Digital Government

Bipartisan Senate duo seeks to push IRS customer service forward

The tax agency is already working on some of the items in the bill — like improving online accounts.

Digital Government

CX bill passes Senate committee

The proposal is one of many that moved through House and Senate committees this week, including a transparency bill that brings additional congressional oversight to the General Services Administration.

Digital Government

SSA has a plan, but wants more funding to get it done

The 2024 agenda’s top priorities for the remainder of the year stem from over 5,000 recommendations from employees.

Digital Government

IRS program to assist poor taxpayers rarely picks up the phone

TIGTA investigators were unable to leave a message at 16 local Taxpayer Advocate Service offices because their voicemail boxes were full.

Updated Digital Government

Benefits.gov to shutter in September

The Labor Department’s benefits-focused website dates back to 2002.

Policy

Biden looks to preserve tech, cyber legacy with veto threat

Experts see continuity in tech policy from the Biden administration to a possible Kamala Harris presidency, with possible divergence on some national security and antitrust issues.

Digital Government

OMB touts 'time tax' reductions for government services

Sam Berger, associate administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, spoke with Nextgov/FCW about progress made and what’s next.

Digital Government

Jobless aid programs get a facelift under a bipartisan Senate proposal

The bill responds to asks from the oversight community, in addition to instituting requirements for states administering the funds.

Exclusive People

Exit interview: OMB’s CX guru Amira Boland

Amira Boland was the first to take on the role of customer experience lead at the White House, and she sees great potential even beyond her departure.

Digital Government

Education secretary pledges troubled online student aid tool will be ready for next fall

The online Free Application for Federal Student Aid tool had a rocky release, with bad data and uptime problems, but the Department of Education is looking for improvements next year.

Digital Government

IRS considers future of Direct File pilot

The agency hasn’t decided if it’ll field the program long term but does say that user feedback of the tool has largely been positive.

Exclusive Digital Government

30,000 died in fiscal 2023 waiting for disability decisions from Social Security

SSA Commissioner Martin O’Malley sat down with Nextgov/FCW recently to talk through the agency’s biggest challenges, including how it delivers disability assistance.

Digital Government

Feds move to make gov websites more accessible to people with disabilities

It’s the first time the federal government has ever issued rules clarifying how the more than 30-year-old Americans with Disabilities Act applies online. But the new rules come with a hefty price tag for state and local governments.

Digital Government

100,000 have used IRS Direct File to submit their tax returns

The agency has not yet determined whether the pilot program for the tool will be extended into a permanent offering.

Ideas

The long tail of modernization

Why CX is an ongoing journey and not a destination.

Digital Government

Biden seeks more than $500M for CX in 2025 budget

New digital service teams and a focus on the "voice of the customer" are among the customer experience funding requests in the FY2025 budget request.

Digital Government

IRS touts launch of Direct File pilot

The pilot, which allows eligible taxpayers to file directly with the IRS for free, marks a new free option from the IRS, which has for decades relied on private companies to field free options for Americans.

Ideas

Checking in on digital government in China

COMMENTARY | Steve Kelman writes that an online system for registering complaints and comments about government services has its roots in China's imperial past.