Jim Costa

Democrat · U.S. House, California District 21

In April 2024 Costa backed the bipartisan aid package that replenished Iron Dome and David's Sling for Israel and funded humanitarian aid for Gaza, saying America cannot turn its back on allies. In October 2025 he welcomed the ceasefire, calling hostage returns and expanded aid to Gaza critical steps forward.

On U.S. weapons and money to the government of Israel, Costa supported the April 2024 national security package, which replenished the Iron Dome, David's Sling, and other defense systems for Israel and included $9.15 billion for humanitarian assistance, with Gaza named among the recipients. In the first weeks after October 7, 2023, he said he was pushing for additional military and economic resources so Israel could defend itself, and in an October 19, 2023 interview he supported President Biden's emergency military assistance request and rejected early ceasefire calls; that interview's source page would not open.

On the conflict itself, he condemned the October 7 attack as an act of war against an ally. In January 2025 he welcomed the announced ceasefire as long overdue. On the two-year anniversary of October 7 he called the Hamas assault the largest instance of violence against Jews since the Holocaust and said the war has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, over a third of them women and children, calling for a ceasefire and hostage release. On October 9, 2025 he said hostage returns and more humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza are critical steps forward. In March 2024, Fresnoland reported that Palestinian and Muslim advocacy groups criticized his reluctance to support a permanent ceasefire and said he had declined for months to meet with pro-Palestinian constituents.

His earlier record includes a 2019 statement opposing the BDS movement against Israel and a July 2023 joint statement calling Israel the legitimate homeland of the Jewish people. On antisemitism, as context, he signed letters on the UN special rapporteur (2023) and campus antisemitism (2023), and in June 2025 condemned the Boulder attack and signed a letter to social media executives on online hate.

Tracked votes: backed sending U.S. weapons or funding to the government of Israel in 4 of 6 recorded votes.

Research

U.S. military aid and weapons to Israel

Characterization of the conflict

Rhetoric and lobbying

Safety and antisemitism (context, not a weapons or funding position)

Also in this race: Kyle Kirkland (Republican) · All California candidates.

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But What Can You Do? tracks where 2026 candidates stand on U.S. weapons and funding for the government of Israel. Every claim on this page goes through at least two verification steps. Open the interactive card for votes, funding and contact details.