Other political positions held: Orange County Board of Supervisors, California State Board of Equalization City where you reside: Seal Beach Campaign website or social media: www.michellesteelca.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.) The failure of soft-on-crime laws — such as Propositions 47 and 57, no cash bail and early release — is obvious. I have been outspoken throughout my time in public service of my support for laws that ensure criminals face the consequences of their actions and law enforcement officers have the tools they need to keep our communities safe and criminals off the streets, and that’s why I’m endorsed by Sheriff Don Barnes. I recently joined with members of the California congressional delegation to urge Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow Californians to vote on rolling back Proposition 47. In Congress, among other policies, I have supported the JUSTICE Act which makes meaningful reforms to policing without stripping support from our officers. I have also been a proud co-sponsor of the bipartisan Mental Health Justice Act, which would provide additional mental health services for law enforcement agencies without cutting back on their criminal justice mission. 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.) In my position on the House Ways and Means Committee, I will work to ensure the cap on state and local tax deductions (SALT) will end in 2025, and we must work together to ensure that any tax bill in 2025 will not cap the amount of SALT deductions. All taxpayers should keep more of their hard-earned money, and California taxpayers especially need federal relief from the nightmare tax climate created by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sacramento. 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.) I disagree with the president’s claims that there needs to be an overhaul of the Supreme Court. When a court ruling does not go the way we hope, we cannot undermine our constitutional system of justice in protest. It is alarming how progressives have worked to undermine the court. The court has a code of conduct, and I believe they take their responsibility to uphold the Constitution seriously. Should there be an age limit imposed on presidential candidates? What about Congress or Senate? If so, what is that limit? All elected officials work for the people they represent; that is something I have believed since I first ran for public office. I think age limits could lead to unintended consequences. We must elect people who will put the needs of their constituents first and foremost. 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.) As a mother who used IVF treatments to start my family, I am a proud supporter of IVF and fertility treatments. I have always opposed federal restrictions on IVF. I am a co-sponsor of HR 8821, bipartisan legislation that would require private health insurance plans to cover IVF treatments. I was also proud to help lead a resolution that expresses support for IVF. I am and have always been committed to commonsense policies that enable families to grow and thrive. 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.) As a proud immigrant who came to the U.S. legally, I am truly living the American dream. My record and stance on immigration are clear: The Biden administration has failed to secure our border and create an immigration system that works for the American people. I support policies to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law. I have voted to continue construction of the southern border wall, improve border security technology and put more border patrol agents on the border. 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.) Since day one I have been focused on lowering taxes for hard-working families. I was proud to help draft the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. It was a bipartisan pro-growth, pro-family, pro-small business, pro-worker tax package that locked in major tax savings for American families and local businesses. This package passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. Had the Senate passed this legislation, it would have increased the child tax credit, adjusted it for inflation and eliminated the penalty for large families. It would have empowered local startups and small businesses with the tools they need to compete here and across the globe. It would have allowed small businesses to begin immediate expensing for equipment and machinery, allow for interest deductibility and restore an immediate expensing of R&D investments made locally. 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.) I was proud to cosponsor legislation led by Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Santa Cruz. This bipartisan policy would increase the sales gain tax exclusion to $500,000 for single filers and $1 million for joint filers. Currently, homeowners who sell their home can only exclude $250,000 in gains from capital gains taxes, or $500,000 in the case of a joint-filing couple, an amount set in 1997. This has a huge impact on California homeowners who have some of the highest housing costs in the nation. I am also a proud supporter of Opportunity Zones, New Markets Tax Credit and the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, which also supports community development and economic growth in areas not traditionally attacking new investments and allowing for new homes to be built. 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.) On the Orange County Board of Supervisors, I helped lead efforts to create thousands of new supportive housing units that provide medical care, mental health treatment, job counseling and social services. I’ll continue to support these types of sensible approaches and work to get important legislation passed like my Growth and Opportunities Act, which extends Opportunity Zones to drive investment in underserved communities, including affordable housing. 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.) Unfortunately, disinformation tactics are not new and have been a part of our society for far too long. These abuses rooted in fake content should alarm us all. Those who create this type of content now have another way to make them with new AI generators. As a member of the bipartisan Congressional AI Task Force, I have been focused on the safety and cybersecurity risks of AI. Local, state and federal election laws already address illegal content. We need to always be updating rules and laws to address these emerging threats, while also ensuring we protect First Amendment rights. What is one local infrastructure project you would push to secure funds for in the federal budget? (Please be specific in your answer.) I have always worked hard to secure essential funding for local infrastructure projects. In my first term in Congress, I secured $15.5 million for the Surfside-Sunset and Newport Beach Sand Replenishment Project after more than a decade of delays. This project protects the shorelines of Orange County from dangerous erosion. In my second term, I secured funding for roads and bridges in Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Artesia, Cypress, Cerritos, Lakewood, La Palma and Cal State Fullerton. I have worked with all the cities I represent on their vital needs and have secured over $40 million in funding with more critical infrastructure projects working through the legislative process as we speak. I am currently working to secure 2025 funding for critical public safety infrastructure, including the Garden Grove and Los Alamitos Emergency Operations Centers, La Palma Police and Fire Stations, Fullerton Fire Station rehabilitation and enhanced technology to combat retail theft in Cerritos, in addition to critical road and sanitation improvement projects throughout the 45th district. 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.) I have been working with both Republicans and Democrats on supporting the growth of reliable, clean, sustainable energy because we must be employing an all-of-the-above energy approach. Specially, I have authored legislation to boost geothermal energy production that would expedite geothermal development by amending the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to allow for a categorical exclusion for geothermal drilling in situations where drilling has occurred within the last five years or drilling will occur within an area for which an approved environmental document. Geothermal energy can boost local economies, create more jobs, and lower high energy costs for California families. Our local power companies will be able to utilize geothermal energy to help power our homes and businesses. This legislation has passed the Natural Resources Committee, and I am working to ensure it passes the House. What’s the No. 1 song on your playlist while you’re on the campaign trail? “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban. Related Articles