Whitesides explains vote to oppose continuing resolution

“I came to Congress to fight for my constituents, no matter who sits in the White House and which party controls the House and the Senate,” White­sides said in a statement. “I am incredibly disappointed that Republican Washington leadership walked away from the negotiating table and proposed a hyper-partisan resolution that strips nearly $25 million from public safety and community projects in our district.”

The Republican resolution strips the following fiscal year 2025 funding — that the House already approved — away from these projects in the Antelope Valley:

• $3.5 million for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station Mobile Command Post. This would allow the Lancaster Sheriff’s station to procure a new state-of-the-art mobile command post and two support vehicles for the station to utilize during significant incidents.

• $800,000 for the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station Equipment Initiative. This initiative would procure essential protective equipment and other tools for the station to keep deputies and the community they serve safe. Among the items that this funding would purchase are ballistic shields, plate carriers, ballistic helmets, medical kits and tasers.

• $2 million from County Sanitation District No. 20 of Los Angeles County Palmdale Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project, which would rehabilitate several miles of aging sanitary sewers that are at risk of failure to prevent structural damage, sinkholes and sewage spills.

• $5 million for the city of Palmdale’s Rancho Vista Boulevard Grade Separation. This funding would allow Palmdale to acquire a railroad grade separation of Rancho Vista Boulevard (Avenue P) at Sierra Highway and the double-track at-grade crossing of the Southern California Regional Rail Authority Metrolink and Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

• $1,76 million for Los Angeles County Department of Public Works’ Sun Village Community Resilience Project to prevent the frequent road washouts in Sun Village, Littlerock and the Lake Los Angeles area.

• $900,000 for LA County Public Works’ Lake Hughes Master Drainage Plan. This funding would help cover the cost of the county Public Works first phase in implementing a master drainage plan for the Lake Hughes community, which has dealt with severe flooding the past few years. To mitigate this issue, the department is planning to make much-needed infrastructure improvements to reduce the risk of flooding.

• $400,000 for the Lost Angels Children’s Project Inc. This program would employ and provide mentorship services to transitional age youth in the Antelope Valley from underserved communities that have had run-ins with the justice system.

• $500,000 for Optimist Youth Home to support their Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Training and Services initiative. This initiative would expand an Optimist Boys’ Home and Ranch program that supports victims of commercially sexually exploited children in the Antelope Valley. The expansion of the program would specifically help Optimist partner with local law enforcement and train them how to identify, prevent and respond to commercially sexually exploited children and deliver services to victims.

In the Santa Clarita Valley, the resolution cuts funding from these programs include:

• $2 million for the College of the Canyons’ Advanced Technology Center permanent facility for Manufacturing Workforce Training. This project would develop an Advanced Technology Center to train students in the emerging fields of advanced manufacturing/computerized machining, welding/material joining, robotic welding, integrated personal fabrication, integration with the Internet of Things (IoT), and construction technologies.

• $2 million for the City of Santa Clarita’s Saugus High School Roadway Safety Improvements. The funding would improve traffic and pedestrian safety at Saugus High School by installing curb extensions in front of the school as well as upgrades to existing crosswalks with high-visibility crosswalk markings that will benefit students, faculty, and the neighboring communities adjacent to the school.

• $2 million for the R.M. Pyles Boys Camp, to help cover the cost of a prevention and education program for at-promise young males. The program would help develop life skills, self-confidence, leadership skills and positive life choices in participants.

“By taking away resources from the LA County Sheriff’s Department, our highway infrastructure, and our community college workforce development, Congressional Republicans are turning their backs on working families and enabling the continued attacks on our veterans and seniors,” Whitesides said. “Furthermore, despite pledged support, the proposed resolution does not include a single dollar for wildfire disaster relief in LA County, which is critical for helping communities like ours recover.

“This resolution also comes on the heels of the GOP budget framework which would gut hundreds of billions from Medicaid while raising the federal deficit by over $4 trillion.

“My vote (Tuesday) was a fight to restore these much-needed funds. We must return to the negotiating table, do our jobs, and complete the budget process so that our local law enforcement and community organizations get the funds they need and deserve.

“I will continue to put my constituents over partisan politics, and stand against attacks on my community and our most sacred programs like Medicaid and Social Security. Washington Republicans control the White House, the House, and the Senate. By choosing to walk away from bipartisan negotiations and craft a bill behind closed doors, they have put corrupt special interests first, and the American people second.”

Additionally, he said the proposed resolution includes cuts to critical federal programs, including veterans healthcare, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program and the cost of housing. Cuts also target the Disaster Relief Fund, Emergency Food Program, Rural Development Broadband, National Institutes of Health, Social Security Administration, Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works projects, Local Transportation Safety Projects, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Republicans also added language in the rule that blocks the House from voting on any resolution to end President Donald Trump’s tariffs under Section 202 of the National Emergencies Act. In effect, by waiving Congress’ authority to override Trump tariffs under the NEA, the GOP is providing a rubber stamp for any and all tariffs, and removing Congressional oversight in the process, Whitesides said.