Letters of Support Trouble

[SRLFD448]

I know that there was discussion on this topic previously as to how effective the letters of support are.

In taking Kurt's advice and others it does not hurt to have those letters of support and so I went on what I did not know was an adventure to try and garner these magical letters. I have called both my congressional representative as well as contacted Schumer's office (NYS) for the past three weeks.

The congressional representatives office passed me from NYC up here to Albany, then to DC, and then back to Albany. It is getting pretty ridiculous and the run around is becoming borderline obnoxious. Schumer's office has not returned e-mails or phone messages I have left.

Since they are the first people to take "credit" for the multiple weeks of effort I have put into my application is there any way to explain to them once it gets awarded that I did in fact attempt to allow them the opportunity to take credit and they blew it?

Just a fun topic now that the AFG writing has ended!

[GratefulEd]

The way it works here in East Tennessee, and the way I got such a letter for our Operation Ranger application, was that our Congressman has staff members assigned to work citizen issues on a county-by-county basis. So I got in touch with my county executive and asked him for our rep's phone number. I called the rep directly and we were working on a draft of the support letter a day after. I don't know if that'll help in your situation, but it might be something else to try.

[mtndew21]

I always just send thru e-mail a copy of our narrative asking for their support. Within a few weeks the send the letter.

[neiowa]

When you win an award make of point of NOT inviting them to a public announcement. And point out in the press that NO thanks to _______.

You expected more from Chuckie? You need to have a video camera in your hands then you likely get trampled. He and "my senator" Harkin (both lib dems) are 2x of the biggest oxygen thieves in DC.

[SRLFD448]

Called Rep. Paul Tonko's office today once again in Albany....where they have instructed me to call to find out process.

Once again, the clearly a new intern took my message once again and said she would have someone call me back.

......the waiting game once again.

[mtndew21]

Received one support letter from one Senator today.

[ktb9780]

Called Rep. Paul Tonko's office today once again in Albany....where they have instructed me to call to find out process.

Once again, the clearly a new intern took my message once again and said she would have someone call me back.

......the waiting game once again.

Just go get their mailing address in DC; mail a copy of your grnat and the ltter aksing for a support letter attached ot it and let them take it from there.Don't call, you won't get to first base dude. Just send the package to each of them. In you letter asking for the LOS ask them to please forward a copy of the letter they send to you for your files.

[SRLFD448]

Just go get their mailing address in DC; mail a copy of your grnat and the ltter aksing for a support letter attached ot it and let them take it from there.Don't call, you won't get to first base dude. Just send the package to each of them. In you letter asking for the LOS ask them to please forward a copy of the letter they send to you for your files.

Thanks for the continued help. I am in the process of that with both of our senate representatives.

UPDATE*-Congressman Tonko's office apparently does have an intern who actually knows what they were doing. This guy asked me to send him a copy of the application and he would draft a letter and have it back in my inbox by Monday!

[mmagette]

what is the address for the congress critters to send the letters of support?

[ktb9780]

what is the address for the congress critters to send the letters of support?

Letters of support should be sent to:

Ms. Elizabeth M. Harman, Assistant Administrator
DHS/FEMA/Grants Program Preparedness
Tech World Building – 9th Floor South Tower
800 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20472-3620
Fax 202-786-9938

[mmagette]

Letters of support should be sent to:

Ms. Elizabeth M. Harman, Assistant Administrator
DHS/FEMA/Grants Program Preparedness
Tech World Building – 9th Floor South Tower
800 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20472-3620
Fax 202-786-9938

Thanks
extra typing for 10 characters

[jam24u]

If you are not in a congressmans district, you will find it hard to get a letter of support. Governors are notoriously hard to get because the applications are competitive.

Now if you find a senator or congressman that is on a committee that is related to security, you can point that out to them in your request. I had a congressman or senator I forget which that was not from my state that sent in a letter of support. From Mississippi.

Yeah I was surprised too.

I'm gonna leave political party out of it for now. But neiowa is right.

[ADC120]

If you are not in a congressmans district, you will find it hard to get a letter of support. Governors are notoriously hard to get because the applications are competitive.

Now if you find a senator or congressman that is on a committee that is related to security, you can point that out to them in your request. I had a congressman or senator I forget which that was not from my state that sent in a letter of support. From Mississippi.

Yeah I was surprised too.

I'm gonna leave political party out of it for now. But neiowa is right.

Bennie Thompson(D) Mississippi Chairman of the Homeland Security Committiee

[dfd701]

If you are not in a congressmans district, you will find it hard to get a letter of support. Governors are notoriously hard to get because the applications are competitive.

Now if you find a senator or congressman that is on a committee that is related to security, you can point that out to them in your request. I had a congressman or senator I forget which that was not from my state that sent in a letter of support. From Mississippi.

Yeah I was surprised too.

I'm gonna leave political party out of it for now. But neiowa is right.

Good evening Jim; I live in Congressman Mike Rogers district. His local office always asks for a copy of our grant application to be sent to him and he writes a letter of endorsement to Home Land Security. He chairs on that committee and I think he has some pull there and when I do get awarded he is the first to call. Although I pretty much hate all politicians even on the local level I have no complaints with him. I keep up the way he votes on issues in DC and he seems to think a lot like I do. But now the one in the highest level of office is way off in left field. For those that were raised in the county like me, he is like the bell cow and all the other cows just follow him blindly where ever he goes. In my opinion this great county is headed down the wrong path. We are so far in debt to other countries that our kids are going to be the ones to pay for it. Our relationship with Israel is in the toilet. That scares me the most to what may happen when they realize we don’t have their back anymore. With a large supply of our oil is in the Gulf “literally in the water” and if something happens to our supply over there then this country will come to a stop. I remember talking to old times about the great depression and how everyone dug in and made it somehow but the people back then are deferent from people today. If they can't go to Wal-Mart and buy it they are lost. Even when I was a kid we grow most all our food and only went to town once a month to buy things like flour and other stuff we couldn’t make ourselves.
Sorry I got way off thread here. I am probably preaching to the quire anyway.
Have a great day.

[jam24u]

Bennie Thompson(D) Mississippi Chairman of the Homeland Security Committiee

That's him. Thanks

[jam24u]

Bulls-eye Kenneth.

The 'Choir' is listening.

[SRLFD448]

So an update to my weekend is that instead of being in my inbox on Monday, the draft of the Letter of Support from my congressman was in my inbox Friday at a few minutes before 5! Very impressed.

The senators are tougher and I have taken Kurts advice in an attempt to get those letters.

[chackbayfire]

I have always maintained a good relationship with Senator David Vitter's grant staffmember. I normally just email them a synopsis of what we requested and they write a letter within 2 days. They mail a copy to director of FEMA and Director of Homeland Security and email me a copy. They helped me get the Operation Ranger Grant and have helped on other Fire Act Grants.

[jam24u]

During the rough 'town hall' meetings that were going around the country, I was able to publicly thank Sen. Johanns and my state senator for their support of our mutual aid association and firefighters overall.

Then I got to nitty gritty with the healthcare legislation.

I intend to use that public thank you, that was televised, as future support collateral.

You never know.

[rands1]

Well, Senator Levin sent in his letter of support for us. Now I just have to wait for Congressman Dingell and Stabenow to send in theirs. I wonder if I should let them know that we lucked out last Sunday morning when an F1 tornado hit the Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant. Tore off part of a roof next to the reactor building.