Sen. Whitehouse to Host Community Meeting in Newport

Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse might not be interested in a Supreme Court nomination, but he is interested in hearing from Newporters and other residents of Aquidneck Island.

Whitehouse will be at the Newport Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. to do just that.

Whitehouse is calling the event a “community outreach day. . .to help residents navigate thee red tape of government agencies.”

According to a news release, Whitehouse is “committed to ensuring that federal agencies respond to Rhode Islanders’ needs by answering questions, finding resources, or resolving problems residents face.”

From the release:

While Whitehouse’s staff can’t ask an agency to circumvent its rules, force it to decide a question in favor of a constituent, or change a decision that is already final, caseworkers can make inquiries about the status of a person’s situation or request and review steps taken thus far to ensure that individuals’ cases are being handled properly.

Residents seeking help with a specific matter should bring all appropriate contact information including a daytime phone number and e-mail address, any relevant identification or tracking numbers (e.g., Social Security number or case number), and as much information about their question or concern as possible, such as previous correspondence with the agency. More information on casework services is available on Whitehouse’s web site at whitehouse.senate.gov under “Services” and “Agency Assistance”.

For more information about casework assistance, call Whitehouse’s Providence office at 401-453-5294