Working in Washington

December 5, 2021

Greetings!

I was so grateful to spend Thanksgiving with my family last week, and I hope you had the opportunity to spend the holiday with loved ones, too! This week I was back in Washington, DC working on behalf of our Orange County community. Here are some highlights from my week:

Hearing From You

This week almost 2,000 of you joined me for a tele-town hall. We discussed a variety of topics, from the rise in retail crime to IRS surveillance and immigration. Be sure to follow me on social media and sign up here to get updates on upcoming tele-town halls.

Working with Law Enforcement

Over the last few weeks and on this week’s tele-town hall, I’ve heard many concerns about the rise in “smash and grab” crimes across California and in Orange County. I sat down with our Laguna Niguel Police Services this week to hear about the challenges they’re facing and how they’re working to keep our community safe. Thank you to our local law enforcement officers for their selfless work!

Protecting Your Taxpayer Dollars

This week I spoke on the House Floor to highlight Congress' reckless and irresponsible spending. All Americans will be forced to pay the price for this spending.

I will continue to fight against the government taking more of your hard-earned money. Watch here.

Kicking off the Holiday Season

I was honored to light the menorah for the first night of Hanukkah at the Chabad Center for Jewish Life in Newport Beach on Sunday. Wishing all who celebrate peace and light this holiday season!

Each year, a different national forest is chosen to provide the Capitol Christmas Tree. This year’s tree is from the Six Rivers National Forest in California. I was so happy to attend the tree lighting ceremony this week to kick off the Christmas season at the Capitol.

Working in Committee

This week I participated in three committee hearings. During one of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearings, I had the chance to ask Rear Admiral John W. Mauger, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy for the U.S. Coast Guard, about cybersecurity threats on local governments and Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports.

Watch the cybersecurity hearing here.

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. 6119 - Further Extending Government Funding Act: Congress has had months to pass appropriations bills that would properly fund the government. Instead of focusing on what needed to get done, House Democrats have spent the last several months pushing through trillions of dollars in new partisan spending. I voted no on today’s short-term spending bill. This is not how we should run our government. Enough is enough.

In the News

Chabad Center for Jewish Life lights the menorah for the start Hanukkah

The Jewish cultural center lit the first candle Sunday night, and similar celebrations were held throughout Orange County to mark the first of eight nights associated with the holiday. Read more.

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.

Sincerely,

Rep. Michelle Steel

Member of Congress