Costa Claims Ranking Member Spot on Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Researc

Costa Will Also Serve on Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry; Resources Subcommittees on Water & Power and Energy & Mineral Resources

Fresno, CA – After being selected as Ranking Member on the Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee, Congressman Costa made the following statement:

“Our smaller cities and rural areas are a critical part of our Valley’s economy,” said Costa. “By serving as Ranking Member of the Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee, I intend to bring much needed attention to the priorities of our rural towns. From Selma to Parlier, Kettlemen City to Weedpatch, the Valley has a great deal of need.”

“As Ranking Member, I am also committed to protecting research programs at our Valley’s great agricultural colleges like my alma mater, Fresno State and defending successful export initiatives like the Market Access Program that have helped to expand markets and promote U.S. agriculture products abroad.”

Costa will continue as a member of the Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power.“Water and jobs continue to be among my highest priorities as I represent the needs of farmers, farm workers, and farm communities in our Valley.  Even as rain and snow are falling throughout the state, we know that our Valley’s water issues are far from over.  I look forward to working in a bipartisan fashion with my colleagues on the Water and Power Subcommittee and this Administration as we look for real solutions to our state’s water challenges.”  

Congressman Costa will serve on the following subcommittees:

Committee on Agriculture:

·         Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture

Jurisdiction:  Rural development; farm security and family farming matters; agricultural research, education, and extension services; biotechnology, foreign agriculture assistance and trade promotion programs, generally.

·         Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy & Forestry

Jurisdiction:   Soil, water, and resource conservation, small watershed program, energy and biobased energy production, rural electrification, forestry in general and forest reserves other than those created from the public domain.

Committee on Resources

·         Subcommittees on Water and Power

Jurisdiction:    Generation and marketing of electric power from Federal water projects by Federally chartered or Federal regional power marketing authorities, water resources planning conducted pursuant to the Water Resources Planning Act, water resource research and development programs and saline water research and development, interstate waters, water rights and major interbasin water or power movement programs, irrigation and reclamation projects, water resources development and recycling programs, Indian water rights and settlements, international water programs

·         Energy & Mineral Resources

Jurisdiction:    U.S. Geological Survey, except for the activities and programs of the Water Resources Division or its successor, geothermal resources, conservation U.S. uranium supply, Mining interests, conservation and development of oil and gas resources of the Outer Continental Shelf,  petroleum conservation on the public lands and conservation of the radium supply, transportation of natural gas from or within Alaska and disposition of oil transported by the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, rights of way over public lands for underground energy-related transportation.