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WASHINGTON — Last week, while Rep. Blake Moore was in Washington, D.C., fulfilling his congressional obligations, his wife Jane called him from Utah, complaining about a leak, so they had to ask a plumber to come in.
"The most productive people in our communities are the plumbers and electricians," he told the Deseret News over the phone Wednesday afternoon. "But there are times when you have to call a congressman, and it's not just to complain or praise. ... it is for actual constituent services."
Moore's office landed as a finalist for the Democracy Awards' constituent service category, and some of the numbers he's racked up explain why.
In 2023, his office held 11 town halls — they've already had five this year — 4,480 constituent and stakeholder meetings and nine mobile office hours.
They also sent 45 weekly e-newsletters and completed 11,283 casework cases by using a 24-page manual that is an essential part of their procedure. It includes everything, from step-by-step instructions for how to work through a case to working on a passport-related issue, according to a spokesperson from his office.
A congressional office has direct connections to federal agencies that are responsible for Social Security, Medicare and even passports. When people run into snags as they deal with the government, they should call their congressman, Moore said, adding that tax season is when many constituents need help.
"My team is amazing," said Moore, the vice chairman of the Republican Conference who represents Utah's 1st District. "A lot of this falls on their shoulders." He recalled a town hall from a while ago when, amid talk of policy, an attendee stood up, disagreements aside, and praised Moore's team for fixing an IRS-related issue within a few weeks.
During the first six months of Moore's first term in office, a Cache County resident, employed by the federal government, faced some obstacles with his retirement plan to stop working within two or three years. Moore's office helped him retire on time.
The most productive people in our communities are the plumbers and electricians. But there are times when you have to call a congressman, and it's not just to complain or praise... it is for actual constituent services.
–Rep. Blake Moore
The congressman describes it as "one of the coolest experiences that I've been able to be a part of," adding, "We really changed this person's entire life ... he gets to value the work that he did as opposed to having a completely bitter experience towards the end." For him, alleviating these types of burdens is "the most gratifying part of his job."
Other representatives in the running for this award include Reps. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., Susie Lee, D-Nev., and Lucy McBath, D-Ga.
Burgess Owens looks back on NFL days for inspiration on leadership
Another Utah lawmaker, Rep. Burgess Owens, is a finalist for the "Life in Congress" workplace environment award. Last year, Rep. John Curtis, a Republican who represents Utah's 3rd District, won the award for constituent accountability and accessibility.
"It's written on our flag, it's embedded in the beehive that we care about cohesiveness and positive work culture," said Owens.
Owens, who represents Utah's 4th District, said he wasn't surprised two Utah congressmen are finalists this time around. He didn't know about the award until Curtis won, but once his office knew, "it was game on," Owens said.
And next year, "Believe me, Celeste (Maloy) is going to be in the mix because when she puts her boots on the ground and realizes this is something she can do, that competitive nature kicks in," he joked. Whether it's innovation or happiness, Utah ranks on top, Owens said, adding, "People almost feel like it's weird to come here (to Utah) and see so many happy people. But this is indicative of who we are."
He is up against Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and Seth Moulton, D-Mass., and Sen. Tammy Duckworth, R-Ill., for the award.
One of the things Owens has done since his first term in office is take his staffers on retreats. The Utah employees have gone on a tour of Washington, D.C., and Capitol Hill staffers have enjoyed the views of the Wasatch front. Owens enjoys tagging along, experiencing the touristy sights, while members of his staff take on tour guide duties.
He recalled that during his time playing in the NFL for the Raiders and the New York Jets for 10 seasons, he experienced what it was like to win — and lose. "I remember getting very depressed about that," he said. But he learned an important lesson during those hard times: "We cannot control the scoreboard but we can control the hustle," Owens said, adding that building this positive culture takes time.
A big reason why his team won the Super Bowl in 1984, he said, was because they put the larger goal ahead of everything else, went out to the field, had "a good time, and today, we call each other brothers."
"Decades later, we all get together, there's something we experienced together that was so unique that we'll never forget it," Owens said. "So, the goal here is to do the same thing." A few years ago, he read a book called "The Five Love Languages," and realized his was service, which is now a big part of the work-culture at his office, Owens said.
His team knows the legacy they want to leave behind. "It is not going to be the NFL period I went through, it is not going to be Congress, it's going to be what we did to disrupt the education system that has not worked for so many kids," Owens said.
Winners of the Democracy Awards will be announced in July.
