December 3, 2022

Standing Up to CCP Spying

As the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to threaten the United States and our allies, it is more important than ever that we ensure the security of our country’s sensitive economic and logistics information. Since 2007, the Chinese Global Logistics Platform, LOGINK, has been collecting information from users at ports around the world – including U.S. Navy ships. 

Sen. Tom Cotton and I sent a letter to President Biden warning of the danger that a CCP controlled maritime data-sharing platform, LOGINK, poses to U.S. military and commercial interests. The letter detailed how the CCP could use the sensitive data LOGINK collects to increase its insight and influence over international maritime trade, port infrastructure, and possibly even U.S. military activities. The letter also asks the President to describe efforts his administration has taken to counter LOGINK.

In July, I introduced, and the House passed, an amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ban DOD and its contractors from using LOGINK. The following week, I introduced a bill to ban the use of LOGINK across the federal government and for all its contractors. I will never stop working to protect our country from tyrannical regimes like the CCP.

Supporting Veterans in Congress

As the 117th Congress comes to an end, I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together on behalf of Southern California families, especially members of our veteran community. I wanted to recap some of the ways I’m working to ensure they get the support they have earned.

• I introduced the Driving Veterans Success Act to establish a Veterans Business Enterprise Program and require the Department of Transportation to set a goal of ensuring that 10% of federal highway and transit contracts go to veteran-owned small businesses. Making it easier for veteran-owned small businesses to compete for federal contracts will help servicemembers and bring federal funds back to our local communities. 
• I introduced the Bipartisan Hire Student Veterans Act to encourage businesses to hire veterans who are working their way through school. Our veterans deserve our support as they make the transition from active service to civilian life. This bill will expand opportunities for student veterans and help them gain invaluable experience in the workforce.
• Our veterans face unique challenges and know best what kind of support they need from their representatives. That’s why I regularly meet with my Veterans Advisory Board to hear from them and collaborate on ways to make life better for our nation’s heroes.
• I supported the Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition (EVEST) Act, which simplifies the transition process and takes critical steps to prevent veteran suicide by automatically enrolling eligible servicemembers in VA healthcare.
• I supported the Honoring our PACT Act, which became law. This bill provides health care and benefits for millions of veterans injured by exposure to toxins, from Agent Orange in Vietnam to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill no longer would force generations of veterans to prove that their illness was caused by toxic exposures suffered in the military in order to get VA coverage.
• I supported the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act, which became law. This bill requires the VA to conduct a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible Veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program.
• I cosponsored the Veterans’ Preference Parity Act, which would update statutes that currently restrict many service members from qualifying for veterans’ preference points when competing for federal positions. Current federal hiring preference rules require more than 180 consecutive days of active-duty time for service members to qualify. The Veterans’ Preference Parity Act would change the requirement to a nondiscriminatory total day threshold.
• I cosponsored the VETS Safe Travel Act, which will provide PreCheck to certain severely injured or disabled veterans. 
• I cosponsored the Major Richard Star Act, which would repeal the unfair offset of DoD retirement benefits and VA disability compensation and provide full concurrent receipt for these Chapter 61 veterans with less than 20 years of service. This bill would provide approximately 50,000 retirees who have been discharged due to combat-related injuries access to their DoD retirement pay.

Commemorating the Vietnam War 

Our veterans deserve our thanks and recognition for their service. Unfortunately, many Vietnam veterans did not receive the thanks they deserved when they returned home from the war. The Vietnam War 50th Commemoration program was authorized by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and established under the Department of Defense. One of the main objectives of this program is to thank and honor these Veterans for their selfless service to our nation. All Vietnam veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975, regardless of location, are eligible to receive one lapel pin.

My office is an official commemorative partner of the program. The commemorative partner program supports local efforts to thank and honor the over 6.2 million Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad today. There are approximately 1.8 million veterans that reside in California, and veterans who served in the Vietnam war make up the largest share of California’s veteran population. If you or someone you know is an eligible Vietnam veteran who would like to be honored with a Vietnam veteran lapel pin, fill out the form on my website.

Protecting Your Financial Privacy

This week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) warned Americans that anyone making over $600 through transactions using a service like PayPal, Venmo, or Zelle, will need to file that "income" on their tax return. This is exactly why Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee) and I introduced the Stop the Nosy Obsession with Online Payments Act of 2022 (SNOOP) Act.

The SNOOP Act would repeal the requirement that gig workers and other small businesses provide their private, personal information to the IRS and prevent third-party payment platforms like Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, and others, from being forced to report a business’ gross transaction volumes in excess of $600. 

I am proud to introduce this legislation to ensure that Americans can continue to live their lives without a distant bureaucrat in Washington, D.C. looking over their shoulder every time they participate in the mobile or digital economy.

Intern in My Office

The application to intern in my D.C. or District office during the Spring session is now open! If you are a high school or college student looking to learn more about Congress and the legislative process, an internship in my office can be a fun, educational, and exciting opportunity.

Candidates must possess excellent written and verbal communication skills. In addition, we are seeking highly collaborative team players with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. 

If you are a hardworking, dedicated individual who has a desire to help improve our Southern California communities, then an internship in my office might be for you! Visit my website to learn more and apply.

Thanks for taking the time to read about what I've been doing on behalf of Southern California families. Be sure to connect with my official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, where I post the latest news and updates. It is an honor to serve you in Congress.

Sincerely,

Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress