Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) and Congressman Dennis Moore (KS-03) last week introduced H.R. 2142, the Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act. The legislation would provide congressional policy makers with better information on program performance so that they can conduct more effective oversight, improve the effectiveness of agency and program operations and ensure that taxpayer money is being used efficiently and effectively.

“In these challenging economic times, it is more important than ever to protect taxpayers against wasteful or irresponsible government spending,” Congressman Cuellar said. "This bill requires a much-needed look at federal programs to ensure that every dollar is spent as effectively and efficiently as possible. It is a key first step on the road toward balanced budgets, and Congressman Moore and I will continue to work to promote fiscal responsibility and rein in wasteful spending."

To improve the federal government’s performance management process and increase the availability and transparency of performance information, the Government Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Performance Improvement Act would:

• Program Assessments – Require that every federal program be assessed at least once every five years to evaluate the clarity of the program’s purpose and objectives, the quality of the program’s management and organizational design, the quality of the program’s strategic and performance planning and goals and the effectiveness of the program in meeting its strategic objectives.
• Assessment Reports – Require that comprehensive assessment reports summarizing the findings of each assessment be submitted along with the President’s budget every year.
• Improvement Plans – Require agencies to submit, within 90 days after the submission of assessment reports, improvement plans that lay out the managerial, organizational and operational reforms the agency will implement to respond to issues raised in the assessment report and to improve the performance of the program.
• Agency Performance Improvement Officers and the Performance Improvement Council – Create “agency performance improvement officers” to supervise the performance management activities of agencies and establish the Performance Improvement Council, which will assist in the development of performance standards and evaluation methodologies, identify best practices in federal performance management practices and facilitate the exchange of information on performance among agencies.

“The performance assessments required by this legislation will bring greater accountability to the management of federal programs, promptly identify pressing policy and program issues and help Congress determine if specific operational, financial or strategic reforms are needed,” said Congressman Moore. “Given our current economic situation and the debt we are facing as a nation, Congressman Cuellar and I are committed to promoting these kinds of common-sense, fiscally-responsible proposals.”

H.R. 2142 has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and is currently awaiting consideration.

###

Congressman Henry Cuellar is a member of the U.S. House Homeland Security, Agriculture, and Government Oversight & Reform Committees in the 111th Congress. Accessibility to constituents, education, health care, economic development, and national security are his priorities. Congressman Cuellar is also a Senior Whip and member of the Blue Dog Coalition.