“IRS, SSI, USIS, DHS and VA

Sifting through the alphabet soup of federal agencies is a daunting task.  Even more discouraging is when you have a problem dealing with one of those agencies and you just don’t know where to begin.

It’s important to remember that, as a constituent of Missouri’s Eighth Congressional District, you have an ally in your federal elected officials.  Likewise, your state-elected officials can advocate for you with state government agencies.

Most of my staff handles individual constituent concerns, called casework, under some part of their job descriptions.  I get very involved, too, calling on federal agencies when a resident of our district faces a crisis.

Sometimes there is a reason for a flood of calls, such as changes in the U.S. passport requirements for Americans traveling in the Western Hemisphere.  The new law slowed down the passport process and inconvenienced scores of travelers from Southern Missouri.  In that situation, my staff and I worked literally hundreds of cases to make sure folks could make their mission trips, academic travel, and family vacations.

In other cases, I see the same concerns again and again, like when problems with documents or a mix-up at the post office prevents a constituent’s Social Security check from arriving on time.  These are the textbook cases, and solid relationships with the federal agencies really help get these types of problems solved fast.

 
Often the solution is something Congress can do as legislation, like looming rules requiring doctors to write prescriptions on tamper-proof prescription pads.  The problem?  There aren’t enough of these pads available to get one to every doctor in America.  Imagine that, you’re sick and need medicine, but the federal government won’t let your doctor write your prescription on the wrong paper!

Most often, though, casework is just a word that means someone’s very real, very serious, and often unique problem.  Handling casework is how we make sure that no one slips through the cracks.

The cases are always different, the situation or the circumstances vary, and every person who calls, writes, or comes through my door with a problem gets individual, confidential assistance.  It doesn’t matter how you vote or even if you vote – that’s a common misconception people have – this office is meant to serve all of the people of our congressional district.

It’s important to remember the next time you have a tough time getting through to someone at Medicare, if the VA health care system isn’t being responsive to a veteran, if you are a young student who would like an appointment to a U.S. military service academy, or you just plain can’t get through to the federal agency that offers a service you need – and pay for – as a U.S. taxpayer.  Your elected Members of Congress will do their best to help you out in your time of need.”

Emerson’s three Eighth District office locations as well as their phone and fax numbers are listed below:


Cape Girardeau            Farmington            Rolla
339 Broadway            22 East Columbia        612 Pine
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701        Farmington, MO 63640    Rolla, MO 65401

tel: (573) 335-0101            tel: (573) 756-9755        tel: (573) 364-2455
fax: (573)335-1931            fax: (573) 756-9762        fax: (573) 3641053