Washington, May 11, 2005 -

I have come to learn as a Congressman that Washington, D.C. is a very fast pace, busy city where a long day consists of suits, committee meetings, and official House business. Unlike the days I spend weekly at home in Texas, where a hand shake is considered official business along with constituents’ personal matters. The most important thing to me is to serve my constituents and do my very best for the 31^{st District of Texas.}

^{There are a number of services that my office offers constituents. Many are unknown to the public until they are brought to their attention. Tour services, flag requests, casework, military appointments, and educational experiences are just a few of the opportunities that you can take advantage of whether you are traveling to D.C. or spending your time in Texas.}

^{Congressional Tours: Our office offers private tours of one of the main attractions in D.C., the United States Capitol. We also coordinate with the White House and submit tour requests to their offices through our D.C. office. There are many other attractions we assist with including the Bureau of Engraving and the Library of Congress. When planning a trip to our nation’s capital, be sure and give our D.C. office a call in advance so we can help you out with your travel plans.}

^{Flag Request: Flag requests are another very popular service that we offer to our constituents. A flag can be purchased and flown over the Capitol on a specific date for a person, event, or occasion. We offer a variety of different sizes of the American flag and are happy to assist constituents with the process of purchasing a flag. For more information, you can contact the D.C. office or either of our district offices.}

^{Military Appointments: My favorite duty as a Congressman is to help fulfill the dreams of our youth who wish to be the next generation of military leaders. Each year members of Congress have the privilege of nominating candidates from their respective districts. Before a member nominates a student, the student must apply for the nomination and go through a candidate selection process determined by the member. Every student with an interest in attending a military academy can apply by contacting Jodell Brooks, the Academy Liaison, at (512)246-1600.}

^{Casework: As a Congressman, one of my duties is to assist constituents with problems they may have with a federal government agency. Numerous times our offices have worked on constituent cases and found the problem to be simple miscommunication, a misspelling of a name or a country, or misplacing of vital information. If the constituent had not contacted our office, these simple problems would have resulted with people losing their jobs, not receiving fair compensation, or not being given proper medical treatment. To speak with someone regarding casework, please contact either of the district offices.}

^{Congressional Pages and Internships: My staff and I realize the value of the hands-on learning experience attained from a congressional internship. Therefore we encourage college students to apply for an opportunity to work in either our D.C. or District offices. The Congressional Page service offers high school students an opportunity to work in D.C. while attending high school. It is important for students who are interested in these opportunities to contact the D.C. office or check our website for further information.}

^{Keeping in Contact: It is important to have continual contact with the constituents of the 31st District in order to represent them well. You can keep in touch with me by checking my website (www.house.gov/carter), receiving my weekly e-newsletter, watching my television show or stopping by one of my three offices. To sign up for my weekly newsletter, go to my website or call any one of my offices. As your Congressman, I maintain an open door policy and encourage constituents to contact my office with their concerns and questions.}

^{It is important to remember that we serve the greater good, and all people, no matter what their title or job, have an obligation to serve others. Abraham Lincoln put it best when he said "that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." As your Congressman, I will do everything in my power to better serve not only our great nation, but also the constituents of the 31st District of Texas.}