By Allison Peck
A new federal website is designed to give Americans a single place to find information and, eventually, complete a growing number of government services online.
A new website launched by the federal government Tuesday is designed to serve as a single entry point for Americans trying to access federal information and services.
According to the White House, America.gov is intended to provide a "single digital point of entry" where people can communicate in plain language, receive answers to questions and, as more services are added, complete government transactions without having to navigate multiple federal agency websites.
The site is different from USA.gov, which remains the official website of the federal government and is operated by the U.S. General Services Administration.
According to USA.gov, the site has served as the federal government's official online portal since 2000 and is designed to help people find and understand government services and information.
America.gov is intended to take that concept a step further by using conversational technology rather than simply directing users to different government agencies.
According to the White House, users can currently ask questions through America.gov and receive answers based on federal government information. The administration plans to add the ability to complete more government transactions through the platform as federal agencies integrate their services.
The White House issued an executive order Tuesday directing the General Services Administration, the Office of Management and Budget and the National Design Studio to establish and operate America.gov as the federal government's unified digital entry point for covered online services.
The order defines covered services as public-facing federal services that serve more than 100,000 users in a 12-month period and can be accessed or applied for online. Tax filing services provided by the Internal Revenue Service and certain national-security-related services are excluded.
According to the White House, America.gov is also expected to integrate with Login.gov, which is already used by federal agencies to provide secure access to online services. The executive order directs agencies to identify eligible services and work toward integrating them with the new platform.
One example of what could eventually be handled through America.gov is applying for a passport.
The State Department currently allows eligible Americans to renew passports online, although first-time adult applicants generally still must apply in person at an acceptance facility.
According to the White House, passport renewal is among the services expected to become available through America.gov later this year, along with services such as Medicare enrollment. Additional services are expected to be added as agencies connect their systems to the platform.
The new system is not intended to eliminate existing ways of accessing federal agencies.
According to the executive order, Americans will continue to be able to use agency-specific websites, phone services, mail and in-person services. The order says America.gov is intended to provide another option rather than become the only way to access federal services.
The administration also says the system is being designed with privacy and security requirements in mind.
According to the executive order, America.gov is supposed to use data minimization, secure authentication and other safeguards for personal information. The order also says individual federal agencies will retain control of their records and statutory responsibilities rather than creating a centralized federal system of records through the new website.
The General Services Administration announced that America.gov uses AI-enhanced search technology and information from government websites to provide what it describes as a "front door" to federal resources.
For now, the biggest change for users is the ability to approach federal information through a conversational interface instead of first having to know which agency operates a particular program.
The White House says the goal is to make it easier for people to find federal services without having to understand the structure of the federal government or navigate multiple agency websites.
America.gov is available online now, while additional services are expected to be incorporated as federal agencies complete the integration process.