States Congress|118th Congress]]:<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Costa |url=https://clerk.house.gov/members/C001059 |publisher=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives |access-date=29 April 2023}}</ref>
* [[United States House Committee on Agriculture|Committee on Agriculture]]
** [[United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development|Subcommittee on Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development]]
** [[United States House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry|Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry]] (Ranking Member)
* [[United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs|Committee on Foreign Affairs]]
** [[United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe|Subcommittee on Europe]]

===Caucus memberships===
Member of the:<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-03 |title=Committees and Caucuses {{!}} Congressman Jim Costa |url=https://costa.house.gov/committees-and-caucuses |access-date=2025-02-15 |website=costa.house.gov |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Blue Dog Coalition]] (former chair)
* [[Congressional Equality Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=About the CEC|url=https://equality.house.gov/about-cec/membership| publisher=CEC|access-date=27 August 2025}}</ref>
* [[New Democrat Coalition]]
* [[Problem Solvers Caucus]]
* [[Congressional Hispanic Caucus]]
* [[Congressional Taiwan Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Congressional Taiwan Caucus|url=https://sherman.house.gov/taiwancaucus| publisher=Congressman Brad Sherman|access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref>
* Congressional Portuguese Caucus, (co-chair)
* Crime Survivors and Justice Caucus, (co-chair and co-founder)
* [[Congressional Ukraine Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukrainecaucus-kaptur.house.gov/members |title=Members |publisher=Congressional Ukraine Caucus|access-date=9 October 2025}}</ref>

==Political positions==
===Abortion===

Costa opposed the [[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization|2022 overturning of]] ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'', saying, "this ruling strips women of their freedom to make their own decisions and the constitutional right to privacy."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Costa |first1=Jim |title=This ruling strips women of their freedom to make their own decisions and the constitutional right to privacy. California has codified reproductive rights into law, it's long overdue for the rest of the country to do the same. (2/3) |url=https://twitter.com/RepJimCosta/status/1540355014220480512 |website=Twitter |access-date=27 June 2022 |language=en |date=24 June 2022}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=February 2025}} He is an original co-sponsor of the [[Women's Health Protection Act]].<ref>{{cite web| title=H.R.3755 | website=Congress.gov | date=8 June 2021 |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3755 | access-date=23 January 2024}}</ref>{{primary source inline|date=February 2025}}

===Agriculture===
Costa co-sponsored the bipartisan Agricultural Certainty for Reporting Emissions (ACRE) Act. The act would strip provisions from [[Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act]] (CERCLA), which was responsible for ensuring cleanup of industrial toxic waste dumps, oil spills, and chemical tank explosions environmental regulations on farmland.<ref>{{cite web |title=NCBA Hails Introduction of Bipartisan ACRE Act in U.S. House of Representatives |url=https://www.beefusa.org/newsreleases.aspx?NewsID=6613 |website=National Cattlemen's Beef Association |access-date=August 29, 2018}}</ref> If enacted, the act would reduce transparency by protecting livestock farmers from changes to waste storage and disposal methods. Another provision would protect farmers from strict water laws, regulated under the [[Clean Water Act]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Liebmann |first1= Larissa |title= Don't Let CAFOs Hide Their Pollution {{!}} Dive Into Democracy |url=https://waterkeeper.org/dont-let-cafos-hide-their-pollution-dive-into-democracy/ |website= Waterkeeper's Alliance |date= April 23, 2018 |access-date= August 29, 2018}}</ref>

===District of Columbia rights===
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=February 2025}}

Costa supports DC statehood. He was a co-sponsor and voted for [[Washington, D.C., Admission Act|Washington, D.C. Admission Act]], which would grant statehood to the residential areas of the current [[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]] as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.

On February 9, 2023, Costa, along with 30 other Democrats, voted with House Republicans to reject the Revised Criminal Code Act of 2022, passed by the [[Council of the District of Columbia]].

===Foreign affairs===
[[File:Michal Herzog in Beit HaNassi, March 2024 (MYN 2287).jpg|thumb|Costa and other members of the US congressional delegation with Israeli President [[Isaac Herzog]] in [[Jerusalem]], Israel, March 28, 2024]]
Costa was one of five House Democrats to vote to continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia and to support the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fuller |first1=Matt |last2=Ahmed |first2=Akbar Shahid |title=5 Democrats Bail Out Paul Ryan And Protect Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-democrats-paul-ryan-saudi-arabia-yemen_us_5c116c5ce4b002a46c13c62c |website=Huffington Post |date=December 12, 2018 |access-date=December 14, 2018}}</ref>

Costa voted to provide Israel with support following the [[October 7 attacks]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |date=2023-10-25 |title=House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/politics/house-israel-vote.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Washington |first1=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |date=2023-10-25 |title=Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023528 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}</ref>

====Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict====
Costa accused [[Turkey]], a [[NATO]] member, of inciting the conflict between [[Armenia]] and [[Azerbaijan]] over the [[Territorial dispute|disputed region]] of [[Nagorno-Karabakh]], saying, "Azerbaijan has continued to fuel this fire by failing to recognize the sovereignty of the Republic of Artsakh, while Turkey has helped enable this aggression."<ref>{{cite news |title=Members of Congress Blast Azerbaijan and Turkey As Attack on Artsakh Expands to Armenia |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2020/09/29/members-of-congress-blast-azerbaijan-and-turkey-as-attack-on-artsakh-expands-to-armenia/ |work=[[Armenian Weekly]] |date=September 29, 2020}}</ref> On October 1, 2020, he co-signed a letter to Secretary of State [[Mike Pompeo]] that condemned Azerbaijan's offensive operations against the [[Armenians|Armenian]]-populated [[Republic of Artsakh]], denounced Turkey's role in the [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict|Nagorno-Karabakh conflict]] and called for an immediate ceasefire.<ref>{{cite news |title=Senate and House Leaders to Secretary of State Pompeo: Cut Military Aid to Azerbaijan; Sanction Turkey for Ongoing Attacks Against Armenia and Artsakh |url=https://armenianweekly.com/2020/10/02/senate-and-house-leaders-to-secretary-of-state-pompeo-cut-military-aid-to-azerbaijan-sanction-turkey-for-ongoing-attacks-against-armenia-and-artsakh/ |work=Armenian Weekly |date=October 2, 2020}}</ref>

====Ukraine-Russia War====
In February 2023, during the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]], Costa signed a letter advocating for President Biden to give [[General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon variants|F-16]] fighter jets to [[Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/02-21-2023/dems-join-f-16-call/ |title=Seven more lawmakers — including six Democrats — have signed on to a letter pushing Joe Biden to send F-16 jets to Ukraine. |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=February 21, 2023 |website=Politico |publisher= |access-date=February 24, 2023 |quote=}}</ref> Costa has been a regular attendee of the Yalta European Strategy annual meetings founded and sponsored by Ukrainian oligarch [[Victor Pinchuk]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://yes-ukraine.org/en/yes-annual-meetings/2023/speakers|access-date=2024-01-31 |title=Speakers |website=Yalta European Strategy |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://yes-ukraine.org/en/yes-annual-meetings/2022/speakers|access-date=2024-01-31 |title=Speakers |website=Yalta European Strategy |language=en}}</ref>

===Health care===
Costa was reportedly a holdout vote on the [[Affordable Care Act]] (Obamacare) in March 2010. He ultimately voted for the legislation.<ref name="Costa yes">{{cite news|title=Costa a yes |url=https://www.politico.com/livepulse/0310/Costa_a_yes.html|newspaper=Politico|date=March 10, 2010}}</ref> To gain Costa's vote, the House leadership reportedly promised Costa and [[Dennis Cardoza]] funding for a medical school for California's Central Valley.<ref name="Bills move along">{{cite news|title=Side deals stack up as health bills move along|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/55447-side-deals-stack-up-as-health-bills-move-along/|newspaper=The Hill|date=November 23, 2009}}</ref>

===Immigration===
He is an original co-sponsor of the [[American Dream and Promise Act]],<ref name="costa.house.gov">{{cite web |url=https://costa.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/costa-statement-re-introduction-dream-and-promise-act-farm-workforce | title=Costa Statement on Re-Introduction of Dream and Promise Act, Farm Workforce Modernization Act | date=March 4, 2021 }}</ref>{{self published inline|date=June 2025}} which provides a pathway to citizenship for [[Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals]] (DACA) recipients. He was instrumental in crafting the bipartisan Farmworker Modernization Act,<ref name="costa.house.gov"/>{{self published inline|date=June 2025}}  which would give undocumented farmworkers and their family members a path to legal immigration status.

