Key Committee Passes Bill Mandating More Accountability & Cost-Savings Across Federal Agencies

WASHINGTON – Today, bipartisan legislation to make government work better by requiring every federal agency to set clear performance goals that can be accurately measured and publicly reported to Congress and taxpayers in a more transparent way passed the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s mark up. The bill, recently introduced by U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) also establishes a clear framework to identify overlapping federal programs and requires more focused efforts to identify potential taxpayer savings. This legislation, the first significant update of The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, is co-sponsored by Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), and George Voinovich (R-OH). The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration. 

 "I am pleased that my colleagues on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee quickly passed this important legislation," said Sen. Carper. "Today we face unparalleled challenges both here and abroad, and these require a knowledgeable and nimble federal government that can respond effectively.  With concerns growing over the mounting federal deficit and national debt, the American people deserve to know that every dollar they send to Washington is being used to its utmost potential. This legislation will go a long way in improving the performance and efficiency of the federal government and bringing the results our nation demands. I will work with my colleagues in the full Senate to swiftly move this bipartisan bill toward final passage."

 The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRMA) requires each agency to designate a Chief Operating Officer and a Performance Improvement Officer, with the primary responsibility for pursuing cost-savings through the improved analysis and coordination of duplicative programs. These officials also would be held responsible for considering taxpayer savings through better coordination of administrative functions common to every agency, including purchasing. 

The Carper-Warner-Akaka legislation requires federal agencies to post performance data on a single public website on a quarterly, rather than a yearly, schedule. It also sets an ambitious first-year goal of an overall 10-percent reduction in the cumulative number of little-used or outdated reports mandated by previous Administrations and Congresses.