September 11, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H5779 

Madam Speaker, the private sector 

has raised the bar for customer service, 

and citizens expect the same from their 

government. 

The American people rely on Federal 

agencies to provide important services 

and information, but these agencies 

often fall short of providing the customer service taxpayers deserve. H.R. 

538 ensures the Federal Government 

keeps pace with the public’s expectations and delivers better value to the 

taxpayers. 

Agencies currently have discretionary authority to include ‘‘courtesy 

demonstrated to the public’’ in employee performance appraisals and to 

reward superior performance. While 

some agencies have incorporated customer service standards in employee 

performance expectations, they do not 

always require good customer service 

to the public. 

Under this bill, OMB and agencies 

will develop performance measures and 

standards for agency customer service, 

with employees at all levels held accountable for achieving results. 

Taxpayers should have high expectations of government. Agencies must deliver services efficiently and at low 

cost. Federal employees must provide 

effective service to customers. H.R. 538 

will help ensure agencies streamline 

service delivery and improve the customer experience. 

CBO has said there are no costs associated with this bill and, in fact, any 

savings incurred are due to be put toward paying down the Federal deficit. 

The Oversight and Government Reform 

Committee worked on a bipartisan 

basis to advance this legislation. I supported it when it passed by voice vote 

in committee, and I urge its adoption 

today. 

I reserve the balance of my time. 

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Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield 

myself such time as I may consume. 

I rise in support of H.R. 538, the Government Customer Service Improvement Act. This is a good-government 

bill that will improve the way Federal 

agencies interact with the people they 

serve. 

I yield 5 minutes to my friend, the 

gentleman from Texas, the author of 

the bill, Mr. CUELLAR. 

Mr. CUELLAR. Again, the gentleman 

from Missouri, I thank you so much for 

the leadership. And I certainly want to 

thank also Mr. WALSH from Illinois, 

who actually called me before this, 

which it is rare to have somebody from 

the other side call and say, How can I 

help you on this bill? So I find that refreshing and I want to say thank you 

for working with us and folks on this 

side of the aisle. 

This bill, the Customer Service Improvement Act, is a bipartisan bill that 

has folks like MCCAUL, DUNCAN, GOODLATTE, and other folks supporting this 

particular bill. I certainly want to 

thank Chairman ISSA and Ranking 

Member CUMMINGS for their work, as 

well as the members of the committee, 

and for passing it from the Oversight 

and Government Reform Committee 

unanimously in April. 

The primary goal of the Federal Government is to serve the taxpayers. This 

commonsense, bipartisan bill seeks to 

establish, monitor, and improve customer service across Federal agencies. 

It ensures that taxpayers get the quality of service that they deserve when 

interacting with Federal agencies. Too 

often we hear that veterans are waiting 

for months to get critical medical services or that seniors are waiting for 

months to get their retirement benefits. These are just two examples where 

millions of Americans that rely on 

Federal agencies have to wait on vital 

services, which is why we must usher 

in a new chapter to accelerate response 

time and overall performance for a better customer experience. With a sweeping 79 percent of Americans dissatisfied 

with Federal Government service, according to the 2011 Federal Customer 

Service Experience Study, we must all 

work together to make sure that Uncle 

Sam and Americans work together. 

This bill is simple and necessary. 

First, H.R. 538 improves customer service standards across the board. It does 

this by requiring the Office of Management and Budget to develop performance standards to determine whether 

Federal agencies are providing highquality customer service and improving service delivery to agency customers. According to a 2010 GAO report, Federal agency customer service 

standards were often not made easily 

available for customers to find and access or were not made available to the 

public at all. In other words, we provide customer service; and if somebody 

wants to know how that agency is providing the service and the standards, it 

must be made available. 

Second, the bill raises the bar for enhancing quality and access to customer 

service. This is accomplished by requiring agencies to collect information 

from the customers regarding the quality of the service. Again, this must be 

a way that we raise that standard. 

Third, it puts a face on accountability. The bill requires that each 

agency designate an employee to be its 

customer relations representative. So 

when somebody is dealing with a Federal agency, we must know who they 

can complain to, who they must talk 

to in order to provide that customer 

service. Just like in the private sector 

that strives to provide excellent customer service that they bring in order 

to get more business, the Federal Government must do the same thing. 

