Performance Measurement

Public officials must be able to better guarantee Americans that the government can effectively account for where their tax dollars go and how they are used, a task that will require federal agencies and Congress to shift their focus from correctly spending allocated dollars to managing for results. Better information on program status and a change in management attitude are needed, along with stronger incentives for agencies to account for their results. The Comptroller General testified that agencies need to (1) clearly articulate their missions in the context of statutory objectives and, with regard to services, citizen expectations; (2) develop implementation plans for the goals and objectives and specific measures of progress toward achieving them; and (3) report annually on their progress. In addition, Congress needs to carry out effective program oversight to demonstrate to the executive branch that it will use the information provided to hold the agencies accountable.