    [House Report 108-52]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                      Union Calendar No. 32

    108th Congress, 1st Session -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - House Report 108-52

                                OVERSIGHT PLANS

                                    FOR ALL

                                HOUSE COMMITTEES

                       with accompanying recommendations

                                   __________

                                     by the

                         COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                    (Required by House Rule X, Clause 2(d))

                                 together with

                                 MINORITY VIEWS

     March 31, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
                  State of the Union and ordered to be printed

    ____________________________________________________________________________
    For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
    Internet: bookstore.gpr.gov  Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; (202) 512�091800
    Fax: (202) 512�092250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402�090001

                         COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

                         TOM DAVIS, Virginia, Chairman
    DAN BURTON, Indiana                  HENRY A. WAXMAN, California
    CHRISTOPHER SHAYS, Connecticut       TOM LANTOS, California
    ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida         MAJOR R. OWENS, New York
    JOHN M. McHUGH, New York             EDOLPHUS TOWNS, New York
    JOHN L. MICA, Florida                PAUL E. KANJORSKI, Pennsylvania
    MARK E. SOUDER, Indiana              CAROLYN B. MALONEY, New York
    STEVEN C. LaTOURETTE, Ohio           ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, Maryland
    DOUG OSE, California                 DENNIS J. KUCINICH, Ohio
    RON LEWIS, Kentucky                  DANNY K. DAVIS, Illinois
    JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia               JOHN F. TIERNEY, Massachusetts
    TODD RUSSELL PLATTS, Pennsylvania    WM. LACY CLAY, Missouri
    CHRIS CANNON, Utah                   DIANE E. WATSON, California
    ADAM H. PUTNAM, Florida              STEPHEN F. LYNCH, Massachusetts
    EDWARD L. SCHROCK, Virginia          CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland
    JOHN J. DUNCAN, Jr., Tennessee       LINDA T. SANCHEZ, California
    JOHN SULLIVAN, Oklahoma              C.A. ``DUTCH'' RUPPERSBERGER,
    NATHAN DEAL, Georgia                     Maryland
    CANDICE S. MILLER, Michigan          ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON, District of
    TIM MURPHY, Pennsylvania                 Columbia
    MICHAEL R. TURNER, Ohio              JIM COOPER, Tennessee
    JOHN R. CARTER, Texas                CHRIS BELL, Texas
    WILLIAM J. JANKLOW, South Dakota                 ------
    MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee          BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont
                                             (Independent)

                           Peter Sirh, Staff Director
                     Melissa Wojciak, Deputy Staff Director
                  Randy Kaplan, Senior Counsel/Parliamentarian
                           Teresa Austin, Chief Clerk
                  Philip M. Schiliro, Minority Staff Director

                                      (ii)

                                C O N T E N T S

                                   __________
                                                                       Page
    Recommendations..................................................     1
    Agriculture......................................................    17
    Appropriations...................................................    24
    Armed Services...................................................    44
    Budget...........................................................    57
    Education and the Workforce......................................    63
    Energy and Commerce..............................................    67
    Financial Services...............................................    95
    Government Reform................................................   114
    House Administration.............................................   139
    International Relations..........................................   145
    Judiciary........................................................   163
    Resources........................................................   187
    Rules............................................................   208
    Science..........................................................   227
    Small Business...................................................   234
    Standards of Official Conduct....................................   245
    Transportation and Infrastructure................................   249
    Veterans' Affairs................................................   265
    Ways and Means...................................................   276

                                     Views

    Minority views of Hon. Henry A. Waxman, Hon. Major R. Owens, Hon.
      Edolphus Towns, Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney, Hon. Elijah E.
      Cummings, Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich, Hon. Danny K. Davis, Hon.
      John F. Tierney, Hon. Diane E. Watson, Hon. Chris Van Hollen,
      Hon. Linda T. Sanchez, Hon. Jim Cooper, and Hon. Chris Bell....   287

                                     (iii)

                             LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                                  ----------

                                      House of Representatives,
                                        Washington, DC, March 31, 2003.
    Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
    Speaker of the House of Representatives,
    Washington, DC.
        Dear Mr. Speaker:
        In accordance with Rule X(2)(d) of the Rules of the House
    of Representatives, I respectfully submit the oversight plans
    of each committee together with recommendations to ensure the
    most effective coordination of such plans and otherwise achieve
    the objectives of the House Rules.
                                                   Tom Davis, Chairman.

