Letters

Since the beginning of the 117th Congress, I have led and signed numerous letters to address various issues affecting my constituents, district, and the nation. Scroll on this page to learn more about previous and current initiatives I am leading for the Valley! To view letters from 2021, please click here.

April 2022

Letter Requesting Update on Administration Review of US-Saudi Relationship

April 13, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a group of colleagues in a letter to Secretary Blinken requesting information on the status of the administration's review and assessment of the U.S.-Saudi relationship and how current U.S. policy on Saudi Arabia is advancing core U.S. interests. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling on President Biden to exempt vaccinated travelers from the 24-hour testing requirement

April 12, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a group of colleagues in a letter to President Joe Biden calling for fully vaccinated travelers to be exempt from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) current 24-hour negative COVID-19 testing requirement. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter to the Census urging action following the 2020 Census results

April 6, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to the Commerce Department and the U.S. Census Bureau expressing concern about the undercount of Latino, Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native populations in the 2020 Census. A copy of the letter is available here.

March 2022

Letter Urging Biden Admin to Prioritize Agriculture in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Discussions

March 30, 2022 - Rep. Costa co-led a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging them to prioritize agriculture in the upcoming Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (Framework). A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling for Small Business support in the COVID supplemental relief bill

March 17, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to Congressional leadership calling for the inclusion of much-needed relief for the country's hardest-hit small businesses in the upcoming COVID supplemental bill. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission to combat fertilizer import prices

March 17, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bicameral letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) requesting it address the strain on the fertilizer supply by eliminating duties on phosphate fertilizer products imported from Morocco and suspending the process to impose new duties on urea ammonium fertilizer from Trinidad and Tobago. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling on the government of India to condemn Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine

March 16, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to the U.S. Ambassador to India urging the Indian government to condemn Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter calling for the U.S. potato export agreement to be honored and expedited

March 14, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan, bicameral letter calling on the USDA to press its counter-agency in Mexico to honor and expedite the U.S.-Mexico trade deal restoring U.S. fresh potato exports to Mexico. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling on the Treasury Department & IRS to defend pandemic unemployment benefits

March 14, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig calling for the protection of unemployment benefits after delays at the California Employment Development Department (EDD). A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter urging U.S. State Department to continue to support U.S. mission Ukraine staff

March 11, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern for the ongoing safety of Ukrainian employees of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development and urging the department to continue to assist them and their families in relocating out of the country as needed. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan, bicameral letter calling for providing QR codes on Grave Markers for all Fallen Heroes & Veterans

March 11, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth and Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough calling for providing families of veterans with the option of utilizing Quick Response Codes (QR Codes) on grave markers or headstones to better tell the stories of our fallen service members. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter urging Congress to support an expansion of COVID-19 relief

March 8, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to help ensure a just and equitable pandemic recovery by including robust, dedicated funding to support people battling Long COVID in a future coronavirus relief package. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter to the Biden Administration urging increased engagement in the Balkans

March 7, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to Secretary of State Blinken urging the Biden administration to increase its diplomatic engagement in the Western Balkans. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan letter calling attention to the worsening refugee crisis in Ukraine

March 3, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan letter calling attention to the worsening refugee crisis in Ukraine. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan letter calling for sporting and cultural sanctions against Russia

March 3, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan letter urging President Biden to work with allies and partners around the world to bar Russia from international sports and cultural events and organizations. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan letter urging DHS for improvements to USCIS Contact Center

March 1, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Ur Jaddou to make improvements to the USCIS Contact Center, specifically the scheduling process for local field office appointments. A copy of the letter is available here.

February 2022

Bipartisan, bicameral letter urging the State Department against Increasing Fees on Temporary Agricultural Worker Visas

February 28, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday urging the State Department against increasing fees on H-2A temporary agricultural worker visas. The proposed increase would raise the fees from $190 to $310, presenting a significant financial challenge for America's farmers. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to be granted to Ukrainians

February 28, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter calling for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to be granted to Ukrainians amidst the ongoing Russian invasion. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter urging the Biden Administration to pledge for replenishment in the global fund

February 23, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter urging the Biden administration to commit to a robust and increased three-year U.S. pledge for replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter urging TRICARE to cover COVID-19 tests for active-duty personnel and military families

February 22, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan letter to Secretary Austin urging the Department of Defense to update TRICARE's policy to cover at-home COVID-19 tests for active-duty service members and military families. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan letter to President Biden underscoring Congress's authority relating to U.S. involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict

February 22, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan letter calling on the Biden administration to urge the president to receive authorization from Congress before involving U.S. armed forces in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling for immediate implementation of infrastructure investments

February 15, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter calling on House and Senate leadership to release funding for much-needed infrastructure improvements nationwide. A copy of the letter is available here.

Letter calling for an extension of COVID-19 sick leave for workers

February 14, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a letter calling on House leadership to move forward with an extension of the COVID-19 sick leave mandate, which expired in December of 2020. A copy of the letter is available here.

Bipartisan Letter Calling on the Biden Administration urging rejection of F-16 fighter jet scale to Turkey

February 4, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined over 50 leaders from the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and the Congressional Hellenic Caucus. In a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the lawmakers strongly urge them to reject a request from the Republic of Turkey to purchase next-generation F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits from the United States. A copy of the letter is available here.

January 2022

Costa, Thompson, Neguse Lead Letter to President Biden Urging Increased Efforts to Mitigate Wildfires

January 28, 2022 - Reps. Jim Costa (CA-16), Mike Thompson (CA-05), and Joe Neguse (CO-02) led a letter alongside 11 House colleagues from impacted districts to President Joe Biden calling for a more robust strategy for identifying and responding to wildfires. The full text of the letter can be found here

Bipartisan Letter to President Biden to protect U.S. Olympic Athletes

January 27, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined a bipartisan group of 23 House members in a letter urging President Biden in response to Chinese officials threatening punishment for athletes who engage in a prohibited speech during the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. The full letter can be found here.

Letter to US Treasury Department to reduce IRS backlog and bring relief to taxpayers

January 26, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined over 191 colleagues in a letter urging the Treasury Department to address the unprecedented challenges facing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and bring relief to American taxpayers as tax filing season begins. The full text of the letter is available HERE.

Letter to USTR Tai Calling for Expanded Tariff Exclusion Process

January 20, 2022 - Rep. Costa and 137 of their colleagues sent a bipartisan letter to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai expressing their strong support for establishing a comprehensive and fair exclusion process that would allow U.S. producers, manufacturers, and importers to request relief from Section 301 tariffs on imports from China. The full text of the letter can be found here.

Letter to Social media companies urging action to combat Spanish-language disinformation

January 18, 2022 - The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) called on the Chief Executive Officers of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok to meet with the Caucus to discuss concerns with Spanish-language misinformation on the platforms and the steps the companies are taking to address it. The full text of the letter can be found here.

Letter to the Biden Administration to expand access to COVID-19 rapid testing

January 12, 2022 - Rep. Costa joined more than 40 members of the House and Senate in a recent letter to President Joe Biden, calling on the administration to expand access equitably and quickly to rapid tests for COVID-19. The full text of the letter can be found here.

To view letters from 2021, please click here.