Young Kim, CA-40 Candidate, 2024 Election Questionnaire – Orange County Register

Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group has put together a list of questions to ask the candidates seeking to represent you. Below you will find the full questionnaire. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some cases, to remove hate speech and offensive language.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Young Kim

Current job title: Member of Congress

Affiliation with a political party: Republican

Sitting: Yes

Other political positions: State consultant

City where you live: Anaheim Hills

Campaign website or social media: www.youngkimforcongress.com

Californians will decide in November on a proposal that would roll back part of Proposition 47, a voter-approved 2014 measure that reduced penalties for certain theft and drug offenses. How can the federal government help states like California balance criminal justice reform with law enforcement? (Be specific with your proposal and keep your response to 200 words or less.)

I am leading bipartisan legislation to improve information sharing and coordination among law enforcement at the federal, state, and local levels, to address the increase in organized retail crime and hold offenders accountable. I also helped introduce bipartisan bills to combat the increase in mail theft and “porch piracy,” where packages are stolen from porches. Currently, certain penalties only apply when USPS packages are stolen, and the Porch Pirates Act ensures that those who steal packages from private companies like FedEx, UPS or Amazon face the same penalty.

Recent efforts to expand the federal deduction for state and local taxes, called SALT, have failed. What changes, if any, would you like to see in SALT? (Limit your answer to 200 words or less.)

As co-chair of the bipartisan SALT Caucus, I am working to either completely repeal the cap on state and local tax deductions (SALT) or ensure that the provision expires in 2025 and is not extended. I helped introduce a bipartisan bill to completely repeal the cap on the SALT deduction. While repealing the cap is my top priority, I and colleagues have also introduced a bill to provide relief and close an unfair tax loophole by increasing the cap from $10,000 to $20,000 for married couples. Californians pay enough state and local taxes and should not be punished more at the federal level.

President Joe Biden has called for an overhaul of the U.S. Supreme Court, including mandatory ethics rules. What reforms, if any, do you think the Supreme Court needs, and how might they be enforced? (Be specific with your proposal and keep your response to 250 words or less.)

The Supreme Court is a separate branch of government, and members of Congress interfering in the court’s proceedings, especially when important cases are being heard, would only further polarize our nation and undermine the objectivity of the judiciary. court decreases.

Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates? What about Congress or the Senate? If so, what is that limit?

I would be open to considering an age limit or a cognitive test, but the best test is to put candidates in front of voters, as we saw during the June presidential debate. Ultimately, voters decide who they put into office, and just as voters can choose someone, they can also choose not to elect someone.

Would you support legislation that protects women’s access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments nationwide? Why or why not? (Be specific in your answer and limit your answer to 200 words.)

I am a grandmother because of IVF and have seen firsthand how fertility treatments like IVF offer hope to families wanting to have children. I cosponsored the HOPE with Fertility Act to ensure that private insurance covers fertility services like IVF, and I will continue to fight to protect access to IVF.

The Republican Party platform, after the summer convention, calls for the “largest deportation effort in American history.” Is this something you support? If so, what would such an effort look like? If not, how would you address concerns about border security? (Be specific in your answer and keep it to 250 words or less.)

I am an immigrant who came to the US legally to pursue the American dream. Today, I am a proud American and representative of a vibrant, diverse district. Unfortunately, the border crisis under the Biden-Harris administration is worse than ever and is putting our communities at risk. Legal immigration is undermined and Americans are threatened, while illegal immigrants breach the border and cartels profit billions from their human and drug trafficking. I am leading a bipartisan bill to create a southern border strategy and end this security, humanitarian, and public health crisis. We must address this issue humanely, and that is what I have done and will continue to do.

The cost of living is high on the list of concerns among voters, especially among young people. What is a bipartisan proposal you have to address concerns about high prices or cost of living? (Be specific in your answer and limit it to 200 words.)

Californians are bearing the brunt of the higher costs of living, from skyrocketing housing costs and rising prices to tax increases. Congress’ policies should make life more affordable, not less. I am leading the bipartisan No Hidden FEES Act to tackle misleading fees and make costs more transparent to consumers. I have also been a leader in lowering taxes for workers and families. I introduced the SALT Deductibility Act to completely repeal the cap on state and local tax deductions, and I voted to bring back the child tax credit, which would provide relief to families with children. I have also opposed trillions in reckless federal spending that would only further fuel the fires of inflation.

Californians continue to rank housing affordability as one of their top concerns. What could the federal government do to reduce the financial burden people are feeling, whether that means renting or buying a home? (Be specific in your answer and limit it to 200 words or less.)

The average price of a single-family home in Orange County is more than $1 million. The American dream is becoming out of reach for far too many hardworking Americans. Repealing the cap on the SALT deduction would allow hard-working homeowners to keep more of their hard-earned money and provide relief for housing costs. I also helped introduce legislation to strengthen and expand the low-income tax credit program and encourage the construction of new affordable rental housing. This bill was added to a larger tax package that I supported from the House of Representatives this Congress.

How do you see the federal government’s role in helping local municipalities address homelessness? (Be specific in your answer and limit it to 200 words or less.)

The federal government can be most effective in helping local municipalities address homelessness by getting resources where they are needed locally through the appropriations process, grant funding, and public-private partnerships. I have secured federal funding for local law enforcement and city and county initiatives such as the North Orange County Public Safety Collaborative and to create a new BeWell facility that supports mental health services. I also work for the Financial Services Committee to provide local housing authorities with more flexibility with federal government affordable housing subsidies.

After Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared an AI-generated video purporting to be the voice of Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom vowed to enact legislation that would make it illegal to manipulate someone’s voice in an ad. What could the federal government do to protect people from deep fakes, or fake AI-generated images, videos and audio? (Be specific in your answer and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)

The concerns raised by deep fakes and other false AI-generated images are serious and should be taken into account when developing AI policies. As a member of the Financial Services Committee’s bipartisan AI Working Group, I work to advance innovation and protect the rights and privacy of Californians. Both are critical to ensuring that the U.S. plays a leading role in the development of emerging technologies.

What is a local infrastructure project you would like to secure funding for in the federal budget? (Be specific in your answer.)

I have secured federal funding for several infrastructure projects through community project funding requests to repair highways – such as State Route 91, State Route 71 and Interstate 5 – and to support local water districts to ensure our communities have access to clean, safe and reliable water. In the summer of 2021, I secured grant funding for the 57/60 Confluence project. In addition, I have fought for funds to defend against forest fires, protect homes in vulnerable areas and support our brave firefighters.

What environmental or climate policies would you advocate if elected? (Be specific with your policy proposal and keep your response to 200 words or less.)

The idea that we can support our economy or our climate is wrong: we can and must do both to ensure the US leads the way in the 21st century. I am a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and am leading bipartisan bills to expand the use of clean geothermal energy. This is clean, reliable energy produced right here at home that increases America’s energy security and reduces our impact on the climate. I also helped introduce a bipartisan bill that became law through the CHIPS and Science Act to support public-private energy partnerships. American energy innovation can help us reduce emissions, lower costs and expand our energy supply.

What’s the #1 song on your playlist while you’re campaigning?

‘Dancing Queen’ by ABBA.