SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS

J. Brett Keeter District Director Office of U.S. Congressman Patrick McHenry WHY CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN OR SENATOR?

1. To advocate or express an opinion 2. To seek assistance Advocacy Q: Whose opinions do elected officials care about?

A: The people who can vote them in or out of office!

Contrary to popular cynicism, elected officials will give far more weight to opinions expressed by their constituents over those from outside their districts.

Advocacy Advocacy Tips: - “Kitchen table letter” vs. boilerplate - Don’t rely on your national or state association or lobbyist to represent you - Remember, your elected officials have many competing priorities – you’re not the only important thing - Never make an enemy. The legislator that can’t help you on one particular issue may be your biggest ally on something else. Assistance

•History of casework • Growth of Congressional Staff • Increase in Federal red tape • Approximately 200 open cases at any time • 1,500 – 2,000 cases disposed of per Congressional cycle (two years)

What kinds of cases do we assist with?? Tracy Peek: David McCrary: Nancy Meek: • News Clippings • Citizenship and Immigration Services • Security • Front Desk and Phone Duties (CIS) • Academy Appointments (Academies) • Washington Visitors (Tours) • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) • Social Security Administration (SSA) • PMC Reference (Hickory DO) • General Services Administration (GSA) • (MEDICA) • Flag Requests (Flag) • Labor (DOL) • Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) • No Jurisdiction (NoJur) • State Department (STATE) • Health and Human Services (HHS) • Office of Personnel Management (OPM) • Education (EDU) Brett Keeter: • Equal Employment Opportunity • Treasury (TREA) •Emergency Services/Fire Grants Commission (EEOC) • Department of Justice (DOJ) Information and PMC Support Requests • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) •Local Government/Chamber/EDC Liaison • Commerce (COMMER) • Transportation (DOT) in Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln & Rutherford • Agriculture (AG) • Federal Trade Commission (FTC) • Small Business Administration (SBA) • Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Joe Bost: • Post Office (POSTAL) • Federal Communications Commission • Front Desk and Phone Duties (Gastonia • Passports (PP) (FCC) DO) • Grants Information Requests Not Related • Dept. of Housing Urban Development • Washington Visitors (Tours-Gastonia DO) to Emergency Services/Fire Grants (HUD) • PMC Reference (Gastonia DO) • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Flag Requests (Flag- Gastonia DO) Roger Kumpf: • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) • Passports (PP-Gastonia DO Walk-ins) • Front Desk Duties (Black Mountain DO) • Prisons (PRIS) • Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) • Washington Visitors (Tours-Black Mtn • Housing (HOU) Gaston, Buncombe, Polk DO) • Patents & Copyrights (COPYRI) • Local Government/Chamber/EDC Liaison • Flag Requests (Flag- Black Mtn DO) • Healthcare (HC) in Catawba • Passports (PP-Black Mtn DO Walk-ins) • NoJur (Legal) • District Internships •Local Government/Chamber/EDC Liaison • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Buncombe & Polk Joanna Rowe: • Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Kunal Pahwa: Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, Rutherford • PMC Support Requests Not Related to • Military (MIL) Emergency Services/Fire Grants or • Defense (DOD) Economic Development Administration (EDA) Funding. Doug Nation: PMC Support Requests related to EDA Funding. Most common cases?

• Veterans Administration issues • Social Security Disability • Passport expedites • Flag & tour requests

Just Remember…

•Congressional Courtesy •The Privacy Act of 1974 What can a Congressman or Senator NOT do? • In general, he or she will not personally work your case – and you do not want them to! • Interfere in judicial matters, child custody cases, local or state matters, etc. • “Put pressure” on other officeholders who are doing something that a constituent disagrees with. • “Make a call” – Congressmen are bound by the same rules as everyone else.

Senator Senior US Senator • Republican • First Elected 2004 • Previously served in US House

Committees: • Veterans Affairs • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions • Finance • Intelligence

Senator Junior US Senator

• Republican • First Elected 2014 • Previously as Speaker of NC House Committees:

Not Assigned yet Congressman G.K. Butterfield 1st Congressional District • Democrat • First Elected 2004 • Previously served as a judge

Areas Represented: Wilson, Washington, Durham

Committees: • Energy and Commerce

Congressmwoman 2nd Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 2010 • Nurse by profession

Areas Represented: Asheboro, Dunn, Southern Raleigh

Committees: • Energy and Commerce

Congressman Walter Jones 3rd Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 1994 • Previously served in NC House

Areas Represented: Jacksonville, Outer Banks, Greenville

Committees: • Armed Services

Congressman David Price 4th Congressional District • Democrat • First Elected 1986 (defeated in 1994, reelected in 1996) • College professor

Areas Represented: Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh

Committees: • Appropriations

Congresswoman 5th Congressional District • Republican • First Elected 2004 • Previously served in NC Senate • Was community college president

Areas Represented: Boone, Statesville Wilkesboro, Winston Salem

Committees: • Rules • Education and the Workforce

Republican Conference Secretary Congressman Mark Walker 6th Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 2014 • Pastor by profession

Areas Represented: Greensboro, Mount Airy, Elon

Committees: • Not assigned yet

Congressman 7th Congressional District • Republican • First Elected 2014 • Previously served in NC Senate and as Agriculture advisor to Sen. Helms

Areas Represented: Wilmington, Smithfield, Wrightsville Beach

Committees: • Not assigned yet

Congressman Richard Hudson 8th Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 2012 • Previously served as Congressional Chief of Staff

Areas Represented: Concord, Monroe, Lumberton

Committees: • Homeland Security • Agriculture • Education and the Workforce

Congressman 9th Congressional District • Republican • First Elected 2012 • Previously served in NC Senate

Areas Represented: Charlotte, Mooresville, Matthews, North Mecklenburg

Committees: • Financial Services

Congressman Patrick McHenry 10th Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 2004 • Previously served in NC House

Areas Represented: Hickory, Gastonia, Shelby, Asheville

Committees: • Financial Services • Oversight and Government Reform

Chief Deputy Majority Whip Congressman 11th Congressional District

• Republican • First Elected 2012 • Land developer

Areas Represented: Hendersonville, Cherokee, Morganton, Lenoir, Banner Elk

Committees: • Transportation and Infrastructure • Oversight and Government Reform • Foreign Affairs

Congresswoman 12th Congressional District • Democrat • First Elected 2014 • Previously served in NC House

Areas Represented: Charlotte, Lexington, Greensboro, Winston-Salem

Committees: Not yet assigned Congressman 13th Congressional District • Republican • First Elected 2010 • Previously was a Federal Prosecutor

Areas Represented: Raleigh, Nashville, Mt. Olive

Committees: • Judiciary • Foreign Affairs

QUESTIONS?