Washington, D.C. –Congressman Cuellar (TX-28) announced that new landmark standards set for the Federal Government will be released and will build upon a government efficiency law and customer service legislation he authored.
President Obama on Wednesday signed Executive Order 12862 – Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service, as required by Congressman Cuellar’s law, Public Law 111-352, the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act. The President’s Executive Order also aligns with legislation authored by Congressman Cuellar in 2008, regarding raising customer service standards at the federal level.
“Americans deserve responsive and friendly customer service from their federal government,” said Congressman Cuellar. “I have always believed that improving customer service and creating more efficient government operations within agencies will provide the best profit and return for taxpayer dollars. This executive order builds upon my work on improving federal customer service and reinforces the importance of agencies integrating customer service into their goals.”
The Executive Order signed on Wednesday requires that federal agencies create customer service plans, and that the plans be integrated into agencies specific customer service goals and annual agency performance plans and reports. Public Law 111-352, the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, also calls for those measures.  
The President’s Executive Order closely aligns with Congressman Cuellar’s legislation, H.R. 358 to improve customer service standards within the federal government, as well. While federal agencies do provide customer service, currently, the government is not tracking their performance to ensure that taxpayers are provided high-quality, customer-friendly and adequate services.
“Government efficiency and improving the federal government’s customer service has been a priority since I was first elected to Congress,” said Congressman Cuellar. “One of the biggest concerns I’ve heard as I tour my district is that government doesn’t have adequate customer service standards. Taxpayers work hard for their money – when we create federal programs, it should be responsive to our citizen’s concerns. This is a step in the right direction for the federal government and customer service.”
As Public Law 111-352, the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, continues to go through its implementation phase, Congressman Cuellar will continue to work on of H.R. 358, Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act, which he hopes to enact into law. The legislation would implement additional customer service criteria at the federal level.
Background:
Congressman Cuellar, a Ph.D. in Government, has long made improving federal government performance a priority during his tenure in Congress. Congressman Cuellar authored H.R. 2142, Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011, and is now Public Law 111-352.  The law requires federal agencies to assess their performance through establishing cross-cutting, ambitious goals that would increase efficiency and provide Congress and the public with necessary information to assess how the federal government is operating.
In the past two decades, Executive departments and federal agencies evaluated their customer service improvements in order to put people first in government service. In 1993, a Presidential Memorandum was issued: “Conducting Conversations with America to Further Improve Customer Services.” Executive Order 12862 – Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service is the latest initiative for the Obama Administration.
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Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the U.S. House Homeland Security and Agriculture Committees. Job creation, accessibility to constituents, education, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Vice Chairman of the Steering and Policy Committee, Senior Whip, and member of the Blue Dog Coalition.

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