OP-ED: A year of results: Serving Pennsylvania’s 14th District
Saturday marked a meaningful anniversary for one Pennsylvania family. A year ago, Bryan Hagerich was finally released from wrongful detainment in Turks and Caicos and reunited with his loved ones. Bryan was among several Americans targeted by the Turks government after accidentally having hunting ammunition in his luggage.
Working alongside a bipartisan group of my congressional colleagues, we intervened to bring Bryan and other Americans home. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration’s State Department was incompetent at best and refused to assist in our efforts. Despite these obstacles, Bryan was reunited with his wife and children after his harrowing experience.
More recently, I worked with President Donald J. Trump to bring Pennsylvania native Marc Fogel home from a Russian prison. After persistent efforts urging the State Department to act, President Trump secured his release within just three weeks in office. Welcoming Marc back on American soil alongside the president at the White House was a profound moment that reinforced why this work matters.
Serving the people of Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District is both my highest honor and greatest responsibility. While these high-profile successes made headlines, my office’s local day-to-day work has also made meaningful impacts for Pennsylvanians.
Over the past year, my office and I have been proud to complete over 2,000 cases, returning nearly $11 million in benefits and payments back to district residents. We resolved critical issues including delayed veterans’ benefits, Medicaid challenges, and Social Security problems. I am thankful to be able to resolve these problems and stand up for our community.
Here in the nation’s Capitol, I’ve also been working tirelessly to secure concrete results — enacting President Trump’s America First agenda and passing meaningful legislation for our commonwealth. This includes the newly passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act which keeps President Trump’s prosperous tax cuts, increases paychecks, protects our nation with the largest border security investment in history, and delivers on the president’s promise of no taxes on tips. Pennsylvanians gave President Trump a mandate at the ballot box, and House Republicans are delivering on it in Congress.
I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished and look forward to all I can do in the future for our district. My staff and I stand ready to assist with a wide range of federal issues, including veterans’ benefits, Social Security and Medicare, federal grant opportunities, passport and visa services, and IRS concerns. My offices in Washington and Westmoreland counties are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and we host monthly mobile office hours throughout Greene, Fayette, Somerset, and Indiana counties to bring services closer to you. Please visit my website for locations and times. Should you request an in-person meeting with one of our caseworkers, please call 724-206-4800 to set up an appointment.
Whether it’s bringing Pennsylvanians home from abroad, ensuring veterans receive their hard-earned benefits, or helping navigate federal bureaucracy, I am honored to be your voice in Washington.
Do not hesitate to stop by my office or give us a call. We’re always listening – ready to help every step of the way.
Guy Reschenthaler represents Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves as Chief Deputy Whip in the 119th Congress.