July 1, 2021

Dear John,

Throughout my time serving North Texas in Congress, I’ve made it my priority to make sure the federal government is accessible and accountable. As your Congressman, one of the most important and rewarding parts of my job is helping to get North Texans the money and quality of service they are owed as taxpayers.

I recently helped Laura from Richardson get the $2,500 tax refund she was owed from the IRS. After a year of delays and frustration, Laura reached out to my office for assistance. I called the IRS and inquired on Laura’s behalf. A couple of days later, Laura had her check in hand.

Our team can also assist with veterans issues. I was proud to contact the Department of Defense on behalf of U.S. Army Captain Elrie Freeman of Garland to help him retrieve the Purple Heart Medal that he earned during the Vietnam War.

Many folks have reached out to my office with questions about passports, as more of the population is now vaccinated against COVID-19. If you are planning to travel internationally, I urge you to make sure your passport is up to date, as the U.S. State Department is reporting routine processing times of 18 weeks due to backlogs, increased demand and mail delays. Even expedited requests are taking up to 12 weeks. It is recommended that you apply for a passport at least six months in advance of your travel plans. 

Visit the State Department’s website to track the status of your passport application, or for a variety of self-service tools including online renewals. 

If you are having trouble getting through to a federal agency, including the State Department, you can contact my Richardson office at 972-972-7949 or visit allred.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency to submit your issue. If you are planning to travel internationally, please be sure to check passport and COVID vaccine requirements for countries you plan to travel to. 

Sincerely,

Colin Allred
Member of Congress