                                      (v)

                                                      Union Calendar No. 32
    108th Congress                                                   Report
                            HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
     1st Session                                                     108-52

    ======================================================================

          OVERSIGHT PLANS FOR ALL HOUSE COMMITTEES WITH ACCOMPANYING
                                RECOMMENDATIONS

                                    _______

     March 31, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
                  State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                    _______

     Mr. Tom Davis, from the Committee on Government Reform submitted the
                                   following

                                     REPORT

                        OVERSIGHT IN THE 108TH CONGRESS

                                RECOMMENDATIONS

                                     OF THE

                         COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM

        Pursuant to House Rule X, clause 2(d)(2), the Committee on
    Government Reform reports to the House the oversight plans
    submitted by each standing committee, along with the
    committee's recommendations for ensuring the most effective
    coordination of such plans.
        Congressional oversight, as envisioned by the House
    leadership, is ultimately about the rule of law. Federal law
    authorizes the Federal Government to spend taxpayer funds to
    accomplish certain defined missions. While much oversight is
    designed to ensure that substantive public policy objectives
    set forth in congressional enactments are achieved, Congress
    has also recognized through the enactment of specific Federal
    statutes that sound management practices will ensure that the
    substantive objectives are achieved in a cost effective manner.
    The Constitution's system of checks and balances obligates the
    Congress to oversee the implementation of all of its
    enactments.
        Through such oversight, Congress can first determine
    whether the executive branch is carrying out Congress's
    intentions. Congress can then determine whether the
    congressional enactment is having the desired effect. And
    finally, Congress can ensure that government programs are
    achieving their goals efficiently and cost effectively. Fraud,
    waste, and mismanagement can be serious impediments to full
    accomplishment of the government's mission. Congressional
    oversight establishes the record for corrective action and
    reforms that ensure the executive carries out the law to the
    benefit of the public in a cost effective manner and that both
    the taxpayers and the beneficiaries of Federal programs are not
    deprived of the public benefits that Congress intended.
        Improving the performance of the Federal Government has
    taken on renewed importance in the wake of the terrorist
    attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent military
    actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Federal Government suffers
    from a variety of management problems that undermine its
    ability to deliver the performance results American taxpayers
    expect and deserve. These problems affect virtually every area
    of the government. They include critical computer security
    weaknesses, pervasive financial management troubles, and the
    inability to demonstrate what most Federal programs accomplish.
        Additionally, the government wastes billions and billions
    of dollars each year due to improper or erroneous payments. The
    chart below illustrates $33 billion in erroneous payments
    identified by the Office of Management and Budget in 20
    government programs. Overpayments are clearly unacceptable. In
    addition to wasting taxpayer dollars, they drain much needed
    resources from programs that benefit the American people.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                  Erroneous Payments
                              Programs                           ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Amount (in millions)            Percent\
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Medicare--Fee-for-Service...................................                $12,100.0                     6.30%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Earned Income Tax Credit....................................                  9,200.0                    29.35%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Housing Subsidy Programs....................................                  3,281.0                    17.38%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Unemployment Insurance......................................                  2,251.3                     9.21%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SSI.........................................................                  1,590.0                     5.73%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Food Stamps.................................................                  1,340.0                     8.66%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    OASI........................................................                  1,339.0                      .36%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Disability Insurance........................................                  1,313.0                     2.22%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Medicare--Cost Reports......................................                    493.0                      2.7%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Student Assistance Pell Grants..............................                    336.0                      .71%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FEHBP.......................................................                    241.0                     1.14%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Federal Retirement..........................................                    167.0                      .35%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Student Aid--External.......................................                     65.0                      .14%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Military Retirement Fund....................................                     18.6                      .05%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Student Aid--Internal.......................................                     13.3                      .03%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Commodity Loans.............................................                      7.6                      .09%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Federal Transit Administration..............................                      5.5                      .09%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (7a) Business Loan Program..................................                       .3                      1.9%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Airport Improvement Program.................................                       .3                      .01%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    FEGLI.......................................................                       .2                      .01%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Percentage of program payments in dollars
    Source: www.results.gov

