Working for You

Federal agencies should do what’s best for you, not what’s best for the bureaucracy. Seems straightforward, but I think we all know it often doesn’t work that way. In fact, I find it’s the opposite a lot of the time. That’s why I’m always happy to step in and lend a hand.

As a matter of fact, that’s one of my favorite parts of the job—helping folks navigate the federal bureaucracy and hopefully making life a little better when all is said and done. My office can help with a variety of issues, including securing a passport, checking the status of a VA claim, tracking down military records and missing service medals for veterans, or getting missing refunds that the IRS never paid.

Often, this boils down to real money for folks. In 2025, my office was able to get back $28,069,662.49 for my constituents. If that number sounds like a lot, it is. That’s real money that the federal government owed taxpayers, and they didn’t give it to them.

It may be that a missing tax refund or a tax credit is caught up in bureaucratic red tape. Perhaps it’s a missing Social Security check or backpay owed by the VA. Regardless, this is money that folks depend on. In some cases, it makes the difference between a business staying open or closing its doors, or a single mom paying the rent and keeping the lights on. At the end of the day, this is money that shouldn’t have been in Uncle Sam’s coffers in the first place, and I was proud to fight for every dime of it.

It’s a reminder that it never hurts to ask if we can help. Now, if it’s not a federal agency, then we might not be able to assist. However, my office is always happy to listen and point you in the right direction if we can. Often, an issue might be at the state level. If that’s the case, we’ll let you know who might be able to assist. If you have questions or need assistance with a federal agency, call my office at 816-792-3976 or visit graves.house.gov.                                                                           

Ultimately, this is about taking care of folks. You deserve a Representative who is looking out for you. It might not be headline-grabbing or splashed all over social media, but that’s not why I’m here. There’s work to be done, and I’m committed to working for you.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves