[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 188 (Thursday, November 29, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9720-H9722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
21ST CENTURY INTEGRATED DIGITAL EXPERIENCE ACT
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5759) to improve executive agency digital services, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5759
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act'' or the ``21st Century IDEA''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget.
(2) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has
the meaning given the term ``Executive agency'' in section
105 of title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 3. WEBSITE MODERNIZATION.
(a) Requirements for New Websites and Digital Services.--
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this
Act, an executive agency that creates a website or digital
service that is intended for use by the public, or conducts a
redesign of an existing legacy website or digital service
that is intended for use by the public, shall ensure to the
greatest extent practicable that any new or redesigned
website, web-based form, web-based application, or digital
service--
(1) is accessible to individuals with disabilities in
accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(29 U.S.C. 794d);
(2) has a consistent appearance;
(3) does not overlap with or duplicate any legacy websites
and, if applicable, ensure that legacy websites are regularly
reviewed, eliminated, and consolidated;
(4) contains a search function that allows users to easily
search content intended for public use;
(5) is provided through an industry standard secure
connection;
(6) is designed around user needs with data-driven analysis
influencing management and development decisions, using
qualitative and quantitative data to determine user goals,
needs, and behaviors, and continually test the website, web-
based form, web-based application, or digital service to
ensure that user needs are addressed;
(7) provides users of the new or redesigned website, web-
based form, web-based application, or digital service with
the option for a more customized digital experience that
allows users to complete digital transactions in an efficient
and accurate manner; and
(8) is fully functional and usable on common mobile
devices.
(b) Requirements for Existing Executive Agency Websites and
Digital Services.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the head of each executive agency that
maintains a website or digital service that is made available
to the public shall--
(1) review each website or digital service; and
(2) submit to Congress a report that includes--
(A) a list of the websites and digital services maintained
by the executive agency that are most viewed or utilized by
the public or are otherwise important for public engagement;
(B) from among the websites and digital services listed
under subparagraph (A), a prioritization of websites and
digital services that require modernization to meet the
requirements under subsection (a); and
(C) an estimation of the cost and schedule of modernizing
the websites and digital services prioritized under
subparagraph (B).
(c) Internal Digital Services.--The head of each executive
agency shall ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that
any Intranet established after the date of enactment of this
Act conforms to the requirements described in subsection (a).
(d) Public Reporting.--Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act and every year thereafter for 4
years, the head of each executive agency shall--
(1) report annually to the Director on the progress of the
executive agency in implementing the requirements described
in this section for the previous year; and
(2) include the information described in paragraph (1) in a
publicly available report that is required under another
provision of law.
(e) Compliance With United States Website Standards.--Any
website of an executive agency that is made available to the
public after the date of enactment of this Act shall be in
compliance with the website standards of the Technology
Transformation Services of the General Services
Administration.
SEC. 4. DIGITIZATION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND FORMS.
(a) Non-digital Services.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall issue
guidance to the head of each executive agency that
establishes a process for the executive agency to--
(1) identify public non-digital, paper-based, or in-person
Government services; and
(2) include in the budget request of the executive agency--
(A) a list of non-digital services with the greatest impact
that could be made available to the public through an online,
mobile-friendly, digital service option in a manner that
decreases cost, increases digital conversion rates, and
improves customer experience; and
(B) an estimation of the cost and schedule associated with
carrying out the modernization described in subparagraph (A).
(b) Services Required to Be Digital.--The head of each
executive agency shall regularly review public-facing
applications and services to ensure that those applications
and services are, to the greatest extent practicable, made
available to the public in a digital format.
(c) Forms Required to Be Digital.--Not later than 2 years
after the enactment of this Act, the head of each executive
agency shall ensure that any paper based form that is related
to serving the public is made available in a digital format
that meets the requirements described in section 3(a).
(d) Non-digitizable Processes.--If the head of an executive
agency cannot make available in a digital format under this
section an in-person Government service, form, or paper-based
process, the head of the executive agency shall document--
(1) the title of the in-person Government service, form, or
paper-based process;
(2) a description of the in-person Government service,
form, or paper-based process;
(3) each unit responsible for the in-person Government
service, form, or paper-based process and the location of
each unit in the organizational hierarchy of the executive
agency;
(4) any reasons why the in-person Government service, form,
or paper-based process cannot be made available under this
section; and
(5) any potential solutions that could allow the in-person
Government service, form, or paper-based process to be made
available under this section, including the implementation of
existing technologies, procedural changes, regulatory
changes, and legislative changes.
(e) Physical Availability.--Each executive agency shall
maintain an accessible method of completing digital services
through in-person, paper-based, or other means, such that
individuals without the ability to use digital services are
not deprived of or impeded in access to those digital
services.
