Media
Latest News
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congress focused on security, both of the United States and its ally in the Middle East, Israel. The day began with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing a joint session of Congress and ended with the House of Representatives voting on a clean, yearlong appropriations bill to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security.
Bettina Boxall and David Pierson reported on the front page of Saturday's Los Angeles Times that, "In another blow to California's parched heartland, federal officials said Friday that for the second year in a row most Central Valley farmers are unlikely to receive water from the region's major irrigation project this summer.
"The announcement, while expected, means growers will probably have to idle more land — and produce fewer crops — because there is simply not enough water for all of their fields.
Bettina Boxall and David Pierson reported on the front page of Saturday's Los Angeles Times that, "In another blow to California's parched heartland, federal officials said Friday that for the second year in a row most Central Valley farmers are unlikely to receive water from the region's major irrigation project this summer.
"The announcement, while expected, means growers will probably have to idle more land — and produce fewer crops — because there is simply not enough water for all of their fields.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Jim Costa issued the following statement after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that agricultural service contractors in the San Joaquin Valley served through the Central Valley Project (CVP), such as San Luis Delta Mendota Water Authority and Friant Water Authority, will receive zero percent of their contracted federal water for the second consecutive year.
California water legislation is starting to trickle across Capitol Hill.
One newly introduced bill would speed approval of Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley. Another would help restore San Francisco Bay habitat. More targeted bills are coming.
So are some frustrations.
"I feel like that pop song, ‘Call Me Maybe,'" said Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael.
Washington, D.C. –U.S. Congressman Jim Costa released the following statement after the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract covering workers at all 29 West Coast ports.
In this region that calls itself "The Cantaloupe Center of the World," vast fields that once annually yielded millions of melons lie fallow. And, for some farmers, planting tomatoes and other traditional row crops may now constitute acts of courage.
America's largest agriculture economy is changing because of a lack of water. Amid a prolonged drought and an anticipated third straight year of cutbacks in federal water supplies, the one assured constant is stress.
California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger speaks at a state Capitol news conference, during which he and other speakers urged action to end a labor dispute at West Coast ports.
Emphasizing the hardship that the slowdown at West Coast ports is having on California agriculture, several members of the state Legislature called on President Obama to intervene in the ongoing labor dispute between dockworkers and shippers that has crippled the movement of goods.
Fresno Democrat Jim Costa last November had his second close race in his past three congressional reelection bids, barely beating underfunded and unheralded Republican Johnny Tacherra.
Still, it appears national Republicans don't think Costa is vulnerable in 2016.
On Wednesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee released a list of 19 Democrats it will target in next year's elections. There are six Californians on the list, but Costa isn't among them.
How did Costa — who beat Tacherra by just 1.4-percentage points — escape the NRCC's 2016 crosshairs?
United States Trade Representative Michael Froman announced today that the United States has pursued dispute settlement consultations with the Government of China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) concerning China's "Demonstration Bases-Common Service Platform" export subsidy program.