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motion to reconsider the vote by which the resolution is passed or rejected shall not be in order.

(C) Immediately following the conclusion of the debate on the resolution and a single quorum call at

the conclusion of the debate if requested in accord

ance with the rules of the appropriate House, the

vote on final passage of the resolution shall occur.

(D) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate or the House of Representatives, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to a resolution described in paragraph (1), shall be decided without debate.

(E) If, prior to the passage by one House of a resolution of that House, that House receives a reso

lution with respect to departmental or agency strategic plans, performance plans and reports from the other House, then

(i) the procedure in that House shall be the same as if no resolution had been received

from the other House; but

(ii) the vote on final passage shall be on

the resolution of the other House.

(F) It shall not be in order in either the Senate

or the House of Representatives to consider a resolu

tion described in paragraph (1), or to consider any

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conference report on such a resolution, unless the

Comptroller General of the United States transmits

to the Congress a report under section 7(b).

(6) RULEMAKING POWER OF CONGRESS.-The enacted by the

provisions of this section

Congress

(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and the House of Representatives and as such shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, and shall supersede other

rules only to the extent that they are inconsist

ent therewith; and

(B) with full recognition of the constitu

tional right of either House to change the rules (so far as they relate to the procedures of that

House) at any time, in the same manner, and

to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.

Passed the Senate October 1 (legislative day, Sep

tember 30), 1992.

Attest:

WALTER J. STEWART,

Secretary.

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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT:

AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN MANAGING FOR RESULTS

Summary of Statement by Charles A. Bowsher
Comptroller General of the United States

Public officials must be able to better ensure our citizens that the government can effectively account for where their tax dollars go and how they are used. But doing this will require that federal agencies and Congress change the way they do business. It will require better information on program status and a change in management attitude. Also, agencies need more incentive to account for their results.

With the Chief Financial Officers Act as a foundation, I would like to lay out further steps that could be taken to improve accountability for program results.

First, agencies need to clearly articulate their missions in the context of statutory objectives and, with regard to services, citizen expectations. These objectives need to be written in terms that can be used to judge progress toward achieving them. It is essential that agreement be reached between Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and the executive agencies on realistic, outcome-oriented goals if they are to use the data to assess progress.

Second, agencies need to develop implementation plans for the goals and objectives and specific measures of progress toward achieving them. Measurable interim targets should be set for agency operations so that the process of measuring progress can get started.

And third, agencies need to report annually on their progress. Congress must be actively involved in overseeing agency performance in key areas. If Congress does not take performance results seriously, neither will the agencies.

Developing this framework will not be not easy. Our work to date in certain federal agencies and our discussions with officials from states, localities, and other countries suggest, that the necessary changes will take place gradually, be difficult, and will require a high degree of commitment from those involved. A key question that needs to be answered is: What needs to be done to begin moving the federal government toward a better focus on accountability for results? Additional legislation along the lines being considered by this Committee can help. Several steps the Committee should consider include: creating a framework for the development of measures, creating incentives for managers and Congress to use the resulting measures, sorting out agencies and programs by level of difficulty, starting with pilots, and

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:

We are pleased to be here today to discuss how the development and use of program performance measures can be a valuable tool to help Congress and executive branch agencies improve government

operations.

Public officials must be able to better ensure our citizens that the government can effectively account for where their tax dollars go and how they are used.

But doing this will require federal agencies and Congress to change the way they do business. It will require better information on program status and a change in management attitude. Also, agencies need more incentive to account for their results. And, 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.

Four types of reliable data are critical to effectively carrying out agency oversight. First, we must have the ability to track and report accurately on actual versus budgeted expenditures. Second, agencies must know where their key assets are and how effectively those assets are being managed. Third, agencies must be able to assess their unfunded liabilities and be able to anticipate future major problems so that action can be taken before a financial crisis develops. And last, agencies must be

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