U.S. Senator Todd Young and his staff set records for the number of constituents represented in cases before federal agencies this year, serving more than 2,000 Hoosiers and returning more than $4 million owed to Hoosiers by various government entities. Since assuming office in 2017, Senator Young has helped 5,131 Hoosiers recover $11,378,394 from federal agencies. This year alone, the office has resolved 2,014 cases, resulting in $4,169,730 returned to Hoosiers.
The office saw a surge in cases this year, many regarding COVID-19 related issues. For example, the office helped repatriate at least 194 citizens, including 77 students, who were stuck in foreign countries when lock downs began. This includes a group of 20 students and 19 chaperones from Monrovia Middle and High School students who were in Poland when the country shut down all travel on March 13.
Additionally, the office helped approximately 250 people who did not receive their stimulus payments from the CARES Act.
“Government should be at its best during emergencies like this global pandemic, but bureaucracy can often prevent aid from getting to the people that need it,” said Senator Young. “I’m happy that we were able to assist so many Hoosiers, and we will continue to make constituent services a priority.”
A core function of Senator Young’s office is constituent services. The office is able to help Indiana residents who have problems with a federal agency. This often involves helping Hoosiers appeal when payments like veteran’s disability benefits and Social Security benefits are improperly denied.
More than $2.4 million of the total returned came from Veterans Administration benefits. The single largest payment was a retroactive payment of more than $310,000 for an Agent Orange claim.
In addition to financial claims, Senator Young has helped facilitate eight international adoptions that became hung up in the child’s home country.
Hoosiers who think they may need help with a federal agency can visit young.senate.gov and click “Help for Hoosiers”.
