[Senate Report 118-283]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 686
118th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 118-283
_______________________________________________________________________
GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY IMPROVEMENT ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
UNITED STATES SENATE
to accompany
H.R. 5887
TO AMEND CHAPTER 3 OF TITLE 5, UNITED
STATES CODE, TO IMPROVE GOVERNMENT SERVICE
DELIVERY, AND BUILD RELATED CAPACITY FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
December 9, 2024.--Ordered to be printed
_______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
59-010 WASHINGTON : 2025
COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
GARY C. PETERS, Michigan, Chairman
THOMAS R. CARPER, Delaware RAND PAUL, Kentucky
MAGGIE HASSAN, New Hampshire RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona JAMES LANKFORD, Oklahoma
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada MITT ROMNEY, Utah
JON OSSOFF, Georgia RICK SCOTT, Florida
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut JOSH HAWLEY, Missouri
LAPHONZA R. BUTLER, California ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas
David M. Weinberg, Staff Director
Alan S. Kahn, Chief Counsel
Lena C. Chang, Director of Governmental Affairs
Chelsea A. Davis, Senior Professional Staff Member
Carter A. Hirschhorn, Professional Staff Member
William E. Henderson III, Minority Staff Director
Christina N. Salazar, Minority Chief Counsel
Andrew J. Hopkins, Minority Counsel
Laura W. Kilbride, Chief Clerk
Calendar No. 686
118th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 118-283
======================================================================
GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY IMPROVEMENT ACT
_______
December 9, 2024.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Peters, from the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5887]
The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs, to which was referred the bill (H.R. 5887) to amend
chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, to improve Government
service delivery, and build related capacity for the Federal
Government, and for other purposes, having considered the same,
reports favorably thereon without amendment and recommends that
the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
II. Background and Need for the Legislation.......................... 2
III. Legislative History.............................................. 2
IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported............. 3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact.................................. 4
VI. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 4
I. Purpose and Summary
H.R. 5887, the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act,
aims to drive enhancements in government service delivery. The
Act establishes a designated ``Federal Government Service
Delivery Lead'' within the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), tasked with coordinating improvements in delivery of
government services. This official would execute this mission
by (1) implementing governmentwide policies related to
understanding the needs of an individuals, businesses, and
organizations that interact with agencies; (2) soliciting
feedback, assessing experience, and considering factors such as
efficiency and transparency; (3) working with agencies to
evaluate service delivery quality across government; (4)
encouraging adoption of commercial products and services; and
(5) coordinating with other OMB and agency stakeholders to
improve the delivery of services across government. The Act
also requires federal agencies to designate a senior official
as ``Lead Agency Service Delivery Official'' within one year of
enactment, responsible for improving government services to
better achieve the mission of the agency and maintain trust,
transparency, and accountability. Additionally, the Act
requires reporting and agency coordination aimed at improving
service delivery.
II. Background and Need for the Legislation
The federal government delivers a range of services that
impact the lives of every United States resident, from Social
Security and Medicare to veterans' benefits, national parks,
small business aid, passport processing, airport security, and
more. However, approval ratings for government services
consistently fall behind satisfaction ratings for specific
private-sector services, for reasons including bureaucracy and
outdated analog systems that struggle to meet 21st-century
expectations.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Public Satisfaction with Agency Services Recovers a Bit, Fedweek
(Feb. 6, 2023) (www.fedweek.com/federal-managers-daily-report/public-
satisfaction-with-agency-services-recovers-a-bit/); McKinsey & Company,
How US Government Leaders Can Deliver a Better Customer Experience
(June 9, 2023) (www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/
how-us-government-leaders-can-deliver-a-better-customer-experience);
National Academy of Public Administration and Center for
Intergovernmental Partnerships, Modernizing Public Benefits Delivery
(June 2023) (s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/napa-2021/CIP/Documents/
Modernizing-Public-Benefits-Delivery_-NAPA_-June-2023_-Final.pdf).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Government Service Delivery Improvement Act aims to
address Americans' frustration with federal services by
establishing leadership, encouraging higher standards, and
increasing accountability in how the federal government
delivers services to the public. This legislation would promote
a comprehensive focus on the high impact service providers--
agencies which have a large customer base or provide critical
services--and service delivery channels the American public
must navigate to access government services. The bill would
explicitly make agency heads accountable for service delivery,
including continuously improving services and building public
trust with the public. The bill also seeks to improve
interactions between federal agencies and the public by
requiring OMB to designate a senior official tasked with
coordinating improvements in service delivery across the
government. Through measures that require an increased agency
focus on government service delivery and public satisfaction,
the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act seeks to
improve efficiency, transparency, and trust in government
services, aligning them with public expectations.
The text of the legislation contains several minor citation
errors, including incorrect references to the 21st Century
Integrated Digital Experience Act and chapter 35 of title 44.
The committee will address these errors in future legislation.
