Sen. Talent's Weekly Column: I Want to Hear From You

Sen. Talent's Weekly Column: I Want to Hear From You

One of the most important responsibilities I have as your Senator is listening to your concerns and doing what I can to help. This includes everything from responding to your letters and emails to helping resolve a problem you might be having with a government agency.

At the end of last year, my office had fielded over 7,200 individual constituent casework requests. The requests ranged from helping veterans receive the military medals and awards they'd earned, aiding families with international adoptions, assisting seniors with Social Security and helping individuals and small business people cut through the red tape at the IRS. If you need help, my office can often act as a liaison between Missourians and the federal government.

If you or someone you know in Missouri is having a problem with a federal agency, here's what you need to d

In nearly every case when I am contacted for assistance, it is necessary for me to have a written and signed request for help which will authorize a federal agency to provide information to me from your file. This form is mandated by the Privacy Act of 1974 and must be written and signed by the individual asking for assistance. The purpose of the Privacy Act is to protect individual rights of citizens by prohibiting the release of personal information about them to unauthorized parties.

The written request should be addressed to me and should state that you give permission for me to look into your concern. Your request can be made in the form of a letter or by completing a casework authorization form. The letter should contain your full name; mailing address; telephone number(s); Social Security number; file number or case number; signature of the person involved; and finally, all pertinent details of the case as well as copies of any pertinent documentation. It should be specific as to the exact nature of your request and the desired outcome.

The casework authorization form is available on my website at http://talent.senate.govin the constituent services area, or you may call one of my Missouri offices for an authorization form to complete or send me an email at: caseworker@talent.senate.gov.

It is important to know that neither I, nor my staff, can approve a claim or appeal, or compel any agency to act in your favor. Those types of decisions by law are made by the federal agency involved based on the facts of the case. However, I am glad to obtain answers to your questions, to make the appropriate officials aware of your concerns and to cut through any red tape you might be experiencing.

The following is a partial list of some of the federal agencies my office works with on a continuous basis:

Internal Revenue Service

Medicare

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Social Security Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Military - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Coast Guard, Defense Finance and Accounting Service

U.S. Department of State - Passports

U.S. Department of Labor

Office of Personnel Management

Office of Workers' Compensation

In addition, I try to be as accessible as possible by getting around Missouri. I've traveled to each of Missouri's 114 counties and the city of St. Louis where I've had the opportunity to listen to your concerns in person.

Over the past few months I've held dozens of town hall meetings on the new Medicare prescription drug plans for Missouri seniors. My office has been working very hard to help seniors better understand the new prescription drug benefit, and these meetings have helped me better understand the concerns and difficulties our seniors are facing.

My Missouri staff also continues to travel the state on my behalf to make sure your voice is heard. They schedule meetings we call "Missouri Matters," which are typically scheduled on a rotation at a particular time and location. Constituents are given the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a member of my staff to discuss federal matters or problems they are experiencing with a federal agency. To find out when a member of my staff will be in your community for "Missouri Matters" or to schedule an appointment with a member of my staff, please call the office nearest you.

I always appreciate hearing from you. You are welcome to visit one of my state offices or you can send me an email at my online office at http://talent.senate.gov

If you need immediate assistance, please give me a call: Washington, D.C. (202) 224-6154; Jefferson City (573) 636-1070; St. Louis (314) 432-5211; Springfield (417) 831-2735; Kansas City (816) 421-1639 and Cape Girardeau (573) 651-0964.

Senator Jim Talent (R-Mo.) was elected to serve Missouri in the U.S. Senate in November 2002. Previously he served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1993-2001) and the Missouri House (1985-1992).

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