Seeking Government Answers

If you are not receiving timely responses from written queries to the federal government, join the crowd. Washington is not known for being nimble, but agencies respond differently according to the Center for Effective Government. Here’s a brief breakdown:

  • Especially slow: Department of Veterans Affairs, State Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  • High marks: Agriculture Department and Social Security Administration
    Congress will try to move the biggest offenders, but Kiplinger reminds that “the bureaucracy, after all, is still the bureaucracy. Making agencies more responsive is sure to take time.”