{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases/sorensen-returns-over-32-million-illinois-neighbors", "Sorensen Returns Over $3.2 Million to Illinois Neighbors", "2024-10-24", "2024", "2024-10", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Eric Sorensen", "S001225", "sorensen.house.gov", "sorensen", "https://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "ROCK ISLAND, IL \u2013 Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is announcing that his office has returned more than $3.2 million to his neighbors through federal casework services since he was sworn into Congress.\n\n\u201cMy number one job as the representative for Central and Northwestern Illinois in Congress is to make sure the federal government is working on behalf of my neighbors,\u201d said Sorensen. \u201cI know how stressful it can be when you need help from the government and all you get is the runaround. That is where I can step in to get you the help you need. I am proud of the work we have done to put more than $3.2 million of my neighbor\u2019s hard-earned cash back in their pockets. If you need any help dealing with a federal agency, know that I have your back.\u201d\n\nThe more than $3,263,230 secured for his neighbors across Central and Northwestern Illinois comes as a result of Sorensen and his staff\u2019s work to help constituents get the refunds and benefits they are owed from federal agencies, which include overdue tax returns and delayed Social Security, veterans, and worker\u2019s compensation benefits.\n\nResidents of Illinois\u2019 17th Congressional District who need help with a federal agency are encouraged to contact Sorensen\u2019s office at (309) 786-3406 or fill out a casework request form on Sorensen\u2019s official website. All submissions are reviewed by a member of Sorensen\u2019s staff.\n\nThe following stories are from constituents that Sorensen\u2019s office has helped:\n\nDaniel from Peoria Heights reached out to get help with VA benefits: \u201cI was having trouble having my VA benefits reinstated after they were mistakenly revoked after contacting Representative Sorensen's office Hillary handle my case and my benefits were reinstated, and I had a check within 30 days.\u201d\n\nHolly from Morrison needed help getting issues resolved between her and the IRS: \u201cI reached out in hopes to get help with repeated problems I have been having with the IRS. They were able to reach out on my behalf and figure the issue out. Within a very short timeframe my issues were all resolved.\u201d\n\nDeb from Freeport needed to get her families passports renewed quickly and called Sorensen\u2019s office for help: \u201cStaff helped us with the issue we were having trying to renew our passports. If she would not have kept pushing for a resolution, we would not have received them, as the only response we could get was the passport processing center lost them. We are so thankful for their continued excellent fast assistance to our needs.\u201d\n\nKatie from Monmouth lost her job and needed help getting her past wages: \u201cEver since I lost my job at WCCS Head Start, I have had help with gaining information on how to get my past wages that are due. Eric Sorensen\u2019s office has helped me gain information about my situation and ways to improve the outcome.\u201d\n\nBob from Peoria needed help getting Medicare Part B coverage: \u201cI was having difficulty trying to get my Medicare Part B to begin on September 1st, 2023, with our local office of the Social Security Administration. After many failed attempts to get a certain individual to return my calls, as well as several conversations with the Chicago and Maryland offices with no results, I contacted your office. I spoke with staff in your office about my difficulties with this matter on August 31st, 2023, and within three days, our local office received a letter or document from your office, and they got me signed up for Part B on September 15th, 2023, to be effective on September 1st, 2023. Staff were caring and showed extraordinary expedience in helping me get this issue resolved.\u201d\n\nMelissa from Rock Island reached out to get help with a refugee family: \u201cStaff assisted me in the process of rescheduling USCIS appointments for a refugee family in Moline. Her assistance has allowed a constituent and her family the opportunity to continue the immigration process more easily. Staff has been friendly, supportive, and knowledgeable every step of the process. We are so grateful for her help.\u201d\n\nCongressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois\u2019 Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T21:57:20Z"]], "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://sorensen.house.gov/media/press-releases/sorensen-returns-over-32-million-illinois-neighbors"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7882728241384029, "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"}