Greetings!

As I’m sure many of you have seen on the news, it’s been a busy and interesting week in Washington. I’m here working on behalf of Orange County families and making sure your voice is heard. Do you have thoughts or questions on what’s happening this week? Make sure to contact me here to share your views with me. Read below to see some of the highlights from my week. 
Supporting the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity
The Congressional Baseball Game has been played annually since 1962, and it’s a fun way for Republicans and Democrats to set politics aside and enjoy one of America’s favorite pastimes. All the proceeds from this year’s game went to charities in the Washington, D.C. area. I had so much fun this week cheering on Team GOP, who won for the first time in five years! 
Holding the Administration Accountable for Chaotic Afghanistan Withdrawal
This week, top generals testified on Capitol Hill about the Afghanistan withdrawal. While I am not a member of the House Armed Service Committee, I was watching this hearing closely. This Administration needs to be held accountable for its strategic failures in the Afghanistan withdrawal. I recently sent a letter to the Vice President requesting that she prioritize the safety and education of women and girls in the country now controlled by the Taliban.  
Surfing USA
This past weekend I was happy to attend the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach. We’re so lucky to have the world’s largest surfing competition right in our own backyard! 
Bringing the Thunderbirds to the Pacific Air Show
Last week, my office received notice that the military would be pulling the Thunderbirds from the Pacific Air Show taking place this weekend. I immediately sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense explaining the importance of hosting the Thunderbirds for the Air Show that’s widely attended by our Orange County community. This is the biggest air show on the West Coast! I’m happy that following my letter, they reversed their decision, and the Thunderbirds will be flying this weekend alongside the Blue Angels and Canadian Snowbirds. Read the full letter here. 
Interested in a Service Academy?
Do you know a high school student who is interested in attending a U.S. Service Academy? My office is accepting applications until November 1, 2021. If you have questions about the application process, click here or call my Huntington Beach Office at 714.960.6483.
Listening to Experts on Infrastructure
If you’ve been following the news this week, you know there have been a lot of discussions about infrastructure here in Washington. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I participated in a hearing with experts about what kind of infrastructure investments we should be prioritizing. I asked about how taxpayers will be impacted if we give more federal funding to California’s failed high-speed rail project. His response: “taxpayers will be getting a very bad deal.” Watch part of my questioning here. 
Honoring Vietnamese Hero with Post Office Renaming
Our district includes a part of Little Saigon, home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam. This week I introduced a bill that would rename the post office at 9317 Bolsa Rd in Westminster the “General Tran Hung Dao Post Office” to honor a significant historical figure in the Vietnamese community. Read more. 
How I voted
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.

Click here to see what the House voted on this week. Here’s an explanation of some of my votes:

H.R. 5305 Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act: Congress’ main job is to fund the government. When it fails to do that through the proper process then we are forced to vote on Continuing Resolutions, which we voted on this week. This is merely a stopgap mechanism for emergency funding, an indication that Congress failed to do its job. These are an irresponsible way to fund our government. I came to Congress to stop limitless spending, and I voted no on this legislation.

H.R. 1693 EQUAL Act: This bill would eliminate the federal crack cocaine versus powder cocaine sentencing disparity and would apply retroactively to those already convicted or sentenced. I voted yes on this legislation because this is an important step in criminal justice reform. 
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.
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Sincerely,
Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress