Clinton Pledges to Make Federal Government More ‘User-Friendly’
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WASHINGTON — President Clinton made some striking promises Tuesday: tax filing by phone, a repaired postal service, shorter waiting times at veterans hospitals and helpful people at federal agencies to get things done more quickly.
The promises are among a broad array of pledges in the government’s new customer service standards. Clinton said that over the next few years they will make the federal government more user-friendly and demonstrate that service can be its hallmark.
Clinton and Vice President Al Gore presented the new customer standards in a White House ceremony.
The President said the new standards will “force the government to respect the needs of ordinary Americans by requiring them to be treated as valued customers.”
Under those standards, he said, there will be short time limits to answer mail, deal with applications, answer phone calls and accomplish the work of government.
The standards will build a new respect for government among the public “one customer at a time,” Clinton said.
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