SACRAMENTO, CA – Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) today sent the following letter to United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi: 

November 23, 2020

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House

H-232, U.S. Capitol

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Pelosi,

On behalf of the residents of the 14^th State Senate District in California, I write to urge you to select Congressman Jim Costa to be the next Chair of the Agriculture Committee in the United States House of Representatives. 

As you are well aware, California is the top agricultural producing state in the nation. The district I represent in the State Senate has three of the top five most productive agriculture counties in California: Fresno, Kern, and Tulare — with Fresno being the most productive. 

Congressman Costa knows this region well, having served as a state and federal representative of the San Joaquin Valley for nearly 40 years. Even more relevant to my request, Congressman Costa is a third-generation family farmer, having grown up on a dairy farm in the Fresno area. 

Congressman Costa is exactly the right person for this job at precisely the right moment. With coronavirus cases and hospitalizations increasing dramatically, the nation — and California — faces growing uncertainty about our economic recovery. This uncertainty has affected nearly every sector of the American economy, and the agriculture industry is no different. 

However, as you know, our farms can’t afford to slow down in these trying times. California feeds the world. Generations of farmworkers rely on steady work to feed their families and create better opportunities for the next generation. We must ensure that the Central Valley dream continues to be synonymous with the American dream — but this will take our region having a seat at the table. There is no one better than Congressman Costa to take that seat. 

I strongly urge you to name Congressman Jim Costa as the next Chair of the Agriculture Committee in the House. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Melissa Hurtado

Senator, 14^th District
 

For a full copy of the letter click here

About Senator Melissa Hurtado

Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) represents the 14^th Senate district in California, which includes cities in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. Senator Hurtado was born in Fresno, California and raised in the City of Sanger.

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