As part of his executive order, President Joe Biden instructed 17 federal agencies to streamline public services to provide better user-friendly services.
An executive order is designed to make agencies more accountable and transparent in order to make activities such as applying for small business loans, filing taxes, and getting passports more efficient.
“We have to prove democracy still works, that our government still works and can deliver for our people,” Biden asserted.
As stated in the order, “the annual paperwork burden imposed by executive departments and agencies on the public has been in excess of 9 billion hours. That number is too high.”
The goal is to “effectively reduce administrative burdens, simplify both public-facing and internal processes to improve efficiency, and empower the Federal workforce to solve problems.”
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According to the order, it is the government’s duty to “design and deliver services in a manner that people of all abilities can navigate,” eliminating what is essentially a “time tax” for disaster victims, immigrants, small businesses, veterans, and others who must wait months for the government “to process benefits to which they are entitled.
Technology is the focus of some updates in order. Medicare beneficiaries will receive tools on the Internet, including personalized tools for managing their care, saving money on drugs, and enhancing their registration with the Social Security Administration.
American passports can now be renewed online, and new technologies will be introduced at airports to streamline cumbersome security procedures.
“Whether searching for vaccine safety information, claiming retirement benefits, receiving health insurance, passing through a security checkpoint, or checking the status of a farm loan application, Americans expect government services to be responsive to their needs,” the White House stated.
“Too often, people have to navigate a tangled web of government websites, offices and phone numbers to access the services they depend on. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to ensuring an effective, equitable and accountable government that meets the needs of its people.”
Additionally, those with food stamps can buy groceries online through the order and has made rules to increase telehealth in some rural areas.
