September 1, 2023

Dear Friend,

I've been all over our district spreading awareness about the rise in scams targeting our seniors, meeting with relators and veterans to discuss my work to make housing more affordable, and teaming up with local leaders to confront the ongoing challenges to the AAPI community.

I'm also introducing legislation to empower Americans to make better decisions about their health care, and my office has some exciting opportunities that Southern California students won't want to miss.

Get the details about all of this and more below, and make sure to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get these updates in real-time.

Empowering Health Care Choices

A recent study found that more than 40% of workers with a Flexible Spending Account forfeited a portion of their contributions in recent years. On average, employees individually lost between $339 and $408 in unused FSA contributions each year, amounting to a collective $7.2 billion lost in 2019 and 2020.

That's why, this week, I introduced the Flexible Savings Arrangements for a Healthy Robust America (FSA-HRA) Act, to expand options for Americans seeking to save responsibly for their future health costs. The tax code should never present a barrier to Americans seeking to responsibly save for future health care costs.

The FSA-HRA Act empowers individuals to take charge of their own health care decisions by utilizing the resources available to them without arbitrary roadblocks from Washington, D.C. I’m proud to lead this legislation to cut red tape and improve health outcomes for over 35 million hard-working Americans who use HSAs to pay for medical expenses.

Learn More on My Website

There was a great turnout for my office’s Senior Scam Stoppers event in Hawaiian Gardens.

Scams are on the rise, but by staying informed, our seniors can fight back and stay safe.

Don't Forget: Military Academy Info Night

For students considering their next steps after high school, the Military Service Academies present an exciting opportunity to receive a world-class education and unmatched leadership skills, paid for by the U.S. Military. The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.

Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA); the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA); and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

To request a Military Academy Nomination from my office, please complete the form on my website, and someone my office will be in touch with additional information. In the mean time, visit my website to learn more about the application process.

My team will be hosting an information night for interested applicants. Representatives from the U.S. Military, Naval, Air Force, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard Academies will be present to answer your questions about what it means to attend one of these institutions. Students interested in attending a service academy shouldn't miss this event!

WHEN: September 7, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM

WHERE: Founders Village
17967 Bushard St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708

RSVP: email joseph.dyer@mail.house.gov

Learn More

I met with leaders of the AAPI community in Southern California to hear from them about the challenges facing Asian Americans and my work to ensure everyone can live the American Dream!

Editorial: Camp David summit a good start, but more needs to be done

This month, President Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida convened at Camp David to discuss North Korea and the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) increasing hostility and roll out a series of economic and military-centered initiatives.

As a proud American who was born in South Korea, lived in Japan and is now a Member of Congress from Southern California, these developments are extremely promising and personally very encouraging. I have been very vocal in advocating for the healing of relations between Japan and South Korea.

Only by working together can we hope to successfully stop the CCP’s bid for global dominance.

Read My Full OpEd in the Washington Times

Great to be with the Orange County Realtors and Veterans’ Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) in Fountain Valley to discuss my work to provide VAREP with a Congressional charter, ensure more Americans can achieve their dream of homeownership, and return fiscal sanity to D.C.

Calling All STEM Students

Registration for the 2023 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is open! The CAC is a great way for middle and high school students from across the country to explore and improve their computer-based skills by creating original apps.

This competition encourages computer science and innovation skills and offers an opportunity for students to explore potential careers in the STEM field. The competition is hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus.

Each winning app may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year and will be featured on the House of Representatives website. Winning students are also invited to the #HouseofCode Capitol Hill Reception in Washington D.C.

Learn More and Apply

What I'm Reading

KCRA: EDD added to list of high-risk agencies in California by state auditor. Here's why

"California’s Employment Development Department has been added to the list of high-risk agencies in California by the state auditor. This comes, according to a report released Thursday, because of both inadequate fraud prevention and a high rate of overturned eligibility decisions in their unemployment insurance program. EDD is “unable to reliably estimate improper payments under the UI program, thus adversely affecting the State’s financial statements as well as impairing efforts to independently evaluate the efficacy of EDD’s own fraud prevention activities,'..."

"President Biden welcomed students at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Washington, D.C., back to class on Monday. He also gave them a lesson in irony as he lamented pandemic learning loss caused by his teachers union allies. 'The hardest thing is to come back after three months of not doing any work, not doing any homework, and all of a sudden you got a lot to make—everybody has a lot to catch up on from the end of the last year,' Mr. Biden told students. Imagine how much harder it is for them to catch up after 'learning'—i.e., staring at screens—at home for a year."

Read More

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

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Rep. Steel | 1127 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe