Rep. George Whitesides

05/31/2026

We celebrated some of the best and brightest students from across our district as they begin their journeys at our nation’s prestigious military Service Academies and military preparatory schools. 🇺🇸

These appointments are highly competitive and earned through years of academic excellence, leadership, discipline, and a commitment to serving our country. Upon graduation, these students will go on to serve as officers in the United States Armed Forces, helping lead and defend our nation.

Thank you to Colonel Thomas M. Tauer, 412th Test Wing Commander at Edwards Air Force Base, for sharing words of encouragement with these future leaders.

Congratulations to each of these outstanding students and their families!

05/30/2026

My team had the honor of attending a Graduation Day Ceremony for foster youth in Palmdale. All of these students are inspiring examples of perseverance and hard work.

We are wishing them all the good luck as they begin the next exciting chapter in their lives.

05/29/2026

Before coming to Congress, I spent a decade building a business and creating more than 700 high-quality jobs in the Antelope Valley.

This week, I was proud to sit down with local business leaders alongside Antelope Valley Economic Development & Growth Enterprise to talk about how we continue growing economic opportunity in our region. Hearing directly from our community helps inform my work in Congress, and I’m committed to making the AV a place where businesses can grow, innovate, and thrive.

05/29/2026

We are in a national scam crisis. Scammers are more sophisticated and increasingly target seniors, veterans, and children across the country.

Congress must strengthen protections, improve enforcement, and hold bad actors accountable.

I wrote about the steps we are taking in Congress to confront this growing threat, including new legislative efforts to better protect consumers, in my latest op-ed for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal that you can read here:
https://signalscv.com/2026/05/george-whitesides-protecting-americans-from-scams/

05/29/2026

Heads up: AI voice cloning scams are getting more sophisticated.

If you get a call claiming a loved one is in danger and demanding money, pause and verify before acting. A few seconds of AI-generated audio can now sound terrifyingly real. That’s why I’m working with the bipartisan Stop Scams Caucus to protect consumers, crack down on scammers, and make sure new technologies are used responsibly.

A California mom says she was scammed out of thousands of dollars this month after receiving a call that sounded like her daughter in distress. She now suspects it was an artificial intelligence-generated hoax.

05/28/2026

After Attorney General Rob Bonta released a massive report detailing inhumane conditions across ICE detention facilities, I made an unannounced visit to the California City location to conduct oversight.

Oversight is one of Congress’s most fundamental constitutional responsibilities, and these visits are a reminder of why. We will continue to hold this administration accountable for its actions. When the executive branch fails to operate with basic human decency, Congress must step in.

05/28/2026

joined the Southern Pacific Aero-Defense Alliance (SPADA) at Machina Labs for a live defense manufacturing showcase of their AI-driven “elastic factory.”

It’s so exciting to see advanced manufacturing grow in the San Fernando Valley and I’m proud of the innovation that will continue to come from the hard work of our district.

05/27/2026

After sacrificing their lives for our country, it is unconscionable that veterans and their beneficiaries have become the target of sophisticated scammers worldwide.

Veterans deserve to know that their hard-earned benefits will be protected and preserved, and I hope this bill will provide financial and educational assistance to everyone who might fall victim to exploitation.

05/26/2026

This weekend, my team and I took part in Memorial Day Services across our area. We placed flags at the Lancaster Cemetery, paid tribute to fallen heroes at the VFW Post 3000 in Quartz Hill, and attended the Memorial Day Ceremony in Palmdale.

I am so grateful to everyone who made these events happen, and for giving us a shared space to honor the brave service members from our region and beyond.

05/25/2026

It was an honor to speak at this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony at Lancaster Cemetery.

Memorial Day is a responsibility to remember the names and faces of those who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our country.

Lin Blanco opened the ceremony, followed by the Presentation of the Colors by the AV Young Marines and the National Anthem by Joan Willingham.

Steve Baker offered the Invocation, and Dave Owens shared Opening Remarks and recognized our dignitaries and guests. We observed a Moment of Remembrance, the Folding of the Flag, and Taps by VFW Post 3000.

The AV Blue Star Mothers Ch. 14 coordinated Wreath Placement and the Unveiling of Veteran Headstones.

The Bell Ceremony was led by Phil Roberts and Kara McCracken.

Our Keynote Address was delivered by U.S. Navy Veteran Graig Bradford, followed by a Closing Prayer from Steve Baker and “Amazing Grace” performed by George Martin.

Thanks to everyone who made this such a special remembrance.