Rep. George Whitesides

As 2025 comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on my first year serving you and our communities in Congress. A few highlights include: 📞 24,000 responses to letters, calls, and emails to constituents 💵 $15.4 million back to residents 📣 1,000+ community events across our region I remain focused on lowering costs, strengthening public safety, and making sure the federal government delivers for working people in the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, and San Fernando Valley.

After years of delay, the plaque commemorating the bravery of Capitol Police during the January 6th insurrection was finally installed in the U.S. Capitol. It was an honor to join my colleagues in recognizing the gravity of that moment. We must never forget their courage during such a harrowing moment and I am grateful everyday for their continuing service.

Today, we started the process to force a clean vote on TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard funding, without additional handouts to ICE, which already now has roughly $85 billion in funding. The majority in Congress has not yet agreed to commonsense reforms to rein in ICE and protect our communities, but we can still ensure the people working at our airports, patrolling our coasts, and providing disaster aid get paid.

Gas prices have rocketed up since the start of the war in Iran, and the Administration refuses to give us straightforward answers. I questioned Defense Department officials about their preparation for this situation, and if they had done any analysis on how high prices could get. The American people deserve transparency about how the administration plans to manage the rising cost of oil and gas, and I will continue pushing for answers.

It was a pleasure to join Coffee4Vets in Lancaster and surprise my friend, founder Juan Blanco, with the National Defense Service Medal in recognition of his service to our country during a time of war. It was also an honor to see him receive the Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar and the Parachutist Badge. Juan’s commitment to both our country and our community is truly admirable. Thank you for your service, Juan.

I attended a briefing at the Sunshine Canyon Landfill, which processes 9,000 tons of waste daily – over 2.5 million tons every year. Our district deals with a disproportionately large share of LA county’s waste. I will continue to demand that Sunshine Canyon resolve its ongoing odor issues. It is essential that we continue to work toward advanced environmental engineering that monitors emissions and mitigates odors to protect the health of our neighbors.

Summer 2026 internship applications for my Santa Clarita, Antelope Valley, and Washington, D.C. offices are now open! This is a great opportunity for students interested in government to help serve our community. Apply at whitesides.house.gov/services/inter…

Thanks to the Antelope Valley Transit Authority for showing me what goes into the important work they do everyday for our community. AVTA is the first in the nation to have a fully battery powered public transit fleet, demonstrating that serving our communities and protecting the environment can go hand in hand.

Shannon and I join our entire National Guard family in mourning the loss of six brave KC-135 Airmen, including three Ohio Air National Guardsmen assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing and three active-duty Airmen from the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, a partner unit with the Alabama National Guard’s 117th Air Refueling Wing.  Heroes, all. Our air refueling warriors enable every aerial combat mission to succeed by skillfully transferring tens of thousands of pounds of fuel at cruising altitudes and high speeds, extending global reach and delivering decisive air dominance for our Joint Force. Combat aviators in every service understand the critical role of our air refueling crews and boom operators. Immense respect for these valiant Airmen. Our thoughts, prayers and heartfelt condolences to their Families, Wingmen and the entire tanker community.

Today is just the beginning of a long period of hot weather, with significant heat peaking next week. Now is the time to prepare! Make a plan to stay cooler by following these tips. #socal #caheat

AV residents already have fewer options to access medical care, and federal funding cuts have already led one of our public clinics to close. That’s why I fought hard to bring home over $1 million in federal investments for the @CityOfHope’s center in Lancaster, which will help them acquire lifesaving cancer treatment systems to care for the AV right here at home.

It was great to meet with the Los Angeles Resilience Corps to discuss scaling their wildfire prevention model, which links fire resilience to high-quality jobs for our region. Following my push for federal disaster relief and stronger insurance protections, I’m proud to help LARC identify the resources they need to protect our homes.

Great to visit the Antelope Valley Boys & Girls Club Teen Tech Center on Lancaster Boulevard and see the incredible work they’re doing to empower young people. From digital media and music production to robotics and design, this space is helping teens build real-world skills, explore STEAM careers, and close the digital divide. The AV Boys & Girls Club serves thousands of young people across the AV, providing mentorship, meals, and a safe place to learn and grow.

I was thrilled to join Sheriff’s Captain Brandon Barclay and LA County Fire Chief Pat Sprengel at the SCV Sheriff’s station to announce $1 million we were able to bring home for a new command center for emergency coordination. I’m proud to support our local law enforcement and first responders in their efforts to keep our communities safe, especially when disasters strike.

After years of delay, the January 6 plaque honoring the law enforcement officers who defended our democracy that day has finally been installed. Their heroism will never be forgotten. cnn.com/2026/03/07/pol…

Great meeting with the team at the @LAFoodBank to talk about the growing need for food assistance across our communities. Too many families are being forced to choose between groceries and other essentials. Food banks are stepping up every day to fill the gap, but they can’t do it alone. I’m committed to fighting for lower costs and protecting access to nutrition programs that help put food on the table, including SNAP and other critical federal support.

One of the things I hear the most from my constituents is how housing costs continue to rise. We cannot allow home ownership to stay out of reach for American families. That is why I helped pass the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which will make it easier for new homes to be built and increase access to federal loan programs. Read my full thoughts on the Housing for the 21st Century Act on on @SignalSCV at SignalSCV.com/Opinion/

Honored to meet with members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars to talk about how we can better support veterans, servicemembers, and their families. Our veterans stepped up to serve this country. Making sure they have the benefits, resources, and respect they’ve earned is a responsibility we all share.

I mourn for the 6 US soldiers who have died in Iran. My heart goes out to their families who are grieving this terrible loss. I wish a speedy, positive recovery for the US troops wounded in the conflict so far.

I raised serious concerns to DHS and DOJ about how resources are being diverted away from counterterrorism efforts, especially when threat assessments show the United States faces an elevated risk. We cannot afford to weaken the teams responsible for preventing attacks and protecting our communities. Congress must have a clear understanding of any changes to our counterterrorism capabilities and their impact on our national security. I will continue pushing for answers and accountability.