PIA Supports Paper-Based Access to Government Information and Services
Printing Industries of America announced its support for a bipartisan Congressional resolution (H.Res. 97), introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Reps. Sean Duffy (R-WI) and Mike Michaud (D-ME), seeking to protect access to paper-based options for government services and information.
Despite a rise in threats to cyber security and millions of Americans who either prefer or require paper-based communications and services, federal agencies have been forcing Americans to go “paperless” without public comment or Congressional oversight. The Duffy-Michaud resolution intends to reverse recent federal initiatives to completely eliminate paper-based information and services, such as Social Security checks and earnings statements, savings bonds, and income tax forms, to ensure that Americans have the option to receive these services and information in paper form.
According to Consumers for Paper Options (CPO), a coalition advocating for the right to paper-based communications and to which Printing Industries of America belongs, there are more than 30 million Americans that lack Internet access both at home and at work. “It is unreasonable for our government to expect all citizens to e-file tax forms, receive Social Security benefits, and purchase savings bonds electronically,” said Lisbeth Lyons, Vice President of Government Affairs for Printing Industries of America.
Lyons continued, “Printing Industries of America remains committed to debunking the myth that going paperless is always the most effective communications strategy. We’ve been working to do this in the business and consumer worlds through our Value of Print campaign, and we look forward to launching the same effort on Capitol Hill. Millions of Americans, including senior citizens, lower income Americans, and those concerned about threats to cyber security, prefer, and sometimes require, paper-based communications from federal agencies. We are pleased to see Reps. Duffy and Michaud leading the charge to defend the right for Americans to receive government information in whatever means they choose.”
