January 27, 2023

Protecting Your Privacy

This week I re-introduced the Stop the Nosy Obsession with Online Payments Act of 2023 (SNOOP) Act, to rein in government overreach and permanently end the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS’s) reporting requirement for transactions over $600. Democrats' American Rescue Plan Act required third-party payment platforms like Paypal, Venmo, Zelle, and others, to report a business’ gross transaction volumes in excess of $600 to the IRS, creating mountains of paperwork for an IRS that has already proven itself unable to process tax returns in a timely fashion. The SNOOP Act will repeal this new reporting modification. 

We will not allow the Biden Administration to weaponize government to target hardworking American taxpayers. I am proud to re-introduce this legislation to ensure the heavy hand of government bureaucracy stays off the necks of families as they go about their daily lives. I will continue urging my colleagues to join me in defending the privacy of all Americans and ending the IRS’s egregious overreach.

Standing Up to the CCP

I am pleased to announce that earlier this week, I was appointed to the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

I am honored to join this Committee to continue my fight to hold the CCP accountable for their horrific violations of human rights, their theft of U.S. intellectual property, to secure U.S. supply chains, and strengthen U.S. trade competitiveness.

We can no longer stand by and allow the CCP to grow in influence and hostility towards free and sovereign nations around the world. I am eager to get to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure the safety of the U.S. and all freedom loving people in the face of CCP aggression.

This week, I joined Reps. Lou Correa (CA-46), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and Chris Smith (NJ-04) to announce the formation of the Congressional Vietnam Caucus for the 118th Congress, where we will serve as co-chairs. 

As a proud first generation American, I am honored to represent the voices of the Vietnamese American community by becoming co-chair of the Vietnam Caucus. In the 118th Congress, I am looking forward to finding bipartisan solutions to challenges facing the Vietnamese community including shaping U.S. policy to push Vietnam to respect human rights, religious liberty and the free press.

For the first time, Orange County will have two bipartisan co-chairs, representing one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the nation. We will always work to ensure every American is empowered to live their own American dream.

What I'm Reading

Thanks for taking the time to read about what I've been doing on behalf of Southern California families. Be sure to connect with my official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, where I post the latest news and updates. It is an honor to serve you in Congress.

Sincerely,

Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress