Washington  -   U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today issued the following statement to constituents of Missouri's Eighth Congressional District regarding mail delivery to the U.S. House of Representatives.

"The presence of ricin in the Senate and the resulting investigation has disrupted mail service for the entire U.S. Congress. I would urge constituents who sent written correspondence to Washington in the past week to ten days to instead contact me with an E-mail or phone call. It is highly probable that their mail will be destroyed and I will never see it," Emerson said.

"There is no timetable as of this moment for resuming U.S. mail or express delivery services to the Capitol complex. Even when mail service is restored, there may be significant delays and backlogs. I recommend constituents who plan to contact me in the near future use E-mail, telephone, or fax to communicate with my staff and me in the fastest, most effective way possible.

"Contact with constituents is my primary source of input to best represent the Eighth Congressional District. We must not allow this disruption in mail service to discourage constituents from continuing to communicate with their elected officials."

Emerson also stressed that mail service to her three Missouri offices has not been interrupted by the ricin incident. Contact information for all of Emerson's offices:

To E-mail Emerson, visit www.house.gov/emerson/contact and use the Internet form available there.

Washington D.C.	tel: (202) 225-4404 fax: (202) 226-0326
Cape Girardeau	The Federal Building 339 Broadway Cape Girardeau, MO 63701 tel: (573) 335-0101 fax: (573) 335-1931
Farmington	22 East Columbia Farmington, MO 63640 tel: (573) 756-9755 fax: (573) 756-9762
Rolla	612 Pine Rolla, MO 65401 tel: (573) 364-2455 fax: (573) 364-1053