SEC. 5. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the head of each executive agency shall submit to
the Director and the appropriate congressional committees a
plan to accelerate the use of electronic signatures standards
established under the Electronic Signatures in Global and
National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.).
SEC. 6. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND DIGITAL SERVICE DELIVERY.
The Chief Information Officer of each executive agency, or
a designee, shall--
(1) coordinate and ensure alignment of the internal and
external customer experience programs and strategy of the
executive agency;
(2) coordinate with the management leaders of the executive
agency, including the head of the executive agency, the Chief
Financial Officer, and any program manager, to ensure proper
funding to support the implementation of this Act;
(3) continually examine the digital service delivery
strategy of the executive agency to the public and submit
recommendations to the head of the executive agency providing
guidance and best practices suitable to the mission of the
executive agency;
(4) using qualitative and quantitative data obtained from
across the executive agency relating to the experience and
satisfaction of customers, identify areas of concern that
need improvement and improve the delivery of customer
service;
(5) coordinate and ensure, with the approval of the head of
the executive agency, compliance by the executive agency with
section 3559 of title 44, United States Code; and
(6) to the extent practicable, coordinate with other
agencies and seek to maintain as much standardization and
commonality with other agencies as practicable in
implementing the requirements of this Act, to best enable
future transitions to centralized shared services.
SEC. 7. STANDARDIZATION.
(a) Design and Implementation.--Each executive agency
shall, to the extent practicable, seek to maintain as much
standardization and commonality with other executive agencies
as practicable in implementing the requirements of this Act
to best enable future transitions to centralized shared
services.
(b) Coordination.--The Chief Information Officer of each
executive agency, or a designee,
[[Page H9721]]
shall coordinate the implementation of the requirements of
this Act, including the development of standards and
commonalities.
(c) Federal Supply Schedule.--
(1) In general.--The General Services Administration shall
make available under a Federal Supply Schedule the systems
and services necessary to fulfill the requirements of this
Act.
(2) Requirements.--The Federal Supply Schedule described in
paragraph (1) shall, to the extent practicable, ensure
interoperability between executive agencies, compliance with
industry standards, and adherence to best practices for
design, accessibility, and information security.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B.
Maloney) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5759 introduced by
Congressman Khanna of California.
The U.S. Federal Customer Experience Index measures citizen
interactions with the Federal Government. The 2018 index gave Federal
agencies failing scores. Citizens deserve and expect better from their
government.
H.R. 5759, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, or
21st Century IDEA, requires agencies to modernize their websites and
digital services. 21st Century IDEA takes a systematic approach to
modernizing websites, services, and forms, so as not to unduly burden
agencies.
New and redesigned agency websites will have to meet modernization
requirements, such as being searchable, customizable, and secure.
{time} 1745
Meanwhile, each agency will survey and create a plan for updating its
existing websites and digital services, prioritizing those that are
used most by the public. Agencies will also digitize forms so that
electronic signatures may be used. All these modernization efforts will
improve our constituents' experiences when interacting with Federal
agencies.
The bill is supported by the Information Technology Industry Council;
The Software Alliance; Adobe; Information Technology and Innovation
Foundation; Software & Information Industry Association; ServiceNow;
CompTIA; and Microsoft.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Khanna and Congressman Ratcliffe for
introducing this important piece of legislation, and to all of the
cosponsors on the committee.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act, and I thank my friend and colleague,
Representative Ro Khanna, for his bipartisan work on this important
bill.
This bill will require agencies to modernize their public-facing
websites and increase the types of services and forms available to the
public in a digital format.
Improving the capabilities of agency websites available to the public
is essential to ensuring that the Federal Government continues to meet
the demands of today's citizens. This bill would help to achieve that
goal by requiring agencies to make long overdue improvements to the
websites and digital services they provide for the public's benefit.
For example, the bill would require that any new or redesigned
website be accessible to people with disabilities, offer search
functions to allow users to more easily find specific content, and use
data-driven analysis to ensure that users' needs are being adequately
addressed.
This bill also would mandate that within 2 years of enactment,
agencies provide the public with the option of completing any
transactions by means of an online, mobile-friendly, digital format. In
other words, on their phones.
Finally, the bill would require agencies to submit to both the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform a report on the progress being made in
implementing the bill's requirements.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from the great State
of California (Mr. Khanna).
Mr. KHANNA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the IDEA Act that
Representative John Ratcliffe and I introduced.
The idea behind this act is very simple. I represent Silicon Valley.
Companies in the private sector in Silicon Valley have very
sophisticated websites that make it really easy for consumers to use
those websites. There is no reason that the United States Government
shouldn't have websites that are as user friendly and easy to use. This
bill will require our agencies to be as user friendly to citizens as
the private sector is for consumers.
