I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5759 

To improve executive agency digital services, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 10, 2018 

Mr. KHANNA (for himself, Mr. RATCLIFFE, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. RUSSELL, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. 

KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. COSTELLO of 

Pennsylvania, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. HUNTER, Mrs. LAWRENCE, 

Mrs. COMSTOCK, Ms. ESHOO, and Mr. CURTIS) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government 

Reform 

A BILL 

To improve executive agency digital services, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘21st Century Inte5 grated Digital Experience Act’’ or the ‘‘21st Century 

6 IDEA’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 The Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Restoring the United States Government’s 

2 global leadership position in technology and elec3 tronic government requires a new approach—one 

4 that narrows the growing gap between the digital de5 mands of citizens and the fashion in which the Gov6 ernment provides digital services to the American 

7 people. 

8 (2) Legislation is needed to accelerate the tran9 sition from an analog and paper-based Government 

10 to a 21st century digital Government. 

11 (3) The recent passage of the Modernizing Gov12 ernment Technology Act and the Connected Govern13 ment Act has laid the foundation for Government’s 

14 transformation to modern, digital platforms. 

15 (4) Enhanced citizen-facing and internal digital 

16 service delivery will dramatically reduce the cost of 

17 Government operations and improve customer expe18 rience. 

19 SEC. 3. WEBSITE MODERNIZATION. 

20 (a) REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING EXECUTIVE

21 AGENCY WEBSITES AND DIGITAL SERVICES.—Not later 

22 than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

23 the head of an executive agency that maintains a website 

24 or digital service that is available to the public shall ensure 


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1 that such website or service meets the following require2 ments: 

3 (1) WEBSITE CONSOLIDATION AND CONSISTENT

4 LOOK.—Eliminate or consolidate websites or web 

5 pages that are duplicative or overlapping. Ensure a 

6 consistent look of public-facing websites and digital 

7 services. 

8 (2) ACCESSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DIS9 ABILITIES.—Ensure that each website, web-based 

10 form, and web-based application of an executive 

11 agency are accessible to individuals with disabilities 

12 in accordance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation 

13 Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d). 

14 (3) INFORMATION SEARCHABLE AND DISCOVER15 ABLE.—Contain a search function that allows users 

16 to easily search content intended for public use. 

17 (4) SECURE CONNECTION.—Provision through 

18 an industry standard secure connection. 

19 (5) DATA ANALYTICS.—Designed around user 

20 needs with data-driven analysis influencing manage21 ment and development decisions, using qualitative 

22 and quantitative data to determine user goals, needs, 

23 and behaviors, and continually testing websites and 

24 digital services to ensure that user needs are ad25 dressed. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 


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1 quantitative and qualitative research, including user 

2 testing, related to the development of websites or 

3 other public facing digital services shall not be con4 sidered a collection of information for the purposes 

5 of section 3507 of title 44, United States Code. 

6 (6) CONTENT PERSONALIZATION.—Ensure 

7 users have the option for a more customized digital 

8 experience, allowing them to complete digital trans9 actions in an efficient and accurate manner. 

10 (b) REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW WEBSITES AND DIG11 ITAL SERVICES.—Any website or digital service of an exec12 utive agency that is made available to the public after the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act shall meet the minimum 

14 requirements described in subsection (a). 

15 (c) INTERNAL DIGITAL SERVICES.—The head of each 

16 executive agency shall ensure to the greatest extent prac17 ticable that any new Intranet conforms to the require18 ments in subsection (a). 

19 (d) PUBLIC REPORTING.—The head of each executive 

20 agency shall submit to the Director an annual report on 

21 the progress an executive agency is making in imple22 menting the requirements described in this section for the 

23 previous year and shall make the report available to the 

24 public. 


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1 (e) COMPLIANCE WITH UNITED STATES WEBSITE

2 STANDARDS.—Any new website of an executive agency 

3 shall be in compliance with the website standards of the 

4 Technology Transformation Services of the General Serv5 ices Administration. 

6 SEC. 4. DIGITIZATION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND 

7 FORMS. 

8 (a) DIGITAL SERVICE OPTION REQUIRED.—Not later 

9 than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

10 the head of each executive agency shall make available to 

11 the public an online, mobile-friendly, digital service option 

12 for any in-person Government transaction or paper-based 

13 process in a manner that decreases cost, increases digital 

14 conversion rates, and improves customer experience. 

15 (b) FORMS AND SERVICES REQUIRED TO BE DIG16 ITAL.—Not later than one year after the date of the enact17 ment of this Act, the head of each executive agency shall 

18 ensure that any paper-based form, application, or service 

19 that is related to serving the public is made available to 

20 the public in a digital format. 

21 SEC. 5. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES. 

22 (a) PLAN FOR USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES.— 

23 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 

24 of this Act, the head of each executive agency shall submit 

25 to the Director and appropriate congressional committees 


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1 a plan to accelerate the use of electronic signatures stand2 ards established in the Electronic Signatures in Global 

3 and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. 7001 et seq.). 

4 (b) EXECUTIVE AGENCY COMPLIANCE.—Not later 

5 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

6 the head of each executive agency shall certify and report 

7 full compliance with the Electronic Signatures in Global 

8 and National Commerce Act (Public Law 106–229) and 

9 the OMB Circular A–130—Managing Information as a 

10 Strategic Resource guidance, to support the use of elec11 tronic signatures by the Federal Government. 

12 SEC. 6. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND DIGITAL SERVICE DE13 LIVERY. 

14 The Chief Information Officer of each executive agen15 cy, or a designee, shall: 

16 (1) Coordinate and ensure alignment of the ex17 ecutive agency’s internal and external customer ex18 perience programs and strategy. 

19 (2) Coordinate with the executive agency man20 agement leaders (the head of the executive agency, 

21 the Chief Financial Officer, and any program man22 ager) to ensure proper funding to support implemen23 tation of this bill. 

24 (3) Continually examine the digital service de25 livery strategy of the executive agency to the public 


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1 and submit recommendations to the head of the rel2 evant executive agency providing guidance and best 

3 practices suitable to the mission of the executive 

4 agency. 

5 (4) Using qualitative and quantitative data ob6 tained from across the executive agency relating to 

7 customers’ experience and satisfaction, identify areas 

8 of concern that need improvement and improve the 

9 customer service delivery. 

10 (5) Coordinate and ensure, with the approval of 

11 the head of the executive agency, executive agency 

12 compliance with section 3559 of title 44, United 

13 States Code. 

14 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

15 In this Act: 

16 (1) DIGITAL SERVICE.—The term ‘‘digital serv17 ice’’ means the delivery of electronic information 

18 (such as data or content) and transactional services 

19 (such as online forms or benefits applications) across 

20 a variety of platforms, devices, and delivery mecha21 nisms (such as websites, mobile applications, or so22 cial media). 

23 (2) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

24 the Director of the Office of Management and Budg25 et. 


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1 (3) EXECUTIVE AGENCY.—The term ‘‘executive 

2 agency’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘Executive 

3 agency’’ in section 105 of title 5, United States 

4 Code. 

5 (4) INTRANET.—The term ‘‘Intranet’’ means a 

6 network belonging to an organization or group of or7 ganizations and any sub department of the organiza8 tion, accessible only by the authorized members and 

9 systems of the organization, employees of organiza10 tions, or others with secure authentication. 

Æ 


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