Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, 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
Political party affiliation: Republican
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: State Assemblywoman
City where you reside: Anaheim Hills
Campaign website or social media: www.youngkimforcongress.com
Californians will decide on a proposition this November that would scale back some of Proposition 47, a 2014 voter-approved measure that reduced penalties for certain theft and drug offenses. What is one way the federal government could help states like California balance criminal justice reform with enforcing the law? (Please be specific with your proposal, and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
I am leading bipartisan legislation to increase information sharing and coordination between law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels to address the rise in organized retail crime and hold violators accountable. I also helped introduce bipartisan bills to combat the rise in mail theft and “porch piracy,” when packages are stolen off of porches. Currently, certain punishments only apply if USPS packages are stolen, and the Porch Pirates Act ensures those stealing packages from private companies like FedEx, UPS or Amazon receive the same punishment.
Recent efforts to expand the federal deduction for state and local taxes, called SALT, have failed. What changes would you like to see, if any, to SALT? (Please keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
As co-chair of the bipartisan SALT Caucus, I am working to fully repeal the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions or ensure that the provision expires in 2025 and is not extended. I helped introduce a bipartisan bill to fully repeal the cap on SALT deductions. While repealing the cap is my top priority, I also joined colleagues to introduce a bill to bring relief and fix an unfair loophole in the tax code by increasing the cap from $10,000 to $20,000 for married couples. Californians pay enough in state and local taxes and shouldn’t 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 believe the Supreme Court needs, and how would they be enforced? (Please be specific with your proposal, and keep your answer 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 as high-profile cases are decided, would only cause our nation to become more polarized and lessen the court’s objectivity.
Should there be an age limit imposed on presidential candidates? What about Congress or Senate? If so, what is that limit?
I would be open to considering an age limit or cognitive test, but the best test is putting candidates in front of voters, as we saw during the presidential debate in June. Ultimately, the voters decide who they put in office, and just as voters can elect someone to office, they can also choose to not elect someone.
Would you support legislation that protects women’s access to in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments nationwide? Why or why not? (Please be specific in your answer, and limit your response to 200 words.)
I am a grandma because of IVF and have seen firsthand how fertility treatments like IVF provide hope for families wanting to have children. I cosponsor the HOPE with Fertility Act to ensure private insurance covers fertility services like IVF, and I will continue to fight to protect IVF access.
The Republican Party’s platform, following 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 assuage concerns about border security? (Please be specific in your response, and keep it to 250 words or less.)
I am an immigrant who came to the U.S. legally to pursue the American dream. Today, I am a proud American and representative of a vibrant, diverse district. Unfortunately, the border crisis is worse than ever under the policies of the Biden-Harris administration and is putting our communities at risk. Legal immigration is being undermined, and Americans are endangered, while illegal immigrants cut the line and cartels profit in the billions from their human and drug trafficking operations. I’m leading a bipartisan bill to create a southern border strategy and put an end to this security, humanitarian and public health crisis. We must deal with this issue humanely, and that is what I have done and will continue to do.
Cost of living is high on the list of concerns among voters, particularly among younger people. What is one bipartisan proposal you have to alleviate concerns about high prices or cost of living? (Please be specific in your response, and limit it to 200 words.)
Californians are bearing the brunt of higher living costs, from skyrocketing housing costs and rising prices to tax hikes. Policies from Congress should make life more affordable, not less. I am leading the bipartisan No Hidden FEES Act to crack down on deceptive fees and make costs more transparent for consumers. I have also been a leader on lowering taxes for workers and families. I introduced the SALT Deductibility Act to fully repeal the cap on state and local tax deductions and voted to bring back the child tax credit that would provide relief for families with children. I have also opposed trillions in reckless federal spending that would only add more fuel to the inflationary fire.
Californians continue to point to housing affordability as one of their top concerns. What is something the federal government could do to lessen the financial burden people feel, whether that’s with renting or buying a house? (Please be specific in your answer, and limit it to 200 words or less.)
The median 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 hard-working Americans. The repeal of 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 have also helped introduce legislation to strengthen and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and to incentivize the building of new affordable rental homes. This bill was added to a larger tax package that I supported out of the House this Congress.
What do you see the federal government’s role as in helping local municipalities tackle homelessness? (Please be specific in your answer, and limit it to 200 words or less.)
The federal government can be the most effective in helping local municipalities tackle homelessness by getting resources where they are needed locally through the appropriations process, grant funding and public-private partnerships. I 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 am also working on the Financial Services Committee to provide local housing authorities more flexibility with affordable housing grants provided by the federal government.
After Tesla chief executive Elon Musk shared an AI-generated video purporting to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ voice, Gov. Gavin Newsom vowed to enact legislation to make it illegal to manipulate someone’s voice in an ad. What is something the federal government could do to protect people from deep-fakes, or false AI-generated images, videos and audio? (Please be specific in your response, and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
The concerns posed by deep fakes and other false AI-generated images are serious and must be taken into account when developing AI policy. As a member of the bipartisan Financial Services Committee AI Working Group, I am working to promote innovation while also protecting the rights and privacy of Californians. Both are vital to ensure the U.S. leads in the development of emerging technologies.
What is one local infrastructure project you would push to secure funds for in the federal budget? (Please be specific in your answer.)
I’ve 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 ensuring our communities can access clean, safe, reliable water. I secured grant funding in the summer of 2021 for the 57/60 Confluence project. Additionally, I have fought for funds to defend against wildfires, protect homes in vulnerable areas and support our brave firefighters.
What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected? (Please be specific with your policy proposal, and keep your answer to 200 words or less.)
The notion that we can either support our economy or our climate is false — we can and must do both to ensure the U.S. leads 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 here at home that enhances America’s energy security and lessens 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. Through U.S. energy innovation, we can reduce emissions, lower costs and expand our energy supply.
What’s the No. 1 song on your playlist while you’re on the campaign trail?
“Dancing Queen” by ABBA.
Sourcing & Methodology
The Orange County Register sent questionnaires, based on current events and questions from readers, to candidates on the ballot in Orange County via email, phone and/or mail in August. Answers have been lightly edited only to correct spelling or grammar or to remove offensive language and hate speech.
