Congresswoman Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, spoke at the latest installment of the Santa Clarita Chamber Valley of Commerce Current Affairs Forum on Tuesday.

Nancy Starczyk, Chairman of the Board for Santa Clarita’s Chamber of Commerce, expressed her interest in Congresswoman Hill’s address.

“Really great to hear, because we don’t always get to hear what is going on in Washington D.C. and how it affects our district,” Starczyk said. “We are going to hear first hand from (Hill) what’s going on and she just put out her quarterly report, she’s going to give a summary of that.”

Hill’s Chamber of Commerce Current Affairs Forum address was aimed at informing Santa Clarita on achievements made in the representatives time in office as well as future goals to be reached.

“In the 200 days since I took office, I have set my sights on taking on our local problems at the national level,” Hill said.

Hill addressed gathered members of the Santa Clarita business community on local business growth, student loan debt forgiveness and access to education.

“In my time in Washington, I have signed on over 300 bills, all of which will go on to benefit our community and our country. and I specifically want to highlight a few critical to why we’re here today,” Hill said. “One of the first bills I co-sponsored after being sworn in is the Investigating Street Act, which is supported by the chamber of commerce.”

The bill would increase investment in small business by allowing banks to invest up to 15 percent capital in small business, according to Hill.

Hill also addressed that business can also be supported by high-speed internet, which is not available where she resides in Agua Dulce, as well as modern transportation systems to move people and goods freely, safely and swiftly.

Additionally, Hill addressed student loan debt, saying it is a crisis that needs to be solved.

“We also have to do more to address the student loan debt crisis that is threatening life potential and well being of the future generations,” Hill said. “I just had a meeting this morning with one of our Santa Clarita Valley residents who’s a veteran, who works for homeland security and LAX, who is strapped with $140,000 in student loans from a for-profit-now-defunct college that preys on veterans.”

The veteran Hill referenced will not be able to buy a home with their significant other and newborn until the debt is handled, according to the representative. Hill says this is just an example of the kinds of problems that need to be solved.

An issue business face is the lack of access to education, according to Hill. There are more jobs than highly skilled people to fill them. Congresswoman Hill is a co-sponsor of the Emergency Loan Refinancing Act and Rebuild America’s Schools Act.

“Our communities thrive when our local business, and the working families that they employ and their consumers, also thrive,” said Hill.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.