Casework - Help With Federal Agencies

About Casework:

Congressman Petri may be able to help in a variety of areas including:

• Social Security
• Medicare
• Military Issues
• Veterans Benefits
• IRS
• Passport / Visa Issues
• Consumer Complaints
• Identity Theft

He cannot order an agency to make a decision in your favor, nor can he move your case ahead of others which were filed earlier than yours, but he can make sure your case gets a fair review by its officials.  His staff can also refer you to the correct office or agency if you are unsure where to obtain the assistance or information you are seeking.

You must be a resident of the 6th congressional district in order for Rep. Petri to make inquiries on your behalf.  If you are not a resident of the 6th district, please use this link to find your Representative. 

Please remember that Rep. Petri, due to separation of powers, cannot offer assistance on state and/or judicial issues.  Matters such as divorce, child custody, civil lawsuits, and criminal lawsuits are strictly judicial in nature.  Similarly, drivers licenses, property taxes, among other similar issues are strictly state matters. 

If you are having difficulty with a state matter, you can go here to find your state legislators.

How to Request Assistance:

If you need help, contact any of his offices.  However, please note that in most cases it will be necessary to have your request in writing (to ensure his ability to obtain information about your case from the agency involved).

1. Provide as much information as possible about your situation.
2. Include your social security number and any other identifying case or claim number, your daytime telephone number and your full mailing address.
3. Copies of any pertinent correspondence with the agency involved are also useful in assisting you.

For all non-tax related matters, please print and fill out this privacy release to ensure that all necessary information is collected:  Privacy Release

If you are contacting the Congressman regarding a federal tax matter, please use this form:  Tax Authorization Form

Social Security

The Social Security Administration makes payments to retirees, the disabled, and certain other groups.

To learn more about Social Security retirement benefits, please visit the Social Security Administration's website here.

Social Security Disability

The most frequent request Congressman Petri receives is for help with Social Security Disability.  In order to see if you might qualify for Social Security Disability payments, please take this quiz.

Please note that Congressman Petri cannot order the Social Security Administration to make a decision in your favor, nor can he move your case ahead of others which were filed earlier than yours, but he can make sure your case gets a fair review by Social Security officials.  If your case is denied twice, it can often take up to two years to obtain a hearing by an Administrative Law Judge.

Many other common questions can be answered by the Social Security Administration's Frequently Asked Questions website which is located here.

Medicare and Medicaid

If you are having difficulties with Medicare or Medicaid, please contact Congressman Petri's staff.  Oftentimes they can be helpful in resolving billing problems and other difficulties.  Additionally, the links below contain a wealth of useful information.

Medicaid Handbook
Medicare Handbook
Medicare Rights Center

Medals
Congressman Petri can help you obtain copies of your medals that were never received.  Please contact a member of his staff in order to begin the process of replacing your medals.

Records

Congressman Petri may be able to help you obtain your military records or the records of a deceased family member.  Please contact a member of his staff for further assistance.

Tricare

Information regarding Tricare benefits can be found at the Tricare Website.

Veterans Benefits

Congressman Petri can help you with difficulties you may be having with Veterans Administration benefits.  Please contact a member of his staff for further assistance.
 
Veterans Administration: Customer Service Inquiries
Department of Veterans Affairs
Burial Benefits

IRS

While Congressman Petri cannot intervene directly on your behalf with the IRS, he can help you by working with the Taxpayer Advocate's Service.  The Taxpayer Advocate is an independent organization within the IRS which helps taxpayers resolve problems and recommends changes that will prevent the problem in the future.  The service is free, and many constituents have experienced positive outcomes when dealing with the Taxpayer Advocate's Service.

If you would like help regarding tax matters, please fill out this form and send it, along with any relevant documentation as well as a letter explaining your problem, to the Congressman's office.

Internal Revenue Service: Forms and Publications
Internal Revenue Service: Frequently Asked Questions

Passport / Visa Issues

Congressman Petri can assist you, to a limited degree, with questions you may have regarding immigration to the United States.  There are two general categories of visas, immigrant and non-immigrant.  The most common problem the Congressman is contacted about regarding immigration is the denial of a non-immigrant visitors visa for friends or family of constituents.

For further information regarding the denial of a non-immigrant visa, please visit the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services FAQ on this matter here.

For information regarding immigrant visas, please see this site.

Consumer Complaints

If you are having difficulty with a business, there are a number of steps you can take.  If you wish to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, you may do so by following this link.  While the FTC will not investigate or resolve your specific complaint, filling this form may help them spot a pattern of illegal behavior.

If you have a complaint which requires specific action to resolve, information can be found on the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Consumer Protection page, which is located here.

Lastly, if you would like to visit the Federal Consumer Information Center, it is located here.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious and growing problem in Wisconsin.  The Federal Trade Commission investigates identity theft and can help you repair your damaged credit.  Its identity theft website is located here.  

Please contact Congressman Petri's district office at (920) 922-1180 for assistance with loan and grant programs.