As the gentleman from Illinois said, 

there’s no cost on this according to the 

nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. And, again, I would ask that we 

all work together to provide better 

service. 

Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam 

Speaker, I urge all Members to support 

me in support of this bill, and I yield 

back the balance of my time. 

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, again, I 

urge the House to adopt H.R. 538, and I 

yield back the balance of my time. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The 

question is on the motion offered by 

the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 

WALSH) that the House suspend the 

rules and pass the bill, H.R. 538, as 

amended. 

The question was taken; and (twothirds being in the affirmative) the 

rules were suspended and the bill, as 

amended, was passed. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on 

the table. 

f 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL 

EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO 

CERTAIN TERRORIST ATTACKS— 

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 

OF THE UNITED STATES (H. DOC. 

NO. 112–138) 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 

from the President of the United 

States; which was read and, together 

with the accompanying papers, referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

and ordered to be printed: 

To the Congress of the United States: 

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides 

for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within the 90- 

day period prior to the anniversary 

date of its declaration, the President 

publishes in the Federal Register and 

transmits to the Congress a notice 

stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary 

date. Consistent with this provision, I 

have sent to the Federal Register the enclosed notice, stating that the emergency declared with respect to the terrorist attacks on the United States of 

September 11, 2001, is to continue in effect for an additional year. 

The terrorist threat that led to the 

declaration on September 14, 2001, of a 

national emergency continues. For this 

reason, I have determined that it is 

necessary to continue in effect after 

September 14, 2012, the national emergency with respect to the terrorist 

threat. 

BARACK OBAMA.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, September 11, 2012. 

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL 

EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO 

PERSONS WHO COMMIT, THREATEN TO COMMIT, OR SUPPORT 

TERRORISM—MESSAGE FROM 

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 

STATES (H. DOC. NO. 112–139) 

The SPEAKER pro tempore laid before the House the following message 

from the President of the United 

States; which was read and, together 

with the accompanying papers, referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

and ordered to be printed: 

To the Congress of the United States: 

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides 


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H5780 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 11, 2012 

for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within the 90- 

day period prior to the anniversary 

date of its declaration, the President 

publishes in the Federal Register and 

transmits to the Congress a notice 

stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary 

date. In accordance with this provision, 

I have sent to the Federal Register for 

publication the enclosed notice, stating that the national emergency with 

respect to persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism is 

to continue in effect beyond September 

23, 2012. 

The crisis constituted by the grave 

acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, including the terrorist attacks on 

September 11, 2001, in New York and 

Pennsylvania and against the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on 

United States nationals or the United 

States that led to the declaration of a 

national emergency on September 23, 

2001, has not been resolved. These actions pose a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of 

the United States. For these reasons, I 

have determined that it is necessary to 

continue the national emergency declared with respect to persons who 

commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism, and maintain in force 

the comprehensive sanctions to respond to this threat. 

BARACK OBAMA.

THE WHITE

f 

HOUSE, September 11, 2012. 

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PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION 

OF H.R. 5544, MINNESOTA EDUCATION INVESTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT ACT, AND PROVIDING 

FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 

5949, FISA AMENDMENTS ACT REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2012 

Mr. NUGENT. Madam Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I 

call up House Resolution 773 and ask 

for its immediate consideration. 

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: 

H. RES. 773 

Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XVIII, declare the 

House resolved into the Committee of the 

Whole House on the state of the Union for 

consideration of the bill (H.R. 5544) to authorize and expedite a land exchange involving National Forest System land in the Laurentian District of the Superior National 

Forest and certain other National Forest 

System land in the State of Minnesota that 

has limited recreational and conservation resources and lands owned by the State of Minnesota in trust for the public school system 

that are largely scattered in checkerboard 

fashion within the Boundary Waters Canoe 

Area Wilderness and have important recreational, scenic, and conservation resources, and for other purposes. The first 

reading of the bill shall be dispensed with. 

All points of order against consideration of 

the bill are waived. General debate shall be 

confined to the bill and shall not exceed one 

hour equally divided and controlled by the 

chair and ranking minority member of the 

Committee on Natural Resources. After general debate the bill shall be considered for 

amendment under the five-minute rule. In 

lieu of the amendment in the nature of a 

substitute recommended by the Committee 

on Natural Resources now printed in the bill, 

an amendment in the nature of a substitute 

consisting of the text of Rules Committee 

Print 112-30, modified by the amendment 

printed in part A of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution, shall be considered as adopted in the 

House and in the Committee of the Whole. 

