Ask Your Senator to Co-Sponsor the Digital Service Act

The Digital Service Act writes into law support for a radically different way of making and running the government services we all rely on, a way that puts people first.

Today, the vast majority of government technology is overpriced and under-delivers. Too often, government programs spend millions of taxpayer dollars but don’t actually help constituents because the systems they rely on are built to comply with hundreds of obscure regulations, but not to actually work for the people who are supposed to use them. And these failures have huge consequences: veterans who die waiting for their benefits, families who can’t feed their children despite the availability of food assistance, and people stuck in the criminal justice system because of administrative failures instead of major crimes.

This Digital Service Act changes that by bolstering the US Digital Service and empowering states and local governments to establish similar teams. It challenges the status quo in service delivery, saves taxpayer dollars, and puts the power of user-centered design to work on behalf of the American people.

This is an important step toward making government truly work for all Americans. Join us in urging your Senator to co-sponsor the Digital Service Act.

TEST MODE

748

Goal: 800

Help us pass the Digital Service Act of 2019 by asking your Senators to co-sponsor!

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Dear [recipient name will go here],

As a constituent who believes that government services should be simple, effective, and easy to use, I urge you to co-sponsor the Digital Service Act of 2019. The Digital Service Act awards grants to state and local government to set up digital service teams that will put technology to work for the American people. 

Currently, creating technology for government is an expensive and clunky process that primarily seeks to serve the needs of government—not its citizens. The Digital Service Act seeks to help state and local governments hire tech talent to create cheaper and more effective technology solutions. By investing in tech talent in government, outcomes can measurably improve and government can serve constituents with respect and dignity. 

The Digital Service Act, housed under the United States Digital Service, will:
* Give state and local governments access to a pool of $15 million a year in grant funding. Government officials can apply for two-year grants, ranging from $200,000 to $2.5 million per year, based on their population. 
* Allocate at least half of this money to paying the salaries of technology talent. Grant recipients can reapply, once, for additional funding after the first two years. 
* Establish federal grants to cover 80 percent of the program’s overall budget, with state and local governments responsible for the remaining 20 percent.
* Authorize $50 million a year to help the United States Digital Service continue its work at the federal level. 

It’s time for government to join us in the 21st century, and create access to services that meet the needs of its citizens and users. With this in mind, I hope that you will play an active role in ensuring the passage of the Digital Service Act of 2019 by co-sponsoring the bill.

Sincerely,
[your name will go here]
[your email address will go here] [your location will go here]

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