Bill Overview
Title: Trust in Government Act of 2022
Description: This bill directs certain agencies (e.g., the Department of State, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration) to take specified steps to improve service delivery and public perception of agency interactions. The Office of Management and Budget must designate a team of individuals to lead and support agency initiatives to improve public perception of agency interactions.
Sponsors: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-45]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals engaging with or affected by U.S. government agencies
Estimated Size: 284000000
- The bill involves the Department of State, which handles millions of U.S. passports and visas annually and has services affecting U.S. citizens, foreign visitors, and travelers.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs affects U.S. military veterans, who are estimated to number around 19 million in the United States but whose services may have broader implications for their families.
- The Social Security Administration services over 65 million Americans with benefits, including retirees, disabled individuals, and families of deceased workers.
- Improving service delivery and public perception could have a broader than direct service delivery impact, affecting general trust in government services among the wider population.
Reasoning
- The Trust in Government Act of 2022 targets a broad range of individuals who interact with government agencies. The impact is likely to be variable depending on the individual's level of interaction with these agencies, existing trust in government, and the quality of services they have previously experienced.
- Given the diverse nature of the policy's target populations, it's crucial to include interviews with people who have direct interactions with the agencies named in the policy as well as those who might experience indirect effects due to improved public trust. This includes veterans, people using social security services, passport and visa applicants, and general citizens.
- The budget constraints suggest that the policy's impact, especially in year one, might be limited to pilot programs or select initiatives aimed at improving service processes and perceptions.
- Incorporating a variety of socio-economic backgrounds and geographic locations will provide a comprehensive understanding of the potential policy impacts.
- Despite budget limitations, the long-term goal is to influence public perception; hence, the policy might prioritize high-visibility issues and 'quick wins' in the initial years.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (Kansas City, Missouri)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think improving interactions with government agencies is a good idea, as I often feel frustrated when dealing with them. It could make applying for benefits easier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Veteran Affairs Consultant (San Diego, California)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who regularly interacts with the VA, any effort to improve service would be beneficial. Efficiency and better communication are needed.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Retired (Fort Worth, Texas)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I've been relatively satisfied with services so far, but any improvements, especially in processing times, would be appreciated.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
College Student (New York, New York)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this would make applying for a passport less stressful. It's a small thing but stressful when you need one quickly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Business Owner (Miami, Florida)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Streamlining processes for visa applications would be a massive help. The current system can be very unpredictable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Social Worker (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see many clients struggle with accessing government resources. Improvements in these services would greatly benefit them.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Tech Worker (Seattle, Washington)
Age: 33 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I haven't had much interaction with these government agencies, so I don't feel this policy affects me directly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 75 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Generally, I've had positive experiences, but faster service times would always be welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's unclear how this will help me, but anything that might improve the VA services would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Graduate Student (Boston, Massachusetts)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If this makes dealing with student visas easier, it would reduce a lot of stress for international students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 2: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 3: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 5: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The wide array of impacted agencies implies variations in implementation challenges and effectiveness.
- Public perception improvements are hard to quantify but have long-term civic value.
- Budgetary constraints and existing infrastructures of different agencies could affect the speed and effectiveness of implementations.