A fatal crash occurred Monday, June 15th, at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, killing the crew members on board. The aircraft was conducting a routine test mission and was carrying 8 people: Weapon systems officers Col. Gregory Watson (53), Col. Gabriel Estrella (40) and Maj. Alexander Davis (34); pilots Maj. Robert Dee (40), Maj. Brad Hovey (35) and ...

Tuesday, Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA-27) and Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduced the Disaster Ready Infrastructure Act, legislation which requires state Departments of Transportation and Metropolitan Planning Organizations to identify roads, bridges, and other transportation assets that are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, as well as those that are essential to emergency operations when disasters occur.  These reports will be passed ...

On Monday, Rep. George Whitesides introduced the Containing Effects of Mining Extraction Act, which is expected to address potential harms from large-scale mining operations near populated areas. In 1990, Cemex, a building materials company headquartered in Mexico, purchased mining rights in Santa Clarita, sparking outrage from the surrounding community.  The company’s planned Santa Clarita mine has the potential to cause ...

Tuesday, Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA-27) and Rep. Rick W. Allen (R-GA-12) introduced the Contract Postal Unit Transparency Act, legislation designed to require the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide reports on how the closure of contract postal units (CPUs) will impact residents and allow for public hearings before any closure takes place. CPUs are privately-owned, local post offices that ...

On Monday, Rep. George Whitesides (CA-27) announced he joined the Restore Trust in Congress Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban members of Congress and their families from owning individual stocks or engaging in insider trading. “I’ve always said it is unacceptable that members of Congress can trade individual stocks while in office, which is why I immediately followed through on ...