WASHINGTON—Congresswoman Katie Porter (D-CA), Vice Chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, today introduced legislation that would strengthen how the federal government interacts with the American public. The Trust in Government Act, which is co-led by Rep. Gerry Connolly, Chair of the Subcommittee on Government Operations, details specific requirements for federal agencies to improve their services and mandates periodic reports to Congress on the progress being made.

“The American people deserve nothing less than top-notch service from their federal agencies,” said Porter. “A lack of accessibility and efficiency not only wastes taxpayer dollars and Americans’ time; it also erodes the people’s trust in our government. I’m proud to work on legislation that will hold government accountable to deliver high-quality service and support.”

“The federal government is only as good as the quality of services it provides to the American people,” said Connolly. “That’s why it’s absolutely imperative that the public interacts with a modern, accessible, and customer-focused government. That was the goal President Biden set in his Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery, and that is the goal we seek to achieve with the Trust in Government Act of 2022. I thank Vice Chair Katie Porter for her relentless efforts to make government work for the American people, and I look forward to our continued partnership on this critical issue.”

The Trust in Government Act outlines steps for federal agencies to improve their interactions with the public. These include:

• 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.

Congresswoman Porter has been a consistent advocate for making government work better for the American people. She introduced legislation to hold TSA accountable and make it easier for parents to safely travel with breast milk. She has pushed to clear the IRS’ backlog of millions of tax returns and urged her colleagues to fully fund the agency so more Americans get their money back. Porter has also written a bill to expose Congressmembers who misuse official funds for travel.

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