This week, we received yet another frustrating report on the spiraling inflation crisis. July 15, 2022 Dear John, This week in Washington, D.C., the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act, a crucial step to ensuring that our Armed Forces are prepared to defend our country and keep us safe. This week we also received yet another frustrating report on the growing inflation crisis. To make things worse, California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) will go into effect, placing burdensome regulations for independent workers like truckers and threatening to further disrupt our supply chains and cause prices to rise. I joined my colleagues in calling on state lawmakers to repeal this harmful bill. Finally, my office is hosting mobile office hours, seeking nominations for the Seniors of Distinction Award, and hiring for interns and a Wounded Warrior Fellow. Read on to learn about all this and more. Make sure to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get these updates in real-time! Standing Up to Sacramento's Overreach Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a case challenging California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which reclassifies many independent contractors as “employees,” subjecting them to stricter regulations and increasing costs of operations. If Sacramento lawmakers don't take action, AB5 will shrink the number of critical independent truckers, further worsening the backlogs at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and exacerbating the supply chain crisis. This week, I led members of the California Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to Governor Newsom urging him to take immediate action to prevent AB5 from devastating the California trucking industry and further crippling nationwide supply chains. I've heard from many constituents and local small businesses who want to see this crisis resolved before they are further overwhelmed by broken supply chains, skyrocketing inflation, and the unacceptable state of our economy. The Governor should work to repeal this bill swiftly. Read More in the Orange County Register My staff will be hosting mobile office hours in Newport/Corona Del Mar on July 29th. Mobile office hours provide an opportunity to get one-on-one, in-person assistance with federal agencies from my staff. Mobile office hours are open to the public. Newport/Corona Del Mar 801 Narcissus Avenue Corona Del Mar, CA 92 You can also contact my office for assistance at any time. For my office locations in Huntington Beach and Washington D.C., click here. Contact My Office Nominate a Senior of Distinction My office is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Senior Citizens of Distinction Award! If you know a Senior Citizen in the 48th District who has made an impact in their community or the lives of their loved ones, be sure to nominate them by July 27! Nominate Today! 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 Finding Solutions to Inflation's Pressures WATCH: I joined my Republican colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for a roundtable to discuss inflation’s impact on infrastructure and the devastating impact AB5 will have on our struggling trucking industry. 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 graduate students, and the Huntington Beach office is open to recently graduated high school students, college, and graduate 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 Another Frustrating Inflation Report The Consumer Price Index (CPI) was released this week, and the results are bad: inflation has officially hit 9.1%. That's the highest it's been since December 1981. I don't have to tell you that it's causing the prices of every day goods to skyrocket. Make no mistake, reckless spending out of Washington is what has spiked prices to such record highs, and I know you have had enough. Despite claims from the White House that these hikes would be "temporary," nearly a year later we’re still stuck paying more for everything, every day. Instead of getting serious about this issue that’s impacting every American, Democrats are gearing up to implement policies that will tax and spend even more. Enough is enough. I'm committed to cutting taxes, reining in government spending, and lowering costs for Orange County families. 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 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 Trucking sector in peril due to Assembly Bill 5 Late last month, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a case involving Assembly Bill 5 and its deleterious impacts on the trucking industry. The trucking industry is warning that the application of AB 5, which restricts independent... Read more www.ocregister.com Biden's Labor Department threatens to spread... As life in the United States gets more expensive, more than a quarter of the public is considering taking on a side gig to make ends meet. President Joe Biden's Department of Labor is trying to make it difficult for self-employed entrepreneurs to ... Read more www.washingtonexaminer.com 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]