Congress members do more than just legislate.

Just ask one Manteca family that the Veterans Administration was trying to stick with a $1.3 million bill after the husband suffered at heart attack and died at a non-VA facility.

The VA — in repeated interactions with the family — contended it wasn’t a life threatening situation and he should have gone to one of their facilities instead.

And even if it was life threatening, the VA contended the necessary paperwork was never submitted within the required five days to have the VA cover emergency services rendered by another provider.

The family reached out to Assemblyman Heath Flora’s staff when the VA threatened to send the $1.3 million bill to collections.

Flora’s office then contacted Harder’s office.

Enter Katie Jaycox, coordinator of Congressman Josh Harder’s constituents services out of his Stockton office.

Jaycox spent hours working with VA officials to convince them dying of a heart attack constituted a life threatening situation.

When they finally agreed, the VA came back saying the necessary paperwork that needed to be filed within five days of the death was never filed therefore the medical care wasn’t covered.

Jaycox then spent countless hours with other staff members pouring through records the family had provided.

They came across proof that the necessary form had been submitted in time.

The VA — once they saw the evidence — capitulated.

They stopped the collection process.

Case closed.

It was one of 2,627 instances since the 118th Congress started on Jan. 3, 2023 that Harder’s staff has either secured funds constituents were due or helped them avoid paying the federal government money they did not owe.

Altogether, the running  total is now past $7.3 million.

“A lot of people don’t know that one of the services members of Congress provide is helping cut through the red tape,” Jaycox told Manteca Rotarians at a recent meeting.

She added that despite the political animosity that exists, it is common for elected officials of both parties to work with each other to help constituents such as Flora and Harder did.

Flora is Republican and Harder is a Democrat.

Harder’s Stockton office on March Lane assists with Social Security, immigrant, Veterans Affairs benefits, the IRS, emergency passport renewals, emergency disaster assistance as well as other concerns.

“My job is to fight for San Joaquin families.” Harder said in a release. “I’m thrilled we’ve helped over 12.000 neighbors cut through government red tape to get the help they need.”

On the fourth Monday of every month, Jaycox is at the Manteca Public Library from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for constituents to drop by with concerns or issues.

Jaycox and other staff members can also relay information people want Harder to have.

For information on other services as well as Stocktin office hours, go to Harder.House.Gov

Jaycox is a Manteca resident.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com