[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                     THE FEDERAL AGENCY ACCESS ACT

                                 ______


                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 1994

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing legislation today that 
would help all Americans by making our Federal agencies more accessible 
and thus more responsive to the people.
  This legislation would require all Federal agencies to list a 
telephone number on their stationery.
  It is my intent to have each Federal agency place on its stationery a 
local or regional telephone number. For example, any local or regional 
offices with over 50 employees could place a telephone number on their 
stationery so that people living in these respective areas of the 
country could contact the Federal agency with any concerns or questions 
they might have.
  I know that there are many well intentioned Federal employees within 
our Government. However, I also believe that our Federal Government has 
gotten so big, and so cumbersome, that it has lost touch with the very 
people it is supposed to serve.
  I had hoped that Federal agencies would take this upon themselves and 
become more available to the hard-working taxpayers who pay their 
salaries. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
  The bureaucracy and the Congress are adding over 60,000 pages of fine 
print to the Federal Register each year. This is on top of millions of 
laws, rules, and regulations we have already at the Federal, State, and 
local levels. Many small businessmen and businesswomen cannot keep up 
with all of these requirements and they are having a difficult time 
getting timely and responsive assistance from our enormous bureaucracy.
  Social Security recipients, students, veterans, and many others 
cannot even contact the Federal bureaucrats who are supposed to be 
helping solve the problems that many Americans are having with their 
Federal Government.
  Federal employees should be doing all they can to be more accessible 
and responsive to the people. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this 
legislation so that we can help provide all Americans with greater 
accessibility to their Federal Government.

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