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.

Deceptive fees add up and create more pain for families already struggling to make ends meet due to rising living costs.

The last thing Americans need when planning a trip are costly, unexpected fees, which is why I’m glad the House passed my bill this week to improve cost transparency.

Great to cap off Financial Literacy Month with a roundtable at the U.S. Treasury Department.  
 
As Financial Literacy and Wealth Creation Caucus co-chair, I’ll keep working with bipartisan colleagues and the administration on policies that help Americans grow their credit, get a leg up, and achieve the American Dream.  

This week marks 50 years since the Fall of Saigon.

Outside of Vietnam, Orange County is proudly home to the largest Vietnamese population. Many fled here 50 years ago.

On Black April, my heart is with our community and the brave troops who defended freedom in the Vietnam War.

I appreciate CalOptima's insight as Congress works on a budget reconciliation package that gets us back on the right fiscal track and strengthens programs like Medicaid that many in our community rely on.

A bill that cuts vital Medicaid benefits will NOT receive my vote.

Happy APA Heritage Month! This month we celebrate the many Asian Americans in CA-40 and across the country who are improving our communities for future generations.

We Love Yorba Linda!

Glad to join volunteers and officials over the weekend to help make our Yorba Linda community a better place.

At this week's Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, I asked witnesses how we can better consolidate the State Department while ensuring we project U.S. leadership around the world.

Great to see energy small business owners from California, including from Orange, to discuss how burdensome regulations and mandates make it harder to transport fuel and stay afloat.

I appreciate their work to create local jobs and provide energy resources to our communities.

Students and families deserve transparency on the costs of going to college when evaluating educational opportunities.

I'm proud to lead a bipartisan, bicameral bill to improve and streamline the financial aid process.

My team welcomed the Lestonnac Clinic to CA-40! This is the first clinic in the nation to provide uninsured patients access to free outpatient surgeries. We appreciate all that you do to support our community.

Countering Huione Group's romance scams targeting Americans is something I've been working to address as a member of Financial Services Committee's National Security Subcommittee.

I'm pleased to see The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network take action to hold Huione Group accountable and keep innocent Americans safe.

We loved showing the Josserand family from Lake Forest around the U.S. Capitol!

If you're visiting the Capitol, let us know below.

As House Foreign Affairs Committee East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee Chairwoman and a member of Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, I appreciated Central Tibetan Administration Sikyong Penpa Tsering stopping by my DC office to discuss U.S.-Tibet relations.

Are you traveling planning travel for this year? Stop what you’re doing and check your passport and your ID!

TSA is requiring REAL IDs for domestic travel starting May 7, 2025 and for entering certain federal facilities. Learn more here.

State Department processing times for passports 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 $27 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