Helping South Dakotans Navigate the Federal Bureaucracy
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
In the United States Senate, we spend much of our time working on legislation, attending committee hearings and making sure federal policies are working for families and communities in our state. But we also spend a great deal of time assisting individuals who are having difficulties dealing with federal rules, regulations or policies, and who may need help working with a federal agency. Our office can assist you in working with the federal government and try to help find a solution to the problem you may be dealing with, whether it’s with the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs or any other government agency.
Every day, I receive emails, letters and phone calls from South Dakotans sharing thoughts on legislation, policy issues or federal regulations that may be causing them problems. I appreciate hearing from you because receiving your feedback is critical for me as I seek to make the best possible decisions for South Dakotans. I travel across the state as frequently as I can, and always enjoy hearing what’s going on in your community.
Since the Senate requires us to be in D.C. during the week for votes and committee hearings, one way I am able to get feedback from South Dakotans is by having my staff members visit communities across the state and hold open mobile office hours. Folks in the area can stop by, have a cup of coffee and share thoughts, ask questions or request assistance in dealing with a federal agency.
If you follow along with me on Facebook, you may have seen that we post our mobile office hours ahead of time, so you know where we’ll be. We also share the time and location information with newspapers in the communities we’re visiting. We understand that your lives are busy and you may not be able to attend mobile office hours. To assist you, our offices in Pierre, Sioux Falls and Rapid City are open every week day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the phone numbers can be found on my website,www.rounds.senate.gov.
I know that navigating the federal bureaucracy can be difficult, frustrating and confusing. Our goal is to make sure that federal agencies are treating you with the respect and attention you deserve, and we’re here to help you work with them. The staff members working in my South Dakota offices are specially trained to help residents navigate the bureaucratic maze of the federal government.
It is an honor to work for South Dakotans. One of the best parts of the job is hearing from you. We invite you to make contact with us through any one of our offices or through our website. We know it’s important that there be a consistent and easily usable way for citizens to have contact with us on a regular basis. Your messages to us in person, by email or over the phone do make a difference.
###
Your efforts are much appreciated Senator!