Lawmakers Introduce Trust in Government Act
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Lawmakers on the House Oversight and Reform Committee have introduced legislation with specific instructions for more than a dozen agencies to improve communication with constituents. Representatives Katie Porter (D-CA) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Chairman and Vice Chair of the Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Government Operations introduced the Trust in Government Act (H.R. 9233) alongside four other democrats.
The legislation includes specific directions for a few agencies to improve interactions with the public, including requiring:
The Department of State setting up an online passport renewal process;
The Department of Treasury expanding electronic tax filing and offering support via email;
The Department of Education creating a centralized loan repayment portal;
The Department of Homeland Security reducing passenger wait times at airports;
The Small Business Administration streamlining online disaster applications; and
The Social Security Administration developing a mobile-accessible, online process for applying or receiving benefits.
While many reforms are public facing, the legislation would also aim to improve operations for federal employees. Under the bill, the Department of Labor would have to write new rules allowing federal employees collecting workers compensation to participate in telehealth appointments. The bill also requires the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Education, and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to collaborate on streamlining the Public Service Loan Forgiveness process for eligible borrowers, including those who serve in the United States Armed Forces or as civil servants.
The legislation builds on an executive order President Biden signed in December 2021 mandating agencies take steps to improve government costumer service. According to a fact sheet on the order, the Order addresses 35 designated high impact service providers across the government for improvement. Under the Order, agencies were required to take steps toward modernizing programs, reducing administrative burdens, and piloting new online tools and technologies that can provide a simple, seamless, and secure customer experience.
If passed into law, the Trust in Government Act would give agencies six months to implement the changes and confirm compliance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). OMB would be tasked with monitoring progress and providing agencies assistance in the implementation process.
“The American people deserve nothing less than top-notch service from their federal agencies,” said Representative Porter in a release announcing the bill. “A lack of accessibility and efficiency not only wastes taxpayer dollars and Americans’ time; it also erodes the people’s trust in our government.”
With the current Congress coming to a close in a few weeks, GovExec’s Eric Katz predicts the legislation is “signaling the priorities for the potential new Democratic leaders of the House Oversight and Reform Committee in the next Congress.”
