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.

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery that unfortunately happens right here in our SoCal backyard. Thank you to all who joined me, Orange County Sheriff's Department and Yorba Linda Mayor Janice Lim for a seminar on best practices to fight this horrific crime and keep our community safe. 

I thank Congressman Brian Mast for naming me to the House Foreign Affairs Committee Arms Sales Task Force. U.S. defense protection strengthens our national security and supports our economy in Southern California and across the nation. I'm ready to get to work so we can deliver on our word to our partners and make our arms sales process more efficient and effective.

Thank you to House Committee on Veterans' Affairs for inviting me to speak on the Improving VA Training for Military Sexual Trauma (MST) Claims Act. My bipartisan bill streamlines the MST claim process and ensures VA staff can provide veterans with the support they deserve.

It was great to see 8th graders from Oakridge in Orange in Washington, DC. Thank you for the visit!

Had the privilege of meeting with Andrei Kozlov, a courageous returned hostage. His strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity is truly inspiring. We must continue to protect innocent lives and ensure all hostages taken by Hamas return home safely. 

U.S. leadership in emerging technologies like blockchain not only improves Americans’ lives but also helps us advance transparency in U.S. foreign assistance, human rights, and freedom.
I'm leading a bipartisan resolution to support responsible innovation.

Thank you to the Digital Chamber Blockchain Summit for having me to discuss the positive impacts of blockchain and crypto currency. These emerging technologies have the possibility to uplift communities, increase opportunity, and help the U.S. lead in innovation!

Great visit the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Anaheim to see firsthand the incredible work being done by their dedicated healthcare professionals. Thank you to the entire team for your commitment to providing high quality care for our community.  

Fewer companies went public during the Biden-Harris administration due to economic instability. I'm working on House Committee on Financial Services to get our economy back on the right track and ensure companies and consumers have confidence in our markets.

So fun welcoming the Rucker Family from Lake Forest, CA to my DC office for their Capitol tour! Are you visiting Washington, DC from CA-40? Let us know: 

Our wildland firefighters deserve to know that we have their backs as they have ours against deadly fires. I'm thrilled that the U.S. Department of the Interior is implementing permanent pay raises for federal firefighters thanks to the continuing resolution passed by Congress.

Productive meeting with the Apartment Association of Orange County discussing affordable housing, opportunities for growth, and solutions to meet the needs of our community. Thanks for stopping by!

California state legislators stopped by my DC office with UC Berkeley’s Math and Physical Sciences Dean Steve Kahn and Physics Chair Irfan Siddiqi to discuss the importance of quantum computing. I look forward to working together to promote innovation in our state. 

Tomorrow is Vietnam War Veterans Day, where we honor the brave men and women who served honorably during the Vietnam War. We are so grateful. Thank you and welcome home!

Small businesses are the backbone of communities I represent. At this week's Financial Services Committee Republicans hearing, I asked how we can work to support entrepreneurs creating jobs and making their American Dream a reality.

Our U.S.-Japan alliance drives innovation, deepens cultural ties, grows our economy, and strengthens global security. I enjoyed celebrating our alliance and the start of cherry blossom season with the Japan-American Society of Washington DC. Here's to many more years of collaboration and friendship!

Mourning the passing and celebrating the life of Mia Love, whose character, dedication, and work ethic embodied the best of public service and inspired countless Americans. I feel blessed to have gotten to know her over the years, and my heart is with her loved ones.

Great running into the American Flying Tigers. Their legacy of bravery and service continues to inspire us all.

As Xi Jinping continues to isolate Taiwan from the outside world, strengthening economic engagement is a win-win for our Taiwanese friends and for U.S. jobs and national security. I'm working to do exactly that with Congressman John Moolenaar and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi.

On Medal of Honor Day, we remembered the courage and bravery of those who have received the Medal of Honor. Our nation's highest military decoration honors brave American military heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor, humanity, patriotism and sacrifice.

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.


I am thrilled that Team Young has helped return over $26 million back to taxpayers from federal agencies.

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