[Fredslist] Fwd: Federal Gov't reform aimed at helping Business

[Corey Bearak]

Since our colleague David posted about the White House plans for small business, I decided to share comments I shared with a client business/trade group last week when I passed on the President's speech White House Talking Points and a Government Reorganization Website.  
My comments follow David's post and includes the link to the new agency's website.  
Please see my comments below my email signature.  
Thanks for your interest.
-Corey

On Jan 16, 2012, at 11:23 AM, David Abeshouse wrote:

 
FYI:
 
White House to launch online resource for small businesses
o    By Camille Tuutti
o    Jan 13, 2012
The White House will be unveiling a new website that will act as one-stop virtual shop to provide information and resources for small businesses and help owners succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel made the announcement Jan. 13 when delivering a speech about federal mobility at a luncheon hosted by the Association for Federal Information Resources Management.

BusinessUSA.gov,  which VanRoekel said will launch in “a few weeks,” pools information and services from the government into one integrated network for U.S. business owners and entrepreneurs.

The main focus of the website is to help U.S. business succeed and grow, VanRoekel said. The website will provide entrepreneurs with relevant information from one consolidated source instead of having them navigate through several different options, he said.

 
http://fcw.com/articles/2012/01/13/white-house-to-launch-online-resource-for-small-businesses.aspx
 
 



Corey B. Bearak, Esq.
Government & Public Affairs Counselor
Networker of the Year| co-chair, GOtham GREEN | Gotham Towers | LI Legal
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[sent from my MacBook Pro]







We'll see but the key points are

Combining the six major departments and agencies that focus primarily on business and trade in the federal government into one department with one website, one phone number and one mission – "helping American businesses succeed".  The six major departments include: 
1-U.S. Department of Commerce’s core business and trade functions, 
2-the Small Business Administration, 
3-the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 
4-the Export-Import Bank, 
5-the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and
 6-the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. 

A soon-to-be-launched website for businesses – can be found here
 (http://www.whitehouse.gov/businessusa)

For the president's remarks and talking points please see below





Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery
A 21st Century Government
January 13, 2012
 
As Prepared for Delivery –
 
Good morning, everyone.  As small business owners, you know as well as anyone, that if we’re going to rebuild an economy that’s built to last – an economy that creates good, middle-class jobs – we all have to up our game. 
 
The other day, I met with business leaders who are doing their part by insourcing – by bringing jobs back to the United States.  And I told them, if you’re willing to keep asking yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back, I’ll make sure you’ve got a government that helps you succeed. 
 
That’s why we’re here today.  I ran for this office pledging to make our government leaner, smarter and more consumer-friendly.  And from the moment I got here, I saw up close what many of you know to be true: the government we have is not the government we need. 
 
We live in a 21st century economy, but we’ve still got a government organized for the 20th century. Our economy has fundamentally changed – as has the world – but the government has not. The needs of our citizens have fundamentally changed but their government has not.  Instead, it has often grown more complex.
 
There are five different entities dealing with housing; more than a dozen agencies involved in food safety.  And my favorite example, which I mentioned in last year’s State of the Union Address.  As it turns out, the Interior Department is in charge of salmon in fresh water, but the Commerce Department handles them in saltwater.  Apparently, this all had something to do with President Nixon being unhappy with his Interior Secretary for criticizing the Vietnam War.
 
No business or non-profit leader would allow this kind of duplication or unnecessary complexity in their operations. So why is it OK in our government?  It’s not.  It has to change.
 
Today, I am calling on Congress to reinstate the authority that past presidents have had to streamline and reform the Executive Branch.  This is the same sort of authority that every business owner has to make sure that his or her company keeps pace with the times.  And let me be clear: I will only use this authority for reforms that result in more efficiency, better service, and a leaner government.
 
Congress first granted this authority to presidents in the midst of the Great Depression, so that they could swiftly reorganize the Executive Branch to meet the changing needs of the American people. For the next 52 years, presidents were able to streamline or consolidate the Executive Branch by submitting a proposal to Congress that was guaranteed a simple up or down vote.
 
