“The continuation of the Task Force represents a strong, ongoing commitment from the Budget Committee to keep looking for smart ways to save taxpayer dollars by improving how our government works. Our Task Force will pursue additional reforms that will reduce duplication, break down agency silos, build a more collaborative culture across government, and modernize how we use technology to improve transparency and accountability. This kind of oversight work typically does not generate a lot of headlines, but I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to find new ways to save taxpayer money.”
Chairman Mark Warner
Senator Warner was selected by then Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad to lead a bipartisan Task Force on Governmental Performance in October of 2009. The group continues to look at how the government measures the cost-effectiveness of federal agencies and programs. The goal is to boost efficiency and find cost savings for taxpayers. Chairman Conrad said he selected Senator Warner to serve as chairman of the task force based on his experience as a business leader and as the former governor of Virginia.
Task Force Progress:
• Since it's first meeting, the Task Force has discussed the influence of information technology in performance analysis, the use of data in promoting smarter government decision-making and the importance of modernizing the federal government's information technology systems.
• In addition to holding hearings, the Task Force contributed to the passage of the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 to make government more accountable, efficient and productive.
• Senator Warner invites the public to submit their ideas on how to improve government performance. Click here to share your suggestions.
Senator Warner's Progress:
- Senators Warner (D-VA) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) introduced bipartisan legislation to establish, monitor, and improve customer service delivery across federal agencies. The Government Customer Service Improvement Act would make the federal agency customer service process more transparent and efficient, increase accountability, and reduce the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) chronic backlogs in processing retirement benefits.
- Senators Warner (D-VA) and Scott Brown (R-MA) introduced the Civilian Property Realignment Act, bipartisan legislation to sell excess federal real property that could save billions to support deficit reduction.
- Senators Warner (D-VA) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced bipartisan legislation directing the U.S. Department of Transportation to partner with states and metropolitan areas to develop better performance-based standards to more accurately measure the effectiveness of transportation planning, funding and project management.
- Senator Warner chaired a Senate Budget Committee Government Performance Task Force hearing to examine whether the United Kingdom’s recent regulatory reforms could provide lessons applicable to Congress’ current regulatory reform debate.
- Senator Warner sponsored legislation to ensure that federal workers receive retroactive pay for the duration of a potential government shutdown.
- Senators Warner (D-VA) and Coburn (R-OK) introduced a bipartisan amendment directing the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to find at least $5 billion in savings identified in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on reducing government duplication.
- Sen. Warner, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee’s bipartisan Task Force on Government Performance convened a hearing on duplicative and inefficient federal programs that included testimony from GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, Center for American Progress president and former Clinton White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, and former Bush Administration Associate OMB Director Robert Shea.
- In January 2011, the President signed into law Senator Warner’s Government Performance and Results Modernization Act, requiring federal agencies to identify their top priorities, publicly report results, and identify ineffective and overlapping programs for possible consolidation or elimination.
- Senator Warner successfully added four amendments to the Food Safety Modernization Act. The amendments will improve performance metrics and data and promote better coordination between the Departments of Agriculture and Homeland Security in inspecting food and reducing duplication of effort.
- In October 2009, Senator Warner held the first meeting of the Task Force and questioned President Obama's Chief Performance Office, Jeff Zients, on how the administration is tracking government performance.
- Since the panel's first meeting, Senator Warner invited the public to submit their ideas on how to improve government performance. Click here to share your suggestions.