| 3.23.22

Should New or Updated Federal Websites be Mobile Friendly? (H.R. 2331)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is H.R. 2331?

(Updated December 18, 2020)

This bill was enacted on January 10, 2018

This bill would require federal agencies that create or update a website intended for use by the public to ensure that the website is mobile friendly. “Mobile friendly” would mean that the website is configured in such a way that it can be easily navigated and viewed when on a smartphone, tablet computer, or similar mobile device. In effect, this would implement an Office of Management and Budget memorandum of understanding for agencies from November 2016.

Argument in favor

Many people rely on smartphones when they’re on the go in their daily lives, so it makes sense for federal agencies that create or update a website intended for public use to ensure it’s mobile friendly.

Argument opposed

Federal agencies shouldn’t be expected to optimize their websites for viewing on mobile devices. Besides, a person could still use an actual computer if a site’s hard to navigate on a smartphone.

Impact

People accessing federal agencies’ websites; and federal agencies.

Cost of H.R. 2331

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would have no significant effect on the federal budget.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL) introduced this bill to require all future and re-designed government websites to be mobile friendly:

“In 2017, it’s unreasonable that one in ten Americans cannot connect with their government because they only use mobile devices. This bill is a common sense fix that brings government websites into the 21st century. No business or organization would build a website without mobile optimization, why should the government?”

This legislation passed the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on a voice vote and has the support of two cosponsors in the House, including one Democrat and one Republican.

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