But in 1984, while Ronald Reagan was President, Congress stopped granting that authority.
 
And when this process was left to follow the usual Congressional pace, not surprisingly, it slowed down.  Congressional committees fought to protect their turf. Lobbyists fought to keep things unchanged because they’re the only ones who can navigate the bureaucracy. And because it’s always easier to add than to subtract in Washington; inertia prevented any real reform from happening. Layers kept getting added on. The Department of Homeland Security was created to consolidate intelligence and security agencies but Congress didn’t consolidate on its side. DHS right now reports to over 100 different Congressional panels. That’s excessive.
 
It has been a generation since a President had the authority to propose streamlining the government in a way that allowed for real change to take place. Think of all that has happened since 1984. A generation of Americans has come of age. Landlines have turned into smartphones. The Cold War has given way to globalization. So much has happened – and yet the government we have today is largely the government we had back then.  We deserve better.
 
Go talk to the skilled professionals in government who are serving their country – some of the hardest-working folks you’ll find anywhere – and they’ll tell you that their efforts are constantly undermined by an outdated bureaucratic maze.  Go talk to the Americans – including, I know, a lot folks here today – who deal with the government on a regular basis and they’ll tell you that it’s not always the highlight of their day. 
 
Over the past three years, we’ve taken steps to fix this problem – to bring our government into this century and, in doing so, to root out waste. We made sure the government sends checks to the right people, in the right amount, which should be obvious – but we’ve been able to prevent $20 billion dollars in waste over the last two years.  And we cut government contracting for the first time in more than a decade.  And we cut a whole range of overlapping programs.
 
So we’ve done a lot.  But we need to do more. We need to think bigger.
 
Today, I’m outlining changes we could make if Congress gives the green light to allow us to modernize and streamline. These changes would help small business owners like all of you.  Right now, there are six departments and agencies focused primarily on business and trade in the federal government – from the Commerce Department to the Small Business Administration to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office.  Six.  In this case, six isn’t better than one.  It’s redundant and inefficient. With the authority I am requesting today, we could consolidate them all into one department with one website, one phone number and one mission – helping American businesses succeed.
 
This is a big idea.  And we put a lot of thought into it.  Over the past year, we spoke with folks across the government and across the country.  And, most importantly, we spoke with businesses – including hundreds of small businesses – to hear what works and what doesn’t when you deal with the government. Well, we found some unsatisfied customers. And who can blame them.
 
Take a look at this slide.  This is the system small business owners face.  This is what they have to deal with if they want even the most basic answers to the most basic questions – like how to export to a new country or whether they qualify for a loan.  There’s a whole host of websites, toll-free numbers and customer service centers; each offering different assistance.  It’s a mess.  This should be easy for small businesses. And if Congress would reinstate this authority, it would be.
 
We’d have one department where entrepreneurs can go from the day they come up with an idea and need a patent, to the day they start building a product and need financing for a warehouse, to the day they’re ready to export and need help breaking into new markets overseas. One department where all our trade agencies would work together to ensure businesses and workers can better export by better enforcing trade agreements. One department dedicated to helping our businesses sell their products to the 95 percent of global consumers who live beyond our shores.
 
With this authority, we’d help businesses grow; save businesses time; and save taxpayer dollars. 
 
Now, this is just one example of what we can and should do. There is a real opportunity, right now, for us to fundamentally rethink, reform, and remake our government so that it can meet the demands of our time; so that it’s worthy of the American people; so that it works.
 
Congress needs to reinstate the authority it has given to Democratic and Republican presidents for decades.  In the meantime, as long as folks are looking for work and small businesses are looking for customers, I will keep doing everything in my power to help. 
 
As of today, I’m elevating the Small Business Administration to a cabinet-level agency. Karen Mills, who’s been doing a terrific job leading that agency, will make sure that small business owners have their own seat at the table in my Cabinet meetings.
 
In the coming weeks we’ll also unveil a new website – Business USA. This site will be a one-stop shop for small businesses and exporters, consolidating the information that’s right now spread across a number of government sites so that it’s all in one place that’s easy to search.
 
