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Committee on Government Reform
Subcommittee on Government Efficiency and Financial Management
Congressman Todd Russell Platts, Chairman
Oversight Hearing
Statement by Todd Russell Platts, Chairman
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
2:00 p.m.
As elected representatives of the people, we have a responsibility to use taxpayer dollars in the most efficient, effective manner possible. Only by better understanding how these dollars are spent and managing the Federal government in a more transparent, results-oriented way, can we begin to govern with accountability.
President George Bush's Management Agenda is the most aggressive attempt by any administration to achieve this goal. The Administration's Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART), implemented for the first time last year, seeks to tie funding sources to outcomes at the program level. PART is a key tool, not only in the President's Management Agenda, but also as part of the broader performance-based accountability effort encompassed by the Government Performance and Results Act.
The vision behind GPRA was an effective, efficient government that produced tangible results - results that would form the basis for budgetary decisions. GPRA was intended to serve as a firm foundation on which to build a structure of performance management, and the PMA is a logical evolution in bringing about such reform. The budget and performance integration aspect of the PMA brings us closer than ever to one of the most elusive, yet critical, goals - linking performance to budgeting decisions.
PART, as it has been implemented in the last two budget cycles, is a proven and effective management tool. Agencies now understand what is expected of them in the PART process and are beginning to manage for results. This year, unlike last, a number of budget decisions can be directly linked to the use of the PART, but there is still a long way to go. The PART, as a budgetary tool, continues to evolve.
Results should certainly be an important factor underlying budget decisions. Efforts to infuse performance-oriented information into the allocation of resources will, by definition, provide better-informed budget decisions.
Today we will hear from two senior Administration officials with unique perspectives on the implementation of the PMA and PART. Clay Johnson, Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, is responsible for implementing these reforms government-wide and brings a broad view. From the agency perspective, Deputy Secretary of Energy, Kyle McSlarrow, has agreed to provide the Subcommittee with specific information on successful reforms at DOE. I would like to thank each of you for your time today.
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