President Biden signs executive order on streamlining various government processes

By PYMNTS

US president Joe Biden signed an executive order on Monday December 13, making it so 17 government agencies will now have to make it easier for people to apply for government-provided services, a press release from The White House notes.

Biden said there was a problem with people not knowing how to apply for such services, which could impede their lifestyles.

The government agencies will “focus on more than 30 key areas to make it easier to apply for services and benefits that they’re entitled to,” Biden said at the press event.

“Let me give a few examples,” Biden continued. “For millions of people who retire each year, you should be able to apply for Social Security benefits without needing to go to a Social Security office and have Medicare proactively reach out to you with the tools you need to manage your health and save money.”

He said there was an assumption among bureaucracies that everyone knows how everything functions, but it’s actually “a very complicated web” even for those with advanced college degrees.

Biden continued that the new executive order would make technology better, allowing security lines and wait times at airports to be expedited. The move would also allow for speedier filings and refunds at the IRS and for disaster aid, among other things.

“The bottom line is we’re going to make the government work more effectively for the American citizens so it’s not as confusing and it’s straightforward,” Biden said. “And we’re going to — because I believe this will go a long way to restoring faith in government.”

Late last month, PYMNTS wrote that Biden also met with numerous CEOs of large companies, including Walmart and CVS, to talk about solutions to the ongoing supply chain crisis.

Read more: Biden to Meet With Retail Leaders on Supply Chain Snags

The meeting also included leaders in grocery, electronics and pharmacy, with a goal of ensuring that shelves would be stocked for the busiest shopping time of the year. At the time, Biden gave his thoughts on how to eliminate the supply chain bottlenecks and find ways to cut down on prices.