Constituent Success Stories: We’re Here to Help You

While my team and I have been working around the clock to secure resources, send updates, and work on important pieces of legislation, our office remains committed to doing what we can to resolve any challenges that arise for our constituents, especially those concerning federal agencies.

I’d like to share with you a few ways we can help you navigate what challenges you might be having:

Steve reached out to us after not receiving the tax refund he was due. He was struggling to get answers from the IRS due to certain department closures. We reached out to the IRS on his behalf and began communicating with a taxpayer advocate on his behalf. Since the errors resolutions department was closed for several months, we kept in contact with the taxpayer advocate, keeping Steve updated about the timeline of his refund every step of the way. When we were finally able to get him his refund, he received over $16,000 plus his accrued interest from the period it was withheld.

Dr. Williams is a constituent who had recently received a grant to research Alzheimer’s at a local university. Just before the pandemic, she went on a trip overseas to visit her mother. While abroad, the virus took hold of the world and many countries began restricting travel. In the country she was visiting, the consulate notified her that they would not be honoring the specific visa she was visiting with. The research grant Dr. Williams had received was under a very strict timeline and being stranded overseas would lead to wasted valuable research time. We were able to get a hold of the consulate and worked with them to resolve the visa issue and get her home asap so she could continue her research.

We are committed to doing all we can to meet the needs of our constituents during this challenging time. If you need help with a federal agency, please call 610 — 626 — 2020. You will be connected, via phone, to a constituent services representative who will assist you.

*Steve and Dr. Williams are pseudonyms given to protect the anonymity of these constituents.