III. Legislative History
Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) introduced H.R. 5887,
the Government Service Delivery Improvement Act, on October 3,
2023, with original cosponsors Representative William Timmons
(R-SC-4), Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL-19), and
Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11).
On May 21, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the
bill under suspension of the rules by voice vote. The bill was
referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs.
The Committee considered H.R. 5887 at a business meeting on
September 18, 2024. The bill was reported favorably by a roll
call vote of 11 yeas to 0 nays, with Senators Peters, Hassan,
Sinema, Rosen, Ossoff, Butler, Paul, Lankford, and Romney
voting in the affirmative. Senators Carper, Blumenthal,
Johnson, and Hawley voted yea by proxy, for the record only.
IV. Section-by-Section Analysis of the Bill, as Reported
Section 1. Short title
This section establishes the short title of the bill as the
``Government Service Delivery Improvement Act.''
Section 2. Federal Government Service Delivery
Subsection (a) amends Chapter 3 of title 5, United States
Code, by adding a new subchapter III titled ``Federal
Government Service Delivery.''
The subchapter contains the following sections:
Section 321. Definitions
This section defines the terms ``Agency,'' ``Director,''
``Government service delivery,'' ``Government service delivery
channel,'' and ``High impact service provider.''
Section 322. Findings
This section establishes the Federal Government Service
Delivery Lead within OMB. The Lead's duties include: (1)
facilitating and coordinating governmentwide efforts to improve
service delivery, particularly for high impact service
providers; (2) developing and overseeing implementation of
governmentwide service delivery standards, policies, and
guidelines; (3) collecting and reporting data on service
delivery through existing reporting mechanisms; (4) evaluating
service delivery quality, including establishing performance
metrics; (5) engaging with stakeholders to identify leading
practices in service design and delivery; (6) ensuring agency
service delivery initiatives are identified in congressional
budget justifications; (7) coordinating with OMB and agency
stakeholders on service delivery; and (8) collaborating to
ensure agency websites are consistent with the Act's objectives
and other applicable laws.
Section 323. Lead Agency Officials for Government Service Delivery
This section requires federal agency heads to be
responsible for their agency's service delivery. Agencies must
also designate a senior official as Lead Agency Service
Delivery Official within one year of enactment.
The Lead Agency Service Delivery Official's duties include:
(1) reporting directly to the agency head or deputy head; (2)
coordinating efforts to improve agency service delivery; (3)
submitting implementation plans for improving agency service
delivery; (4) coordinating data collection and reporting; (5)
facilitating collaboration within the agency and with other
agencies; (6) assisting with implementation of the 21st Century
Integrated Digital Experience Act; and (7) incorporating
service delivery requirements into agency plans.
Section 324. Rule of construction
This section clarifies that the subchapter does not
diminish the authority of agency Chief Information Officers for
information resources management.
Subsection (b) of Section 2 updates the table of sections
for Chapter 3 of title 5, United States Code, to include the
new subchapter.
Subsection (c) requires the Comptroller General to submit a
report within 2 years of enactment, assessing the
implementation and effectiveness of the new subchapter and
providing recommendations.
Subsection (d) requires the OMB Director and Federal
Government Service Delivery Lead to submit a report within 1
year of enactment, including an assessment of the
implementation and effectiveness of the new subchapter,
recommendations for further implementation, and a summary and
assessment of the usefulness of the metrics for evaluating
service delivery quality.
Subsection (e) specifies that no new funds are authorized
for implementing the Act, requiring agencies to use existing
funds.
Subsection (f): Defines ``agency'' as each agency listed in
section 3502 of title 44, and ``relevant congressional
committees'' as the House Committee on Oversight and
Accountability and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security
and Governmental Affairs.
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact
Pursuant to the requirements of paragraph 11(b) of rule
XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee has
considered the regulatory impact of this bill and determined
that the bill will have no regulatory impact within the meaning
of the rules. The Committee agrees with the Congressional
Budget Office's statement that the bill contains no
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs
on state, local, or tribal governments.
VI. Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in brackets, new matter is
printed in italic, and existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
TITLE V--GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES
* * * * * * *
PART I--THE AGENCIES GENERALLY
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER III--POWERS
* * * * * * *
Table of sections
SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS
* * *
SUBCHAPTER II--FEDERAL EVIDENCE BUILDING ACTIVITIES
* * *
SUBCHAPTER III--FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY
321. Definitions.
322. Federal Government service delivery.
323. Lead agency officials for Government service delivery.
324. Rule of construction.
* * * * * * *
Subchapter III--Federal Government Service Delivery
* * * * * * *
SEC. 321. DEFINITIONS.
In this subchapter:
(1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning
given that term in section 3502 of title 44.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
(3) Government service delivery.--The term
``Government service delivery'' means any action by an
agency related to providing a benefit or service to an
individual, business, or organization (such as a
grantee or State, local, or Tribal entity), including
any such action of a contractor or nonprofit
organization acting on behalf of the agency or
administering a federally-funded program.
