The longest government shutdown in U.S. History ended Wednesday after the House passed a final bill, but what did it cost the nation, and what did Santa Clarita’s Congressman George Whitesides do to fight for the nation?

During the government shutdown, Rep. Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce, said he advocated to keep federal employees paid and protect health care for millions when he introduced legislation that would benefit the American people.

“When the majority in Washington chose to shut down the government, I helped introduce legislation that would have kept our first responders and military personnel paid, protected health care for millions, and ensured federal employees weren’t unfairly terminated,” Whitesides said in Wednesday.

Whitesides said he pushed for all the representatives to return to Washington D.C. to reopen the government after House Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House out of session for approximately 55 days.

Whitesides added that he wanted to tackle the national cost crisis facing the American people when all the representatives returned to the House.

Rep. Whitesides introduced several bills, including:

• The Pay our Troops Act of 2025 and the Pay our Military Act, which would ensure pay continues to our service men and women during a government shutdown.
• The Federal Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, which would ensure that in the event of a lapse in appropriations, federal firefighters, including wildland firefighters employed by USFS, DOI, and other agencies, as well as structural firefighters at military installations and other federal properties, will continue to be paid as normal and cannot be subject to reductions in force (RIFs).
• The No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act, which would prevent payment of Member salaries if the debt limit is breached or there is a lapse in appropriated funds.
• The Securing Assurance for Federal Employees Act, which would prohibit laying off federal employees during a government shutdown.

“I also pledged to personally donate my salary to local Meals on Wheels organizations, because members of Congress should not be paid when federal funding lapses for everyone else,” Whitesides said. “Then, for 55 days, while Speaker Mike Johnson kept the House out of session, I pushed for us to return to Washington to reopen the government and tackle the national cost crisis facing the American people.”

Rep. Whitesides also explained why he decided to vote against the final House GOP bill that resulted in the reopening.

“I have tried time and time again to improve the bill we voted on today – by helping introduce amendments that would lower health care costs, extend the ACA tax credits, and protect programs like SNAP. Each one was rejected by the majority,”Whitesides said.

Under the current federal budget bill, over 25,000 people in the Santa Clarita Valley, Antelope Valley, and Northern San Fernando Valley would see their health care costs rise with the expiration of ACA (Affordable Care Act) tax credits.

Nearly 40,000 people in the district – including seniors, working families, and veterans – are expected to lose their health insurance entirely under the GOP’s sweeping Medicaid cuts, according to Whitesides’ office.

“Additionally, this bill contains a last minute, outrageously corrupt provision to give certain GOP senators $1 million each in taxpayer dollars,” Whitesides said.

Rep. Whitesides said he won’t stop fighting to lower costs and restore health care to California’s 27th District and for the millions of Americans who are expected to choose between paying rent, feeding their families, and accessing lifesaving care.

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