Samuelson: Congressman Gallego is a representative to be proud of

A year and a half ago, I thought everything in my life had finally fallen into place. I had a good job, was happily married to the love of my life, John, and we were thinking about retirement and looking forward to more freedom to travel the world and enjoy our golden years together.

Then in April 2023 the wheels started coming off that dream.

My mother passed away in early April. Two weeks later, I was laid off from my job of many years. Later in the year, my husband John was hospitalized unexpectedly. He had always been active and healthy, but within weeks, he was gone. His death came out of nowhere, leaving me heartbroken and shocked.

On top of all this, my application for Social Security benefits was stalled. As if the loss of my loved ones wasn’t enough, I now found myself battling red tape and bureaucracy just to access the benefits I had paid into for my entire working life.

All of my paperwork was in order and I even went in person to the local Social Security office, but for months, I faced nothing but delays, frustration and dead ends. It felt like no one in the government cared, and I was running out of options.

A friend finally suggested that I reach out to my Congressman, Ruben Gallego, for help. It was the best advice I could have received. Within days of contacting his office, his staff got to work and cut through the mountains of paperwork that had kept me in limbo for nearly three months.

Thanks to Congressman Gallego’s intervention, I finally began to receive my Social Security benefits, retroactive to the time of application. When I got the news, I was so relieved that I broke down in tears.

This experience isn’t just about me — it’s about the kind of leadership we need in Washington. Congressman Gallego showed me that there are still people in Washington who care about people like me, normal Arizonans who are just trying to get by.

Congressman Gallego was there for me when I needed it. When no one else was. I will forever be grateful for that.

You can find your member of Congress to request assistance with a federal agency by visiting https://ziplook.house.gov.

Editor’s note: Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.