In the News
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Woodlake families impacted by severe flooding are doing their best to rebuild their homes and remain hopeful for financial support.
"At one point in time in the last month, 16 million California's have been living under this horrific flood and snow conditions," said Congressman Jim Costa.
Costa made rounds in Tulare County this week to take a closer look at the devastation caused by recent storms.
He was in Cutler on Wednesday and toured several impacted homes in Woodlake on Friday.
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds of families throughout Tulare County are still working hard to get back on their feet after floodwaters rushed into their homes.
Homes along Road 124 in Cutler were hit hard and residents are hoping support will be provided sometime soon.
Erica Torres is a mother of three and vividly remembers the water becoming a shallow river right in front of and through her home.
""We had to stay the night at the Veterans Hall. When I came here, I was just in tears to see my home," Torres explained.
CENTRAL VALLEY, Calif. (KGPE/KSEE) – As President Biden declared a Major Disaster Declaration for counties that have faced extreme floods, it began to get the ball rolling for the countless people who still need help to rebuild.
The declaration frees up federal funds for those who have faced the worst of it. It has destroyed homes, property, and countless acres of farmland all around.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A high-ranking representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is set to make a trip to the Central Valley to see firsthand the impact of the storms residents have had to weather over the last few weeks.
WOODLAKE, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Communities throughout the valley and state continue to deal with the effects of the latest atmospheric river.
The rain-on-snow event is forcing massive amounts of water downstream.
Meguel Lopez is just one of the dozens of Woodlake residents whose homes were flooded by overflowing water from Antelope creek.
One day following an atmospheric river that left large portions of the South Valley in six inches of flood waters, Congressman Jim Costa was in Tulare County to assess the damage.
Rep. Jim Costa announced Thursday that Fresno Yosemite International Airport will receive a $7.1 million federal grant to expand the terminal and $4.4 million to upgrade its primary runway.
“These federal investments will help fund the airport’s expansion, create good-paying jobs, and boost our economic growth, as part of an ongoing effort that I am engaged with the city of Fresno to improve air service for the public.” — Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is planning to stand up an agriculture task force focused on the farm bill as multiple Latino members join the House Agriculture Committee, according to a congressional staffer familiar with the issue.
Task force to be chaired by Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and include Democratic Reps. Tony Cárdenas (Calif.), Darren Soto (Fla.), Sylvia Garcia (Texas), Andrea Salinas (Ore.), Raul Ruiz (Calif.), Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (Wash.), Salud Carbajal (Calif.), Yadira Caraveo (Colo.), and Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.)
Inflation continued to ease in January, fueled by the overall declining cost of energy and consumer goods. But one data point remains stubbornly high: food prices. And few in Washington can agree on how best to rein them in.
Valley lawmakers are weighing in after President Biden delivered his second State of the Union address to America on Tuesday night.
Biden's address came before a new Speaker of the House, Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy, who took his seat behind the president for the first time.
"There was a big change tonight. Tonight, the president agreed that he would sit down and compromise and work on sensible solutions with Kevin McCarthy and our caucus," said Congressman John Duarte.
California lawmakers met Monday with Central Valley immigration advocates and community organizations to discuss concerns about immigration enforcement, detention facility conditions and access to legal services following an unannounced visit to an ICE detention facility in Kern County.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and U.S. Rep. Jim Costa made an unannounced visit Monday to Golden State Annex in McFarland, saying they wanted to inspect conditions inside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility amid what they described as a surge in immigration enforcement across California.
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Rep. Jim Costa and several California lawmakers have sent a letter to Acting ICE Director David Venturella seeking greater transparency about ongoing immigration enforcement operations they say have been carried out across the state.