Constituent Services
Help with a Federal Agency
One of the most important things I do as your U.S. Representative is help residents of the 7th District of Louisiana as an intermediary with agencies of the federal government. Although I cannot override the laws and regulations of a federal agency, I can ensure that constituents are given an adequate response in a timely manner.
Below you will find a list of federal agencies that I can assist you with. If a Congressional Inquiry is made, the Privacy Act requires that I first have your written authorization before I can be of assistance. Should you have questions about the Request for Congressional Inquiry Form, do not hesitate to contact one of my offices:
(337) 235-6322 in Lafayette or (337) 433-1747 in Lake Charles
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers http://www.usace.army.mil The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is made up of approximately 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. Our military and civilian engineers, scientists and other specialists work hand in hand as leaders in engineering and environmental matters. Our diverse workforce of biologists, engineers, geologists, hydrologists, natural resource managers and other professionals meets the demands of changing times and requirements as a vital part of America's Army.
U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov In 1980, the U.S. Department of Education was created by bringing together offices from several other departments. Its original directive remains its mission today — to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) http://www.fcc.gov The Federal Communications Commission is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is an independent U.S. government agency, directly responsible to Congress.
Housing and Urban Development http://www.hud.gov HUD's mission is to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing free from discrimination. To fulfill this mission, HUD will embrace high standards of ethics, management and accountability and forge new partnerships--particularly with faith-based and community organizations--that leverage resources and improve HUD's ability to be effective on the community level.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services http://uscis.gov Welcome to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This section provides information to introduce you to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It also provides information about various administrative and management functions and responsibilities now within the DHS that were once in the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).
Internal Revenue Service http://www.irs.gov The Internal Revenue Service is the nation's tax collection agency and administers the Internal Revenue Code enacted by Congress. In 2001, the IRS collected more than $2 trillion in revenue and processed nearly 228 million tax returns.
U.S. Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov The Department of Labor fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a variety of Federal labor laws including those that guarantee workers’ rights to safe and healthful working conditions; a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay; freedom from employment discrimination; unemployment insurance; and other income support.
Medicare http://www.medicare.gov Medicare is a part of the Social Security Program that provides hospital and medical insurance coverage to persons age 65 and over and those who have permanent kidney failure, or End Stage Renal Disease, and people with other disabilities.
Military http://www.defenselink.mil Click here to learn more about how I can assist you when communicating with the United States Military (Department of Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Reserves and Coast Guard.
U.S. Department of State http://travel.state.govPassport Services When traveling aboard, it is essential that you obtain the proper documentation. The following information will help you to prepare for your travels.
Visas
Persons traveling on official business for the U.S. Government should obtain visa information from the agency sponsoring their travel.
U.S. Postal Service http://www.usps.com The United States Postal Service delivers mail to almost 138 million homes, businesses, and post office boxes. About 1.7 million new addresses are added each year. They handle more than 200 billion pieces of mail a year, or five pieces per address per day.
Social Security Administration http://www.ssa.gov The Social Security program, established by the Social Security Act of 1935 (P.L. 74-271) and administered by the Social Security Administration, has two components: Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) which provides benefits to retired workers and their families and to the survivors of deceased workers; and Disability Insurance (DI) which provides benefits to disabled workers and their families. Old-age benefits were provided for retired workers by the original Social Security Act of 1935, Social Security benefits for dependents and survivors were provided by the 1939 amendments, and benefits for disabled workers were enacted in 1956. At the end of December 2000, there were 45.4 million Social Security recipients.
Veterans Administration http://www.va.gov The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established on March 15, 1989, succeeding the Veterans Administration. It is responsible for providing federal benefits to veterans and their dependents. Headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA is the second largest of the 15 Cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs for health care, financial assistance and burial benefits.
National Personnel Records Center (NPRC)
http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records.html The National Personnel Records Center is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and is the home for millions of military personnel, health, and medical records of discharged and deceased veterans. They also store medical treatment records for retirees from every branch of our armed services, which include records for dependent and other persons treated at naval medical facilities.
