[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 79 (Monday, June 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5417-S5420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FAIRCLOTH (for himself, Mr. Hagel, Mr. Shelby, and Mr. 
        Hutchinson):
  S. 855. A bill to provide for greater responsiveness by Federal 
agencies in contracts with the public, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Governmental Affairs.


                     the Responsive Government Act

  Mr. FAIRCLOTH. Mr. President, I rise to introduce the Responsive 
Government Act, and I am joined by the junior Senator from Nebraska, 
the senior Senator from Alabama, and the junior Senator from Arkansas.
  The Responsive Government Act proposes six simple, but important, 
reforms to make the Federal work force more responsive to the American 
people and their concerns.
  First, the Responsive Government Act will require all Federal 
agencies to include the telephone number of the writer on all official 
correspondence.
  Too often, people receive letters from Federal agencies that have a 
return address, but no telephone number. In today's busy world, not 
everyone has time to write a letter to respond to the reams of mail 
from Federal bureaucrats.
  Mr. President, there are few businesses that would send out a letter 
without a telephone number, and the Government should not be 
unaccountable to its customers.

[[Page S5420]]

  The act also requires Federal offices to provide a person--not an 
automated computer system--to answer the main telephone number at 
service-oriented offices.
  The Federal Government is here to serve the taxpayers. These Federal 
agencies should not greet taxpayers with a voice-mail system to screen 
their calls.
  Mr. President, the taxpayers are entitled to a voice on the other end 
of the line to assist them, not a machine that tells them to leave a 
message.
  The Responsive Government Act also requires Federal agencies to 
answer the telephones until 5 p.m. Too often, Mr. President, I hear 
constituents tell me that they just can't get Federal agencies to pick 
up the phone after 4. This just is not right. The Federal Government is 
too large, and, unfortunately, that means that citizens are forced into 
frequent contacts with Federal agencies. It should not be impossible to 
get in touch with Federal employees.
  It should be as easy to get in touch with them as with businesses. 
The Act also requires Federal agencies to publish their principal 
telephone numbers in the local directories.
  Of course, the blue pages list many Federal agencies, but not all of 
them. This is an important distinction. We need complete disclosure, 
Mr. President, and all agencies need to publish their numbers for the 
benefit of the public.
  These agencies also need to attempt to locate service-oriented 
offices in areas with sufficient parking.
  Too often, new agency offices are located in areas with limited 
public parking. There is often room for employee parking, but not for 
the public, and that cannot continue.
  Finally, Mr. President, the Responsive Government Act requires all 
Federal agencies to remove computer games from all Federal Government 
computers.
  These computers are for work, not fun, and the taxpayers are footing 
the bill for fun on the job.
  The Federal Government spent close to $20 billion last year on 
computer equipment and support services. These systems increase 
productivity in most cases.
  However, many of these computers are delivered already equipped with 
game programs, which reduce workers' efficiency and productivity.
  This legislation will prohibit the Federal Government from purchasing 
computers with preloaded game programs.
  These games, of course, decrease the productivity of Federal 
employees.
  In fact, a private-sector survey found that workers spent an average 
of 5.1 hours per week playing games and other non-job-related tasks on 
their computers. This translates into an annual $10 billion loss in 
productivity.
  Clearly, then, these games do not go unused.
  In fact, many of these games now come equipped with a boss key.
  This device lets the worker strike a single keystroke and transform 
the computer screen from the game to a false spreadsheet. The sole 
purpose of this device is to hide unproductive behavior from 
supervisors.
  Mr. President, there is no reason for the Federal Government to buy 
computers with programs designed to divert employees' attention from 
their jobs.
  This is a commonsense reform.
  Governor George Allen of Virginia and former Labor Secretary Robert 
Reich ordered workers to delete these game programs. I commend them for 
their actions.
  I ran for the Senate in 1992 because I wanted to bring some common 
sense--and private-sector experience--to Washington.
  I want to see a Federal Government that is responsive to the 
citizens. This bill addresses practices that would ruin private-sector 
businesses.
  There is no reason that Government should be less accountable to its 
customers.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the Responsive 
Government Act. I am proud to be the principal cosponsor of this 
legislation, and I commend my colleague from North Carolina, Senator 
Faircloth, for his leadership in introducing this bill.
  This bill would make Government agencies more responsive to the 
people who use their services. It is a narrow and targeted approach 
that addresses several of the most common complaints that Americans 
have about the service they receive from Government agencies.
  This bill would make the Federal Government more user-friendly by 
requiring all Federal agencies to:
  Include the telephone number of the author on all official 
correspondence so citizens know whom to contact and how to reach that 
person if there are questions;
  Provide a person, not an automated system, to answer the main 
telephone number at service-oriented Federal agencies so citizens do 
not have to talk to a machine;
  Ensure that telephones are answered until 5 p.m. so citizens can get 
assistance by phone during normal business hours;
  Publish principal telephone numbers in the local directories so 
citizens can readily find how to reach the agency;
  Attempt to locate service-oriented offices in areas with sufficient 
parking so citizens can come and go easily when doing business; and
  Remove computer games from all Federal Government computers so 
Federal employees are not distracted from their jobs.
  Mr. President, I ran for the U.S. Senate because I believe we need 
less Government. I also believe that we must make our Government better 
and more efficient. Federal agencies must always--always--be as user-
friendly as possible for our citizens. Government agencies must always 
treat taxpayers with courtesy and respect.
  This bill is a small but important step toward creating a service-
oriented climate in the Federal Government. Americans deserve no less.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
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