Paperwork Assistance Act

Thank you so much, Mr. Davis.

Mr. Speaker, it shouldn't be difficult for Americans to interact with their government. But most citizen interaction with their government is through filling out forms, both paper and online, that are required to be filled out in order to receive grants, tax refunds, passports, and so many other things.

With so many forms, questions about what information is actually needed are bound to arise, but finding the right office to call is difficult. And to get the answers that people need in an orderly manner is, quite frankly, very, very difficult, and it shouldn't be that way. That's why I've introduced bill. And it's very simple. Any form that the government uses to collect information from Americans also has to include contact information--a phone number or a Web site--in which a person can obtain specific information on who to talk to about that form. Hopefully, when they call, a real live person will be at the other end of that line.

This bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget to report to Congress on implementation and a description of how the agencies are responding to complaints about it.

This bill is especially important to small businesses and owners, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses is a strong supporter of my bill. In fact, the idea for this bill came from some of the small businesses right there in Kansas, the good constituents that I get to represent. They were responding to a survey that was distributed to NFIB members in which they overwhelmingly supported legislation to help them get answers to questions about all the government paperwork that they have to fill out. And yes, getting that government paperwork reduced is certainly our first priority, but in the meantime, let's just get an access number so people can call and find out how to fill these forms out efficiently.

I've said time and time again that democracy is a team sport, and this is a perfect example of everyone working together to make our government more responsive. I would like to thank Mr. Towns and Ms. Watson for their assistance in getting this important legislation to the floor. And I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this very, very commonsense bill.

Thank you again, Mr. Davis.

When I went home to Kansas this weekend, I went to a couple of county fairs. And everybody was in a very, very festive mood, it's county fair

time. Clearly, there are many things that are challenging the American people and the Kansas people right now, but we have to rejoice that finally we started to see the price of this oil come down. And I think oil has come down by $25 now. Hopefully, today it's continuing to fall more.

I personally believe that that's for a couple of reasons: One, the Agriculture Committee last week--and I serve with Representative Foxx on that committee--we passed through the committee and will bring to the floor legislation that's going to really bring the light down on this speculation and manipulation. And I think we've basically called the bluff of the speculators and the people who are manipulating here, and that's having a real impact for which I'm very, very grateful.

But secondly, I think the thing that's having an impact--and the people of Kansas are grateful to see it come down, and yes, it needs to come down much more--is, quite honestly, we've called the oil companies' bluff and we've said ``drill.'' You have millions and millions of acres to drill. And we're not only asking you to drill, we're going to tell you if you don't drill, we're going to tell you to give those leases up and to give them to companies who will go out there and do it.

Unfortunately, as Ms. Foxx and I heard about a month ago in the Agriculture Committee, the oil companies do not have the drilling equipment. And I'm sure she was as surprised as I was a month ago to hear the American Petroleum Institute say with a totally straight face that they don't have any more equipment to drill onshore or offshore. They can barely keep up with the leases that they have now. And we're not expected to have any more for at least one, and probably two more years.

So we have seen the price of oil come down. We have to increase the supply of energy in this country, and I think we all agree on that. And I would reach across the aisle to my good friend and colleague on the House Agriculture Committee and say, let's work together to bring this price down. And yes, drilling will absolutely be a part of that, I think the American people and the Democrats understand that. I look forward to working together with the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) on that as we've been working on the Agriculture Committee. And I think some of the things that we've been doing have really made a difference.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, every year the government asks Americans to provide many kinds information. These forms can often be confusing and complicated. It would be better if we could find a way to reduce the total number of information requests the government makes to the public, but failing that, we ought at least to make sure someone is available to answer questions from people who are trying to comply with these requirements.

H.R. 6113 amends the Paperwork Reduction Act to require agencies to provide contact information for the agency on information collection. I am happy to support this legislation, and I look forward to the day when we actually cut the number and size of information requests generated by this government.

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

Mr. Speaker, this bill is aimed at making the Federal Government more friendly and responsive to citizens who interact with the government. How sad that we are not responding to what Americans are asking for right now and what is most on their mind. And I'm quoting a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll released last week revealed that 75 percent of Americans and 66 percent of Democrats support immediate oil and gas exploration here at home. According to a CNN poll, 73 percent of Americans favor more exploration of deep ocean energy resources far off American shores. A Reuters/Zogby poll conducted in June shows that 75 percent of Americans support drilling for oil offshore, and 59 percent support drilling in ANWR.

A Rasmussen survey from June showed 67 percent of Americans support deepwater energy exploration, with 64 percent expecting it will lower gas prices. And a recent IBD/TIPP poll shows 64 percent of Americans surveyed support offshore drilling, 65 percent support oil shale development.

We could bring down the price of gas by voting to create more oil supply, but the Speaker, Senator Reid, and Senator Obama are blocking such votes. It's a shame that very wealthy people who are out of touch with average Americans are blocking the ability to bring down the price of gas.

I'm in favor of doing everything we can to make the Federal Government more responsive to our citizens, including this bill, and I certainly do support it, but I think we need to do more. We need to vote to drill and to create more energy and help the American public.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6113) to amend title 44, United States Code, to require each agency to include a contact telephone number in its collection of information, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she might consume to the author of this legislation, Representative Boyda.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6113, the Paperwork Assistance Act, is aimed at making it easier for people to fill out government paperwork. I commend Representative Boyda for her leadership in introducing this bill, and Representative Towns for his work on this bill during committee consideration.

The bill would require each agency to include contact information for the agency on its forms. Under this bill, a person filling out a government form would be able to go to the agency and get in touch with the person who is responsible for answering questions about the form.

Based on a suggestion by Representative Diane Watson, language was added to the bill during committee consideration to require the Office of Management and Budget to report to Congress on how well agencies are implementing this legislation. This is what one would have to call a good, commonsense piece of government work. It is a good government bill. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to the author of this legislation, Mrs. Boyda of Kansas.

Mr. Speaker, to get us back to H.R. 6113, to amend title 44, United States Code, to require each agency to include a contact telephone number in its collection of information in order to assist people with filling out government forms, I urge passage.

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

Madam Speaker, on July 29, 2008, I was unavoidably absent from the House.

If I had been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 534, a motion by Mr. Thompson of Mississippi to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2490, a bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a pilot program for the mobile biometric identification in the maritime environment of aliens unlawfully attempting to enter the United States, as amended.

I would have also voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 535, a motion by Mr. Davis of Illinois to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 6113, a bill to amend title 44, United States Code, to require each agency to include a contact telephone number in its collection of information in order to assist people with filling out government forms.

Finally, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall vote No. 536, a motion by Mr. Hare of Illinois to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 2192, a bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I ask unanimous consent that this statement be inserted in the appropriate place in the record.

Madam Speaker, unfortunately Tuesday night, July 29, 2008, I was unable to cast my votes on H.R. 2490, H.R. 6113, and H.R. 2192, and wish the Record to reflect my intentions had I been able to vote.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 534 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 2490, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a pilot program for the mobile biometric identification in the maritime environment of aliens unlawfully attempting to enter the United States, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 535 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 6113, Paperwork Assistance Act, I would have voted ``aye.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 536 on suspending the rules and passing H.R. 2192, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish an Ombudsman within the Department of Veterans Affairs, I would have voted ``aye.''