It's been a busy week in CA-39! Here's the highlights:
The American people, U.S. troops, veterans, Gold Star families, as well as our allies and our adversaries, have all looked on as the Taliban quickly and effectively undermined the gains made by U.S. and Afghan military forces in Afghanistan in a matter of days.
 
Our rushed withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan without a plan to ensure stability in the region has created a national security and humanitarian crisis. As a result, we now have more US troops in the region than we had before the withdrawal and are scrambling to keep promises we made to the tens of thousands Afghan partners who helped us fight the Taliban.
 
We must ensure that Americans and our allies take our nation’s word seriously and know that promises made are promises kept. Unfortunately, if we leave Afghan partners and allies behind, we are sending the opposite message to them and nations around the world. We must do everything we can help evacuate U.S. citizens and our Afghan partners. We owe it to them to keep our word.
 
My colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I have been pressing the Biden administration for their plan to save Americans and our Afghan partners for months. I supported the House passage of the Allies Act in July which provided an additional 8,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan citizens to come to the U.S. I also joined multiple letters to the Administration demanding answers on our plans for getting allied Afghans out of the country as soon as possible and an explanation on what led to the failures in Kabul.
 
My team is working with the State Department to help those with loved ones in Afghanistan. If you need help, please reach out to us at ca39casework@mail.house.gov. 

It is impossible to imagine the emotions our veterans may be experiencing at this time. For those who understandably need some extra help, please do not hesitate to reach out. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 at the VA’s crisis line. 
Call: 1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) or Text: 838-255. 
 
As we deploy more troops to Kabul to secure the airport, I am rallying with our troops and praying for their safe return home. We are the land of the free because of the brave.
Californians in CA-39 and across our state know all too well the devastating impacts of wildfires. While federal, state and local entities coordinate wildfire prevention, detection and response efforts, we must do all we can to give those on the front lines the resources they need to do their jobs and protect the public health and safety of California communities.

I’m glad to join Representative Mike Garcia, Congresswoman Julia Brownley and Congresswoman Judy Chu to introduce the FIRE Act, a commonsense, bipartisan bill to improve federal wildfire detection and forecasting.
On Thursday I attended the North Orange County Public Safety Task Force meeting to learn more about what our police chiefs, mental health advocates, community organizations and other local leaders are hearing on the ground as we work together to address homelessness, crime and violence.

To truly bring change, we need all hands on deck. That is why I requested federal funding to support their work and look forward to working together to better our CA-39 communities.
Our CA-39 manufacturers create the tools to launch the United States to new frontiers and are the top aerospace manufacturing suppliers for Space X. I enjoyed learning more about their work and am proud to support space innovation on the Space Subcommittee.
Thank you to Fullerton Mayor Bruce Whitaker, Orange County Water District Board President Steve Sheldon, General Manager Mike Markus and team for stopping by my office to talk about how we can work together to address water needs and provide clean water to our communities.

I appreciate their open line of communication with my team, so we keep the efforts of local good faith actors like OCWD top of mind as we vote on bills in Congress. I am working to promote policies that prioritize cleaner water for families without placing costly and unnecessary burdens on local water districts that are doing all they can.
I am so grateful for all of our incredible small businesses in CA-39! It was a pleasure to visit with Gensboc LA in the City of Industry, Brown Rice Thai & Co. in Diamond Bar, Eureka Pizza in Yorba Linda and Interlog Corporation in Anaheim to speak with business owners and staff. Follow me on Facebook to read more about my visits!

I'm hearing from many local business owners that supply chain disruptions and a lack of reliable staff is negatively impacting them as they work to recover from COVID-19. All around our district, I noticed "help wanted" signs in windows. As Ranking Member of the Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Workforce Development, I am doing all I can to create pro-growth policies that support businesses and workers through this recovery.
Ready to get back to work or make a career change? Local CA-39 businesses are hiring! I encourage you to attend our job fair at Embassy Suites by Hilton Brea North Orange County on Thursday, August 26th at 9am PT. We hope to see you there!
I want to send my warmest wishes to all who celebrated Korean Independence Day.
As a Korean American, the day is personal to me. We honor those who fought for Korea's independence and recommit to promoting human rights and freedom in the region.

I am working on the Foreign Affairs Committee to reconnect Korean Americans with war-torn loved ones and promote human rights as we work toward a complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea.
Team Young has the best interns! I want to thank Calvin, Harry, Ashley, Nary, Aaron and (not pictured: Sul Won and Madelyn) for their hard work serving CA-39 in my Placentia office this summer. I also enjoyed welcoming Christopher to the team as an Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) fellow. I'm grateful for them all!
I am committed to helping California's 39th District get through the COVID-19 pandemic better than before. As we reopen our communities and get people safely back to work, I will do all that I can to make sure my constituents receive the relief you deserve.
Casework & Catch Up
Need help with a federal agency, like the Small Business Administration, IRS or the VA? My team and I are here to help. 
My team and I are here to serve you. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office with any questions or concerns. I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram at @RepYoungKim. 
Sincerely,
Young Kim