RELEASE: Gottheimer Joins North Jersey Families Helped With Military Pension Back Pay, Health Insurance Coverage, IRS Refunds, and More

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Joins North Jersey Families Helped With Military Pension Back Pay, Health Insurance Coverage, IRS Refunds, and More Clawed Back More than $173 Million to Date; Solved a Total of 22,959 Cases to Date Nov 01, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer joins Jersey constituents. HACKENSACK, NJ — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined North Jersey constituents, including veterans, seniors, nurses, and local families, to discuss how his office helped them receive benefits and services they were owed from federal agencies and private companies. Their cases included military pension back pay, health insurance coverage, identity theft, immigration paperwork, and delayed IRS refunds. Gottheimer’s full remarks can be found here . “One of the most important parts of my job is being an advocate and a champion for the families I’m lucky to represent here in North Jersey. By fighting for our Fifth District families, we’ve helped thousands of residents who’ve been denied Social Security checks, unemployment benefits, VA benefits, critical health care, tax refunds, or crucial resources they need, often because of bureaucratic red tape,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) . “Whether it’s the IRS, an insurance company, or a federal agency that’s gotten it wrong, I’ll always fight for Jersey families across the Fifth District to get what they are owed and deserve. If you need help with any issues, including Medicare, Social Security, passports, VA benefits, and so much more, please reach out to me.” In the last five years alone, Gottheimer’s office has helped more than 780 veterans access their VA benefits and service medals; more than 1,834 Fifth District seniors access their earned Social Security checks and claw back over $2.6 million from the Social Security Administration; get more than 65 constituents back home from being trapped overseas, including some stranded in Israel after October 7; more than 4,500 constituents get their unemployment benefits; and claw back over $120 million owed to small businesses, non-profits, and constituents from the IRS. In total, Gottheimer’s office has clawed back more than $173 million to date for constituents through its casework team. Just among the cases highlighted today, the office helped get back more than $171,000 for Fifth District families. Gottheimer joined Fifth District residents today: Tom Gallagher of Mahwah: Tom’s brother, Retired Air Force Major John P. Gallagher, served in the U.S. Air Force for over 20 years and now lives in an assisted living facility after being diagnosed with early dementia. Tom holds power of attorney and looks out for him. For five months, Retired Major John’s pension was not being deposited because his bank account had been closed due to fraudulent and unauthorized withdrawals. Tom reached out to Gottheimer’s office for help working with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), and Gottheimer’s team got right to work and contacted DFAS. The next day, DFAS processed John’s forms and placed his pension account back in active pay status. Within a week, DFAS confirmed the issue was resolved and that his brother’s back pay had been issued. In less than two weeks, Tom confirmed that his brother’s owed pension had received the gross pay he earned after waiting for five months. Suzanne Jackson of Highland Lakes: Suzanne is a registered nurse who has spent more than 40 years caring for patients at Englewood Hospital. This past July, she reached out to Gottheimer’s office after UnitedHealthcare denied coverage for a prosthetic limb, initially deeming it not medically necessary. Although her doctor said she qualified for a K3 prosthetic with a microprocessor knee, UnitedHealthcare only approved a K2 prosthetic after her first appeal, which meant she could not continue working 12-hour shifts as a nurse. After months of fighting the decision, and being unable to reach anyone at UnitedHealthcare to escalate her appeal, Suzanne turned to Gottheimer. His team contacted UnitedHealthcare and asked them to take another look. Just a day later, UnitedHealthcare approved the K3 prosthetic with a microprocessor knee, and Suzanne is still on the job at Englewood Hospital. Joey Shimm of Tenafly, on behalf of his wife, Yoko: Yoko’s green card arrived with a typo, an extra initial in her name, and the replacement came back with the very same mistake. When Yoko’s 95-year-old mother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in Japan, Yoko needed a USCIS-approved travel document to get to her side, and the earliest appointment USCIS would offer was after her planned flight. Joey turned to Gottheimer’s office. His team immediately contacted the USCIS Newark Field Office Congressional Lead and secured an appointment for the very next day. Yoko received an ADIT stamp in her Japanese passport, which provides temporary proof of her lawful permanent resident status, and she traveled to Japan to be with her hospitalized mother. Gottheimer’