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

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.

We are all so grateful for our brave first responders who are working day and night to contain the Airport Fire, which has spread over 23,000 acres and injured at least five firefighters and two civilians.

My team and I will do all we can to assist at the federal level. We are here to serve you always.

If you need assistance or have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my team at (714) 984-2440, and we are updating available resources on our website HERE or at the botton below.

CAL FIRE is operating in unified command with Orange County Fire Authority and Riverside County Fire Department. View general updates on the fire HERE and status reports HERE or on the Watch Duty app HERE.

The OC Emergency Operations Center is operating a Public Information Hotline to answer any questions about the Airport Fire at 714-628-7085.

Information on OC evacuation orders, road closures, animal shelters, USPS, and more can also be found on the OC Sheriff’s Department website HERE.

To receive emergency alerts, sign up for AlertOC for Orange County or AlertRivCo for Riverside County.

Natural disasters, including wildfires in Southern California, are depleting federal resources that have proven critical to keeping our communities safe. I led a bipartisan letter with Orange County members urging for full disaster relief funding. Learn more HERE or read the story from The Hill HERE.

I stopped by Anaheim Fire and Rescue's Open House to thank Chief Pat Russell and our brave firefighters for keeping our communities safe this wildfire season. I’m grateful for their hard work and will continue to do my part to ensure our first responders have the tools they need. Thank you!

Iran’s ballistic missile attack is not only an attack on Israel, it’s a test of America’s resolve.
Israel has a right to respond to this aggression, and the United States must stand firmly behind them. We must show unity and strength.

The third annual Laguna Hills Heritage Day was a hit! Fun to celebrate our vast history going back thousands of years that remains part of our shared culture. I’m proud to represent our community in Congress and fighting to keep it safe and prosperous for future generations.

Terumo Neuro in Aliso Viejo will have over 1,300 employees in California, creating jobs and growing our local economy. Congratulations on your grand opening, and thank you for all that you do to support health care providers and patients!

The Lewallen family from Mission Viejo shared their story and advocated for the BRAIN Act, which I support to advance brain disease research. Supporting patients is personal to me as I’ll never forget when we found out my daughter had a brain tumor. Thank you for coming by.

Our Gold Star Families show resilience and strength through unimaginable loss. Last week, I backed a bipartisan resolution recognizing Gold Star Families Remembrance Week. I will always rally with the loved ones of our service members.

Happy Rosh Hashanah to our Jewish community in CA-40, across the nation, and around the world. Wishing you and your loved ones a new year filled with peace, good health, and comfort.

Team Young gave a tour of the U.S. Capitol to the Avalos Family from Tustin. If you and your family are planning to visit Washington DC and would like a tour, please let my team know HERE or at the button below.

1 in 8 women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we uplift survivors, rally with those battling breast cancer, and recommit to working towards a cure.

Saturday marks the 100th anniversary of Goodwill Industries in Orange County. Over the past century, Goodwill OC has established a legacy of finding value in secondhand goods and providing meaningful employment opportunities for all individuals. 
 
Congratulations, and here’s to many more years to come!

Calling all CA-40 Middle and High Schoolers! The Congressional App Challenge is back! Create an app using coding concepts for a chance to have your work displayed in the US Capitol Building. Submissions are due by October 24. Learn more HERE or below.

Apostille services are available locally, in-person for one day only on Wednesday, October 9 from 8am to 4pm at the County Administration South Building in Santa Ana if you need help authenticating birth certificates, marriage certificates, educational records, and more.

Delivering for CA-40 is my top priority.

In Congress, I secured resources through the FY24 appropriations packages for vital projects in CA-40 that protect public health, support law enforcement, and keep our communities safe.

My office is seeing an increase in casework requests related to cybercrimes. As we see hackers use sophisticated tactics to take your personal information, please remain vigilant and be careful of suspicious links, calls, and messages. If something seems suspect, trust your instinct and do not click. 

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.

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