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
http://www.dod.mil/dfas Do you have questions about your military payment issues? The fastest way to get a resolution is to contact the specific office that oversees should contact their local finance and administrative office to address their record. Generally, the quickest way to gain a resolution is to contact your local military pay office and relay your concerns and request assistance.
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
http://www.doi.gov/bureau-indian-affairs.html The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) responsibility is the administration and management of 55.7 million acres of land held in trust by the United States for American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives. There are 562 federal recognized tribal governments in the United States. Developing forestlands, leasing assets on these lands, directing agricultural programs, protecting water and land rights, developing and maintaining infrastructure and economic development are all part of the agency's responsibility. In addition, the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides education services to approximately 48,000 Indian students.
United States International Trade Commission (ITC)
http://www.usitc.gov An independent federal agency determining import injury to U.S. industries in antidumping, countervailing duty, and global and China safeguard investigations; directing actions against unfair trade practices involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement; supporting policymakers through economic analysis and research on the global competitiveness of U.S. industries; and maintaining the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
Federal Job Postings
Constituents often contact my office inquiring about job opportunities within the federal government. Below are some resources that should help anyone interested in finding employment with the federal government.
USAJOBS.gov http://www.usajobs.opm.gov USA Jobs is the official site for current federal jobs and employment information. Users can learn about the benefits of federal employment, and search for federal job openings.
Student Jobs.Gov http://www.studentjobs.gov Student Jobs is one-stop shopping for students interested in federal employment opportunities. Students are eligible for special benefits in the federal job market, and you can learn more about that on this site.
America's Job Bank http://www.ajb.org America's Job Bank is one of the most requested sites through the Department of Labor. It provides a searchable database of over one million jobs, and allows users to post their resumes online.
Help with Federal Grants
This page will provide you with a central location to search the wealth of information available from both government and private entities who offer financing to individuals, businesses and state and local governments.
Please feel free to contact
Stephenie Geiger in my Lafayette Office for more details.
- Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov
Grants.gov is a simple, unified “storefront” for all customers of Federal grants to electronically find, apply for, and manage grants.
- Federal Funds Expre$$ http://fedfundsweb:806
This website is specifically designed to assist in locating federal funding dollars. You can search for available grants; view spending for specific to your state; search for awarded grants; search for awarded contracts; and browse additional web resources.
- Develop and Write Grant Proposals http://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.GRANT_PROPOSAL_DYN.show Provides information on writing Federal grant proposal, including basic components of a proposal, initial proposal development and information on guidelines and literature.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
http://12.46.245.173/cfda/cfda.html A government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and non-financial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the Federal government.
U.S. State and Local Gateway http://www.firstgov.gov/Government/State_Local.shtml Web site developed to give state and local governments easy access to Federal government information. The site includes Federal partnership programs links for states, city management, counties, legislatures, governors, cities, and mayors.
Resources for Non-profits - Network for Good http://www.networkforgood.org Internet-related tools and resources for your nonprofit organization.
Foundation Finder http://fdncenter.org/funders Search by name for address and basic information (including links to IRS filings and foundation websites) about for than 61,000 private and community foundations in the U.S.
Just for Kids
- Kids.gov http://www.kids.gov
The federal government's portal for fun, educational and safe sites for kids.
- The White House for Kids http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids
Visit the White House's official page for kids and learn about the president, his responsibilities and the history of the office.
- Kids in the House: The Official Kid's Page of the U.S. House of Representatives http://clerkkids.house.gov
Learn about the legislative process and its effect on you. Experience the exciting world of government like you never have before.
Service Academy Nominations
One of the privileges of serving in the United States House of Representatives is the opportunity to nominate outstanding young people from the 7th Congressional District to be considered for appointment to our nation’s service academies. Admission to a service academy is a two-tiered process. First, the candidate must meet the minimum admission standards set by the individual academy. These standards include, among others, medical, physical and scholastic qualifications. The second tier is obtaining a nomination from an official source. An individual must meet the admission requirements of the academy, as well as, receive a nomination in order to be considered for appointment to the academies. It is best to apply for nominations at least one year prior to the desired date of entry. The nomination and admission process is fully explained in each academy catalog and web page, as well as, in my nomination application packet.
