Brown, Mace Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Federal Casework

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Brown (OH-11) has introduced the Electronic Consent Accountability Act, bipartisan legislation to modernize and simplify federal casework for taxpayers. The legislation is co-led by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01). Brown and Mace are Ranking Member and Chair, respectively, of the Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. 

The bill ensures that federal agencies fully implement the 2019 CASES Act, which enabled constituents to provide electronic authorization to additional parties – like attorneys or caregivers – for the disclosure of personal information. Consent forms are often the first step in resolving casework issues and receiving full and correct government benefits.

Implementation requirements were established by the Office of Management and Budget in 2020, in OMB Memo M-21-04. Despite this guidance, a 2024 GAO study found that most federal agencies had not even begun implementing the CASES Act (see page 72).

“My constituents shouldn’t have to deal with slow, outdated paper processes just to get help from their government,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown. “This bill holds agencies accountable and pushes them to adopt modern, secure tools that our government better serves the American people.”

“Cutting red tape and making the government do its job shouldn’t be a partisan issue. Both sides of the aisle agree: Americans deserve access to their own records," said Congresswoman Nancy Mace. 

The text of the bill is available here.

The Electronic Consent Accountability Act 

• Requires sixteen federal agencies to submit to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform a report specifying:
  • Whether the agency has implemented OMB’s guidance for CASES Act compliance.
  • If OMB guidance in M-21-04 has not been implemented, the head of each agency must specify:
    • A justification for a lack of compliance
    • A timeline for implementation
    • Steps the agency is taking towards implementation
  • This report must be submitted within 120 days of enactment of the legislation
    
     
• Benefits:
  • Improved constituent services by expedited consent and processing times
  • Improved privacy protection and efficiency with the implementation of secure electronic consent
  • Ensures that the CASES Act is implemented

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