Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act of 2008

Madam. Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 42: Passage of H. Res. 475. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

January 22, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 43: Table the appeal of the ruling of the Chair for H. Res. 476. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 44: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to H. Res. No. 52. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 45: Motion to suspend the rules and Agreed to H.R. 390. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 46: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree to H. Res. 29. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

February 8, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 87: Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 547, and amendment to include language which encourages the Assistant Administrator to utilize Land Grant Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and other minority serving institutions among other resources to undertake research for programs covered by the bill. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 88: Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 547, an amendment to add a new paragraph to section 3, Biofuel Infrastructure and Additives Research and Development, to include issues with respect to where in the fuel supply chain additives optimally should be added to fuels. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 89: Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 547, an amendment to add a new paragraph to section 3 which includes issues with respect to certification by a nationally recognized testing laboratory of components for fuel dispensing devices that specifically reference compatibility with alcohol blended and biofuels that contain greater than 15 percent alcohol. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 90: Agreeing to the Amendment of H.R. 547, an amendment to add a new section 7 entitled Additional Funding. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 91:

the Motion to Recommit with Instructions of H.R. 547. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 92: Passage of H.R. 547. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

February 28, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 111: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Con. Res. 52. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

March 12, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 136: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended on H.R. 85. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 137: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 136. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 138: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 89. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 187: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as amended on H.R. 802. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 188: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended on H.R. 137. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 189: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended on H.R. 580. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

May 14, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 342: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass on H.R. 1124. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 343: Motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 223. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 344: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree (H. Res. 385). Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

May 16, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 358: Call in Committee Quorum. Had I been present, I would have voted ``present.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 359: Motion that the Committee Rise (H.R. 1585). Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

June 11, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 448: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass on H.R. 2356. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 449: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on S. 676. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district. I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 450: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 418. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes.''

July 23, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 687: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 404, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 688: Motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 553. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 689: Motion to suspend the rules and agree to H. Res. 519. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 690: On ordering the previous question on H. Res. 558. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

August 1, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 781: Motion to adjourn. Had I been present. I would have voted ``no.''

september 4, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 847: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 694, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 848: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3020, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 849: Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 2669. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

september 17, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 867: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3246, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 868: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1657, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 869: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3527. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

october 1, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 924: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 185. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 925: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2276. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 926: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3325. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

october 15, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 961: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 738. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 962: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2089. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 963: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 20, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

October 17, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 980: Passage of H.R. 2095. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

october 29, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1010: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3224, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1011: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 573, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1012: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 747. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

November 5, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1034: Closing Portions of the Conference on H.R. 3222. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1035: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 513, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1036: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Res. 744. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

november 7, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1058: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Agree on H. Con. Res. 236, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

november 13, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1082: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3315. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1083: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 1593, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1084: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3403, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1085: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 3461, as amended. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

november 14, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1095: Motion to Adjourn. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

december 6, 2007

Madam Speaker, due to events in my district, I was unable to vote on rollcall No. 1141: Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 2085. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First of all, I would like to commend Chairman Waxman and my colleague from New York, my longtime friend (Mr. Towns), with whom, as he noted, we share the same birthday, for bringing the Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act to the floor today. I also appreciate their efforts as it moved through committee, and I certainly want to thank him for accommodating comments and concerns we raised during the process. As Chairman Towns noted, he has included and the chairman has included in this legislation concerns that the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) raised and also has included legislation that I introduced, H.R. 2324, in this bill. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I fully support this bill, and I want to commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar) for his hard work on this, and we will hear from him in just a few minutes.

The Oversight and Government Reform Committee has always sought to improve the performance of the Federal Government, and as anyone who has ever worked in the private sector knows, customer service is the lifeblood of any organization.

As we often look to the private sector for best practices, I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we in the Federal Government are able to capture data on how each and every agency is doing in regard to customer service. The administration continues to work with us on this bill so no unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles are created.

This bill recognizes the importance of the agencies within the Federal Government to be responsive to their various constituencies and for the government to remain accountable to the American taxpayer. Responsiveness and accountability are the things that really are behind this legislation.

I particularly appreciate section 2 in which the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall develop standards and measures of customer service performance. I think that is very important and is a first. It has not been done before within the Federal Government. And especially, also, the parts in section 3, which incorporate much of my legislation and require customer service information such as a mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. It requires the appointment of a customer relations representative. And one thing I have noticed, I have gotten letters from Federal Departments and agencies in the past, and there has been no mailing address, no phone number on there, almost as if the people within that Department or agency really didn't want to be bothered by their bosses, bothered by the American people calling on them or finding out how to contact them, and making it very difficult for many people to do so.

Section 5 is another good section of this bill and really is the result of the work of the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), and that includes some incentives in there to do better jobs. Bonuses to Federal employees will now be based, at least in part, on customer service.

So with all of these things, I think this is good legislation. I ask my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 404.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to just simply once again thank Chairman Towns and also thank the primary author of this legislation, Mr. Cuellar, for their work in bringing this bill to the floor.

I urge my colleagues to support what I think is very worthwhile and timely legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 404) to require the establishment of customer service standards for Federal agencies, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act will require Federal agencies to set higher performance standards in delivering customer service. Sometimes we complain about how we are treated, but do not take any action. This legislation is a step in the right direction, and we are doing something about the attitude of government employees.

We have worked with the GAO, OMB, and the minority, and in particular the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) to improve this bill. We have also incorporated the language from H.R. 2324, a bill sponsored by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan), who shares the same birthday with me.

This bill is important to highlight the importance that the Congress puts on better customer service. I support its passage and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), who has worked very hard on this legislation. And let me also add, it has been a delight to work with him and his staff to bring this legislation to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Let me point out when complaints are not promptly resolved, frustrated customers seek redress in different agencies or at different parts or level of the same agency, resulting in duplicate effort and compounding costs and a waste of time.

Just as costs rise when citizens do not receive reliable information in a timely manner, trust also erodes as citizens become frustrated with a nonresponsive bureaucracy. Indeed, there has been a cumulative erosion of public confidence in government.

Please, let's work together to create a more responsive and more accountable government. So I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

I would also like to thank some folks. I would like to thank Congressman Waxman, who is the Chair of the full committee, in terms of his support and what he has done to help move this legislation forward. I would like to thank the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Davis from Virginia, in terms of all of his support and help in moving it. I also, I think, indicated earlier on my colleague, Mr. Duncan, who has worked very hard to make this a reality. And, of course, I would like to thank Congressman Bilbray, who is the ranking member on the subcommittee, for all of his support as well, and all the staff members who worked so hard, along with Congressman Cuellar from Texas, along with Congresswoman Foxx. There have been a lot of people that really put a lot of time and energy into this to try to strengthen this bill. It might not be perfect, but I think it is a giant step in the right direction.

I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, on Monday, July 23, and Tuesday, July 24, I was unavoidably detained due to family medical matters in California and was not present for a number of rollcall votes on those days.

Had I been present I would have voted:

``Yea'' on rollcall 687, H.R. 404, the Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act.

``Yea'' on rollcall 688, H. Res. 553, Mourning the passing of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson.

``Yea'' on rollcall 689, H. Res. 519, Honoring the life and accomplishments of renowned artist Tom Lea on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

``Yea'' on rollcall 690, a Motion on Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 558.

``Nay'' on rollcall 691, an amendment offered by Representative Mica to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 692, an amendment offered by Representative Bachmann to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 693, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 694, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 695, an amendment offered by Representative Chabot to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 696, an amendment offered by Representative Westmoreland to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 697, an amendment offered by Representative Sessions to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 698, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 699, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 700, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 701, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 702, an amendment offered by Representative Flake to H.R. 3074.

``Yea'' on rollcall 703, an amendment offered by Representative Hastings (Florida) to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 704, an amendment offered by Representative Frelinghuysen to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 705, an amendment offered by Representative Hensarling to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 706, an amendment offered by Representative Hensarling to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 707, an amendment offered by Representative Hunter to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 708, an amendment offered by Representative Jordan to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 709, an amendment offered by Representative Price (Georgia) to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 710, an amendment offered by Representative Musgrave to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 711, an amendment offered by Representative Price (Georgia) to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 712, an amendment offered by Representative King (Iowa) to H.R. 3074.

``Yea'' on rollcall 713, an amendment offered by Representative Frank to H.R. 3074.

``Nay'' on rollcall 714, a Motion to Recommit H.R. 3074.

``Yea'' on rollcall 715, H.R. 3074, the Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation/HUD Appropriations Act.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time on H.R. 404.

First of all, I want to start off by thanking Chairman Towns and his staff. The outstanding work that the chairman has done on moving this bill forward, I certainly want to thank him very much for the work that he has done. I also want to thank Mr. Duncan for the work that he has done because

apparently he has done a lot of work on customer service, and I thank him for putting those provisions in my bill also. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Virginia Foxx. I don't see her here. I know she has put a lot of time in, she and her staff, so I want to thank her in making this a bipartisan bill.

Today Congress takes a major step towards improving how Federal Government interacts with the American people. I think we all want a government that works with the people. I think we all want results- oriented government, and part of the results-oriented government is customer service.

H.R. 404 will raise the level of attention given to how the Federal Government responds to the American public. The bill requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the OMB, to develop performance measures to determine whether Federal agencies are providing high-quality customer service to all the agencies to make sure that they have those customer service standards in place. It sets in place standards for Federal agencies to increase the quality of customer service and enhances the access to Federal information and services, like Mr. Duncan said a few minutes ago. It is important to know whom we are dealing with at the Federal Government and to make sure that people can access that information and get the quality of customer service that they deserve.

The legislation includes accountability provisions as well as incentives to Federal employees who go above this requirement. H.R. 404 also ensures that the initiatives outlined in this bill achieve their objectives through the use of both external and internal reviews by Congress. That is the oversight that Congress will provide on the customer service provisions that will be provided by the Federal agencies to the American public.

I believe that this bill improves Federal customer service, and this is something that is long overdue. I ask for a ``yes'' vote on this bipartisan bill, H.R. 404.

Again, Mr. Towns, thank you for the outstanding work you have done on this bill.