[Budget of the United States Government]
[VI. Investing in the Common Good: Program Performance in Federal Functions]
[29 General Government]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
29. GENERAL GOVERNMENT
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Table 29-1. FEDERAL RESOURCES IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT
(In millions of dollars)
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Estimate
Function 800 1998 -----------------------------------------------------------
Actual 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
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Spending:
Discretionary Budget Authority.......... 12,071 13,200 12,722 13,509 13,181 13,259 13,224
Mandatory Outlays:
Existing law.......................... 1,437 2,445 1,443 1,153 1,064 1,117 1,324
Proposed legislation.................. ........ ........ 73 87 101 110 118
Tax Expenditures:
Existing law............................ 56,805 59,175 61,570 64,140 66,865 69,715 72,900
Proposed legislation.................... ........ ........ 24 46 71 106 141
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The General Government function encompasses the central management
activities of the executive and legislative branches. Its major
activities include Federal finances (tax collection, public debt,
currency and coinage, Government-wide accounting), personnel management,
and general administrative and property management.
Four agencies are responsible for these activities: the Treasury
Department (for which the budget proposes $12.5 billion), the General
Services Administration ($161 million), the Office of Personnel
Management ($198 million), and the Office of Management and Budget in
the Executive Office of the President ($63 million).
Department of the Treasury
Treasury is the Federal Government's financial agent. It produces and
protects the Nation's currency; helps set domestic and international
financial, economic, and tax policy; enforces economic embargoes and
sanctions; regulates financial institutions and the alcohol, tobacco,
and firearms industries; manages the Federal Government's financial
accounts; and protects citizens and commerce against those who
counterfeit money, engage in financial fraud, violate our border, and
threaten our leaders. Treasury's law enforcement functions are included
in Chapter 28, ``Administration of Justice.''
In 2000 Treasury will seek to collect an estimated $1.8 trillion in
tax and tariff revenues due under law; pay electronically more than 75
percent of the 903 million payments that it makes; issue $2 trillion in
marketable securities and savings bonds to finance the Government's
operations and promote citizens' savings; and produce nine billion
Federal Reserve Notes, 15 billion postage stamps, and 17.9 billion
coins.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS): The IRS is the Federal
Government's main revenue collector. The Service's newly revised mission
is to provide America's taxpayers with top quality service by helping
them understand and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the
tax law with integrity and fairness to all. To carry out its new
customer service oriented mission, IRS will reorganize into four
operating divisions, each focused on serving a group of taxpayers with
similar needs (i.e., wage and investment, small business/self-
employment/supplemental income, middle market/large corporate, and tax
exempt).
The IRS is introducing a new system in 1999 to assess organizational
performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
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The IRS is realigning management processes and activities to ensure
that they support the Service's mission and incorporate the principles
of a balanced measurement system. Organizational performance measures
will balance business results (including quality and quantity measures),
customer satisfaction, and employee satisfaction. In addition to the new
measurement system, IRS is undertaking a study to improve its
methodology for estimating taxpayer compliance burden.
Some performance targets will not be available for the IRS' new
measures until the IRS establishes baselines. However, in 2000, the
targets for the following critical areas of the Service's performance
are:
continue to improve customer service through its toll-free
assistance, answering 80 to 90 percent of calls, (89.9 percent
in 1998), with an accuracy rate of 85 percent for tax law
questions;
receive 25.0 percent of individual returns filed
electronically, up from 19.8 percent in 1998, with seven to
eight million using Telefile, which allows taxpayers to file a
simple tax return on the telephone in 10 minutes;
receive 78.0 percent of tax revenues electronically (up from
41 percent in 1997); and
process 98 percent of refunds for electronic returns within
21 days.
The Financial Management Service (FMS): The FMS mission is to improve
the quality of Federal Government financial management by providing
financial services, information and advice to Federal program agencies
and other clients. In 2000, FMS will:
increase the percentage of Federal payments and associated
information transmitted electronically from 58 percent in 1997
to 75 percent in 2000; and
increase electronic collections as a percentage of total
collections from 52 percent in 1997 to 75 in 2000.
The Bureau of Public Debt (BPD): BPD conducts all public debt
operations for the Federal government and promotes the sale of U.S.
savings-type securities. In 2000, BPD will:
issue at least 95 percent of over-the-counter bonds within
three weeks of their purchase; and
announce auction results within one hour 95 percent of the
time.
The U.S. Mint: The U.S. Mint produces the Nation's coinage and
manufactures numismatic products for the public. In 2000, the U.S. Mint
will:
introduce a new dollar coin and the second five-State series
in the 50 States Commemorative Quarter Program; and
maintain high levels of customer service by shipping
commemorative coins within four weeks and recurring coins
within three weeks of order placement.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP): BEP produces all U.S.
currency, about half of U.S. postage stamps, and other government
securities. In 2000, the BEP will:
introduce the newly-designed $10 and $5 notes with enhanced
security features; and
meet all currency shipment requirements for the Federal
Reserve.
General Services Administration (GSA)
GSA provides policy leadership and expertly managed space, products,
and services to support the administrative needs of Federal agencies. In
2000, revenues from GSA's various business lines will approach $14
billion. GSA is responsible for more than $50 billion a year in Federal
spending for property management and administrative services, and
management of assets valued at nearly $500 billion.
