When I saw the messages revealing the increase of $20 each for copies
of soc sec application I became very concerned.
See the following site for information:
http://www.ssa.gov/foia/foia_guide.htm
The increased fees table is under the heading:
Fees And Payments
Not many years ago, genealogy was a luxury which only the wealthy
could pursue. Most of us were not able to financially afford the
process of locating our families and ancestors.
Now, just when this treasure is within our hands, it is slipping out
of our grasp. This is especially true for those of us on fixed
incomes. Our time had finally come and now sadly it is gone again.
To protest this insult to our pocketbooks, I am writing letters to my
representatives in Congress. I looked up the following website to get
the email addresses of the US Congress. Be sure to give your name &
info as requested. ( The email addresses for my representatives work
in spite of the caveat on the web page. )
See this webpage to locate YOUR representatives in Congress
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
I will be emailing the following message. I invite you to either copy
my message, using your signature, or send in your own:
Dear Sirs:
I STRONGLY protest the increase in cost for requesting copies of
social security applications. The sudden increase from $7.00 to
$20.00 is inequitable. This appears to me to be a deliberate
attempt by the government to create a chilling effect on those of us
pursuing the research of our families.
This increase in price appears to be a way for the government
to cut down on the number of requests they receive for application
copies.
Instead of fufilling the needs of taxpayers the government seems to be
trying to eliminate their duty to assist us by making the cost of our
requests prohibitive.
As my representative in Washington, I am requesting that you try to
stop this increase of costs for requesting copies of social security
applications as soon as possible.
Yours truly,
Mary L Strovink Daukas
strovink(a)frazmtn.com
MA: Knowah,Barker,Cloues,Lewis,Low,Norwell,Wellman,Strovink, Fitzgerald, Scannell, Fram
NH: Chapman,Hobart,Simonds,Southmead,Wescott
LT: von Vagner,Wagner,Dagys,Oleinik,Jakovenskaite,Drevinskas