Congresswoman Michelle Steel is serving her first term representing California’s 48th District. Born in South Korea and raised in Japan, Michelle immigrated to the United States to build her own American Dream. She is one of the first Korean American women to ever serve in Congress.
As the former Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and a member of the California Board of Equalization, throughout my career I’ve advocated for policies that create a business-friendly climate to grow the economy and create good-paying jobs in our community.
Before the pandemic, our economy reached new records and unemployment rates were the lowest they had been in 40 years. We can regain and build on this growth by helping our small businesses get back on their feet. This includes keeping taxes low and fighting burdensome and unnecessary federal regulations that stifle business growth and job creation.
It’s important that we manage the staggering multi-trillion-dollar debt that our children and grandchildren will inherit if we don’t rein in spending. California families pay some of the highest taxes in the country, and are still expected to spend within their means and balance their checkbooks. Your government should be expected to do the same.
America is the greatest nation on earth, and the education opportunities offered to every student should reflect that greatness. As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I have the opportunity to work on advancing school choice and allowing families to choose the best schools for their children based on their individual needs. I believe every student should have access to a high-quality education, and that parents should be the ones making those important decisions. We must also ensure that our teachers have the necessary tools to help our children reach their potential. A bureaucratic Washington, D.C. one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for California families, and I will advocate for education proposals that return decision-making and resource flexibility back to parents and our local decision-makers.
When it comes to higher education, I am concerned about the growing challenges of college affordability. Many graduates have taken out loans with the expectation that they would be able to find a job and pay off their debt. However, student debt has surpassed our nation’s credit card debt, and this is not sustainable for students or families. Congress must make reforms to address these challenges.
With over 30 miles of coastline in the 48th District, our beautiful beaches are some of Orange County’s most wonderful amenities. It’s a top priority of mine to ensure our beaches, harbors, and oceans stay clean. It’s up to us to protect our coastal communities, boating, and tourism for future generations.
At the same time, we must support a free-market approach to encourage innovations that will keep energy prices from skyrocketing and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy. We must also make investments that will help our country lead the world in the development and production of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies. I believe innovations that are safer, cleaner, and cheaper will lead to better-paying jobs.
In addition to its economic importance, energy is also a national security concern. We must ensure that we safeguard energy production to support our military at home and abroad.
As your Representative, I will continue to work with local stakeholders and across party lines on policies that will benefit our region’s economic development and local environment.
All Americans should have access to quality and affordable health care options. This care should cover pre-existing conditions, provide access to affordable prescription drugs and give Americans the flexibility to make their own health care choices.
I oppose “Medicare for All” or any other single-payer health care legislation that would eliminate private healthcare insurance and further increase taxes on hardworking families.
Social Security provides an important safety net for our senior citizens and I believe that every American who has contributed, deserves the benefits for which they have paid. It is important that Congress continue to ensure the long-term solvency of Social Security and prevent any benefit cuts or dramatic tax increases.
For Social Security issues, my staff and I are here to help with any questions, and if we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
The freedoms and liberties we enjoy today are possible because of brave sacrifices from our men and women in uniform. We must respect and honor their dedication and sense of duty to our nation. Our heroes deserve the best this nation can offer and that is why it is critical that our veterans and their families receive high-quality and timely services.
California is home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation, many of whom reside in Orange County. One of my top priorities is to ensure our veterans continue to have access to high-quality and timely medical care, housing, employment, and education opportunities.
As our communities continue to grow, there are increased demands for modernizing our transportation infrastructure including our airports, roads, and ports. Families and businesses rely on our infrastructure to get to work, take their children to school, and move products from companies to consumers.
As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am committed to working in a bipartisan manner to ensure taxpayer dollars go toward meaningful infrastructure legislation. It’s important that we work to remove regulatory burdens that hold up essential projects. I will continue to fight for our constituents and will oppose any increases to the federal gas tax or vehicle miles tax, which affect daily commuters in Orange County.
Moreover, I will work with the Army Corps of Engineers to replenish the sand on our beaches and support their work on a 100-year flood protection to safeguard our coastal cities and free local homeowners from federal flood insurance payments.
One of my top priorities is to ensure our coastline remains protected, and our beaches and bays remain clean and safe for generations to come. This includes flood protection and sand replenishment on our shores. California’s water system is one of the most sophisticated in the world, but we must continue to take appropriate measures that will meet our water needs for generations to come. This includes enhancing our water storage, investing in sustainable water infrastructure, and examining water recycling projects in support of sustainable clean water systems. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I have the opportunity to work on these important issues that matter to us all.
It’s critical that we support our community with a safe and stable water supply.
As your Congresswoman, I will continue to support water measures that benefit both families and environment.
As a first-generation Korean American, I know firsthand the importance of a strong foreign policy. My parents fled North Korea at the start of the Korean War. Since then, my native country has been divided and the Korean peninsula has become home to a free and thriving democracy in the South and a repressive dictatorship in the North. I know what it means to live in a country under the constant threat of violence. Not only does North Korea threaten South Korea – it also threatens the world through its state-sponsored support of dangerous nations around the world. We must do all that we can in preventing countries like Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and harming our allies.
Supporting Israel
The American relationship with Israel remains the cornerstone of American foreign policy in the Middle East. President Trump made historic strides supporting this relationship including the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, Israel’s historical and indivisible capital, and officially recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. At the same time, we have seen the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States and around the globe. In Congress, I will whole-heartedly support Israel and promote peace in the region.
Protecting Against Russian Interference
We have seen countries like Russia use cyberwarfare and propaganda to influence and harm our nation. Russia is a direct threat and Congress must continue to work on a bipartisan level to stop Russia’s threats and interference. This includes continuing to support our NATO and European allies.
Stopping Chinese Theft
The People’s Republic of China and their communist leader have taken an aggressive approach towards the United States. China has stolen both American intellectual property and our trade secrets. This is unacceptable and we must help American businesses protect critical data infrastructure.
The California High-Speed Rail Project is a failure. Costs have continued to rise, while people and businesses have lost their properties, and the sections of the high-speed rail that do exist are inoperable. The project started in 2009, with the goal of building a high-speed rail train from Los Angeles to San Francisco that would be fully operable by 2020. After more than a decade, the project’s price tag has ballooned from about $33 billion to more than $100 billion with no segments in operation and no realistic timeline for when the rail line will be completed. Despite these failures and no evidence supporting that completion of this project is attainable, California is pinning their hopes on a bailout from the Federal Government to secure additional funding for this project.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a list of human rights abuses as horrific as it is long. As a member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, I’ve been working with my colleagues to bring awareness to the threats posed by the CCP, and to develop policy recommendations on how to counter their aggression and influence.
My parents fled from a totalitarian government in North Korea so that their children and grandchildren would grow up free. The CCP wants to oppress its own people and threaten free nations like the United States. As long as I am in Congress, I’m not going to let that happen. Here's what I'm doing to hold them accountable.