Message from Michelle July 1, 2022 Dear John, Today, amidst the skyrocketing gas prices crippling families in Orange County and across the country, Governor Newsom and Sacramento Democrats' gas tax hike goes into effect. I'm calling for a full repeal of this tax. Meanwhile I've been here in the district meeting with seniors and business owners to hear directly from them about how the inflation crisis is impacting all of us. Make sure to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get these updates in real-time! Paying More Today? Thank Sacramento. As we head into the 4th of July weekend, gas prices are costing American families more than ever before. That didn't stop Governor Newsom and Sacramento Democrats passing a policy to hike the California gas tax, which goes into effect today. I recently wrote in the Orange County Register about how reckless this tax increase is and my support for a complete repeal of the state gas tax. Read My Full Op-Ed in the Orange County Register Serving Orange County Seniors Yesterday I joined the Founders Village Senior Community Center in Fountain Valley for their Senior Expo. It was great to spend time with some of the seniors in our community, and to learn about some of the resources available to them and organizations working to promote health and wellness. My team and I were so glad to run into Fountain Valley Mayor Patrick Harper. Of course, we had to get a selfie! Did you know that my office is equipped to assist constituents with navigating federal agencies like the Social Security Administration and Medicare? If you are experiencing difficulties or looking for guidance with a federal agency, be sure to reach out to my office! Get Assistance Protecting Medicare Advantage I was honored to be named Medicare Advantage Champion for 2022 by the Coalition for Medicare Choices. I am proud to advocate in Congress for the more than 30 million Americans who rely on Medicare Advantage. My office is looking for a wounded warrior or medically retired veteran for a paid Wounded Warrior Program fellowship in my Huntington Beach district office. The person chosen for the special fellowship will work with our military and veteran community to handle casework and act as a facilitator between constituents and federal, state, and local agencies. Questions? Email [email protected], call (714) 960-6483, or visit the links below. Learn More Apply Learn More A Dark Day for Freedom On this day 101 years ago, the Chinese Communist Party was born. Since that time, the CCP has become a threat to freedom around the world. I'm working in Congress to hold the CCP accountable for it's long and horrific list of human rights abuses. Honoring A Local Journalism Pioneer Matt Liffreing is not only a lifelong Southern Californian, but he is also a trailblazer in the field of journalism. Whether with the City of Huntington Beach, or the chamber of commerce, his commitment to serving our community spans many roles and more than four decades, where he recorded and reported the events of Huntington Beach. I was pleased to enter Mr. Liffreing's name into the Congressional Record this week and today, I got to thank and congratulate him on his 40 years of service to our community. Thank you, Matt, for your dedicated service! Intern in My Huntington Beach or D.C. Office! If you are a hardworking, dedicated individual who has a desire to help improve the CA-48 community, an internship in my Washington, D.C. or Huntington Beach office is for you! The D.C. internship is available to college and grad students and the Huntington Beach office is open to recently graduated high school students, college, and grad students. Candidates must possess excellent writing and verbal communication skills and be highly collaborative team players with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. Learn More and Apply Tackling the Challenges Facing Small Businesses This week I met with my Business Advisory Council in Huntington Beach. More than half of the workers in our congressional district are employed by our nearly 23,000 small businesses. It’s estimated that 40% of the businesses that were forced to close during the pandemic never came back. Now, 1/3 of business owners say that inflation is the biggest challenge they’re facing. 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business ends up back in the community - that's why we need policies that help business owners thrive. I'm working in Congress to implement solutions to these problems, and I'm grateful to my Advisory Board for sharing their stories and recommendations. My team has been experiencing a higher than average number of requests for assistance with passports. If you’re planning an international trip and need to renew or apply for a new passport, the time to plan is now. Click here or below for more information. If you have further questions about issues with the State Department or another Federal Agency, my team is here to help you. Learn More Get Assistance I met with Orange County Sheriff Deputies Adam Nuata and Sean Kalmen, as well as their K9 partners, Rocky and Lido, to present them with Congressional recognition for their efforts to keep our communities safe. Thank you to Deputies Nuata and Kalmen, and Rocky and Lido for your service! Democrats Block Border Security Last week, I joined Republicans to bring the PAUSE Act, which would secure the border and stop the flood of deadly fentanyl into our country, to the floor for a vote. Unfortunately, Democrats blocked it. Assistance for Ukraine Many of you have asked how to help Ukrainian citizens evacuate while Russia continues their violent assault on innocent people. Below is information from the State Department, and I will continue to keep you updated as more resources are shared. Please don't hesitate to contact my office if we can be of service. Q: I am a U.S. citizen and need a passport to depart Ukraine. What should I do? The Department of State is not able to offer in-person emergency consular services in Ukraine at this time. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should fill out the online assistance form at: [link removed] and the Department of State will respond. Q. Is the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv still open for visa applications? The Department of State is not able to offer in-person emergency consular services in Ukraine at this time. U.S. embassies and consulates in neighboring countries can accept visa applications from Ukrainians. Interested applicants can find a list of embassy websites HERE, or visit a specific embassy website by clicking the buttons below and follow the instructions provided to apply for a visa. Hungary (Budapest) Moldova (Chisinau) Poland (Warsaw or Krakow) Slovakia (Bratislava) Romania (Bucharest) What I'm Reading Cost of July 4th Cookout 17% Higher Compared to Year Ago U.S. consumers will pay $69.68 for their favorite Independence Day cookout foods, including cheeseburgers, pork chops, chicken breasts, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream, based on a new American Farm Bureau Federation marketbasket ... Read more www.fb.org I’ll be using this newsletter as a way to keep you up to date on my work on behalf of our Orange County community, so make sure you sign up for regular updates. You can also connect with my official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, where I’ll be posting the latest news and updates. Sincerely, Rep. Michelle Steel Member of Congress ‌ ‌ ‌ Rep. Steel | 1113 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]