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.

Last week my bill to rename a Mission Viejo post office in honor of USMC Major Megan McClung was signed into law.

I am so thrilled future generations will know the name and story of our local fallen hero.

My heart is with our troops spending the holidays away from their loved ones. Thank you For Families of Active Military Bridget Gregory Blehm for hosting the 17th annual Thanksgiving at East Lake Village in Yorba Linda for Fort Irwin soldiers and their families.

I started the morning welcoming Marines to Villa Park from Camp Pendleton before they celebrate Thanksgiving with families in our area.

Thank you to the Villa Park Community Services Foundation for giving our troops a home away from home every year.

The 20th Annual Handel’s Messiah Concert at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum was a great way to mark the beginning of the holiday season! Thank you for having me!

Always love seeing our great students in DC! I was glad to welcome 8th graders, chaperones, and staff from St. Mary's School in Aliso Viejo at the steps of the U.S. Capitol.

For too long, Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have been victims to genocide in modern-day concentration camps, simply because of their linguistic, cultural, and religious identities.

This week, I spoke to members of the Uyghur diaspora to thank them for their work. I will always stand up for the voiceless and protect human rights.

At this week's House Financial Services hearing, I asked FinTech leaders about best practices on modernization to help consumers and private markets. I will continue to do my part to ensure Americans of all backgrounds have access to the necessary tools to grow their wealth and succeed.

My team heard from Mayor Mike Munzing and other community leaders at Aliso Viejo's State of the City. Thank you for all that you do to keep our Aliso Viejo community safe and prosperous!

My team had a fun time at Villa Flora’s open house in Tustin celebrating the start of the holiday season. Formerly the Wilcox Manor, Villa Flora is a great place to host a community or family gathering.

Team Young welcomed Fika Newborn to Orange County and Shake Shack to Brea. Fika Newborn does not have a physical location but offers newborn and postpartum education and resources to serve all families across Orange County.

I'll always be a voice for our CA-40 businesses!

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 the first 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 4-6 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