WEST CHESTER – Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) announced her office recently crossed a major milestone: $9 million returned directly to community members and small businesses through her office’s constituent services since beginning her second term last January. This is also known as ‘casework.’

“I’m an entrepreneur, so I understand the importance of getting a return on an investment,” said Houlahan. “And the taxpayers of Chester and Berks counties rightfully deserve to know if they are getting a return on their investment in a congressional office. I hope today’s announcement further shows our community how seriously I take my responsibility to deliver for Pennsylvania’s small business owners, seniors, and working families. Constituent services is a top priority.”

Houlahan also noted that not all cases, such as passport processing delays, contribute to the office’s money returned total but can nonetheless have financial implications.

“Regardless of a financial outcome, our office stands ready to help constituents navigate federal agencies,” said Houlahan. “We are very proud of our track record.”

The total amount returned since January 2021 stands at $9,089,771. The largest sum of federal dollars returned to constituents came from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at $4,504,686. The second and third largest sums of federal dollars returned to constituents came from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and Social Security Administration (SSA) at $2,710,238 and $1,249,237 respectively. Other federal agencies include the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) among others.

“It’s no secret our federal agencies need modernizing,” said Houlahan. “Outdated systems, combined with an unprecedented pandemic, caused massive and unacceptable delays in services. For example, we saw a substantial increase in IRS-related inquiries—they remain the bulk of our outstanding cases, and we are working to resolve them as quickly as possible.”

Recently, over 200 Members of Congress in the House and Senate, including Houlahan, wrote a letter to the Treasury Department urging them to reduce the backlog. According to the release, the IRS had a backlog of 6 million individual income tax returns and 2.3 million amended individual tax returns as of December 2021. In addition, the IRS has 2 million Employer Quarterly Tax Returns that must be processed before the nearly 500,000 amended Forms 941 can be processed.

Including Houlahan’s first term in Congress, her office has returned a total of $13,860,675 to area residents.

Below are additional constituent testimonies covering a range of federal matters:

“I was having issues getting my Certificate of Eligibility (COE) letter from Veterans Affairs. I was completely impressed with the assistance provided by the office of Congresswoman Houlahan. Every person I spoke to was kind, professional, and willing to assist. It was a pleasant experience. I will always be grateful for their assistance and cooperation.”

– William Diaz, West Chester

“I was very happy with the quick results I received from Representative Houlahan and [her staff]. They were able to get me answers, as well as my return from the IRS that I waited almost 9 months to receive the money I was owed.”

– Todd Klaptosky, Pottstown

“I called your office on Friday, December 17 (less than a week before my international trip) after multiple calls to State Department Passport Office with no result. I got immediate help. [Rep. Houlahan’s staff] was extremely quick with checking my status and arranging for possible Passport Agent Application. [They] always kept me updated with short but precise emails. In 4 days, I got the new passport in hand, just in time for my international trip. I truly consider this a miracle.”

– Jasmine Wang, Wyomissing

“I would like to share my gratitude and sincere thanks to Chrissy Houlahan’s team. Because of their help, my long pending (20 months) naturalization case got resolved.”

– Anjali Gupta, Chadds Ford

“After an IRS error led the Social Security Office to claim I owed them a large amount, I called Rep. Houlahan's Team. Once they got involved, the issue was resolved very quicky. I am very grateful for Rep. Houlahan's help!”

– Lisa Archbold, Berwyn

“The SSA was denying me 6 months of retroactive spousal payments. Unlike the SSA, [Rep. Houlahan’s staff] was professional and provided great communication during the time she was assisting me. She presented a truly empathetic, caring attitude. She solved my problem and was always responsive to any questions I had.”

– David Rogers, West Chester

“[Rep. Houlahan’s staff] was very helpful in helping us determine why we have not received our 3^rd stimulus payment from the IRS. They always checked in with us to give us an update, even if there was nothing new to report. Their customer service skills were great!”

– Susan Westerfield, Avondale

“Without a doubt, our federal agencies need modernizing,” added Houlahan. “Pennsylvanians shouldn’t have to rely on their member of Congress to handle their concerns with the IRS, Social Security, etc. That’s why I’m working to fix the root causes that bring Pennsylvanians to our office for assistance. But in the meantime, I want our community to know that we stand ready to support them should they need it.”

Houlahan is an Air Force veteran, an engineer, a serial entrepreneur, an educator and a nonprofit leader. She represents Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District, which encompasses Chester County and southern Berks County. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Small Business Committee. She is the recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award which “recognizes members who demonstrate the bipartisan leadership and constructive governing necessary to move our country forward.”

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