Checklist – 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 checklists and examples on this page can help you decide.
Checklist for Cases Where I CAN Provide Assistance
Checklist for Cases Where I CANNOT Provide Assistance
- You are a resident of the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin.
You MUST be a legal resident of the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin, which I represent, in order to receive assistance through my office. If you are NOT I will not be able to make any inquiries on your behalf – You should contact the Member of Congress that is your representative for further assistance.
- Your problem 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 are either:
- Part of the President’s Cabinet, like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), since it is under the Department of the Treasury, or
- Independent Agencies, like the Social Security Administration (SSA).
A few examples of the types of casework problems my office has assisted residents in resolving:
- 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 medals earned.
- You are not a resident of the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin.
If you are not a legal resident of the 4th Congressional District of Wisconsin, which I represent, I will not be able to make any inquiries on your behalf - You should contact the Member of Congress that is 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 will not be able to assist you. Because of the Constitutional 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.
Internet links that may provide you with useful information:
Federal Court System
First.Gov Information on the Federal Judicial Branch
Wisconsin Court System Self-Help Information
Wisconsin State Law Library Topic Index
State Bar of Wisconsin Legal Explorer Legal Q&A
- Your difficulty involves a State Agency or Local Government.
If your problem involves a state agency, I won’t be able to assist you. A Wisconsin state government agency is operated by the State of Wisconsin. 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 your federal representative. For questions and problems relating to state agencies, you should contact your State Legislator. If your problem involves a local jurisdiction matter, you should contact your County Board representative.
Internet links that may provide you with useful information:
Alphabetical List of Wisconsin State Agencies
Who are my Wisconsin State Legislators Locator
Wisconsin State Counties
Wisconsin Cities, Towns, and Villages
- 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.
Internet links that may provide you with useful information:
Consumer Action Website
Federal Trade Commission – Consumer Information
First.Gov – Consumer Information Resources
- You have a question or comment about a federal agency or about a legislative matter.
Although I can provide you assistance in these types of matters, they are not considered to be “casework.” These matters will not require you to complete a privacy release form for a response. Just contact my office to let me know of your concerns.
Some examples include:
- Concern about a closing of a Post Office 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.
Federal Resources Section - If you are looking for information from a federal agency and are not sure of where to start, you may be able to find your solution in the Federal Resources section of my website. Answers to some commonly asked questions may be found there.
Proceed to Open Your Case - If you have determined your difficulty is a casework matter, select this option for instructions on how to prepare and proceed in sending your request to my office.