The bill, as amended, shall be considered as 

the original bill for the purpose of further 

amendment under the five-minute rule and 

shall be considered as read. All points of 

order against provisions in the bill, as 

amended, are waived. No further amendment 

to the bill, as amended, shall be in order except those printed in part B of the report of 

the Committee on Rules. Each such further 

amendment may be offered only in the order 

printed in the report, may be offered only by 

a Member designated in the report, shall be 

considered as read, shall be debatable for the 

time specified in the report equally divided 

and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, 

and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question in the House or in the 

Committee of the Whole. All points of order 

against such further amendments are 

waived. At the conclusion of consideration of 

the bill for amendment the Committee shall 

rise and report the bill, as amended, to the 

House with such further amendments as may 

have been adopted. The previous question 

shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as 

amended, and on any further amendment 

thereto to final passage without intervening 

motion except one motion to recommit with 

or without instructions. 

SEC. 2. Upon the adoption of this resolution 

it shall be in order to consider in the House 

the bill (H.R. 5949) to extend the FISA 

Amendments Act of 2008 for five years. All 

points of order against consideration of the 

bill are waived. The amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the 

Committee on the Judiciary now printed in 

the bill shall be considered as adopted. The 

bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. 

All points of order against provisions in the 

bill, as amended, are waived. The previous 

question shall be considered as ordered on 

the bill, as amended, and on any amendment 

thereto to final passage without intervening 

motion except: (1) one hour of debate, with 40 

minutes equally divided and controlled by 

the chair and ranking minority member of 

the Committee on the Judiciary and 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the 

chair and ranking minority member of the 

Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; and (2) one motion to recommit with 

or without instructions. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 1 

hour. 

Mr. NUGENT. Madam Speaker, for 

the purpose of debate only, I yield the 

customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. POLIS) 

pending which I yield myself such time 

as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. 

GENERAL LEAVE

Mr. NUGENT. Madam Speaker, I ask 

unanimous consent that all Members 

have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there 

objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? 

There was no objection. 

Mr. NUGENT. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today in support of this rule, which 

provides for consideration of two different pieces of legislation. 

The first of these bills transfers lands 

within the State of Minnesota to the 

benefit of the State’s public school system. The rule provides for consideration of each and every amendment offered by Members to the Rules Committee by the amendment deadline. 

The next measure this rule allows for 

consideration of is H.R. 5949, the FISA 

Amendments Act Reauthorization Act 

of 2012. Also called the FAA Reauthorization, this legislation would reauthorize programs that are critically 

important to our national security. 

First passed in 2008, FAA has enjoyed 

a history of strong bipartisan support. 

Now, President Obama and his administration have made it clear that a 

clean, long-term extension of FAA is 

their number one intelligence priority. 

That’s exactly what H.R. 5949 does. 

Recognizing that our Nation’s security cannot and should not wait until 

an emergency, the 11th hour, or rushed 

reauthorization, the Select Intelligence and Judiciary Committees have 

had hearings on the FAA’s reauthorization, they’ve marked up the bill, and 

they’ve sent it to us months ahead of 

the expiration deadline. I congratulate 

both of these committees on their 

timely and dedicated work for the sake 

of our own safety. 

It is with the tools that the FAA provides to our intelligence community 

that we’re able to monitor our Nation’s 

enemies overseas. Without this authority, the ability to track those individuals who aren’t American citizens and 

want to do harm to this country would 

return to the state it was in before 

September 11 of 2001. 

I really want to stress that the FISA 

Amendments Act applies to targeting 

non-U.S. citizens living outside of the 

United States. 

The FAA also enhances civil liberty 

protections for Americans. The government cannot target an American overseas without first obtaining an individualized court order from the FISA 

Court. Prior to FAA, the government 

was not required to obtain an individualized court order to target U.S. persons outside of the United States. This 

is an expansion of the civil liberties 

made possible by the FISA Amendments Act. 

As a former law enforcement officer, 

I know how important it is to get the 

information that we need to work on a 

case. Without good, reliable information, you can’t do your job and protect 

the citizens, but the information must 

be obtained in the right way. 

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FAA is a critical tool at our international community’s disposal in our 

war against terrorism. 


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