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.

Wishing success, good health, and blessings to all who are celebrating Lunar New Year, Seollal, and Tet Festival as we ring in the Year of the Snake. 

Drones4Kids in Yorba Linda is working to teach the next generation of innovators to pilot drones. I enjoyed meeting with their students in my Anaheim Hills office this week and will always be a loud voice for STEM education.

Team Young joined last week's 2025 Orange Park Acres annual meeting to hear updates from the community and provide information on casework and other services our office can provide to residents.

I'm so proud to fight for our OPA community in Congress!

My community knows firsthand the destruction wildfires can cause and the struggle to recover in the aftermath of natural disasters. Resources from the federal government should make lives easier for survivors, not harder.

This week, I helped introduce the bipartisan Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act to ease access to critical assistance to help disaster victims pick up the pieces in the face of unthinkable tragedy. 

Team Young was happy to welcome new small businesses to CA-40 this week! Congratulations to Cityside Fiber and Lake Forest Animal Clinic in Lake Forest, and to KAMPP marketing in Laguna Hills.

Team Young joined the United Indian Associations of Southern California in Orange this week to celebrate India Republic Day, honor the vibrant Indian American community in Orange County, and recognize the 50+ volunteers who made this event possible.

As we mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz this week and see rising antisemitism across the country – especially on college campuses – we are reminded of the dire need to ensure the horrors of the Holocaust are taught and stories are passed down for future generations. We cannot allow history to repeat itself.

I helped introduce the bipartisan HEAL Act to explore the status of Holocaust education in the United States, so we can improve educational outcomes, counter antisemitism, and ultimately ensure never again truly means never again.

Early detection and quick, secure communication can be the difference between life and death during a wildfire.

This week, I helped introduce the bipartisan FIRE Act to allow NOAA to forecast and detect wildfire activity, so we can respond to and hopefully prevent natural disasters. I’ll keep being a voice for wildfire solutions.

This week, I joined bipartisan bills to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medals to Fred Korematsu and Col. Young Oak Kim.

Born and raised in California, Japanese American Fred Korematsu was a civil rights hero who fought back against the incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

As the new year begins, I humbly ask you take 30 seconds to share your priorities with me, so I can better serve you in Congress. I'm laser-focused on delivering results for you.

My team is committed to providing accessible, responsive, and effective service. 
 
We have district offices in Anaheim Hills and Mission Viejo, and we will hold mobile office hours in Chino Hills, Laguna Woods, and El Modena. 
 
Please reach out with any casework questions. 

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. 

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