Is Your Inquiry Casework?
By law, there are some matters over which I, as your federal representative, have no jurisdiction.
To help you determine if your difficulty is something I have the authority to assist you with, the following points and examples can help you decide.
Cases Where I CAN Provide Assistance
• You are a resident of the 2nd District of Hawai’i.
You MUST be a legal resident of the 2nd Congressional District of Hawai’i, which I represent, in order to receive assistance through my office. If you are NOT, I am unable to make any inquiries on your behalf. In that case, you should contact your representative for further assistance.
• Your difficulty is with a federal agency.
A federal government agency is an administrative entity that is part of the Executive Branch of the federal government. These agencies either are:
- Part of the President's Cabinet, such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), since it is under the Department of the Treasury, or
- Independent Agencies, such as the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Here are a few examples of the types of casework my office has assisted residents with:
• Federal Employees/Retirees - Problems with disability retirement, survivor benefits, etc.
• Immigration - Problems involving naturalization applications, permanent residency, immigrant petitions for relatives, immigration and non-immigrant visas, etc.
• Internal Revenue Service - Lost refund checks, fair treatment and review to resolve tax disputes, etc.
• Medicare - Problems with incorrect Medicare billing, Medicare eligibility and benefits, etc.
• Military - Working with family inquiries concerning members of the active military, etc.
• Social Security - Missing checks, problems involving denial of benefits for Social Security Disability (SSD), Supplemental Social Security (SSI), survivor and dependent benefits, etc.
• Veterans - Problems with veterans' benefits, eligibility determinations, VA home loans, and replacements of earned medals.
Cases Where I CANNOT Provide Assistance
• You are not a resident of the 2nd Congressional District of Hawai’i.
If you are NOT a legal resident of the 2nd Congressional District of Hawai’i, I am unable to make any inquiries on your behalf. You should contact your representative for further assistance.
• Your difficulty is a judicial matter.
If your difficulty involves a judicial matter, such as child custody, divorce, civil lawsuits, criminal trials, or imprisonment, I am unable to assist you. Because of the separation of powers between the three branches of government, judicial matters (matters involving the courts) do not fall under my jurisdiction as a U.S. Congressman. Therefore, I am not permitted to intervene in judicial matters.
Links that may provide you with useful information:
• Your difficulty involves a state agency or local government.
If your difficulty involves a state agency or local government, I am unable to assist you. A Hawai’i state government agency is operated by the State itself. State agencies are responsible for matters such as property taxes, driver's licenses, welfare, child support, Medicaid, hunting licenses, etc. These matters fall outside of my jurisdiction as a federal representative. For questions and issues relating to state agencies, please contact your State Legislator or the agency itself. If your difficulty involves a local jurisdiction, you should contact your local officials.
• Your difficulty is with a corporation, business, or private organization.
I do not have any jurisdiction or authority in matters involving a private corporation, business, or organization.
Links that may provide you with useful information:
Non-Casework Matters Where I Can Provide Assistance
• You have a question or comment about a federal agency or legislative matter.
I can assist with these matters, but they are not considered to be "casework." As a result, they do not require you to complete a privacy release form. Please contact me and let me know of your concerns.
Examples include:
- Concerns about a Post Office closing in your area.
- Request for information about a federal agency program.
- Question or comment about a federal agency regulation.
- Question or comment about legislation pending before the House of Representatives.
Assistance with Government Agencies - If you are looking for information about a federal agency and don’t know where to start, please visit this section of my website. Answers to some frequently asked questions are here.
Casework Authorization Form - If your matter pertains to casework, per the criteria listed above, please fax or mail this form to my office.
Related Links
Assistance with Government Agencies
Casework Authorization Form
