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 [email protected]