Boren’s Offices Available to Assist Constituents with State, Federal Agencies

Caseworkers in the district offices of U.S. Congressman Dan Boren are available to help constituents in Oklahoma's Second Congressional District in dealing with state and federal agencies as communities begin to recover from this past weekend's winter storms.

"This is one of the worst ice storms Eastern Oklahoma has ever seen," Boren said. "I want to make sure everyone affected is getting the assistance they need."

The first round of federal assistance requested by Gov. Brad Henry - to provide emergency resources such as generators, bottled water and funding for shelters - was approved by President Bush on Sunday. As additional requests are made by the state for debris removal and assistance to individuals, Boren stands ready to work for speedy approval from the White House.

"I want to make sure we don't see the same delays we saw with past requests for assistance during the wildfires," Boren said. "The red tape of the federal bureaucracy can be overwhelming, but Oklahomans who don't have power or running water don't have time to wait."

Second District residents who need help seeking state or federal assistance are encouraged to contact one of Boren's district offices:
Muskogee: 918-687-2533
McAlester: 918-423-5951
Claremore: 918-341-9336

Boren left Washington on Wednesday morning to return home to assess storm damage in McAlester and across Eastern Oklahoma with Gov. Henry. Boren's trip was interrupted when weather conditions between Dallas and Tulsa cancelled the last leg of flight into Oklahoma and forced his return to Washington.

"There is a lot of confusion over what assistance is and will be available and how to go about getting it," Boren said. "I want to make the process as easy as possible."