Biden aims to cut bureaucratic runaround for gov’t services

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday will sign an executive order aimed at saving Americans time and frustration when seeking a broad array of federal services, like renewing passports, applying for Social Security benefits and getting aid after natural disasters.

The White House released details about the order on Monday, ahead of a planned afternoon signing by Biden. Parts of the order also were provided in advance to advocacy groups that have called for the government to improve its level of service to the public.

The order is aimed at reducing the current bureaucratic runaround, under which people often have to visit offices, endure long phone calls or struggle with the delays of mail and fax machines when trying to contact federal agencies.

White House officials said they hope it can help to renew faith in government and democracy itself at a time when deep political polarization has eroded trust in U.S. institutions.

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

That’s a tall order, considering that the federal government has persisted in its lumbering ways despite repeated attempts over generations to make it more nimble. President Bill Clinton famously pledged in 1993 to “reinvent government” with an interagency task force.

The country has seen a strong economic rebound as coronavirus relief programs sent money directly to Americans. But support for the president has slumped as the United States faces inflation at a nearly four-decade high and the coronavirus pandemic lingers.

The new executive order should bring government services into the digital era, said Bill Sweeney, senior vice president of government affairs for AARP, an association for older Americans.

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