One might interpret the narrative that follows as political in nature or purpose but I can assure you that is not the intent.
The intent, although seldom read these days, is simply to recognize an elected official (in this case, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin) for delivering on her commitment to represent the interests/concerns of all residents within her district.
We are parents of two adult sons who are on the autism spectrum. Recently, our sons received letters from the IRS stating that their 2021 federal tax refunds would not be released until both could prove their identity.
The protocol to resolve this issue as outlined in the letter included requirements that were impossible for a person with a disability to satisfy. The 800 phone number provided in the letter was of no value due to the fact that we were never able to connect, no matter how many times we tried.
Then, when I attempted to resolve through the website included in the letter, when I finally was able to schedule an appointment. It was a virtual meeting where each of our sons had to be present and capable of answering questions without our assistance.
One of our sons is non-verbal and both have cognitive impairments, so this avenue was of no value either.
In desperation, I reached out to Congresswoman Slotkin. Within a week, I received an email from a member of her staff, acknowledging receipt of my concerns and outlining information that they would need to help us resolve. Two weeks later, we received an email indicating that resolution of the issue was in process.
As the result of Congresswoman Slotkin’s support we were able to complete the identity verification process and both of our sons recently received their 2021 federal income tax refunds.
Our personal thanks and gratitude to Congresswoman Slotkin and her staff for their support.
Robert and Sue White
Clarkston