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!

Good news! Moulton Niguel Water District was awarded a FEMA grant to improve and protect underwater sewage pipelines from earthquakes and other seismic events. I was glad to write to FEMA in support of this project and look forward to continuing our work together to protect public health and safety.

Thank you Asm. Diane Dixon for inviting me to join a fentanyl town hall to provide updates on my work in Congress to crack down on illicit money laundering, stop cartels, and secure our border so we can address this crisis taking too many innocent lives right here in our backyard.

I enjoyed catching up with a few of our great CA-40 mayors on their priorities this week at Zov's Restaurant in Tustin! I appreciate our partnership and look forward to continuing to work together to keep our local communities prosperous and safe.

Welcome to Orange, Casa Lulo! So fun to help welcome Casa Lulo to our community and check out their amazing selection of clothing and accessories. I bought some new sweatshirts for my grandkids! Remember to shop small at our amazing CA-40 small businesses.

I met with local Vietnamese American stakeholders and media to provide an update on my recent trip to Vietnam as Chairwoman of the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee. Supporting human rights is a nonstarter, and I'll keep pressing for answers on Vietnam's human rights record.

Congratulations to Full Circle Fitness in Tustin on their 9th anniversary! Owner and Orange County native Rosa Coletto created Full Circle Fitness with a mission: to help older people get in shape to enjoy their best lives. Looking forward to your continued success!

I caught up with ThisDay Laguna Woods on my work in Congress. Click on the picture above or button below to watch the full interview. I'm so proud to be able to fight for our Laguna Woods community in Congress.

Thank you to the OC Rescue Mission for the tour this week and for all that you do to uplift our community members in need and help the homeless get back on their feet. 

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.

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