Dear Friend, 

As a wife and sister of U.S. Army veterans, supporting our veterans is personal to me.

America’s veterans, service members, and their families represent the best of our nation. For our veterans, the fight often does not end after they return home. Words are never enough to express our gratitude for those who have served in our nation’s military. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

As your Representative in Congress, I'm committed to ensuring we keep our promises to the brave men and women who served in our nation's uniform. My team and I are working around the clock to ensure our military veterans across California's 40th District receive the care and resources they have rightfully earned. 

If you need assistance with casework or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out my office at (714) 984-2440. I also encourage you to receive real-time updates on my work for you in Congress by signing up for my e-newsletter and following me on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram at @RepYoungKim. My team is here to serve you always!

My team stands ready to serve you. We can provide assistance with the VA and other federal agencies, connect you to local resources, provide Congressional recognition, and advocate on your behalf at the federal level. 

As you know, many of our veterans are suffering due to exposure to burn pits and other deadly toxins as a result of their service.

I was proud to vote in favor of the Senate-amended Honoring our PACT Act which was signed into law. This bill:

• Expands health care eligibility for veterans exposed to toxic substances based on participation in toxic exposure risk activity;
• Improves training options for VA claims processors and health care personnel;
• Directs the VA to make public health resources available for veterans exposed to toxic substances; and,
• Creates an interagency working group on toxic exposure research that includes the VA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services.

The PACT Act also allowed veterans who served in combat zones directly enroll in VA health care during a special enrollment period earlier this year. Visit the VA website to learn more HERE.

I've also voted for bills to increase the rates of compensation for veterans and their families with service-connected disabilities, to increase the automatic maximum coverage under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program and to establish the Office of Food Security at the VA to ensure no veteran goes hungry. I will always vote with the best interests of our veterans and their families in mind.

Hearing directly from local veterans, community organization leaders, and gold star families across Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties allows me to fight for them in Congress and ensure their voices are heard.

I introduced a bipartisan resolution earlier this year commemorating the 50th anniversary of the release and homecoming of POWs in Vietnam, and recognized 40 Vietnam Era veterans in my district last year at the Yorba Linda Public Library. This year, I hosted a veterans benefits seminar featuring representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs Long Beach and held a pinning ceremony for nearly 30 Vietnam era veterans and their spouses in Tustin.

If you are or know of local Vietnam-era veteran or spouse, please fill out the form below so my office can honor and extend appreciation for their service. 

SgtMaj Cottle and LCpl Centanni were Yorba Linda residents, friends, and brothers-in-arms who gave everything to protect the American values and freedoms we hold dear.

While we lost them too soon, their lives were not lived in vain. I introduced a bill that became law last year to rename the Yorba Linda Post Office at 4770 Eureka Ave, Yorba Linda, CA 92885 in honor of these fallen heroes. I hope that through the new Cottle Centanni Post Office Building, we can show our gratitude and ensure their names and stories of friendship, service, and sacrifice are remembered by future generations in their hometown.

I'm proud that one of my first bills signed into law was the Veterans and Family Information Act to help veterans and caretakers access the resources they earned by making all VA fact sheets available in the ten most commonly spoken languages besides English.

With an increasingly diverse population of veterans in CA-40 and across the country, and with United States Veterans residing in the Philippines and in Puerto Rico, this bill ensures that our veterans and their caretakers whose first languages are not English are aware of and understand the VA’s benefits.

During my time in Congress, I have cosponsored more than 50 bills supporting veterans, and I am honored to help lead and support veterans through actions such as:

• Introducing the Veterans and Family Information Act, a bipartisan bill that became law to ensure that veterans and their caretakers are aware of and can access the benefits they have earned; 
• Supporting the Honoring our PACT Act to provide care to 3.5 million U.S. veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time of service. This bill became law last year;
• Hosting a veterans roundtable with local veteran leaders, gold star parents, and the now Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee to discuss expanding access to health care for veterans and other issues;
• Leading the charge to rename two Orange County post offices in Yorba Linda and Placentia after fallen service members; and,
• Working with state and local officials, and Orange County veterans to support an Orange County Veterans Cemetery.
• Introducing a bipartisan bill to rename a Mission Viejo post office after fallen hero U.S. Marine Major Megan McClung, the first female Marine officer to be killed in the Iraq war and first woman graduate of the Naval Academy to be killed in the line of duty.
• Helping introduce the SERVICE Act, which creates a pilot program through the US Department of Justice that would provide grants to law enforcement agencies to create local veterans’ response teams made up of military veteran law enforcement officers that respond to other veterans in crisis;
• Helping lead the Post 9/11 Veteran Business Acceleration Act, which establishes a joint pilot program between the VA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to allow eligible individuals to receive financial assistance for business operations instead of educational aid; and,
• Joining a bipartisan resolution supporting National Veterans Small Business Week and celebrating the achievements of veteran-owned small businesses across the nation.

U.S. Marine Corps Major Megan McClung made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedoms in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

I introduced a bipartisan bill to honor Megan's legacy as the first female Marine officer to be killed in the Iraq war and the first woman graduate of the Naval Academy to be killed in the line of the duty, to preserve her story for future generations in Mission Viejo.

Hearing directly from local veterans and community organizations leaders and veteran families allows me to fight for issues that are important to them. 

I hosted a veterans' roundtable in Brea with local veteran leaders and gold star parents to discuss expanding access to health care for veterans. I’ve also hosted multiple pinning ceremonies for Vietnam-era veterans and Resource Fairs in Yorba Linda and Tustin to connect our local veterans with VA casework, employment training, housing support, and healthcare access.

Our veterans are heroes and I'll always have the backs of our veterans who had ours.

Supporting the brave heroes who served in our nation's uniform is a top priority. My team and I are honored to meet so many amazing veterans across CA-40.

Whether we’re commemorating 50 years since U.S. troops left Vietnam, celebrating birthdays and milestones, or just catching up, my team and I are proud to support our veterans and meet with as many veterans and families as we can throughout our area.

If my office can ever be of assistance or help honor you or a loved one, please don’t hesitate to reach out at (714) 984-2440.

Building a Veterans Cemetery in Orange County has been an issue close to my heart and a priority of mine since my time in the State Assembly. With over 100,000 veterans, Orange County is the State’s largest county without a veteran’s cemetery.

I’m grateful that AB 1595 was signed into law, putting us one step closer to building the final resting place that our local heroes and their families deserve. Thank you to our local elected officials, community leaders, and Orange County veterans for their tireless work on this important project!

As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, I am committed to supporting veteran-owned businesses and ensuring our entrepreneurs have the resources they need to succeed.

Last month, I was proud to join a bipartisan House Resolution to recognize National Veterans Small Business week and the nearly 2 million veteran-owned businesses in the U.S. and celebrate veteran entrepreneurs who employ roughly 5 million Americans.

Happy Veterans Day,

Young Kim