Feb 15, 2025
The National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPR), often referred to as the National Performance Review, was a U.S. government reform initiative launched in 1993 by Vice President Al Gore. Its goal was to make the federal government “work better, cost less, and get results Americans care about”. The initiative aimed to streamline processes, cut bureaucracy (with a focus on overhead costs beyond issues addressable by statute), and implement innovative solutions.
Significance:
- Eliminated over 100 programs, and 250,000 federal jobs
- Consolidated over 800 agencies
- Introduced performance measurements, and customer satisfaction surveys
- Encouraged the use of Technology and the Internet
- Comprised 384 recommendations, and 2000 pages of proposals
- NPR promised to save the federal government about $108 billion
- Four Themes: 1) Put customers first 2) Cut red tape 3) Empower employees to get results 4) Cut back to basics
Learn MoreFeb 15, 2025
The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (enacted June 10, 1921) established the framework for the modern federal budget. The act was approved by President Warren G. Harding to provide a national budget system and an independent audit of government accounts. The official title of this act is “The General Accounting Act of 1921”, but is frequently referred to as “the budget act”, or “the Budget and Accounting Act”. This act required the president to submit an annual budget for the entire federal government to Congress. The object of the budget bill was to consolidate the spending agencies in both the executive and legislative branches of the government.
Significance:
- Centralized Federal budget, before done by Agencies in their silos directly to Congressional Committees
- Greater transparency, and visibility of spending
- Created the Bureau of Budget (now the OMB – Office of Management and Budget) in the Treasury now part of the Whitehouse
- Created the Government Accounting Office, the lead accounting audit agency in the government that provides info to the Whitehouse and reports to Congress.
Learn MoreFeb 14, 2025
The Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (PSSCC), commonly referred to as the Grace Commission, was an investigation requested by President Ronald Reagan, authorized in Executive Order 12369 on June 30, 1982. The survey’s focus was on eliminating waste and inefficiency in the United States federal government. Reagan asked the members of that commission to “Be bold. We want your team to work like tireless bloodhounds. Don’t leave any stone unturned in your search to root out inefficiency.”
Significance:
- President Reagan used the “Drain the swamp” phrase.
- Businessman J. Peter Grace chaired the commission.
- Recommendations were largely ignored by Congress
- Report claimed $424 billion could be saved in three years if recommendations followed
- 2478 page report comprised of 36 Task Force Reports, and 11 Special Reports
- Summary denoted “Resistance to additional income taxes would be even more widespread if people were aware that” ominous statements followed
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