U.S. Rep. Jim Costa is taking a risk in defying his party. It’s a risk worth taking
Challenging your own political party is not easy. I know because I've done it and I've paid the price. I've been removed from multiple committee assignments and had my legislation sidelined as retaliation by Democratic leadership for my unapologetic defense of Valley water and criticism of the State Water Resources Control Board.
So when I see Rep. Jim Costa standing up to the most powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, I recognize what it could cost him.
Failing to make that stand could cost every Californian, every American, much more.
At stake is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which the Senate voted into existence with the help of every Democrat and 19 courageous Republicans. It would spend $1.2 trillion fixing roads, repairing bridges, building state-of-the-art airports, pushing high-speed rail and creating a digital network next to none on our planet.
This bill will have real impacts in real lives. As a state with 14,220 miles of roads rated "C-minus" by the annual infrastructure report card, deteriorating water infrastructure that stores and conveys less water than it did when it was first built generations ago, and an electrical grid that threatens blackouts on an annual basis, California has so much to gain if the bill passes and so much to lose if it fails.
Not to get too deep into the political maneuvering taking place in Washington, but the Progressive Democrats Caucus has a far, far more expansive agenda than just these massive improvements. They want to enact that agenda by tying the incredibly popular Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to a version of the $3.5 trillion budget bill that only they truly support.
It's not that most of their programs or goals in the budget bill are bad, but there is only one reason to delay passage of the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. And that reason is entirely political. It's clear they would rather have Twitter talking points than real, concrete-and-steel results.
That's why Rep. Costa and eight other Democrats from across the nation crafted a letter spelling out their unwillingness to delay for even one more moment this important vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. To make their point, they threatened to withhold their votes on the progressive's budget bill unless the bipartisan infrastructure bill happens first.
Instead of getting to work right away, Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team are now attempting to coerce Congressman Costa and the others to bow to their demands.
The speaker has called their principled stance "amateur hour" and members of the Progressive Caucus are preparing a media campaign to tar and feather the members for standing in the way of their political priorities. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for nine moderates to compete with the propaganda machine of 96 progressives.
They will likely lose the media battle in Washington, but they should win back home in their districts. They should not yield, and we should stand by them in this fight.
Without independent thinkers, who value their district and constituents over political pandering and partisan infighting, government's famous gridlock can never be broken. It takes backbone to stand up against the vocal majority, and that is what we are seeing play out right now. Congressman Costa and his fellow signatories should be applauded by Democrats and Republicans for having the courage to do what's right instead of what's easy.
Every member of California's delegation should be demanding the same, and we should all be asking why Jim Costa's name is the only one on that letter.
Adam Gray represents the 21st Assembly District which includes Merced and parts of Stanislaus County.