Contributor

Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill., Chairman, House Aviation Subcommittee

Rep. Jerry Costello began his career shortly after his graduation from high school, working full time as a law enforcement officer while attending college. In 1980, he was elected Chairman of the St. Clair County Board, chief executive for one of Illinois' largest counties. He took that experience to Congress in August of 1988.

Costello represents Illinois' 12th Congressional district, which sits adjacent to the Mississippi River and extends from Alton down to Cairo in the southern part of the state. From his seat on the Budget Committee, Costello helped pass key deficit reduction legislation in 1993 and 1997 that resulted in the first balanced federal budget in a generation.

Costello has been instrumental in bringing home federal funds for MidAmerica Airport, MetroLink, the Clark Bridge in Alton, the Emerson Bridge at Cape Girardeau and repairs to the King and McKinley bridges in the Metro East. From his position as a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, he has also been instrumental in writing Transportation and Aviation re-authorization bills, which set national transportation policy. Costello was successful in working with the Bi-State Congressional Delegation to secure $239 million in federal funds for the new Mississippi River Bridge, one of the largest earmarks for any project in the nation in the 2005 Highway bill. He is currently Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, and is playing a major role in authoring a $68 billion reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Costello chaired the Committee that made the decision to move forward and construct the MetroLink light rail system in Illinois. Phase One came in under budget and on schedule at a cost of approximately $300 million, running from Lambert International Airport to East St. Louis. In May of 2001, the expansion from East St. Louis to Southwestern Illinois College opened. The MetroLink extension from Southwestern Illinois Community College to Scott Air Force Base opened in 2003, making Scott one of the few bases in the nation that provides light rail transportation to its personnel.

Costello's wife, Georgia, is the President of Southwestern Illinois College.