Rep. Calvert Introduces the Stuck on Hold Act

Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) introduced the Stuck on Hold Act, H.R. 6656, legislation designed to add convenience and transparency to Americans who call the Veterans Administration (VA) or Social Security Administration (SSA) for assistance. Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) is an original cosponsor of the bill. 

“Veterans, seniors, and all Americans deserve the most convenient service possible when they call a federal agency for assistance,” said Rep. Calvert. “The Stuck on Hold Act will provide callers with estimated wait times and the option to receive a call back when those wait times are lengthy, a practice that is now fairly standard in the private sector. Taxpayers should not be left on hold for endless amounts of time praying that someone answers their call.”

BACKGROUND

The Stuck on Hold Act requires the VA and Social Security to implement customer service telephone systems that inform callers of their estimated wait times and, if the wait is estimated to be longer than 15 minutes, to give the caller the option of receiving an automated call back when it is their turn in line. The bill gives the agencies up to one year to implement the new system.

Problem:

• Currently, there is no government-wide customer service standard for federal agencies to use when receiving calls from the general public.
• Government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and Veterans Affairs Administration each operate their call centers differently, resulting in a wide variety of customer service standards for the American people.  
• According to a SSA Office of the Inspector General report from this summer, “SSA’s average 35-minute wait time for all of 2022 was more than double the 15-minute wait time in 2021.”

Solution:

• The IRS was the first federal agency to move to implement a call-back system that is expected to result in shorter wait times, more calls being answered, and increased customer satisfaction.
• The Stuck on Hold Act would require the SSA and the VA to implement similar call-back functionality used by the IRS. The legislation would also require a call-back option if there is a longer than 15-minute wait time. This “good government” bill is a simple and common-sense approach to ensure our seniors and veterans get the support they need in a timely and professional manner.    

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