Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA)

Let me start with a definition from my trusty Oxford College Dictionary –

Eliminate: completely remove or get rid of (something)

By that definition, one would expect that the Government Paperwork ELIMINATION Act would be about completely removing or getting rid of (paperwork). Ha ha ha. Yes, it is important that GPEA allows Executive Branch agencies to use and collect electronic signatures and electronic forms. Yes, it is important that GPEA established the legality of these e-sigs and e-forms. But, NO, GPEA does not eliminate anything. It only stipulates that the agencies must provide an alternative method of submission besides paper, when “practicable” (see note below). It does not say these e-forms are replacing, or will ever be completely replacing, paper. So what exactly is being “eliminated” here? Still don’t know.

References

Government Paperwork Elimination Act. (2006). 44 U.S.C. § 3504. Retrieved January 27, 2009 fro Lexis/Nexis Congressional.

Lindberg, C. A. (Sr. Ed.). (2007). The Oxford college dictionary, 2nd ed. New York: Spark Publishing and Oxford: Oxford University.

Note – Defining Practicable

Thanks again to the Oxford College Dictionary: able to be done or put into practice successfully; able to be used; useful. Based on this, I am not sure GPEA really expects any agency to do anything about e-sigs or e-forms since there is NO measure given of success. If there is no measure of success, then you can’t determine if the action can be practiced “successfully,” therefore it is not “practicable.” I don’t even want to think about what “able to be used” or “useful” mean in a government context. Grr.