Press Releases

Merced, CA – Rep. Jim Costa announced that $297,977 in federal funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is being awarded to the Merced Irrigation Direction (MID). The funding will go toward developing a Drought Protection Water Management Model. The model will help MID prepare for future droughts by enabling them to better predict and respond to drought conditions.

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015, of which Rep. Costa is an original cosponsor, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 245-176. Rep. Costa's amendment to increase accountability for environmental water flows was adopted as part of the final bill.

Washington, DC- Today, Rep. Costa offered three amendments before the Rules Committee, in a continued effort to improve H.R. 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015, of which he is an original co-sponsor. The amendments offered would increase storage at Lake McClure by providing a process to raise the spillway gates of New Exchequer Dam, would utilize existing National Guard resources to assist communities impacted by the drought and would increase accountability for environmental water flows.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Obama announced that the Department of Labor will propose extending overtime pay protections to nearly 5 million salaried American workers, including 420,000 in California. This proposal would increase the current overtime protection threshold, guaranteeing overtime pay to most salaried workers earning less than an estimated $50,440 per year.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Jim Costa joined Rep. David Valadao in introducing H.R. 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015. This legislation, which will make more water available to families, farmers, and communities, will modernize water policies in California and throughout the entire Western United States. Additionally, this bill legislation will provide direction to capture more water during the wet season and mechanisms to move forward with water storage projects that have been authorized for over a decade.

"Today's bipartisan passage of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) provides necessary protections and resources for American workers who are displaced by trade. TAA will allow our economy to grow, while ensuring that hardworking Americans have the opportunity to succeed. Each year, TAA will provide $450 million worth of job training, community college education, relocation allowances and job search assistance, all while not cutting funding to any federal programs.

"After months of careful consideration and meeting with opponents and proponents of the trade package, I voted to support Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). While I agreed with a number of concerns presented by those opposing the trade package, what I found lacking were their solutions to addressing those challenges. In today's global economy, standing by idly as trade agreements are made without us, or starting the current negotiations from the beginning, as the President explained, are not viable options.

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Jim Costa and Rep. David Valadao introduced the Dams Accountability, Maintenance, and Safety Act. Under current law, if a modification or repair of a dam is identified by the Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau), the Secretary is authorized to look only at corrective actions that will remedy the specific safety problem.