Cisneros Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Ease Communication with Federal Agencies

Statement

Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA-39) joined Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Mark Meadows (R-NC-11), Seth Moulton (D-MA-06), Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), and David Trone (D-MD-06) to introduce the"Too Long, Didn't Read" (TL;DR) Act. The TL;DR Act would direct the Office of Management and Budget to require agencies to place important action items at the beginning of communications with constituents when they are allowed or required to complete an action item.

"Government shouldn't act as a barrier to people receiving the services and benefits they deserve," said Rep. Cisneros. "Government should work for the people, and we should be making it easier for everyday Americans to interact with and receive clear communication from our federal agencies. I'm proud to join my colleagues in this common-sense bipartisan legislation that will help simplify correspondence and promote a system of transparency."

"Making government more transparent is always a victory for the American people. You should not have to comb through pages of technical and complex language to figure out how to access vital programs such as Social Security and VA benefits," said Rep. Fitzpatrick. "I'm happy to join Congressman Moulton in reintroducing this incredibly important legislation. This is another step in the right direction to make our government more transparent and accountable."

"Any time we can take a step toward making our government more transparent and accountable to the voters, we should take the opportunity," said Rep. Meadows. "Making agency guidelines easier to understand is a great place to start, so that Americans can better navigate the rules and regulations for federal benefits they're working with. I'm proud to join Rep. Seth Moulton and the rest of my colleagues on this effort, and look forward to seeing it through."

"Government bureaucracy and confusing paperwork wastes far too many peoples' time," said Rep. Moulton. "Too many people come to my office unable to access the benefits they've earned and deserve because the forms to claim them are so confusing they're unusable. We can fix this, and when we do, the government will serve people better."

"In the spirit of this bill, I want to say simply that people deserve to know and understand the rules that govern them," said Rep. Norman. "This is a nation of laws, not of lawyers, and the way we govern should reflect that."

"Our government agencies should work for the people," said Rep. Trone. "That means not bogging them down with confusing processes, unclear deadlines, or technical jargon. I am proud to support this bill, which will ensure that our federal agencies are truly working in the best interest of all Americans."

The TL;DR Act would require agencies to include the following pieces of information in a clearly marked section at the top of any communication with constituents: the action item; if a response is required or optional; the deadline, if applicable; how to complete the action item; and

the agency's contact information.