Biden Seeks to Cut the Red Tape When it Comes to Government Services

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will sign an executive order Monday afternoon he hopes will dramatically cut the red tape and other road blocks Americans have to navigate to secure basic government services like Social Security and federally-financed student loans.

As detailed in a fact sheet distributed by the White House, the order is intended to reduce bureaucratic delays that often result in people having to make multiple visits to offices, endure long hold times on calls or struggle with other hurdles when dealing with federal agencies.

“Too often, people have to navigate a tangled web of government websites, offices and phone numbers to access the services they depend on,” the White House said in a press release.

“Today, the president is taking decisive action … directing that government leaders account for the experiences of the public in seeking government services,” the release continued. “As the president has said: ‘We have to prove democracy still works, that our government still works and can deliver for our people.’”

“This executive order is really focused on how the federal government delivers services to the public and ensuring that we deliver high-quality products to the public,” said Neera Tanden, a senior adviser to the president, during a conference call with reporters. “As we ask the government to do more, we can ensure that the government does it better.”

The administration is targeting 35 federal service providers with the order and, among other things, directing them to develop “new online tools and technologies that can provide a simple, seamless, and secure customer experience.” 

The entire fact sheet can be found here.

Among the highlights:

• Retirees will be able to claim their benefits online, receiving updates on the status of their application throughout the process;
• Medicare recipients will receive personalized online tools so they can save money on drugs, manage their health care, access expanded customer support options (including an in-network pharmacy finder tool), and enjoy a streamlined enrollment experience with the Social Security Administration;
• Tax filers will be provided with new online tools and services to ease the payment of taxes, which may include automatic direct deposit refunds based on prior year tax returns, tax credit eligibility tools, and expanded electronic filing options;
• Americans will be able to renew their passports securely online, saving time from having to wait and the effort and cost required to print, go to a post office, and use a paper check. This new online process will be done with safety and security;
• Direct student loan loan borrowers will need to navigate only a single repayment portal on StudentAid.gov, so that they can apply for, manage and repay their loans without having to visit multiple websites and manage multiple sets of credentials for different aspects of their student loans;
• Low-income families can more easily enroll in federal benefits and recertify their income status more easily across programs using direct certification, a process that automatically certifies income-eligible individuals without extra paperwork, instead of managing multiple, complicated processes that waste time and cause frustration;
• Those navigating across multiple programs can expect a “no-wrong door” approach – interacting with one federal program can help get them connected with other benefits and streamline enrollment for which they are eligible.
• Small business owners will be able to submit applications knowing that they will receive prompt and consistent service, such as reduced call center wait times, across Small Business Administration programs, including loans, grants, and certifications, because the agency will measure these experiences; and
• Farmers will be able to quickly and easily apply for loans from the Department of Agriculture with the support of digital tools, saving time, reducing unnecessary paperwork, and avoiding unnecessary trips to a county office.

Jason Miller, deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, said the changes were geared to help enhance “trust between the public and its government.” 

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