Latham's Legislation Champions Federal Agency Improvement

Press Release

Congressman Tom Latham (IA-03) and Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), held a Lean Government Forum on Capitol Hill today, outlining Latham's most recent legislation, H.R. 5064, The Lean and Responsive Government Act.
The forum, hosted by the National Academy of Public Administration and Federal News Radio, included a panel of experts from the Department of Defense, Government Service Agency, and Johns Hopkins Medical Center, along with both Congressman Latham and Cuellar.

"With so many taxpayer dollars going to ineffective and inefficient federal agencies, Congress must take action to reign in red tape, and allow taxpayers to efficiently access many of the services that they have already paid for." said Latham.

In attendance were representatives from United States Agency for International Development, Government Accountability Office, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Labor, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, National Institute of Standards and Technology, along with staff from a variety of different House and Senate committees.

Latham added "I believe it is realistic to expect federal agencies to function efficiently and transform the way business is conducted. H.R. 5064 outlines a truly dedicated effort and gives agencies the tools they need to serve Americans in a more efficient way. Taxpayers expect that from the federal government, and they deserve it too."

Congressman Cuellar added, "As a lawmaker, I hold myself accountable to curb wasteful government spending and ensure beneficial government programs continue to aid my constituents and all taxpayers. We need to get the agencies focused on performance, results oriented procedures and improving customer service standards. The Government Performance Results Modernization Act which I authored and which became law in 2010 provided Congress and the public with information that we need to make responsible, informed budgetary decisions. The Lean and Responsive Government Act gives Congress one more tool to keep federal agencies accountable. I thank Congressman Latham for inviting me to participate in this excellent event and look forward to continuing to work with him on these issues."

Federal News Radio will be broadcasting portions of the event in the upcoming days. For more information about H.R. 5064 please visit http://latham.house.gov/exclusive/lean-and-responsive.htm

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