So with or without Congress, I’m going to keep at it. I’m hopeful it’s with Congress because this is an area where we can receive bipartisan support, because making our government more responsive, strategic and leaner should not be a partisan issue.
 
I’m going to keep fighting every day to rebuild this economy so that hard work pays off and responsibility is rewarded. I’m going to keep fighting to make sure middle class families regain the security they’ve lost over the past decade. This is a make or break moment for them. It should demand action from Washington.
 
Thank you.
 
 
President Obama Announces Proposal To Reform, Reorganize and Consolidate Government
Plan will make Government leaner, smarter and more consumer-friendly
 
WASHINGTON, DC – As a follow up to last year’s State of the Union, today, President Obama called on Congress to reinstate Presidential authority to reorganize and consolidate the federal government, which will ensure swift action on his proposals to streamline government to make it work better for the American people while eliminating duplication, waste and inefficiencies.
 
“We live in a 21st century economy, but we’ve still got a government organized for the 20th century. Our economy has fundamentally changed – as has the world – but the government has not. The needs of our citizens have fundamentally changed but their government has not.  Instead, it has often grown more complex. Today, I am calling on Congress to reinstate the authority that past presidents have had to streamline and reform the Executive Branch.  This is the same sort of authority that every business owner has to make sure that his or her company keeps pace with the times.  And let me be clear: I will only use this authority for reforms that result in more efficiency, better service, and a leaner government,” said President Obama.
  
Almost every President from Herbert Hoover to Ronald Reagan had reorganization authority.  Too often past attempts to streamline government got caught up in beltway politics and power struggles that prevented meaningful consolidation. And more often than not, new agencies were added without taking any away.
 
Unlike the authority granted in the past, the President’s proposal would initiate new accountability by mandating that any plan must reduce the number of government agencies or save taxpayer dollars. It would also ensure expedient review by Congress.
 
The President laid out his first proposed use of that authority consolidating six agencies into one more efficient agency to promote competitiveness, exports and American business.  Currently, there are six major departments and agencies that focus primarily on business and trade in the federal government.  The six are: U.S. Department of Commerce’s core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
 
Consolidating these agencies along with other related programs will help entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes grow, compete, and hire, leveraging one cohesive Department with one mission: to spur job creation and expand the U.S. economy. 
 
In his last State of the Union Address, President Obama noted there was more that we must do to give American businesses all they need to succeed. The Federal Government is a maze of Federal agencies with overlapping services and missions, making it difficult for businesses – and especially small ones – to find the assistance they need to export, expand, and hire. 
 
He established the Government Reform for Competitiveness and Innovation Initiative to examine how we can update the Federal government to better support America’s competitiveness in a 21st century global economy.   The team reached out to hundreds of businesses, experts, current and former cabinet officials and agency heads, union leaders, Members of Congress and their staff, and thousands of Federal employees to find out what is working and what is not. Across the range of conversations held by the Administration as part of the government reorganization initiative, one theme underscored repeatedly by business owners was that  they are confused about where to go for assistance and often are unaware of services that would help them, particularly those trying to break into the export market for the first time.
Government Reorganization Fact Sheet
Looking to make our government leaner, smarter and more consumer-friendly, the President will call on Congress to reinstate the authority that past Presidents had, over decades, to reorganize the government.  With the exception of President Ford, every President from Herbert Hoover to Ronald Reagan had reorganization authority.  Presidents had this sort of authority for almost the entire period from 1932 through 1984.Unlike the authority granted in the past, the President’s proposal would initiate new accountability by mandating that any plan must consolidate government - reducing the number of agencies or saving taxpayer dollars. 
The President will also lay out his first proposed use of that authority: consolidating six agencies into one more efficient department to promote competitiveness, exports and American business. The President knows this is a make or break moment for the middle class and those trying to reach it.  The President’s proposed reorganization would help small businesses grow and, in doing so, would help get more Americans back to work. 
For too long, overlapping responsibilities among agencies have made it harder, rather than easier, for our small businesses to interact with their government.  Those redundancies have also led to unnecessary waste and duplication. President Obama is committed to rethinking, reforming and remaking our government so that it can meet the challenges of our time and is worthy of the American people.
Today’s proposal is just one example of the kind of action the authority he is requesting would allow. 
Competing in a 21st Century Economy
We’re living in a 21st century economy with a 20th century bureaucracy. Our economy has fundamentally changed but the government has not. The needs of our citizens have fundamentally changed but their government has not. Instead, the government has grown only more complex. 
Over the past three years the Obama Administration has taken  numerous steps to address this problem by eliminating government waste and inefficiencies.  Clearly there’s more work to be done.  
The President’s First Action
The President’s first focus under the Consolidation Authority Act would be to make it easier for America's small businesses – which are America’s job creators – to compete, export and grow.  
Currently, there are six major departments and agencies that focus primarily on business and trade in the federal government.  The six are: U.S. Department of Commerce’s core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.  
This is redundant and inefficient. Small businesses often face a maze of agencies when looking for even the most basic answers to the most basic questions. There is a whole host of websites, toll-free numbers and customer service centers that at times offer them differing advice. The result is a system that is not working for our small businesses.  
The President is proposing to consolidate those six departments and agencies into one Department with one website, one phone number and one mission – helping American businesses succeed. 
One Department: there will be one Department where entrepreneurs can go from the day they come up with an idea and need a patent, to the day they start building a product and need a warehouse, to the day they are ready to export and need help breaking into new markets overseas. 
The new Department will lead the development and implementation of an integrated, strategic, government-wide trade effort and have a focused capacity to help businesses grow and thrive.     
Business USA
We will also be unveiling a new website: BusinessUSA. This site will be a virtual one-stop shop with information for small businesses and businesses of all size that want to begin or increase exporting.
 
Talking Points: Reforming Government
 
·         Looking to make our government leaner, smarter and more consumer-friendly, the President called on Congress to reinstate the authority that past Presidents – all but one President from President Hoover all the way to President Reagan – had to reorganize the government.  He also laid out his first use of that authority consolidating six agencies into one more efficient department to promote competitiveness, exports and American Business. 
 
·         As the President said, “We live in a 21st century economy, but we’ve still got a government organized for the 20thcentury. Our economy has fundamentally changed – as has the world – but the government has not. The needs of our citizens have fundamentally changed but their government has not. ”
 
·         Over the past three years we have taken numerous steps to eliminate government waste and inefficiencies.  But there’s more work to be done. This bill reinstates the President’s ability to reorganize the government so it can be modernized, more efficient and provide better service. 
 
·         And to guarantee that government reorganization will always result in a more efficient government, the legislation will add a new requirement that any reorganization plan meets this strong standard: It must save money or reduce the size of government.
 
·         The President’s first focus under the bill will be to make it easier for American businesses to compete, export and grow.  Currently, there are six major departments and agencies that focus primarily on business and trade in the federal government.  The six major departments include: U.S. Department of Commerce’s core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. 
 
·         This is redundant and inefficient. Today the President is proposing to consolidate them all into one department with one website, one phone number and one mission – helping American businesses succeed.
 
·         The administration undertook an extensive review process over the last year, including engaging more than 100 small businesses, to figure out what’s working and what isn’t.  There has been a tremendous amount of preparation and engagement following the 2011 State of the Union when the President announced that this reform and reorganization would happen.
 
·         Bottom line: There will be one Department where entrepreneurs can go from the day they come up with an idea and need a patent, to the day they start building a product and need a warehouse, to the day they are ready to export and need help breaking into new markets overseas.
 
·         To ensure that the needs of America’s small businesses are met as effectively as possible in the interim, the President has elevated SBA Administrator Karen Mills to a cabinet-level official, effective today.
 
·         This is good for government and good for the American people.  This shouldn’t be a partisan issue.  Republicans have called for a leaner, more efficient government.  We agree. 
 
·         The President looks forward to working with Congress to pass this bipartisan measure. In the meantime, reform and reorganization efforts will continue within the administration to ensure that the government works for Americans.
 
 


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