Expansion of GovBenefits.gov

Labor Department Announces Expansion of GovBenefits.gov, Award-Winning Web site Now Features GovLoans.gov En Español , More Programs

WASHINGTON—U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Steven J. Law today announced the launch of GovLoans.gov en Español and the expansion of the GovBenefits.gov Web site to more than 1,000 federal and state benefit programs. The announcement was made during a celebration of the Web site's third anniversary.

GovLoans.gov En Español offers Spanish-speaking communities greater access to available federal and state loan program information. GovBenefits.gov was among the Top 25 finalists for the 2005 Excellence.gov Award from the Industry Advisory Council. The Web site is one of the key initiatives that comprise the President's E-Government Strategy which focuses on making government programs and information more accessible to the public.

“GovBenefits.gov offers diverse and extensive benefit program information for veterans, seniors, students, teachers, children, people with disabilities, dependents, disaster victims, farmers, caregivers, job seekers, prospective homeowners and more,” said Deputy Secretary Law. “The Web site has attracted more than 17 million visitors since it went online in April 2002, increasing citizens' access to benefit programs and information they may not have known existed.”

Joining Law for the celebration event were Karen Evans, administrator of the Office of Management and Budget's Office of e-Government and Information Technology, and Patrick Pizzella, assistant secretary of labor for administration and management and chief information officer (CIO).

Managed by the Department of Labor, GovBenefits.gov also announced the launch of “Customized Connections,” which allows agencies to customize their Web sites with GovBenefits.gov functionality. Specifically, agencies can reuse the GovBenefits.gov pre-screening questionnaire and search capabilities, while maintaining their own branding and overall design.

GovBenefits.gov is a collaborative effort of 10 federal agencies, including the Departments of Labor, Agriculture, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, State, Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration.

Media Availability: Either Assistant Secretary and CIO Pizzella or a GovBenefits.gov expert is available for interviews. Please call 202-693-7909 or 693-4676 to schedule an interview.

SOURCE: The United States Department of Labor OPA News Release: [04/29/2005]Contact Name: Peggy Abrahamson or Camille Anderson Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 or x7909 Release Number: 05-597-NAT