Education:
BA, Political Science, California State University, Fresno, 1974.

Professional Experience:
Chief Executive Officer, Costa Group, 2002-2004
Administrative Assistant, Assemblymember Richard Lehman, California State Assembly, 1976-1978
Special Assistant, Representative John Krebs, United States House of Representatives, 1975-1976
Employee/Family Farmer, Costa Brothers Dairy, 1959-1974
Kenneth L. Maddy Institute Professor, Fresno State University.

Political Experience:
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 2005-present
Senator, California State Senate, 1994-2002
Assembly Member, California State Assembly, 1978-1994.

Organizations:
Member, Steering Committee, Fresno County Farm Bureau
Board Member, Fresno Historical Society
Board Member, Fresno-Madera Agency on Aging
Former President, National Conference of State Legislators.

Caucuses/Non-Legislative Committees:
Member, Armenian Caucus
Member, Arts Caucus
Member, Awareness Caucus
Member, Beef Caucus Specialty
Member, Bi-Partisan Refugee Caucus
Member, Blue Dog Coalition
Member, Boating Caucus
Member, Center Aisle Caucus
Member, Community College Caucus
Member, Congressional Hispanic Caucus
Member, Congressional Organ and Tissue Donation
Member, Congressional Soils Caucus
Co-Founder/Co-Chair, Congressional Victims' Rights Caucus
Co-Founder, Congressional Water Caucus
Member, Crop Caucus
Member, Frozen Food Caucus
Member, Human Rights Caucus
Member, Methamphetamine Caucus
Member, Rail Caucus
Member, Rural Cooperative Caucus
Member, Water Caucus
Member, Wine Caucus.

Committees:
Agriculture, Member
Foreign Affairs, Member
Natural Resources, Member
Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research, Member
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, Chair
Subcommittee on Europe, Member
Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, Member
Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, Member
Subcommittee on Water and Power, Member
Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Member