Government Efficiency and Effectiveness: Opportunities to Reduce Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication and Achieve Other Financial Benefits, Statement of Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, Testimony Before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. Senate

摘要

The federal government faces a long-term, unsustainable fiscal path based on an imbalance between federal revenues and spending. While addressing this imbalance will require fiscal policy changes, in the near term opportunities exist in a number of areas to improve this situation, including where federal programs or activities are fragmented, overlapping, or duplicative. To call attention to these opportunities, Congress included a provision in statute for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to identify and report on federal programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives--either within departments or government-wide--that have duplicative goals or activities. GAO also identifies areas that are fragmented or overlapping and additional opportunities to achieve cost savings or enhance revenue collection. GAO's 2018 annual report is its eighth in this series (GAO-18-371SP). This statement discusses [1] new areas identified in GAO's 2018 annual report; [2] the progress made in addressing actions GAO identified in its 2011 to 2017 reports; and [3] examples of open actions directed to Congress or executive branch agencies. To identify what actions exist to address these issues, GAO reviewed and updated prior work, including recommendations for executive action and matters for congressional consideration.