{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-visits-decorah-social-security-office", "Finkenauer Visits Decorah Social Security Office", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "IA", "Abby Finkenauer", "F000467", "finkenauer.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC  Today, Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer (IA-01)visited the Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Decorah. Finkenauer met with Decorah Mayor Lorraine Borowski and the Social Security Administration's Regional Public Affairs Office Communications Director, Jewell Colbert. \nColbert informed Finkenauer and Borowski that the office will remain staffed with in-person services, confirming a letter Finkenauer received from the SSA last week.\nMayor Borowski and the folks who rely on this facility raised their voices, Congresswoman Finkenauer said, They told Washington not to close down this office down, and we were happy to make sure the community was heard. I want to thank Mayor Borowski for sending me the first letter which raised the alarm on this issue, and I want to thank Jewell Colbert and his staff for working with my office to bring the community answers. I am happy Social Security beneficiaries in Decorah, and surrounding Iowa communities, will still have the services they can depend on. \nLast month,Finkenauer sent a letter to the Social Security Administrationpushing for answers on what the SSA planned to do with the Decorah office. \nIn August, members of the community learned that the Social Security Administration might close the Decorah field office and explore ways to offer to services remotely through videoconferencing. \nAfter hearing from community members worried about the closure, Rep. Finkenauer decided to write to the Social Security Administration to express these concerns and get the facts for Social Security beneficiaries in Northeast Iowa. \nMayor Lorraine Borowski said, \"As mayor of Decorah and on behalf of the citizens of this rural northeast area corner of the state, I greatly appreciated Representative Finkenauer's due diligence in assuring that there will be a face to face social security representative for our office. \nIn a letter to Finkenauer, theSSA Regional Commissioner Linda G. Kerr-Davis wrote,we currently do not plan to close the Decorah, IA resident station. Rather, we plan to supplement our in-person service by offering an additional video service option and provide tailored public service through accessible community-based facilities. \nThe Decorah office serves beneficiaries from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, many of whom drive hours to for an in-person meeting with trained staff, as opposed to handling claims or appeals online. \nCongresswoman Finkenauer represents Iowa's First Congressional District, which includes Decorah and parts of the surrounding area, which is served by the Social Security field office.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://finkenauer.house.gov/media/press-releases/finkenauer-visits-decorah-social-security-office"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7512159645557404, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}