In reference to the letter from Mr. John Kelleher [“Bureaucracy Still Rules,” May 23], assisting constituents is one of the most important functions of a member of Congress. Congressman Shuler takes this responsibility seriously and has a dedicated staff of caseworkers to assist the people of the 11th District in our district offices.
Due to heightened security precautions, all mail sent to the Washington, D.C., office—via the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, FedEx—takes two to three weeks to reach that office. Additionally, all mail is opened and screened before reaching the Washington office.
Therefore, all casework is done out of our district offices to best serve the people of Western North Carolina, and we encourage all constituents with specific casework concerns to contact our district offices directly.
Cases received are then handled based on the time of receipt in the district office and level of need. [Our] office has processed hundreds of disability cases, many dealing with terminal illness, severe financial hardship and Medicare Part D.
While [we] cannot comment directly on specific cases or their status, I can tell you that the lack of a resolution in favor of a constituent is not a result of a lack of effort on the part of Congressman Shuler or his staff.
— Andrew Whalen
Communications Director
Congressman Heath Shuler
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