Budget Issues
Effects of the Fiscal Year 1990 Sequester on the Department of Health and Human Services Gao ID: HRD-90-156FS August 9, 1990Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the effects of the fiscal year (FY) 1990 sequester on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), focusing on: (1) how HHS resources were reduced by the sequester; and (2) what impact the sequester had on HHS ability to fulfill its mission.
GAO found that: (1) the FY 1990 sequester had little impact on HHS programs; (2) some accounts subject to sequestration ended up with higher spending authority than their sequestrable base after the HHS appropriation; (3) the sequester had the greatest impact on administrative accounts; (4) grant programs constituted most of the activity in sequestered HHS accounts; and (5) there were no reductions in force or layoffs stemming from the sequester.