Bipartisan legislation that was recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) would enable government employees to use ridesharing and bikesharing programs for official business.
The Government Travel Modernization Act, H.R. 5625, introduced by Hurd and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA), would broaden travel options for government employees to promote flexibility and to save taxpayer money on travel expenses.
“The federal government is notoriously behind-the-times with antiquated policies that stifle innovation and 21st century competition,” Hurd, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Information Technology, said. “The result is a government that rewards outdated technology and pays more than it should for basic services. This bill finally allows federal employees to catch up with the private sector and moves the needle toward a more innovative and responsive government.”
Moulton said that although ridesharing programs like Uber and Lyft have improved how people travel, federal employees are currently not able to take advantage of them for official travel.
“This bipartisan bill will change that for the thousands of federal employees both in Washington and in Massachusetts,” Moulton said. “This bill seeks to bring innovation into how government functions by utilizing the new technology that is available to us.”
Niki Christoff, the head of federal affairs at Uber, thanked Hurd and Moulton for sponsoring the bill.
“We are committed to providing reliable transportation at the push of a button for everyone, everywhere and we’re hopeful that with this legislation, Uber and all ridesharing options, will be able to provide that service to those working in the federal government,” Christoff said.