After a recent string of aviation disasters and near-disasters, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called for a wide-scale modernization of the Federal Aviation Administration, saying its computer systems still “run on floppy disks.”
Duffy urged Congress to move faster in supporting the modernization because the FAA “can’t wait four years, six years, 10 years,” to enact safety changes.
The national frustration with the federal government is hardly limited to aviation. According to Pew research, 72% of Americans hold a negative view of Congress. This is not split across partisan lines — only 26% of both Republicans and Democrats had a favorable view of Congress in 2023.
For more than a decade, I have partnered with the government to help agencies fulfill their missions. In that time, I have encountered dedicated, hard-working public servants who genuinely want to improve outcomes for the American people. Yet far too often their efforts are stifled — not by a lack of skill or commitment, but by a bureaucratic system that forces them to spend more time navigating administrative hurdles than accomplishing their goals.
This sentiment was reflected by a former Pentagon acquisition official who told Senate lawmakers in early January that the Department of Defense’s programming practices hinder its ability to efficiently deliver technology to the military. “The accumulation of decades of statutes, regulations, processes, all well-intentioned [have] permeated the bureaucracy [and] have hobbled our ability to adapt and change,” he said.
At Easterly Government Properties, we have identified countless opportunities for the government to achieve its objectives in shorter timeframes and at lower costs. The challenge? A tangled web of processes that make even the most logical, cost-saving improvements nearly impossible to implement efficiently.
If we propose a change that would save taxpayers millions, approval might take a minimum of eight months. More often, it takes three years or more. By the time a decision is made, the landscape has often shifted, requiring the process to start all over again.
This inefficiency isn’t just frustrating — it’s demoralizing. Employees who enter public service with a passion for meaningful work find themselves caught in a cycle of endless approvals and outdated processes. The result? A workforce that feels drained rather than empowered.
Excessive red tape and paperwork has proven to impact government employees in the past. A 2020 Forrester study analyzing public sector worker experience found that 21% of government employees report a low-quality experience, with 27% reporting feeling disengaged with their work and only 34% “willing to recommend their organization’s services or products” to friends and family.
The private sector has spent decades improving productivity through technology, streamlined operations, and better organizational structures. Government should follow suit.
If we reform cumbersome processes, fewer employees will be needed for redundant tasks, allowing the workforce to be reallocated to high-impact initiatives. Those employees will be more motivated, more productive and better able to serve the public.
This was demonstrated when the State of Michigan removed 3,000 administrative rules identified as “unnecessary regulatory burdens” in an effort to create a more engaged workforce. The results yielded higher employee experience measurements across the state.
Tapping into private sector efficiencies has been proven to save taxpayers money in critical areas like transportation. A 2021 report by the Congressional Budget Office found that public-private partnerships in transportation infrastructure can reduce project costs by 17% on average.
From streamlined project management to automation, the government has struggled to keep up with the pace of innovation, and particularly with the recent AI leap, it risks falling behind even further which can pose a threat to our domestic and national security.
It’s time for the public sector to embrace the same innovations that have driven success in the private sector. While many voices in the debate remain fixated on preserving the status quo, I applaud the disruptors — those who are pushing forward with real solutions to make government more effective, efficient, and accountable.
The Department of Government Efficiency has begun to precipitate this change at a breakneck pace, but there remain greater challenges ahead that can only be addressed through congressional action.
The goal isn’t just cost savings — it’s a government that works better, faster, and smarter for the people it serves. If Congress can work hand-in-hand with DOGE, we can begin to break down the barriers of bureaucracy and use our tax dollars to move society forward.
Crate is president and CEO of Easterly Government Properties. He was the chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party 2003-07.