(4) Government service delivery channel.--The term
``Government service delivery channel'' means the
format or medium of an interaction or transaction with
the Federal Government, including in-person, through
the mail, through a digital service, by telephone,
through a contact center, on a website, through
outreach and communication, and through collaboration
with a third party, or through other ways in which an
individual or entity significantly interacts with the
Federal Government.
(5) High impact service provider.--The term ``high
impact service provider'' means an agency program
identified by the Director due to the scale and impact
of the public-facing services of the program.
SEC. 322. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY.
(a) Federal Government Service Delivery Lead.--The Director
shall designate or appoint a senior official as the Federal
Government Service Delivery Lead within the Office of
Management and Budget whose primary responsibility is to
coordinate governmentwide efforts to improve Government service
delivery by agencies. The individual shall have the following
duties and authorities:
(1) Facilitate and coordinate governmentwide efforts
to improve Government service delivery provided by
agencies, particularly with respect to high impact
service providers.
(2) Carry out the duties and powers prescribed by the
Director.
(3) Serve as the lead, governmentwide official
responsible for supporting Government service delivery.
(4) Advise the Director concerning the improvement of
Government service delivery provided by agencies.
(5) In consultation with each lead agency service
delivery official and any other agency stakeholder as
appropriate, develop and oversee the implementation of
governmentwide Government service delivery standards,
policies, and guidelines for services and programs
provided by agencies, including standards, policies,
and guidelines to--
(A) understand the needs of an individual,
business, or organization interacting with an
agency;
(B) solicit and consider voluntary feedback
on the Government service delivery by the
agency;
(C) assess Government service delivery
processes;
(D) consider the factors of ease, efficiency,
transparency, accessibility, fairness, burden
(as defined in section 3502 of title 44), and
duration, including wait and processing times,
with respect to Government service delivery;
and
(E) encourage the adoption of commercial
products and services in accordance with
section 3307 of title 41.
(6) Collect and report qualitative and quantitative
information or data on Government service delivery
through existing re- porting mechanisms.
(7) Evaluate the quality of Government service
delivery, including through the establishment of
performance metrics developed using the standards,
policies, and guidelines developed pursuant to
paragraph (5) and the information or data collected and
reported pursuant to paragraph (6).
(8) Engage with stakeholders to identify leading
practices in service design and delivery that would
improve Government service delivery across and within
agencies.
(9) Ensure agency service delivery initiatives,
including those related to the 21st Century Integrated
Digital Experience Act (15 U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law
115-336), are identified in agency congressional budget
justifications.
(10) Coordinate with Office of Management and Budget
stakeholders, including the Administrator of the United
States Digital Service and the Administrator of the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and other
agency stakeholders, including the Administrator of
General Services and the Director of the Office of
Personnel Management, on Government service delivery.
(11) In collaboration with relevant agency officials
as appropriate, ensure that websites of agencies,
including those associated with high impact service
providers, are consistent with the objectives of this
subchapter, the 21st Century Integrated Digital
Experience Act, and any other applicable law.
SEC 323. LEAD AGENCY OFFICIALS FOR GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY.
(a) Responsibility for Government Service Delivery.--The
head of each agency shall be responsible for the Government
service delivery of the agency which shall, at a minimum,
include improving and enhancing Government services to better
achieve the mission of the agency and build and maintain trust,
transparency, and accountability.
(b) Lead Agency Service Delivery Officials.--Not later than
one year after the date of the enactment of this subchapter,
the head of each agency shall designate or appoint a senior
official of the agency (who may be the deputy head of the
agency) to implement this subchapter who shall have the
following duties and authorities:
(1) Report directly to the head or deputy head of the
agency.
(2) Possess sufficient operational authority to
effectuate implementation of Government service
delivery improvements within the agency, particularly
with respect to high impact service providers.
(3) Coordinate and execute, as appropriate, under the
direction of the head of the agency, and in
collaboration with relevant agency officials as
appropriate, efforts to improve and enhance the
Government service delivery and Government service
delivery channels of the agency.
(4) Submit to the Federal Government Service Delivery
Lead an implementation plan for improving agency
Government service delivery.
(5) Coordinate the collection and reporting of the
data and information required pursuant to section 322
and use such data and information to improve Government
service delivery.
(6) Facilitate collaboration among and between
offices, and components within the agency and with
other agencies as appropriate, in coordination with the
Federal Government Service Delivery Lead, to improve
and enhance Government service delivery.
(7) Assist with the implementation by the agency of
the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (15
U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law 115-336).
(8) Assist in the incorporation of the Government
service delivery requirements established under this
subchapter in agency plans (such as strategic plans or
annual performance plans).
SEC 324. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.
Nothing in this subchapter may be construed to diminish or
reduce the authority of agency Chief Information Officers for
information resources management provided in section 11315 of
title 40 or those authorities to manage information resources
to accomplish agency missions as established in section 3502 of
title 44.
* * * * * * *
[all]