Greetings!
This week held a lot of exciting wins for Orange County. March is Women's History Month, and I was proud to honor some local women leaders in our community. The government funding bill that Congress passed last week was signed into law, providing much needed funding for the Surfside-Sunset and Newport Beach Replenishment Project.
Meanwhile, gas prices continue to skyrocket in Southern California and across the country, and Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Congress for increased support as his country fights off Putin's ruthless assault.
Make sure to follow my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to get these updates in real-time! Here are some highlights from my week: |
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Honoring Orange County's Women of Distinction |
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Women’s History Month gives us an opportunity to recognize the trailblazers that came before us. We are lucky to have women in our lives right now that have helped so many of us achieve and succeed. I asked our community to nominate outstanding women in Orange County who are civically engaged and committed to improving our communities.
On Monday, I was honored to present the 2022 Women of Distinction Awards to 18 women who work every day to make our communities better. In categories ranging from veterans’ service work to youth champions, to public safety and community partnerships, these women represent the best of the best.
Throughout the rest of Women's History Month, I’ll be sharing profiles of each of these exceptional women. Be sure to follow along on social media or on my website to learn about their remarkable contributions to our area.
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CAN'T MISS: Women's Financial Empowerment Seminar |
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I’m hosting a Women’s Financial Empowerment Seminar on Saturday, April 2 at 10:00 PM at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center. Joining me will be Victoria Hà
-Vy Le, the Executive Field Chairwoman of First Financial Security, to talk about common financial challenges and planning.
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WATCH: America
Must be Energy Independent
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My office is now accepting submissions for the 2022 Congressional Art Competition.
This nationwide high school arts competition takes place each Spring and is sponsored by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our Congressional District.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in our District and the winning artwork of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside the winning artwork from all participating districts from around the country. The winning artwork is also featured on House.gov's Congressional Art Competition page, and the winner will be invited to a reception in Washington, D.C.
I encourage all student artists to enter a submission to the Competition!
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SIGNED INTO LAW: Funding for Sand Replenishment
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On Monday, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed into law, and included $15.5 million that I requested, with the support of Orange County leaders and project stakeholders, to aid the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in local beach repair.
This replenishment project is more than a decade overdue, and eroding beaches mean our communities are more prone to dangerous flooding and storm damage. The funding will go directly to the Army Corps to ensure the beaches are replenished and fortified.
This is years in the making, and I’m proud to deliver for our Orange County community.
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Supporting the AAPI Community |
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On Thursday, I met with members of my AAPI Advisory Board to discuss the challenges our community is facing and share an update about the work I’m doing in Congress to Stop AAPI Hate.
Thank you to all who joined and for your commitment to standing up for our friends, families, and neighbors!
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Students, Do You Want to Intern for Congress? |
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My office offers internship opportunities in Washington D.C. and Huntington Beach, CA, and we are now accepting applications for the Summer session!
I especially encourage students in California to apply, but the position is available to any student who is currently enrolled or recently graduated from college. Students will gain invaluable work experience while learning about the inner workings of the House of Representatives.
If you are a hardworking, dedicated individual who has a desire to help improve our community, this internship is for you!
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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: https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake 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.
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Epoch Times: Orange County Beaches to Get $15.5 Million Federal Funds for Sand Replenishment |
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"Introduced by Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.), the funding bill will provide $15.5 million for the Surfside-Sunset & Newport Beach Replenishment Project, as part of a larger spending bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 15.
'I’ve been working on this since I was at the State Board of Equalization over a decade ago,” Steel told The Epoch Times. “I’m very excited that our hard work has paid off.'” Read More.
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POLITICO: Michelle Steel & Young Kim, forging a path as the GOP's only Asian American congresswomen
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"California Reps. Michelle Steel and Young Kim are the only Asian American Republicans with voting power in Congress — and they’re forging their own path amid a spike in hate incidents against their community during the Covid-19 pandemic." Read More.
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Fox Business: Republicans urge Newsom to suspend California gas tax as prices skyrocket
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"In a Tuesday letter addressed to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a group of GOP lawmakers – led by Rep. David Valadao – urged the governor to temporarily suspend the state's 51-cent-per-gallon gas tax in order to help blunt the financial pain of surging prices at the pump." Read More.
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Laguna Niguel Ranked Among Top 10 Safest Cities...
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA - Online security review website SafeWise released its ranking of the Top 50 Safest Cities in California for 2022 on March 8, and Laguna Niguel was ranked the sixth safest city in the state.
Read more
patch.com
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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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Rep. Michelle Steel
Member of Congress
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