Dear Neighbor,

Happy back to school! One of the best parts of my job as the Congressman for NY-16 is supporting and uplifting our wonderful NY-16 community, so we want to share some of our amazing community members’ stories and some of the incredible ways our constituent services team has aided our community recently. Take a look!

Last month was Black Business Month, so we want to shout-out the Westchester Barber Academy, an incredible Black business serving NY-16. They work with students ranging from middle school to adulthood on training, licensing, and job placement as barbers and cosmetologists. They’re also developing future community leaders by teaching the skills necessary to run a small business and be civically involved. I’m so happy that NY-16 has businesses like this one that are helping our community thrive.

We’re also proud to have the outstanding Keisha Duncan in our NY-16 community! Keisha is a teacher at Bronx Alliance Middle School who was just selected for the Peace Teachers Program with the United States Institute of Peace. She is looking forward to designing lesson plans and class activities that help her students develop peace-building skills and hopes to play a part in promoting nonviolent conflict management at all levels, from local to international. Keisha is such a thoughtful and innovative educator who’s making our NY-16 community a better place everyday.

In case you didn’t know, Members of Congress and their staff provide information and services to constituents. You can reach out to us for letters of support, information on government benefits, and help with federal agencies. Here are a few ways we’ve helped our constituents recently!

An active-duty service member reached out to us for assistance with his request for compassionate reassignment to another base because his mother is terminally ill and needed care. After persistent follow up by our office, his request was finally approved and he was relocated to be much closer to his mother. In another military case, our office successfully petitioned for a veteran's tour of duty award to be upgraded to a Bronze Star. He sent us the following note:

"I am exceptionally grateful to you and your staff in their efforts to obtain my Bronze Star Medal. They were highly professional, efficient, and compassionate. Your activism helped make this long wished-for award come true.”

Another constituent urgently needed a passport to travel overseas so she could take care of a sick family member. That same day, our office was able to secure her an appointment with the Passport Agency in time for her trip. Then, we helped a woman who needed to expedite her Employment Authorization Card, which she requested in March. She had just been offered a senior role at a local organization and would face financial hardship without the job. Our phenomenal constituent service team submitted an expediting request and she was approved to work within 30 days.

Later in the month, A senior constituent submitted a request to start receiving his retirement benefits, but was facing long delays without any explanation. We raised his case to the Social Security Administration and they acknowledged that his request had been delayed beyond the normal processing time. Soon after, he started receiving the money he was entitled to. We were also contacted by an elderly constituent whose applications for lawful permanent residence for his children in the Dominican Republic had been pending for 10 years. Our office reached out to USCIS on their behalf and four months later, the applications were approved and the family was reunited in the US.

I’m so proud and thankful for our powerful constituent service team, they’re able to make enormous differences in our community member’s lives. Year to date our office has helped 2,102 constituents. We’ve assisted more than 600 constituents with their passports alone! Make sure to renew your passport 6-9 months before it expires to avoid delays during peak travel times, and reach out to us at the contact information below if you need assistance.

Our office is always hard at work for the NY-16 community. Here are some other ways we can help: 

• If you’re visiting DC and you want to tour the capitol or another federal tourist site, our office can help! Click here for more information. 

• Our office provides certificates and proclamations honoring individuals or organizations throughout the district. If you would like one, complete the form here.

• Members of Congress are authorized by law to nominate candidates for appointment to four U.S. service academies. If you are interested in applying, applications are due on November 1, 2023. Check out our website for more information. 

• Student loan payments resume October 1, 2023. The Biden administration has created new programs that might reduce payments or eliminate your debt. To learn more, visit the Department of Education’s website. 

If you need assistance with any federal agency, you can find us at one of our upcoming Mobile Constituent Services, email us at Bowman.Casework@mail.house.gov, or call our office at the numbers below.

Peace and Love, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D.