Lending a Helping Hand

There are few things more rewarding than true public service. Everyday my staff in Nebraska help people cut through red tape and navigate the federal system. Through casework, we help many Nebraskans solve problems that sometimes have life-changing results.
It is a special honor to assist our veterans. An example involves a military hero from North Platte who was seriously injured during his second deployment in Iraq. Tim Kramer suffered a brain injury and partial paralysis after an improvised explosive device (IED) struck his vehicle. He spent several years learning to walk again, all the while facing mounting bills and appealing for Veterans benefits he believed he was owed.
After three years of communicating with the Veterans Administration and no end in sight, Tim contacted my office. Within six months, Tim was awarded a full disability rating, allowing him to resolve service-related medical bills. Tim is now living in his own house and well on the way to a better life.
Recently, we were contacted by a Norfolk resident who was at risk of losing her eyesight entirely. Legally blind, she couldn’t drive and was unable to get to work. She needed a special surgery but it was too expensive. My Lincoln staff researched the issue with several non-profit and government agencies and eventually helped her secure assistance so she could undergo the surgery she needed. Today, her eyesight has been restored.
In another case, we helped a commercial truck driver get back on the road. The man called our Scottsbluff office after having trouble understanding new federal Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) regulations. He didn’t think he could renew his CDL because he was colorblind. His license expired and he lost his job. Our staff called the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and cleared up the confusion about the vision exemption. He passed his DOT physical, got his license reinstated and is now back to work.
Whether it’s a problem with Social Security, IRS, or Veterans Affairs, we stand ready and willing to help. I know that navigating federal programs can be frustrating, so I encourage you to pick up the phone and call one of my offices. I can’t promise that we’ll solve every problem, but we’ll give it our best shot.
Contact information is available online at www.johanns.senate.gov or by calling my Lincoln office at (402) 476-1400. Lending a helping hand to Nebraskans is one of my top priorities, a privilege I do not take lightly.