Congress the institution might be useless, but the members of Congress who correspond you can exist quite helpful.

Representatives and senators have unabridged teams of staff members devoted to serving their constituents, regardless of whether you voted for that person on Election Day. If you aren't sure which representative and senators serve y'all, look information technology up here.

Here are some of the times you might want to inquire your members for help:

Help With Federal Agencies

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Having trouble with Medicare, Social Security or veterans benefits, the IRS, your passport or immigration situations? Your member of Congress might be able to aid. But, every bit Brad Fitch of the Congressional Management Foundation advises, the key is to make sure you don't procrastinate and that you have a legitimate case.

Even if he really wants to help, your fellow member of Congress tin can't exercise much if yous notify the office at 5 p.m. Friday about a family member set to be deported Monday morn. Likewise, members of Congress can't help you lot circumvent the law, and they tin just help you resolve matters that fall under federal jurisdiction.

Each fellow member has staffers -- usually based in their commune -- who focus on helping constituents with these issues. Earlier they can inquire on your behalf, though, the role must take a privacy release form, notes Kathie Green, managing director of constituent services for Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.). Each office has its own form, which can be found on its website.

Yous must contact a member of Congress who represents you; otherwise, they can't aid you lot. Green points out that you should contact the office of merely one fellow member of Congress. Asking multiple offices to assist you further burdens the agencies they're contacting and doesn't amend your chances of getting help.

"From a constituent standpoint, sometimes information technology'south hard to take patience," Green said. Congressional staffs "do the all-time job possible" and have developed relationships with federal agencies to assist you lot as speedily as they tin can.

White House Tours

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Yous must submit public White Business firm tour requests through your member of Congress. You lot should ask between 6 months and 21 days before the requested engagement.

Congratulatory Letters

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Nearly congressional offices have a page on their websites where you can request a congressional commendation, or a letter from the member of Congress to recognize an accomplishment or honor. Requests can also be mailed to the offices. Many offices ask you to allow xxx to 60 days to receive the letter.

Members of Congress send messages for a variety of occasions, including milestone birthdays, Hawkeye Sentinel Awards, Girl Picket Gilded Awards, citizenship, armed forces university appointments, retirements, births, graduations and weddings.

U.S. Capitol Tours

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You may request a Capitol bout through the office of your representative or senator. Many offer staff-led tours to constituents. Otherwise, they can assistance you volume a general bout through the Capitol Company Center. (You can likewise asking a tour directly through the center.)

Visit To Galleries Of The House Or Senate

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You tin request a pass to visit the House or Senate galleries from your representative or either senator from your state. Capitol tours practice not include access to the galleries.

Military University Nominations

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If you're applying to a U.S. military academy (such as West Signal, the U.South. Air Forcefulness University or the U.S. Naval University), y'all volition need a nomination, such as a congressional one. (There are other possible types of nominations, simply congressional nominations are available to anyone.)

You may apply for a nomination from each member of Congress who represents you -- your U.Due south. representative as well as both senators from your state. Each member of Congress is allowed to have a maximum of five cadets at each university at in one case and is allowed to nominate up to 10 individuals at one fourth dimension.

Flag Requests

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You can buy American flags through congressional offices, and you can request to have the flag first flown over the Capitol for an additional fee. Requests to fly the flag on a specific date must be made in accelerate. Most congressional offices have a form or link on their website where yous can purchase the flag and request to have it flown over the Capitol.

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