Costa wants feds to make Reedley lab investigation public

REEDLEY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Congressman Jim Costa wants the federal agencies looking into the illegal lab in Reedley to make their findings public when the investigation is complete.

Costa sent a letter to the leaders of the FDA, the FBI, the IRS and the EPA – as well as the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services – asking for them to publish their investigation.

In the letter, Costa urges federal agencies to work quickly to investigate the potential wrongdoings stemming from this situation and take all appropriate actions to hold those responsible accountable – even offering his own assistance.

Costa adds that it’s his top priority to protect the health and well-being of those in
Reedley and across the San Joaquin Valley.

“Since being made aware of the issue, I have kept in regular contact with local officials and have, through email and verbal communication with Congressional liaisons, shared information, encouraged cross-agency collaboration, and requested briefings on actions on the case,” wrote Costa in the letter.

Reedley is in Costa’s district, CA-21, and he was involved with getting the Center for Disease Control and federal partners involved with the lab back in March when he got a call from the Reedley City Manager pleading for help.  

“My constituents and I remain deeply concerned about the situation. I urge you to hold the
organizers of the unsanctioned laboratory accountable for their actions. Further, you must ensure that operations such as these are not allowed to continue to conduct research or produce products that do not meet federal health and safety standards in another unsuspecting jurisdiction,” wrote Costa.

Costa’s final request in the letter asks federal officials to produce a report detailing the steps each federal agency took and to make them available to the public.

“Due to the conceivable public health and safety impacts that this laboratory could have had on my constituents, we deserve to know all the facts in this case as soon as legally possible,” wrote Costa. “Transparency will grant citizens peace of mind, allowing them to learn the exact steps taken by the federal government to shut down the lab and prevent the company from establishing additional locations.”