===Infrastructure and transportation===

In 2008, Costa wrote a piece in ''Capitol Weekly'' calling for high-speed rail in California.<ref name="Transportation system">{{cite web |title=High speed rail: a viable transportation system for California |url=http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cx1wzkesety80ym&issueId=x1uh8zbb6q8afq&xid=x1uzxza4c74tim |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209070157/http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?issueId=x1uh8zbb6q8afq&xid=x1uzxza4c74tim&_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cx1wzkesety80ym |archive-date=February 9, 2011 |access-date=November 15, 2014 |publisher=Capitol Weekly}}</ref> He advocated creating a [[California High-Speed Rail|high-speed rail system]] that would go up and down California as well as across the nation at speeds of 225 miles per hour. He introduced different bills to support these rails. Costa's longtime colleague [[George Miller (California politician)|George Miller]] compared rail projects to President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s highway expansion and pleaded to Transportation Secretary [[Ray LaHood]] and President [[Barack Obama]] for help with this project.<ref name="Costa Profile">{{cite news|title=Jim Costa |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jim-costa-d-calif/gIQAwvJSAP_topic.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129081921/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jim-costa-d-calif/gIQAwvJSAP_topic.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 29, 2014|work=Political Profile|publisher=[[The Washington Post]]|date=August 21, 2012}}</ref>

In 2015, Costa was one of 28 House Democrats to vote to build the [[Keystone XL]] pipeline.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Foran |first1=Clare |date=January 9, 2015 |title=Here are the 28 House Democrats Who Voted to Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/01/here-are-the-28-house-democrats-who-voted-to-approve-the-keystone-xl-pipeline/445086/ |access-date=August 29, 2018 |website=The Atlantic}}</ref>

In 2021, Costa joined a group of conservative Democrats, dubbed "The Unbreakable Nine", who threatened to derail the Biden administration's $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package meant to tackle the nation's infrastructure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 25, 2021 |title=Already, Cracks Emerge in Rep. Josh Gottheimer's "Unbreakable Nine" |url=https://theintercept.com/2021/08/24/reconciliation-infrastructure-gottheimer-democrats-unbreakable-nine/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bouie |first1=Jamelle |date=August 24, 2021 |title=Opinion &#124; the 9 Democrats Making Nancy Pelosi's Life Harder Are Making a Big Mistake |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/opinion/democrats-bipartisan-infrastructure-bill.html |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

===Military===
In December 2017, Costa introduced legislation to allow some [[Hmong-American|Hmong]]- and [[Laotian-American]] veterans to be buried in U.S. national cemeteries. The legislation applies to Hmong and Laotian veterans who fought alongside the U.S. against North Vietnamese forces in the 1960s and 1970s. The bill, which does not allow for burials at [[Arlington National Cemetery]], applies only to veterans who pass away on or after the bill's enactment. The bill was enacted in March 2018 as part of the [[Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018|Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Constante |first1=Agnes |title=Congress passes law allowing national cemetery burials for 'secret war' veterans |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/congress-passes-law-allowing-national-cemetery-burials-secret-war-veterans-n862346 |access-date=August 24, 2018 |work=NBC News |date=April 3, 2018}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Costa is [[Roman Catholic]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Religious affiliation of members of 118th Congress |url=https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2022/12/PF_2023.01.03_congress_LIST.pdf |access-date=23 January 2023 |publisher=PEW Research Center}}</ref> and has been described as a liberal Catholic who favors [[abortion rights movement|abortion rights]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Patrick |date=June 24, 2021 |title=Did the 60 Pro-Abortion Catholic House Democrats Attend Catholic Schools? |url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/did-60-pro-abortion-dems-go-to-catholic-schools |access-date=April 8, 2023 |website=[[National Catholic Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=French |first=Lauren |date=September 22, 2015 |title=Poverty, immigration top Dem wish-list for pope |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2015/09/pope-francis-2015-visit-democrats-213893 |access-date=April 8, 2023 |website=Politico}}</ref>

==Honors==
*[[File:POR Ordem do Merito Comendador BAR.svg|80px]] Commander of the [[Order of Merit (Portugal)|Order of Merit]], [[Portugal]] (June 8, 1996)<ref>{{cite web|title=Cidadãos Estrangeiros Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas|url=http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=154|website=Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas|access-date=August 1, 2017}}</ref>

===Foreign awards===
* {{Flag icon|Ukraine}} [[Ukraine]]
** [[Honorary Diploma of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine]] (2024) – Awarded by Ukrainian Parliament; presented by [[Ruslan Stefanchuk]], Chairman of the [[Verkhovna Rada]].<ref>Congressman Jim Costa (2024) receives Ukraine Parliament Medal. In: Dr R Don Green, PhD (23 JAN 2025). About the Ukraine Parliament Medal: awarded to Foreign Citizens “For services to Ukraine.” Archived in the Military Academy – Allied Defence Group, private Knights Univ. (Ko’G).</ref><ref>[https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ukrainian-parliament-awards-us-bipartisan-delegations-in-kyiv-302254471.html Ukrainian Parliament Awards US Bipartisan Delegation]. Link still valid, January 23, 2025.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Electoral history of Jim Costa]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[https://costa.house.gov/ Congressman Jim Costa] official U.S. House website
*[https://www.jimcosta.com Jim Costa for Congress] campaign website
* {{C-SPAN|19599}}
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[[Category:1952 births]]
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