Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act of 2008

Bill: 110-hr-404
Sponsor: Rep. Cuellar, Henry [D-TX-28]
Introduced: 2007-01-11 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Awards, medals, prizes
Commemorations
Commerce
Congress
Congressional agencies
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Customer service
Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Government paperwork
Government publicity
Law
Office of Management and Budget
Performance measurement
Standards
Surveys

Summary:
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: 
Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act - Requires the Comptroller General and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to jointly develop: (1) performance measures to determine whether federal agencies are providing high quality customer service; and (2) standards to be met by federal agencies to provide high quality customer service.
 
Requires the head of each agency to: (1) collect information from its customers regarding the quality of its services; (2) report to the Comptroller General on the information collected; (3) designate an employee as its customer relations representative to be responsible for implementing customer service standards.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to analyze each agency's customer service each year and report to the agency and Congress. Authorizes the Comptroller General to recognize an agency for exemplary customer service.

action_date: 2007-07-23
text: 
Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop: (1) performance measures to determine whether federal agencies are providing high quality customer service; and (2) standards to be met by federal agencies to provide high quality customer service.
 
Requires the head of each agency to: (1) collect information from its customers regarding the quality of its of customer services; and (2) include this information in its performance report to the President and Congress. 

Requires the Director to report annually on the success of federal agencies in meeting the customer service performance measures and standards.

Requires the head of each agency to designate an employee as its customer relations representative to be responsible for implementing customer service standards.

Directs the Comptroller General to submit to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs a report analyzing the information reported by agencies on the quality of customer service. Requires such report to include: (1) whether agencies are implementing the customer service standards; (2) whether there is an increase in overall quality in customer service; and (3) any recommendations the Comptroller General may have to improve performance measures and standards for customer service. Authorizes the report to be used by Congress and the Director to update performance measures for customer service.

Authorizes the head of a federal agency to establish an awards program to pay a cash award to employees for demonstrated excellence in customer service.

action_date: 2008-10-01
text: 
Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act of 2008 - Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to prescribe guidance that establishes best practices to: (1) ensure that federal agencies are providing high quality customer service; and (2) monitor customer service quality at federal agencies.
 
Requires customer service standards to take into account: (1) existing agency standards; (2) information collected from agency customers; and (3) approaches for government-wide citizen contact actions described in the Citizens Service Levels Interagency Committee Report by the General Services Administration (GSA) or any subsequent report.
 
Requires the Director to: (1) prescribe guidance governing the implementation or updating of customer service standards and performance measures of agencies using such best practices and any specific customer service related principles applicable to individual agencies; and (2) issue an annual report on the success of agencies in meeting the standards for each of the five years after the date of enactment.
 
Requires each agency to: (1) implement standards and performance measures required by this Act; (2) submit information OMB may require on its customer service in relation to such standards and measures; and (3) ensure that standards are continuously improved and that appropriate contact information regarding customer service inquiries is available. Requires the standards to be publicly available on the website of each agency.
 
Directs the Comptroller General to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) whether agencies are implementing the customer service standards; (2) whether there is an increase in overall quality in customer service; and (3) recommendations to improve performance measures and standards for customer service. Authorizes the report to be used by Congress and the Director to update performance measures for customer service.
 
Authorizes the head of a federal agency to establish a program to pay cash awards to employees for demonstrated excellence in customer service.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1107.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-10-01
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2008-07-30
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-08-22
text: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs referred to Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia.
action_date: 2007-07-24
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 383 - 0 (Roll no. 687). (text as passed in House: CR H8234-8235)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 383 - 0 (Roll no. 687).(text as passed in House: CR H8234-8235)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H8253-8254)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 404.
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8234-8236)
action_date: 2007-07-23
text: Mr. Towns moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2007-06-12
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2007-06-12
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-05-09
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2007-05-09
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2007-03-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement.
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2007-01-11
text: Introduced in House