Whitesides Locks In $19 Billion for Antelope Valley Aerospace in Defense Bill
U.S. Rep. George Whitesides (D – Santa Clarita, Palmdale, Lancaster, Antelope Valley) on Friday secured more than $19 billion in federal aerospace funding and a series of government oversight provisions in the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), delivering what he called critical investments for nearly 10,000 jobs across Northern Los Angeles County.
The funding package centers on Plant 42 in Palmdale, the hub of Antelope Valley’s aerospace and defense manufacturing economy. The NDAA includes over $6.1 billion for the B-21 Raider, Northrop Grumman’s next-generation stealth bomber built at Plant 42; over $8.5 billion for the Lockheed Martin F-35, whose center fuselage is built by Northrop at Plant 42; over $3.6 billion for the F-15 Eagle, aspects of which have been upgraded at Plant 42; over $915 million for the B-2 Spirit, built in Palmdale and now upgraded and tested at Plant 42; and over $10 million for continued support for the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft at the facility. Whitesides also secured support to expand the B-21 Raider fleet to further bolster local manufacturing.
“I’m proud to have secured critical funding for our community in this year’s defense bill, including investing in next-generation aircraft built right here in the Antelope Valley, expanding our ability to detect and fight wildfires before they become catastrophes, and delivering real investments in the pay, housing, and health care that our servicemembers and their families deserve,” said Whitesides. “I also fought hard against the overreach we’ve seen out of this administration and the Secretary of Defense. I’ll keep pushing to get corruption out of our government by banning insider trading, standing against the politicization of our military, and defending the free press from unconstitutional restrictions.”
Beyond the aerospace investments, Whitesides secured protections for the FireGuard wildfire detection program — including enabling it to procure commercial data for the first time — and a pilot program using unmanned aircraft to detect and fight wildfires at military installations.
On oversight, he won a provision investigating documented insider trading in prediction and energy markets by Defense Department officials during Operation Epic Fury, and another requiring the Pentagon to report annually on any AI systems that caused death or injury to U.S. servicemembers.
The full NDAA, which passed the Armed Services Committee, now advances to a vote on the House floor later this year, according to Whitesides’ office.
Solis Calls for Investigation, Legal Action Over East LA Oil Spill
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis (D – East Los Angeles, El Monte, Baldwin Park, Azusa) is putting forth a motion at tomorrow’s Board of Supervisors meeting directing County Counsel to open a formal investigation into last month’s East Los Angeles oil spill and explore all available legal remedies — including recovering the full cost of the county’s emergency response.
On May 22, a telecommunications crew struck an underground crude oil pipeline near East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and North Eastern Avenue in Los Angeles County, sending oil into storm drains and the Los Angeles River. Approximately 2,400 gallons of crude oil were released before the leak was controlled, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Pacific Pipeline System, whose 16-inch line runs from Kern County to the Port of Long Beach, confirmed that an unaffiliated telecommunications contractor struck the underground pipeline while drilling a fiber optic line, according to NBC Los Angeles. Multiple agencies responded, including the U.S. Coast Guard, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“I am calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into this incident to determine how this occurred and to ensure all responsible parties are held accountable,” said Solis.
The motion before the Board directs the Fire Chief, the Directors of Public Works and Public Health, and all applicable county agencies to assess the current status of the spill response and address any remaining gaps affecting health, safety, and businesses.
The Directors of Economic Opportunity and Consumer and Business Affairs are instructed to provide assistance to businesses seeking claims from the pipeline owner and to conduct oversight to ensure fair and expeditious resolution.
County Counsel is directed to investigate and explore all legal options to recoup the cost of county operations and recover damages to county infrastructure.
All relevant departments are ordered to report back to the Board in writing within 90 days.
Bass Marks One Year of ICE Raids With Vow to Protect Immigrant LA
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass over the weekend reaffirmed her commitment to protecting immigrant communities across the city, marking one year since the Trump Administration launched what she called a wave of cruel immigration enforcement raids across Los Angeles — and pledging to continue fighting back through city policy, the courts, and direct community action.
Bass was joined at a Saturday commemoration event by leaders of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and families directly impacted by immigration enforcement over the past year.
The event, organized by CHIRLA under the theme “Los Angeles, Más Fuertes Que Ayer — Los Angeles, Stronger than Yesterday,” brought together community advocates and civic leaders to mark the anniversary and honor what organizers described as the resilience of immigrant communities across the region.
“We will always protect our neighbors, and we continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with immigrant families in LA and everywhere,” said Bass. “So much of our city’s strength is because of hardworking immigrants — and when the federal government and ICE test our strength, we rise stronger, every time.”
Over the past year, Bass has issued two executive directives restricting the use of city resources for immigration enforcement, supported litigation challenging federal enforcement practices, and expanded coordination with legal service providers to support families facing detention or deportation.
She directly confronted ICE leadership after mounted federal agents rode horses through a city park where children were playing, convened a congressional oversight hearing with U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia to document alleged enforcement abuses, and led a convening of more than 20 mayors to coordinate regional responses and strengthen protections across jurisdictions, according to the mayor’s office.
Barger, Horvath Move to Clear Fire-Risk Brush in Altadena and Santa Monica Mountains
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger (R – Palmdale, Lancaster, Santa Clarita, San Marino, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, portions of the San Gabriel Valley) and Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath (D – Western Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, including Pacoima, Panorama City, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Sylmar) are jointly moving to address hazardous overgrown vegetation and fire risk conditions on fire-impacted, vacant, and stalled properties in Altadena and the unincorporated Santa Monica Mountains, with a report back to the Board in 30 days.
The joint motion, on the agenda for tomorrow’s Board meeting, directs the Director of Public Works — who on July 1 takes on the additional role of Director of the newly established Rebuild Authority — to work with community-based organizations to develop and implement a coordinated, environmentally sensitive vegetation management strategy.
The motion specifically prioritizes voluntary compliance, defensible space assistance, and community outreach before pursuing any financial penalties against fire-impacted property owners. Supervisors are also directing an evaluation of innovative vegetation management approaches used by neighboring jurisdictions, including targeted grazing, nature-based solutions, and other alternative strategies, with a feasibility assessment of pilot programs in both communities.
The motion comes as Altadena continues its long recovery from the January 2025 Eaton Fire, which burned through thousands of acres of the unincorporated community and left behind widespread debris, stalled rebuilds, and vegetation conditions that fire officials have flagged as an ongoing risk heading into fire season.
The Santa Monica Mountains, which fall within Horvath’s district, face similar conditions in unincorporated areas, including Sunset Mesa. The Rebuild Authority formally commences operations on July 1.
