Jerry Costello Biography Quotes 27 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Jerry F. Costello was born in 1949 in East St. Louis, Illinois, and built a public career rooted in the working communities of southwestern Illinois and the greater St. Louis region. He attended Belleville Area College (now Southwestern Illinois College), earning an associate degree, and continued his studies at Maryville University and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. His early experiences in the Metro East area shaped a pragmatic approach to public service that emphasized transportation, jobs, and regional cooperation across the Mississippi River.

Early Career and Local Leadership
Before entering national politics, Costello worked in St. Clair County government in roles tied to law enforcement and court administration. He developed a reputation as an effective local problem-solver and was elected chairman of the St. Clair County Board, where he served through the 1980s. In that office he learned the mechanics of budgets, infrastructure planning, and intergovernmental partnerships, collaborating closely with county officials, local mayors, and civic leaders. The relationships he forged in these years with labor representatives, business owners, and community organizations laid the groundwork for a congressional career focused on tangible improvements at home.

Election to Congress
Costello entered the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988, winning a special election to succeed the late Melvin Price, a towering figure in southern Illinois politics. After redistricting, Costello represented Illinois's 12th Congressional District, serving continuously until his retirement at the end of the 112th Congress in 2013. A Democrat known for his attention to district needs, he won reelection repeatedly by assembling a coalition that spanned union households, small-town voters, and suburban communities across the Metro East.

Committee Work and Legislative Focus
Costello became best known for his work on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he rose to leadership on aviation issues during the years when Democrats held the majority. He also served on the Science and Technology Committee, reflecting interests in research, innovation, and the industrial base of the Midwest. His legislative priorities centered on transportation modernization, flood control and levee safety, river navigation on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and economic development. He championed aviation system upgrades, airport improvements in the St. Louis area, and key highway and bridge projects, including support for the Mississippi River bridge that expanded capacity between Illinois and Missouri. In energy and environmental matters, he advocated policies mindful of the coal economy of southern Illinois, while engaging in bipartisan negotiations over clean air standards and utility reliability.

Regional Impact and Constituent Service
Costello's tenure was marked by close engagement with constituents and local governments. He prioritized federal support for Scott Air Force Base, working with military and civic leaders to protect and expand its mission during base realignment debates. He pushed for levee improvements and flood protection after recurring high-water events, seeing reliable infrastructure as essential to public safety and the region's industrial supply chains. He was a consistent advocate for the inland ports, rail links, and highways that underpin the Metro East's role in national logistics.

Key Relationships and Collaboration
The people around Costello shaped both his public agenda and the pace of his work. At home, he collaborated with local leaders and county officials he had known since his earliest days in government. Within the Illinois congressional delegation, he frequently worked with colleagues such as Senator Dick Durbin and members from both parties to secure funding for transportation and levee projects that crossed district lines. His service overlapped with committee chairs like James Oberstar, with whom he partnered on aviation and surface transportation oversight, and he often engaged with Transportation Department leaders, including Ray LaHood when LaHood served as Secretary, on implementation of federal infrastructure programs. The legacy of Melvin Price remained present in his district work, a reminder of the long tradition of service he had inherited. In family life, his wife, Georgia Costello, an educator and community college leader, and their son, Jerry Costello II, who entered public service in Illinois, were central figures who reinforced his ties to education, workforce development, and local problem-solving.

Political Style and Approach
Costello cultivated a pragmatic style, emphasizing results over rhetoric. He favored committee work, incremental policy improvements, and coalition-building with business, labor, and municipal stakeholders. He communicated frequently with mayors and county boards, aligning federal tools with local priorities. That practical orientation helped him bridge intraparty debates and work across the aisle on complex infrastructure and aviation bills. He treated constituent casework and federal-agency navigation as essential parts of the job, elevating the office's reputation for responsiveness.

Retirement and Succession
In 2011, Costello announced he would not seek reelection in 2012, concluding more than two decades in Congress. He was succeeded in the House by Bill Enyart, who won the seat in the 2012 election as the district adapted to new boundaries and economic challenges. Costello transitioned to work outside elected office, drawing on his experience in transportation, public works, and regional development while remaining engaged in civic and educational initiatives in southwestern Illinois.

Legacy
Jerry Costello's career is most closely associated with steadfast attention to the physical and economic infrastructure of his district: airports, bridges, levees, rail, and river navigation. By investing political capital in long-term projects and federal-local partnerships, he helped secure improvements that outlast individual election cycles. The network of people who shaped that work, family members such as Georgia Costello and Jerry Costello II, veteran legislators like Melvin Price and Dick Durbin, and local leaders throughout the Metro East, reinforced a public service identity anchored in place. His legacy is a model of district-focused congressional service that connects national policy to everyday needs in the communities of southern Illinois.

Our collection contains 27 quotes who is written by Jerry, under the main topics: Hope - Nature - Equality - Legacy & Remembrance - Resilience.