Press Releases

Rep. Loudermilk issued the following statement on the Government Customer Service Accountability and Improvement Act (H.R. 5402), a bill he and Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-VA) introduced:

“Whether at a restaurant, a grocery store, or a bank, Americans expect courtesy and prompt service when engaging in commerce. When businesses do not provide these basic courtesies, they don’t last long. Unfortunately, Americans rarely experience great customer service when dealing with federal government agencies. In fact, the federal government ranks among the bottom of all industries in the United States in this category.

“Government agencies seem to have forgotten that it’s the American taxpayers who pay their salaries, and they exist to serve the people. That is why I teamed up with my colleague, Rep. Gerald Connolly, to introduce the Government Customer Service Accountability and Improvement Act. This bi-partisan bill includes the creation of customer experience standards and performance plans for federal agencies. It is time we modernize, and guarantee the American people the courteous and timely service experience they deserve.”

Summary of H.R. 5402:

• Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to select agencies to develop customer experience standards and performance plans.
• Requires these standards and plans to be included in the agencies’ annual “Agency Performance Plans,” submitted to OMB; and must be published on the agency’s website.
• Establishes a pilot program by which OMB will partner with agencies that fail to meet their customer experience standards and performance plans.
• OMB is to submit annual reports on the effects of the pilot program to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.
• Implementation of this legislation shall take effect within three months of enactment.