Greetings!

There was a common theme in many of the conversations and meetings I had this week. The American people are tired of Washington’s partisan fighting. People care about the issues, and they want to see us come together to achieve results. My work has been focused on building relationships to find areas of common ground. As your representative, I promise to keep building these relationships and finding ways to solve the issues you care about. At the end of the day, we are all Americans and need to remember to treat each other with respect and civility. 

I am also writing to you at the end of February, which is Black History Month. Our founders wrote "all men are created equal" in our Declaration of Independence, and the goal of equality is one our country has strived for since its founding. It is my hope that we continue to make progress toward this goal so that everyone can achieve their version of the American dream. 

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.
Serving California's 48th District
Connecting with Local Businesses
This week I had the opportunity to speak with the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce about the work I’m doing in Congress to help small businesses bounce back from the devastating pandemic. I answered their questions and cosponsored new legislation to support local restaurants following our conversation (more on that later on in this newsletter)! It’s always a pleasure to speak with our community’s business owners and job creators.
Supporting Reliable Water Infrastructure 
Californians know how important reliable water infrastructure is for our communities. That’s why this week I joined my California colleagues in voicing our support for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s coordinated operations plan and the biological opinions that guided it. Delivering water to communities who need it, as well as improving water security, is critically important. Read more.
Your Voice in DC
Condemning AAPI Discrimination
Hate crimes committed against Asian-American and Pacific Islanders have been on the rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and December of last year, nearly 3,000 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander hate crimes were recorded in the United States. This week I introduced a bipartisan resolution to condemn these crimes. Read more.
Working for Targeted & Temporary COVID-19 Relief
Did you know that nearly $1 trillion of the COVID relief already passed by Congress remains unspent? COVID relief should be targeted, temporary, and tied to COVID. The $1.9 trillion bill before Congress this week is unfortunately none of these things, and less than 9% of the money in this bill is tied to public health. 
Any further relief should be tied to COVID and aimed at helping our small businesses and reopening our schools. I offered amendments to this bill that would have done just that. Unfortunately, the 286 amendments that republicans offered were rejected.

I have supported several amendments and bills that would help businesses reopen and get students back in the classroom safely. Here are some of the actions I’ve taken to support targeted COVID relief:

  • Cosponsored the bipartisan. bicameral Restaurant’s Act of 2021, which establishes a $120 billion “Restaurant Revitalization Fund” managed by the U.S. Department of Treasury to help local restaurants – not chains – stay open during the pandemic.
  • Cosponsored the bipartisan, bicameral FRESH Air for Businesses Act, which provides a payroll tax credit to businesses that purchase or upgrade ventilation and air filtration systems to help prevent the spread of COVID.
  • Offered an amendment to the funding legislation that would require K-12 schools to reopen as soon as vaccines are made available to teachers.
  • Supported an amendment to the funding legislation that would have required K-12 schools to have a reopening place in place for in-person teaching for the remainder of the school year.
  • Cosponsored the Reopen Schools Act, which would condition the $54 billion Congress allocated to schools in December on them reopening safely for their students.
  • Supported an amendment that would create a maritime task force and private sector advisory committee to address the safety and future of maritime and cruise line operations post-COVID.

These are the kind of straightforward, bipartisan COVID relief measures I am proud to support. 
COVID-19 Updates
Small Businesses - Changes to the Paycheck Protection Program
This week the Biden-Harris Administration announced multiple changes to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). As of this week, the following changes were made: 

  • Beginning on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, the PPP is restricted to small businesses with 20 employees or less for 2 weeks
  • The PPP loan calculation for independent contractors, sole proprietors, and self-employed individuals was amended
  • PPP eligibility for those with a criminal history has been retooled by reducing restrictions on those with non-financial related crimes
  • PPP guidance for green card and visa holders was updated
  • Restrictions for small business owners who are delinquent on student loan payments were removed

If you’re a small business owner, check out the SBA’s website for the most up to date resources and guidance.
In the News
House freshmen who won tight districts: Focus on the issues
“People are very tired of listening [to partisanship]. You really have to go out, stick to the issues,” Steel said. “People really don’t care much about Republican or Democrats.” Read more
Orange County congresswomen introduce resolution condemning anti-Asian hate crimes
Congresswoman Michelle Steel and Congresswoman Katie Porter are working to protect the AAPI community with a bipartisan resolution, H.R. 153, introduced in the House of Representatives Monday. Read more
Revived bill could help Korean Americans reunite with North Korean relatives for first time since the war
A bill introduced this month and backed by a bipartisan group of Southern California lawmakers aims to change that narrative. It would require U.S. officials for the first time to prioritize helping Korean Americans — many of whom have been American citizens for decades — reunite with loved ones in North Korea. Read more
Sincerely,
Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress