79–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 115–406 

CONNECTED GOVERNMENT ACT 

NOVEMBER 13, 2017.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. GOWDY, from the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 2331] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 2331) to require a new or updated Federal website that is intended for use by the public to be mobile 

friendly, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with an amendment and recommend that 

the bill as amended do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Committee Statement and Views ........................................................................... 2 

Section-by-Section .................................................................................................... 3 

Explanation of Amendments ................................................................................... 3 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 3 

Roll Call Votes ......................................................................................................... 3 

Application of Law to the Legislative Branch ....................................................... 3 

Statement of Oversight Findings and Recommendations of the Committee ...... 3 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 3 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 4 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 4 

Federal Advisory Committee Act ............................................................................ 4 

Unfunded Mandates Statement .............................................................................. 4 

Earmark Identification ............................................................................................ 4 

Committee Estimate ................................................................................................ 4 

Budget Authority and Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .................... 4 

The amendment is as follows: 

Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following: 

SEC. 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Connected Government Act’’. 

2 

1Office of Mgmt. & Budget, M–17–06, Policies for Federal Agency Public Websites and Digital 

Services (2016). 2 Id. 

3 Alan McQuinn & Daniel Castro, Info. Tech. & Innovation Found., Benchmarking U.S. Government Websites 2 (2017). 

SEC. 2. FEDERAL WEBSITES REQUIRED TO BE MOBILE FRIENDLY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—If, on or after the date that is 6 months after the date of the 

enactment of this Act, an agency creates a website that is intended for use by the 

public or updates a website that is intended for use by the public, the agency shall 

ensure that the website is mobile friendly. 

(b) OMB REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of 

this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with 

the Administrator of General Services, shall make publicly available and submit to 

Congress a report that describes the implementation of the requirement described 

under subsection (a) and assesses the compliance of each agency with such requirement. 

(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the meaning given that term in section 

551 of title 5, United States Code. 

(2) MOBILE FRIENDLY.—The term ‘‘mobile friendly’’ means, with respect to a 

website, that the website is configured in such a way that the website may be 

easily navigated and viewed on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. 

COMMITTEE STATEMENT AND VIEWS

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 2331, the Connected Government Act, codifies an existing 

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rule (OMB Memorandum 

M–17–06) requiring federal agencies to ensure any new or updated 

website intended for public use is mobile friendly.1

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 2331 ensures that federal agencies take necessary steps to 

provide the public with convenient access to government services. 

In 2016, the OMB issued a rule requiring public-facing agency 

websites to be mobile friendly.2 However, a study conducted this 

year found that an estimated 40 percent of all government websites 

are not accessible or are difficult to access on a mobile device.3 H.R. 

2331 directs federal agencies to implement the mobile friendly requirement for all public-facing websites updated or created after 

enactment. This requirement is not intended to apply to minor or 

technical updates. H.R. 2331 also requires OMB to conduct a government-wide review of the implementation of the bill to ensure 

that agencies are complying with the mobile friendly requirement. 

H.R. 2331 is an important step in the effort to modernize the information technology infrastructure of the federal government. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On May 3, 2017, Representative Robin Kelly (D–IL) introduced 

H.R. 2331, the Connected Government Act, with Representative 

Frank Pallone (D–NJ). H.R. 2331 was referred to the Committee on 

Oversight and Government Reform. The Committee considered 

H.R. 2331 at a business meeting on September 13, 2017, and ordered the bill reported favorably, as amended, by voice vote. 

3 

SECTION-BY-SECTION

Section 1. Short title 

Section 1 establishes the short title of the bill. 

Section 2. Federal websites required to be mobile friendly 

Section 2 codifies an existing OMB requirement (OMB Memorandum M–17–06) requiring federal agencies to ensure any website 

intended for use by the public is mobile friendly. Any website that 

is created or updated more than six months after the bill’s enactment must implement mobile friendly website configuration. 

Section 2 also requires an OMB report on each agency’s implementation and compliance with the bill. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

During Full Committee consideration of the bill, Representative 

Robin Kelly offered an amendment in the nature of a substitute to 

remove the provision that required the Federal Communications 

Commission to submit a mobile friendly compliance report to four 

specific Committees. The amendment instead requires OMB to conduct the government-wide review and submit a report to Congress. 

The Kelly amendment was adopted by voice vote. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On September 13, 2017, the Committee met in open session and, 

with a quorum being present, ordered the bill favorably reported, 

as amended, by voice vote. 

ROLL CALL VOTES

There were no roll call votes requested or conducted during Full 

Committee consideration of H.R. 2331. 

APPLICATION OF LAW TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 102(b)(3) of Public Law 104–1 requires a description of 

the application of this bill to the legislative branch where the bill 

relates to the terms and conditions of employment or access to public services and accommodations. This bill requires each new or updated Federal website intended for use by the public to be mobile 

friendly. As such, this bill does not relate to employment or access 

to public services and accommodations. 

STATEMENT OF OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF

THE COMMITTEE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII and clause (2)(b)(1) 

of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in the 

descriptive portions of this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

In accordance with clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee’s performance goal or objective of this bill is to require a new or updated Federal website 

that is intended for use by the public to be mobile friendly. 

4 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

In accordance with clause 2(c)(5) of rule XIII no provision of this 

bill establishes or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public 

Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the 

most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

This bill does not direct the completion of any specific rule makings within the meaning of section 551 of title 5, United States 

Code. 

FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT

The Committee finds that the legislation does not establish or 

authorize the establishment of an advisory committee within the 

definition of Section 5(b) of the appendix to title 5, United States 

Code. 

UNFUNDED MANDATES STATEMENT

Pursuant to section 423 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act (Pub. L. 113–67) the Committee has included a letter received from the Congressional Budget Office 

below. 

EARMARK IDENTIFICATION

This bill does not include any congressional earmarks, limited 

tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined in clause 9 of rule 

XXI of the House of Representatives. 

COMMITTEE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(2)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee includes below a cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the Congressional 

Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act 

of 1974. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE

COST ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the House of Representatives, the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office and submitted pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional 

Budget Act of 1974 is as follows: 

5 

U.S. CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, Washington, DC, September 22, 2017. 

Hon. TREY GOWDY, 

Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2331, the Connected Government Act. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Matthew Pickford. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 2331—Connected Government Act 

H.R. 2331 would require all federal agencies that create or update a website intended for use by the public to ensure that the 

website is mobile friendly. A mobile friendly website is defined as 

one that is configured in such a way that it may be easily navigated and viewed on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. In addition, the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), in consultation with the General Services Administration 

(GSA), would report on the implementation of these requirements 

within 18 months. 

Under current executive branch guidance (see OMB Memorandum M–17–06, which was issued on November 8, 2016) all new 

or redesigned federal websites must allow for access by mobile devices. In addition, GSA’s Digital Government Division works with 

agencies to help them provide electronic information and services 

to the public in any digital form. Because of those ongoing efforts, 

CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2331 would have no significant cost. 

Enacting H.R. 2331 would not affect direct spending or revenues; 

therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 2331 would not increase direct 

spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10- 

year periods beginning in 2028. 

H.R. 2331 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Matthew Pickford. 

This estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

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