Acceptance to a service academy requires a nomination from an official source: one of the applicant’s U.S. Senators, U.S. Representative, or the Vice President of the United States. Children of career and/or retired military personnel may also seek a nomination through the Office of the President of the United States. Applicants should pursue all of these avenues to increase their chances of securing a nomination.
Please be sure to contact the service academy of your preference directly to establish a pre-candidate file. Candidates are evaluated for admission on the basis of academic performance (high school record and SAT or ACT scores), demonstrated leadership potential, physical aptitude, and medical qualification. Each service academy will be able to answer specific questions and schedule individual medical examinations. Due to the rigorous physical program at the academies, all candidates must meet their specific medical and physical requirements. (Such examinations are separate from my nomination process and are required prior to receiving an appointment to a service academy.) Ultimate selection of appointees rests solely with academy officials and is based on their competitive evaluation of all nominees.
To obtain catalogs and other specific information on the academies, contact them directly at:
- U.S. Air Force Academy http://www.usafa.af.mil
Admissions Office Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840-5651 (800) 443-9266
- U.S. Military Academy (Army) http://www.usma.edu
Admissions Office 606 Thayer Road West Point, New York 10996-1797 (800) 822-2769
- U.S. Naval Academy http://www.usna.edu USNA Admissions 117 Decatur Road Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5018 (800) 822-2769
- U.S. Merchant Marine Academy http://www.usmma.edu
Admissions Office Kings Point, New York 11024-1699 (800) 732-6267
For admission to the United States Coast Guard Academy (USCGA), congressional nominations are no longer required or submitted. Therefore, if you are interested in attending the USCGA, contact them directly:
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Admissions Office New London, CT 06320-4195 (203) 444-8501
In April of an applicant's junior year in high school, the student should request in writing a nomination application packet from my District Office. Please write to me at:
Honorable Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D.
800 Lafayette St.
Suite 1400
Lafayette, LA 70501
Applicants must be:
- U.S. Citizens
- Legal Residents of the 7th Congressional District of Louisiana
- At least 17 years of age, but not yet 23 years of age by July 1 of the year of admission
- Unmarried with no dependents
By law, graduates of the service academies are appointed to active duty as commissioned officers and serve in the appropriate branch of the military for a minimum of five years.
Internship Program
To apply for an internship, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-2031. Applicants will be required to submit the following:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Available dates of internship
DEADLINES
Summer 2006 - Deadline: March 1, 2006
Fall 2006 - Deadline: June 24, 2006
Spring 2007 - Deadline: October 28, 2006
Artistic Discovery Competition
"Artistic Discovery" is the annual nationwide Congressional High School Art Competition initiated by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Each Congressional District hosts its own competition, and since the competition was first launched in 1982, over 5000 local contests have been conducted.
In the spring of each year, the Seventh District Congressional Art Competition is open to home school, public and private high school students residing in the 7th District. First prize in the competition is the display of the winning student's artwork in the United States Capitol complex for an entire year. Thousands of people visiting the nation's capitol, as well as Members of Congress and their staffs, are able to walk through the display area, viewing artwork from Congressional districts throughout the country—each piece highlighted with the name of the work and student artist.
The first place winner and one guest are invited to the nation's capital in the summer to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony and gala reception opening that year's "Artistic Discovery" exhibition and honoring the winning artists from all over the country. They will be able to view their artwork, as it will be displayed for the upcoming year. The cost of the attending the ceremony is the responsibility of the competition winner.
If you have any questions regarding the art competition, please contact the Lafayette District Office at (337) 235-6322.
Flag Requests
If you live in the 7th Congressional District my office can assist you in obtaining an American flag that has flown over the United States Capitol. Each flag comes with a special certificate that includes the date it was flown over the Capitol and the occasion for which the flag was flown.
Print out and send
MY FLAG REQUEST FORM along with a check made out to "Charles Boustany's Office Supply Account" to my Washington, DC office.
Honorable Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D.
Attn: Patrick Large
1117 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Please allow six to eight weeks for the flag to be flown and delivered.
