Welcome to Catch Up With Young Kim, my weekly e-newsletter to get you the latest on my work for you in Congress.

Since I came to Congress, I've been fighting to bring common sense to Washington, break through the partisan gridlock, and get things done. I’m proud that my record shows my commitment to deliver results to California’s 40th district, while also sticking to my principles. 

As we embark on this new year, I would love to hear from you and know what matters most to you in 2024. Share your thoughts and take my 2024 priorities survey below!

Serving you in Congress is not a role I take lightly. I’m working hard to pay it forward, so the American dream remains alive for future generations, including my grandkids, and yours.

As always, my team and I are here to serve you. If you ever need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. I also encourage you to receive real-time updates on my work for you in Congress by following me on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.

My team and I are here to serve you.

In addition to our offices in Anaheim Hills and Mission Viejo, please don’t hesitate to stop by our mobile office hours: 

• Chino Hills Mobile Office Hours every Wednesday from 9AM-1PM at the City Clerk's Office- 14000 City Center Drive, 2nd floor, Chino Hills
• Laguna Woods Mobile Office Hours the third Thursday of each month from 9AM-1PM at Laguna Woods City Hall- 24264 El Toro Road Laguna Woods, CA
• El Modena Mobile Office Hours first the Thursday of each month from 10AM-2PM at El Modena Branch Library-380 S Hewes Street Orange, CA.

To receive in-person assistance from my team on any casework you need help on. As always, you can call my office at (714) 984-2440 or (949) 268-6706 or visit my website at youngkim.house.gov.

I appreciated the opportunity to meet with Orange County Sheriff Barnes in DC to hear what he's seeing on the ground regarding the fentanyl crisis and child online safety, and San Bernardino County Sheriff Dicus to discuss fentanyl, High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, and his Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement (HOPE) team to address homelessness.

I'm grateful for their hard work to keep our CA-40 communities safe.

Making life more affordable is a top priority.

That's why I was proud to support the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act to let hardworking Californians I represent keep more of their hard-earned money.

Access to educational opportunities can change the course of one's life. I loved seeing familiar faces in DC from Riverside Community College District and Rancho Santiago Community College District this week to discuss their work to support local students. 

Happy Lunar New Year! 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes strength, power, and good fortune.

I wish you a prosperous year filled with many new opportunities, happiness, and blessings! I introduced a bipartisan resolution to recognize Lunar New Year and look forward to embodying the fighting spirit of the dragon to keep breaking through the partisan gridlock and delivering results. 

I met with the North Orange County Community College District and South Orange County Community College District to discuss bridging gaps in access to educational opportunities in our community and my work to increase transparency in financial aid and college costs.

Thank you for all that you do to support our Orange County students!

So fun to celebrate our amazing Laguna Hills small businesses with the Laguna Hills Chamber of Commerce and install the 2024 Chamber Board last weekend. 

Congratulations to GameCraft Brewing on being named the 2023 Business of the Year!

Major Megan McClung left us too soon but left a lasting impact on fellow Marines and community through service, integrity, and tenacity.

I'm excited that my bipartisan bill to honor her legacy and preserve her story for future generations passed out of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee this week.

I had a great conversation this week with World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain on food security needs and WFP's work in response to the conflict in Sudan. Thanks for coming by!

Who runs the world? GIRLS!

Wednesday marked National Girls and Women in Sports Day, when we recognize the amazing women and girls paving the way in sports, leading in their communities, and making a difference.
In Congress, I’ll always be a voice for girls to succeed.

I enjoyed catching up with the Japanese Business Federation on Women about my experiences running a small business and running for office, and how we can uplift women around the world to succeed in the workplace and in the halls of government. Great to meet you all!

I am pleased to share a great opportunity for educators in CA-40 and our state: K-12 teachers and higher education faculty across the country can apply to attend professional development programs funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Selected educators will be able to develop new teaching methods while diving deeply into a humanities topic through one- to four-week residential, virtual, and combined format programs.
 
This summer, NEH is offering 44 programs on a variety of humanities topics ranging from Shakespeare to the Space Age. Applicants will receive an invaluable experience for educators to deepen their understanding of the humanities and learn new ways to incorporate that knowledge into their teaching. The application deadline for all 44 programs is March 5.
 

Are you traveling planning travel for this year? Stop what you’re doing and check your passport!  

Processing times are now 6-8 weeks (routine) or 2-3 weeks (expedited, not incl. shipping). Start your renewal or application at travel.state.gov/passport.

Passport processing times are the fastest they’ve been since March 2020. Take advantage and apply or renew now so that you’re ready for international travel in the new year. 

Travel Tip -- Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your departure. Look up your destination’s entry requirements at travel.state.gov/destination and check your passport expiration date before booking flights.

Travelers are encouraged to wait to book international travel until a valid passport is physically in hand, apply for a new or renewed passport 9 months prior to travel, and ensure that their passport doesn’t expire within 6 months of their international travel dates.

If your pending application was filed with routine service and you have upcoming travel, you may benefit from upgrading to expedited service. Please dial (877) 487-2778 to upgrade to expedited service and shipping.  

Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can assist you in any way at (714) 984-2440.  

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution as tensions around the world increase the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution. 

U.S. citizens should:

• Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive information and alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency overseas.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter and visit travel.state.gov.

If you are traveling abroad or are abroad please check the destination warning levels travel.state.gov, and be sure to register for the STEP program even if you are abroad. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at my website or at (714) 984-2440 if you have any questions or need assistance.

If you need help with a federal agency, please reach out to my office. We’re here to serve you always.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Young Kim