In recent years, GSA has worked to develop a new Federal management
model, focusing on performance measurement, accountability for agencies
and employees, and the effective use of technology in changing work
environments. GSA has established inter-agency groups to advise it on
the policies, best practices, and performance benchmarks appropriate for
each administrative service and information system. GSA's ultimate goal
is a Federal Government in which agencies receive the administrative
services they need
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according to the best practices known and at the least cost.
As a provider of many administrative services, GSA seeks to exceed
all Government-wide performance goals and industry benchmarks for these
services as such benchmarks are developed or identified. Its overall
goals as a service provider are to exceed its customer agencies'
expectations for price, service and quality. In 2000:
the Public Buildings Service will deliver 80 percent of its
construction and repair projects on schedule and within
budget, up from 78 percent in 1998;
the Federal Technology Service projects a monthly line charge
for local telephone service of $19.84, a 31-percent cut from
1994 rates; and
the Federal Supply Service will lease automobiles and other
motor vehicles to Federal agencies at rates that average 20
percent below comparable commercial lease rates.
Because GSA provides services on a reimbursable basis, agency budgets
fund most of GSA's activities. In 2000, for example, the budget proposes
an appropriation of $161 million for GSA, primarily for the Office of
Government-wide Policy and the Office of the Inspector General. However,
the budget projects obligations of nearly $14 billion through GSA's
revolving funds. In addition, GSA will administer contracts through
which agencies will buy more than $19 billion in goods and services
outside of GSA's revolving funds.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
OPM provides human resource management leadership and services, based
on merit principles, to Federal agencies and employees. It provides
policy guidance, advice, and direct personnel services and systems to
the agencies; operates a Worldwide job information and application
system; and provides fast, friendly, accurate, and cost-effective
retirement, health benefit, and life insurance services to Federal
employees, annuitants, and agencies.
In 2000, OPM will:
maintain the average time to process an annuity application
of 23 days (which exceeds the 1999 goal of 35 days--down from
83 days in 1994) and reduce survivor pay processing time from
20 days in 1998 to nine days;
handle about 1,072,000 annuity inquiries, a 10-percent
increase in volume, and increase its customer satisfaction
rate to 95 percent;
increase the percentage of health benefits program customer
phone calls answered and completed within the performance
standard of 1.5 minutes from 85 percent in 1998 to 90 percent;
and
reduce annuity rolls processing time from 4.5 days 1998 to
4.0 days.
OPM administers the Federal civil service merit systems, covering
nearly 1.5 million employees. In 1998, OPM conducted nationwide reviews
of eight major agencies, finding few serious problems and discovering
many ``best practices'' it shared with other agencies. In 1999, OPM will
conduct seven reviews. In 2000, additional reviews will expand to non-
Title 5 agencies (e.g., personnel in the Executive Branch who are not
covered by Title 5 of the U.S. Code) and more small agencies, increasing
site visits from 120 to 134.
OPM plays a proactive role in diversity initiatives. In 1998, OPM
issued a strengthened nine-point plan to increase Hispanic employment,
an initiative for improving African-American representation at higher
grade levels, and targeted recruitment guidance for women and for
persons with disabilities. OPM will build upon these efforts by
institutionalizing the successful outreach strategies employed in the
Presidential Management Intern program, and utilizing competency-based
assessment tools to identify high quality, diverse candidates for
professional and administrative careers.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
OMB helps the President create policy relating to receipts and
expenditures, regulations, information, and legislation; and manage the
Executive Branch in the faithful execution of laws, policies, and
programs. OMB also
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provides the President with the highest-quality analysis and advice on a
broad range of topics.
OMB advocates the appropriate allocation and effective use of
Government resources. OMB helps the President prepare the Federal budget
and oversee its execution in the departments and agencies. In helping
formulate the President's spending plans, OMB examines the effectiveness
of agency programs, policies, and procedures; assesses competing funding
demands among agencies; and provides policy options. OMB works to ensure
that proposed legislation, and agency testimony, reports, and policies
are consistent with Administration policies. OMB focuses particular
attention on managing the processes for coordinating and integrating
policies for interagency programs. On behalf of the President, OMB often
presents and justifies major policies and initiatives related to the
budget and Government management before Congress.
OMB has a central role in developing, overseeing, coordinating, and
implementing Federal procurement, financial management, information, and
regulatory policies. OMB helps to strengthen administrative management,
develop better performance measures, and improve coordination among
Executive Branch agencies.
In 2000, OMB will produce the annual budget for 2001 using a state-
of-the art off-site secure data center, to improve efficiency and
timeliness, improve services to agency customers, and ensure Y2K
compliance.
Tax Incentives
The Federal Government provides significant tax benefits for State
and local governments. It permits tax-exempt borrowing for public
purposes, costing $20.4 billion in Federal revenue losses in 2000 and
$104.3 billion over five years, from 2000 to 2004. (The budget describes
tax-exempt borrowing for non-public purposes in the chapters on other
Government functions.) In addition, taxpayers can deduct State and local
income taxes against their Federal income tax, costing $37.0 billion in
2000 and $210 billion over five years. Corporations with business in
Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions receive a special tax credit,
costing an estimated $4.6 billion in 2000 and $21 billion over five
years. This tax credit is phasing out and will expire at the end of
2005. Finally, up to certain limits, taxpayers can credit State death
taxes against Federal estate taxes, costing $28.4 billion over five
years.