U.S. Government: Elected Officials

Vince Fong was elected to serve in the United States House of Representatives on May 21, 2024, with great pride to serve the 20th Congressional District of California, which encompasses parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties, including Bakersfield, Clovis, Hanford, Lemoore, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Springville, Taft, Tehachapi, Tulare, and Visalia.

Born in Bakersfield, Vince knew that he wanted to positively affect the region that he has always called home. Vince began his career in public policy with Congressman Bill Thomas, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, working on international trade policy to open up markets for our nation’s farmers and small businesses. After returning to Kern County, for nearly a decade, he served as the district director to House Majority Leader and Congressman Kevin McCarthy, where he managed public policy issues for the region, worked to promote local job creation, made commonsense reforms, and fought to improve the quality of life for our neighbors and families. He helped organize the Valley Fever Symposium, bringing the issue into the national spotlight and convincing leaders in healthcare to conduct research and find solutions to a growing problem.

In 2016, Vince was elected to the California State Assembly, where he served until earlier this year. In Sacramento, Vince helped to lead the conversation on energy independence in California, improving our transportation, infrastructure, and supply chains, and enhance job opportunities for local residents.

In Congress, Vince was appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He will work on both committees to help advance further infrastructure investments in our region, especially to help strengthen the critical supply chain in the Central Valley – the breadbasket of America – that our farmers, ranchers, and local small businesses and workers rely on, as well as prioritize the technological advancements in aeronautics and commercial spaceflight in East Kern. He will also work to ensure that veterans have access to the benefits they earned, and that our military communities at China Lake, Edwards, and Lemoore have the resources and support they need to support America’s national defense.

Vince is a lifelong resident of Kern County. He earned a bachelor’s degree from UCLA and a master’s degree from Princeton University. When he is not in Washington, DC fighting for Central Valley priorities and values, he is home in Bakersfield with his wife, Amanda.

Congressman David G. Valadao was born and raised in Hanford, California in the center of the agriculturally rich Twenty-First Congressional District. As a lifelong resident of the Central Valley, he has been active in agriculture and dairy industry groups, as well as many local charities.

The Valadao family emigrated from the Azores Islands of Portugal to the United States in 1969. After settling in the Central Valley, Valadao’s father started a small dairy farm in the Central Valley in 1973. Valadao was born on April 14, 1977.

The family business now consists of two dairies, as well as over 1,000 acres of farmland in Kings and western Tulare County, on which Valadao and his family grow almonds, alfalfa, corn, and wheat as dairy feed stock.

Intimately involved in the dairy industry, Valadao has taken on leadership roles within the California Milk Advisory Board, and Western States Dairy Trade Association. In addition, he was elected as Regional Leadership Council Chairman for Land O’ Lakes, Inc.

Valadao attended local schools, graduating from Hanford High School in 1995 and later attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia. Valadao married his high school sweetheart, Terra, in 1999. Together, they have three beautiful children.

In 2010, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 30th State Assembly District. Valadao served on several California Assembly Committees including the Agriculture Committee, where he held the position of Committee Vice-Chair.

In 2012, Valadao was elected to represent California’s 21st Congressional District, which includes Kings County and portions of Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties. He was reelected for his second term in November 2014. In November 2016, Valadao was elected to serve a third term Valadao served on the influential House Appropriations Committee, which is the committee responsible for funding the federal government and determining where American tax dollars are spent. Most recently, in 2020, Valadao was elected to return to Washington to serve in the House of Representatives.

Since he came to Congress, Valadao has established himself as a leader in agriculture and water policy, two important issues for his constituents in CA-21. His time in Congress has been focused on combating the water issues impacting California’s Central Valley. In the 114th Congress, Valadao introduced H.R. 2829, the Western Water and American Food Security Act, to address the regulatory burdens that have largely contributed to the severe drought conditions in Central and Southern California. Valadao aims to ensure Congress does everything in their power to provide relief for the farmers, families, and entire communities suffering from the current water crisis. This Congress, Valadao has introduced H.R. 23, the Gaining Responsibility on Water Act to improve Western water reliability in the United States.

Valadao’s work on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Committee has fostered his interest in ensuring our active duty military members have the tools and services they need to defend our nation and keep Americans safe. Valadao worked hard to ensure Naval Air Station Lemoore was named the location for the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet of the F-35C aircraft. Valadao is also dedicated to keeping our promises to our nation’s veterans by making sure those who served our country are taken care of in their retirement years and receive the best quality healthcare available.