If you can vote, you can get help from Congress.

Every politician on Capitol Hill has a group of staffers who focus on constituent services — helping residents of their state or district with problems.

In all, more than 2,000 people work directly with constituents on the Hill.

Most Members receive thousands of requests each week and nearly all offices have a policy of responding to all constituent inquires. So if you reach out to your Members of Congress, they will likely respond.

Getting in touch is not as hard as you might think.

Most Member web pages list office phone numbers and e-mail addresses that make getting in touch a snap. Rep. Robert Brady (D-Penn.) has a "How Can I Help?" link that explains everything from how to order a U.S. flag flown over the capitol to tips on getting federal grants.

Members of Congress can also help you navigate the federal bureaucracy. Questions from the general public often get tied up with red tape, but when they're relayed by a Member of Congress they get top billing. Congress, after all, pays the bills.

Members are also a good resource when planning a visit to Washington, D.C. Not only can they secure a Capitol tour for you, but they can also arrange White House tours. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite's (R-Fl.) office even gives tips for the rest of your stay, including restaurant recommendations .

(For the record, she recommends Kinkead's Foggy Bottom, Old Ebbitt Grill , Ben's Chili Bowl and Kramerbooks .)

Here are a few things constituent services staff members typically handle:

- Working through immigration issues
- Negotiating adoption issues
- Getting veterans services
- Receiving Medicare or Medicaid
- Obtaining Social Security benefits
- Problems with the post office
- Assistance with foreclosure issues
- Recovering from identity theft
- Understanding consumer protection
- Securing international travel visas
- Organizing tours of the Capitol or the White House
- Requests for flags flown over the Capitol

Alison McSherry is the chief feature writer for Roll Call.