The federal government’s fiscal challenges demand a wiser and more effective management strategy. Taxpayers want a federal government that is nimble, responsive, and efficient. There is little patience for the wasteful spending and uninformed decision-making of the past. Our mind-boggling budget deficits require us to take a tough and honest look at how we can better manage the scarce resources taxpayers entrust to the federal government.

As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, I’m all too familiar with the often wasteful and inefficient ways agencies spend taxpayer dollars. Those of us in Congress need to look in every nook and cranny of the federal government to find ways to make agencies better stewards of the dollars sent to Washington. From how we invest in Information Technology, to the weapons we buy for our military, to how we stop fraudulent abuse of Medicare and Medicaid – there’s a lot we could do better.

As a recovering governor, I understand the value of transparency and quality information when it comes to making tough decisions about where to spend scarce resources. That’s why I authored the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010, which the President signed into law in January 2011. The new law demands better performance for less money from government programs and increased transparency. Programs that that don't work or that have outlived their usefulness either need to be fixed or eliminated altogether.

It's my hope that the law will help serve as a roadmap for the tough decisions that lie ahead as Congress and the President work together to make government more efficient and give taxpayers a better bang for their buck.