This bill would never have taken place if it wasn't for bipartisan
leadership. I want to particularly recognize Chairman Will Hurd, who
not only helped with this, but gave me advice on how to draft the bill,
and, of course, Ranking Member Robin Kelly. I also want to recognize
John Ratcliffe for his extraordinary work; Senator Rob Portman, who has
moved this in the Senate; and Matt Lira at the White House Office of
American Innovation, who has been instrumental in this. It shows that
the Congress can work to bring modern technology into government.
Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my
colleagues and Members to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. RATCLIFFE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5759: the
21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act--also known as the
``21st Century IDEA.''
Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank my colleague, Representative Ro
Khanna, for his leadership on this important legislation
This bill is bipartisan. Because if there's one thing we can and
should agree on--it's the federal government's duty and obligation to
serving the American people as best we can.
It's been a privilege to co-lead on this effort to help make sure we
do a better job.
We all know that there's a lot of room for improvement when it comes
to meeting the needs of the constituents we were sent here to serve.
But the 21st Century IDEA homes in on a particular area where our
federal government lags staggeringly behind: digital modernization and
technology.
Why's this such a big issue? Because it's hurting our ability to
ensure folks get timely and efficient help from agencies like the IRS
or VA.
And even though the technology we need to mitigate this problem is
already available-we aren't using it. But as times change, and as
citizens' needs transform, it's our job to ensure we evolve the
services we provide.
In today's world, this means ensuring that when citizens engage with
the government, that interaction mirrors other modern, cost-effective
experiences in their everyday lives.
With everything from hailing a cab, buying groceries, or ordering a
pizza, we've shifted away from phone calls, walk-ins, or pickups,
toward online orders and mobile apps that save us time and, often,
money.
The same is true when it comes to federal agencies: Digitization
increases the quality of service, promotes efficiency, and improves
cost-effectiveness. In fact, recent data from the IRS shows that it
costs an agency about $42 to help a customer on the telephone, and
about $54 to respond to letters sent through the mail.
The same assistance costs only 22 cents when conducted online.
The 21st Century IDEA takes steps to catapult our federal government
into the 21st Century by requiring specific efficiency-boosting and
cost-saving improvements to government websites and digital services.
These improvements include, for example, ensuring that consumers can
connect to government sites through a secure connection, that sites
offer search functions, that sites provide consumers a personalization
option, and that sites consolidate redundant material
[[Page H9722]]
These changes will be overseen by a responsible agency official to
ensure compliance.
On top of this, agencies will be required to make paper-based forms
available digitally within one year, to provide a digital option as an
alternative to in-person government services within two years, to
submit a plan to increase the use of electronic signatures on contracts
and related documents within 180 days, and to modernize their public-
facing websites within one year.
Consumers will no longer be required to print and fill out forms that
must then be either faxed or mailed in.
These digital improvements will drastically improve the way our
federal agencies provide critical services to folks all across the
country, including people with disabilities or those who live in rural
areas with limited access to traditional, in-person assistance services
all while saving countless taxpayer dollars.
I cannot stress it enough that the federal government is supposed to
work for the American people. And we owe it to them to do a better job.
The tools we need to restore the United States' global leadership in
technology and digital government are already at our fingertips. Now
it's time to act.
I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 5759: the 21st Century
Integrated Digital Experience Act.
Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support H.R. 5759,
the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act of 2018. This
bipartisan legislation, which was reported out of the House Oversight
and Government Reform Committee by voice vote, seeks to modernize and
improve the delivery of citizen facing and internal digital services by
government agencies.
This legislation builds on the Connected Government Act that I
authored and which was signed into law last year. Like the Connected
Government Act, the 21st Century IDEA requires federal agency websites
to be mobile friendly and secure by providing citizens with an improved
customer experience. The bill requires agencies to upgrade their online
experiences, provide a digital, mobile friendly option for any paper-
based form, requires a plan for the expanded use of electronic
signatures, and establishes federal agency chief information officers
as the responsible officials inside the federal government for carrying
out these requirements. All critical factors in improving customer
experience.
American citizens deserve and expect a modern, cost effective digital
experience when interacting with the federal government. Recent data
from the IRS shows that in-person or live assistance calls to the
agency cost taxpayers between $40 and $60 on average, while digital
transactions cost only $0.22 on average. A recent 2017 Forrester
Research study on Federal Customer Experience Index also found that,
``federal websites and mobile apps still offer experiences that are
worse than those provided by nondigital channels like physical
locations and call centers.'' The need for enhanced citizen-facing
digital service delivery is clear and will dramatically drive down the
cost of government operations and improve customer experience.
Restoring the United States Government's global leadership in
technology and digital government requires a new approach. To that end,
H.R. 5759 is needed to modernize federal agency websites, support the
increased use of mobile devices, transition away from paper-based forms
and in-person transactions and bring the U.S. government into the 21st
Century.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5759, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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