Greetings!
This week marked my first 100 days in office. Since January we’ve returned more than $43,500 owed to constituents, opened 527 constituent cases, returned more than 14,000 messages and supported legislation to keep taxes low, protect taxpayer dollars, and help businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. I hit the ground running for Orange County families and am so grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Congress. This is just the beginning of my work on behalf of our community.
Here are some highlights from my week:
Read on to learn more about this week’s activities and updates.
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.
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Serving California's 48th District |
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Congressional Art Competition
Do you know a talented high school student who should enter the Congressional Art Competition? It’s not too late to submit an entry! The deadline for submissions is May 3 rd. Read more about details and how to enter here. |
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OC Happenings
Here are a few highlights of community events happening around our district!
What: Laguna Niguel Youth Committee Virtual College Fair
When: April 17, 2021, 10 am to 1 pm
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Where: 27601 Aliso Creek Rd, Aliso Viejo
When: April 17, 2021, from 8 am to 12 pm
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Where: Newport Beach Pier
When: April 18, 2021, 9 am to 12 pm
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Repealing the SALT Cap
Californians already pay some of the highest taxes in the country. The last Administration's tax reforms did a lot of good, but they hurt taxpayers where the cost of living is higher, like our district in California. The average deduction lost in our district was $28,254. I’m proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to continue calling for a repeal of the cap so taxpayers keep more of their hard-earned money.
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Requesting Answers on CA High-Speed Rail
California has had over a decade to get the High-Speed Rail Project on track and has failed to do so. I joined my colleagues in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg outlining concerns with this project receiving any more federal funds. Read the full letter here and an excerpt below: |
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“The Biden Administration recently announced that it was entering into “confidential discussions” with California to resolve the litigation and determine the future of the funds. Releasing this money to the project despite no evidence of improved circumstances, or a clearly articulated plan for the funds, further demonstrates the reckless use of taxpayer money on this endeavor.” |
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My goal as your member of Congress is to be as transparent as possible about the votes I am taking in Washington. You can always view my vote record on my website.
I want to hear your feedback! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments on legislation or items currently up for debate in Congress.
H.R. 7 Paycheck Fairness Act: In 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act which made it illegal to pay different wages to women for equal work. In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act which also made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, and sex. I voted no on H.R. 7 because it would place more burdensome requirements on employers. I supported an amendment to this legislation which would have established a voluntary self-audit system to encourage employers to proactively identify and rectify any wage disparities.
H.R. 1868 To prevent across-the-board direct spending cuts: We must protect Medicare providers, like hospitals and medical offices. That is why I supported this legislation to continue suspending the Medicare providers cut through the end of the pandemic. Access to health care for seniors needs to be protected and preserved. This includes supporting our local hospitals and physicians who keep their doors open and continue to provide critical care for our community.
H.R. 446 Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act & H.R. 1215 Fraud and Scam Reduction Act: Unfortunately, our seniors are the targets of many bad actors looking to use their information to commit fraud. H.R. 446 would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to submit a report to Congress detailing the number and types of scams targeting senior citizens and make policy recommendations to prevent scams. H.R. 1215 would establish a senior scams prevention advisory group, as well as an office within the FTC dedicated to combatting fraud related to seniors. I was proud to vote in support of both of these bills.
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Local House members, including Republicans, pushing to change key part of Trump tax law |
“California’s high taxes hurt our state and our taxpayers. It’s not right to punish them again through the federal tax code,” said Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, who’s one of two representatives cosponsoring Garcia’s bill to reverse the cap. Read more.
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Members of Congress call on Gov. to declare state of emergency over drought |
In their letter the Congress members state "We write to urgently request for you to make a statewide declaration of emergency for the state of California. It is not a secret that we find ourselves yet again with a major drought. It is imperative we do all we can as elected leaders to ensure our constituents, and the communities they live in, have access to the resources they need during this time, namely water." Read more.
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Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress
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