Duffy resolution offers paper option to government documents

Last week, Congressman Sean Duffy, R-Weston, and Congressman Michael Michaud, D-Maine, introduced a house resolution to give consumers the opportunity to choose between paper or electronic communications when dealing with key government services.

In recent years, a number of federal agencies have made the decision, without Congressional oversight, to transfer standard government forms and services entirely to electronic communications, without allowing an option for the continuation of paper-based forms.

The exclusion of a paper option includes annual tax forms, Social Security annual earnings statements, and Social Security benefits checks. A recent FCC study noted that tens of millions of Americans do not live in an area that has access to broadband internet.

“Millions of Americans, especially many senior citizens in rural areas of Wisconsin, are concerned with these digital government mandates,” Duffy said. “First, the government took away the option to access paper savings bonds at their local bank to give to their kids and grandkids on special occasions. Now, as of this month, they are taking away the paper option for Social Security checks and yearly earnings statements. To use electronic forms requires not only access to computers and the internet but also be computer literate and comfortable giving personal information over the internet.

“Eliminating paper-based government services to Americans that depend on them, from seniors to low-income families, will disenfranchise these people

from receiving these standard government forms. That is why I introduced H. Res. 97, to allow individuals to choose between electronic or paper communications to ensure rural citizens and senior citizens are not negatively affected in our new digital age.”

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