Moulton and Hurd Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Make Government More Efficient, Save Taxpayer Dollars
July 6, 2016
Bill will bring government travel into the 21st century
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Washington, D.C. – Today, Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA), Will Hurd (R-TX), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), and Cheri Bustos (D-IL) introduced the Government Travel Modernization Act, to help solidify ridesharing and other innovative transportation services as part of the broader government transportation ecosystem. This bill would give federal employees greater flexibility and choice when they travel on official business, and as a result, bring government travel into the 21st century.
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“Innovative modes of transportation like Uber, Lyft, and bikeshare have improved the way we travel, yet currently, federal employees are not able to take full advantage of these cost-effective options for official travel,” said Rep. Moulton. “This bipartisan bill will change that for the thousands of federal employees both in Washington and in Massachusetts. This bill seeks to bring innovation into how government functions by utilizing the new technology that is available to us."
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“The federal government is notoriously behind-the-times with antiquated policies that stifle innovation and 21st Century competition. The result is a government that rewards outdated technology and pays more than it should for basic services,” said Rep. Hurd, who chairs the House Subcommittee on IT, and has been an advocate for modernizing federal IT and embracing new technology. “This bill finally allows federal employees to catch up with the private sector and moves the needle toward a more innovative and responsive government.”
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“At our request, the General Services Administration earlier this year agreed to remind agencies that they can reimburse employees’ ridesharing expenses for official travel. Now I believe it’s time to require agencies to do so,” said Rep. Swalwell, co-chairman of the bipartisan Sharing Economy Caucus and an original co-sponsor of the Modernizing Government Travel Act. “This bipartisan bill will save taxpayers valuable money and time. I’ve always said that good government requires keeping up with the times.”
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“This bill helps bring the federal government into the 21st century,” said Rep. Issa. “When technology brings about a more efficient and more affordable option, we should do what we can to ensure that federal employees are able to access it to both their benefit and to the benefit of taxpayers.”
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“Keeping transportation options for federal workers updated to reflect the most cost-effective technology available is something that we should always be looking for,” said Rep. Meadows. “I was pleased to be able to work with my colleagues on this effort, and I look forward to continuing the conversation as we move toward a solution.”
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“I’m proud to be a part of the bipartisan coalition of leaders who are working to make government more efficient and cost-effective,” said Rep. Bustos. “By modernizing the way government employees are allowed to travel, we’ll save taxpayer dollars, improve performance and help bring the federal government into the 21st century.”
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The bill would require the General Services Administration (GSA) to implement regulations to allow federal employees to use alternative transportation options such as Uber, Lyft, and bike-share for official travel. The GSA Administrator would be required to submit annual reports to Congress on the implementation of these regulations and the resulting amount of government savings.
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While GSA allows agencies to authorize the use of these transportation options by federal employees, it has not, nor is it required by law, to issue comprehensive guidance. Consequently, agencies and their employees may be unaware that they have these transportation options available to them for reimbursement.
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The Government Travel Modernization Act would provide greater clarity to the millions of employees serving in our federal government and encourage the use of new technology and innovation that increases efficiency and decreases costs. As we continue to find ways to bring the federal government into the 21st Century, this legislation will increase our engagement in the sharing economy while saving taxpayer dollars and reducing federal spending.
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"Ridesharing continues to grow as as an integral part of this country's transportation ecosystem," said David Baga, chief business officer, Lyft. "As we see more and more business travelers choose cost-effective services like Lyft over traditional car services, the introduction of this bill is an important step in bringing modern transportation options to federal employees."
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"Thank you to the sponsors for putting forth this legislation that will make it easier and more affordable for thousands of federal employees to travel for work,” said Niki Christoff, Head of Federal Affairs for Uber. “We are committed to providing reliable transportation at the push of a button for everyone, everywhere and we're hopeful that with this legislation, Uber, and all ridesharing options, will be able to provide that service to those working in the federal government."
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To learn more about Congressman Moulton, visit www.moulton.house.gov or find the Congressman on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Medium.
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