Media

Fresno, CA– Rep. Jim Costa announced today that Fresno, Kern, and Kings Counties will receive $4.8 million under the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program as compensation for lost property tax revenue from non-taxable federal lands. Though the guaranteed funds for the PILT program expired last year, Costa has urged the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Conference Committee to extend the program. Fresno, Kern, and Kings Counties rely on these funds to help keep teachers, police, firefighters, and nurses on the job.

Fresno, CA– Rep. Jim Costa announced today that Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission will receive $19.7 million for Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Fresno.

Fresno, CA. – Rep. Jim Costa announced today that Maheep Gill, a senior at Fresno's Sunnyside High School, was nominated and has been accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Gill's civic engagement and academic excellence, which places him in the top 5% of his class, led Costa to nominate him for admission to the Air Force Academy. Gill will be the first Sunnyside graduate to attend the Air Force Academy.

Fresno, CA– Rep. Jim Costa announced today that Fresno will receive $2.2 million for improvements to public transit in Fresno. The funds were made available through the Department of Transportation's State of Good Repair program which aims to provide reliable, safe transit services to riders. Fresno Area Express (FAX) will use these funds to purchase three new buses that will accommodate additional riders and produce fewer emissions.

Washington D.C. – Rep. Jim Costa called on Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to take action in order to bring greater water security to the San Joaquin Valley. In a letter, Costa stated that the status quo was not sustainable and expressed concerns that delays on decisions has created a cycle of planning with no end in sight.

Calls on House to ‘Stop this Charade'

Washington D.C. – Rep. Jim Costa called on House Republicans to abandon legislation that put politics above protections for women and children who are victims of domestic violence during consideration of H.R. 4970, a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The law was originally enacted in 1994 and offers a wide range of services and support to victims of domestic abuse.

Washington D.C. – Rep. Jim Costa announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has opened a competitive grant process for the operation of MBDA Business Centers to support Native American and Alaska Native businesses. The centers will focus on providing business consulting services to Native American businesses.