Speech #960309363

The Congress finds that(1) citizens experiencing difficulties with the delivery of services by certain Federal agencies often turn to the offices of Members of Congress for assistance in resolving their complaints. (2) the incidence of such complaints is increasing. (3) the information generated by each Members office with respect to such complaints could be used by Federal agencies and could be analyzed to determine if such complaints fall within generic categories and if such complaints could be resolved for all citizens by the prescription of administrative or legislative remedies. and (4) through the analysis by Federal agencies of such complaints. the frequency of such complaints could be reduced as could the hardship attendant to difficulties experienced by citizens when agency services do not function properly. Szc. 3. For the purposes of this Act(1) the term "agency" means only the following authorities of the Government of the United States: (A) The Food and Nutrition Service of the Department of Agriculture. (B) The Department of the Air Force. the Department of the Army. and the Department of the Navy. of the Department of Defense. (C) The Social Security Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services. (D) The Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice. (E) The Office of Workers Compensation Programs of the Department of Labor. (F) The Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury. (G) The National Railroad Passenger Corporation. (H) The Small Business Administration. (I) The Office of Personnel Management. (J) The United States Postal Service. (K) The Veterans Administration. (2) the term "complaint" means any written communication received by an agency from a Member of Congress regarding any difficulty experienced by a person in obtaining action on a matter regarding agency procedures. personnel. or physical facilities. and (3) the term "resolution" and "resolved". when used to describe action taken by an agency with respect to a complaint. mean(A) action that conforms to the action requested by a person who communicated with a Member of Congress as described in a complaint. (B) reference to statutory authority requiring such agency to refuse to take such requested action. or (C) referral of a complaint regarding a matter over which such agency has no authority. to a unit of government that has authority over such matter. SEC. 4. (a)(1) Not later than January 1. 1982. and not later than January 1 of each year thereafter. each agency shall submit a