        Management problems do not need to persist. In many cases,
    solving these problems does not require new laws or major
    infusions of money. It does require strong leadership at the
    highest level of government. It also requires a sustained
    commitment by Congress to focus on the problem and to hold
    people accountable until the mission is accomplished.
        The Committee on Government Reform urges the committees to
    use all available resources to supplement their own efforts to
    conduct oversight. Those resources include the services and
    reports of the General Accounting Office, the Congressional
    Research Service, and agency Inspectors General. For example,
    in January 2003, GAO updated its ``High Risk Series,'' in which
    it identifies 25 ``areas at high risk due to either their
    greater vulnerabilities to waste, fraud, abuse, and
    mismanagement or major challenges associated with their
    economy, efficiency or effectiveness.'' In addition, committees
    should look to agency strategic plans, performance plans, and
    performance reports mandated by the Government Performance and
    Results Act to review the agencies' strategic objectives,
    measures of success, and their capacity to satisfy appropriate
    performance measures. Finally, the committees should look at
    past committee legislative and oversight reports, court cases,
    and other studies that can illuminate the operations of the
    Federal Government. Use of this common approach to oversight
    will permit the committees to develop legislation and provide
    recommendations for reform on the basis of a record that
    clearly and effectively conveys the need for additional
    congressional action.
        The following selected samples of oversight activities from
    the reports of the standing committees of Congress cover five
    broad categories including homeland security and national
    defense, savings and efficiencies, government performance, law
    enforcement, and citizen services and benefits. The committee
    has, in most cases, reviewed additional sources, such as those
    identified above, to provide examples of the purposes,
    objectives, performance measures, and known management
    shortcomings of many programs that could be the subject of
    relevant committee oversight. These examples illustrate the
    challenges we face as we embark on our oversight activities
    this Congress. Sustained and aggressive oversight will go a
    long way toward ensuring the government's proper functioning in
    accordance with Congress's intentions.

                     Homeland Security and National Defense

        The protection of our Nation's borders is a critical
    element of homeland security. Since the events of September
    11th, concerns have been raised about the ability of terrorists
    to enter the United States. The Judiciary Committee will
    continue its oversight of immigration issues as the functions
    of the Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] are
    transferred to the Department of Homeland Security. These
    issues include border control strategies, removal of criminal
    aliens, and immigration benefit fraud. In a November 8, 2002,
    memorandum for the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney
    General, the Department of Justice Inspector General identified
    10 top management challenges for the INS alone. The Inspector
    General cited numerous Inspector General [IG] reports and
    General Accounting Office [GAO] reports reflecting INS
    deficiencies in these areas. For example, the IG reported that
    the INS (1) lacks sufficient staff and equipment to protect the
    northern border, (2) needs additional facilities and technology
    to implement an effective control strategy for the southern
    border, (3) cannot effectively identify aliens who are wanted
    by law enforcement, and (4) lacks adequate detention capacity
    for aliens it apprehends.
        The International Relations Committee plans to investigate
    border security, especially with regard to the visa lookout
    program and new prohibitions for issuing visas to aliens who
    are members of terrorist organizations, with the goal of
    strengthening the government's fight against possible terrorist
    threats. According to the January 2003 GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of State,
    visa issuing policies and procedures are inconsistent among
    overseas posts, and staff at many posts are inadequately
    trained.
        The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will
    conduct oversight to assess the Coast Guard's implementation of
    the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (Public Law
    No. 107-295), and the overall state of maritime security.
    According to the Conference Report accompanying this act, U.S.
    ports are often open and exposed, leaving them susceptible to
    large-scale acts of terrorism, which could result in loss of
    life and economic disruption. The act requires the Secretary of
    Transportation to prepare a National Maritime Transportation
    Antiterrorism Plan for deterring catastrophic emergencies and
    to assess port vulnerability.
        The Judiciary Committee will conduct oversight of the
    Department of Justice's continuing efforts to detect,
    investigate, and prevent terrorist attacks. According to the
    Department's Fiscal Year 2002 Performance Report, the
    Department's counter-terrorism objectives for fiscal year 2003
    include developing maximum feasible capacity for achieving its
    ultimate objective of no terrorist attacks by putting in place
    all necessary elements in five areas of competence:
    investigations, intelligence, communications, liaison, and
    program management.
        The Committee on Agriculture will oversee the
    implementation of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism
    Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (Public Law No. 107-188).
    The act directs the Department of Agriculture [USDA] to
    maintain a list of biological agents and toxins that pose a
    severe threat to the health of animals or plants. It also
    directs the Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] to
    develop and implement a coordinated strategy for carrying out
    health-related activities to prepare for and respond to
    bioterrorism and other public health emergencies.
        The Committee on Financial Services will oversee the
    implementation of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002
    (Public Law No. 107-297), by the Treasury Department, State
    insurance departments, and insurance underwriters. According to
    the Conference Report for this law, the ability of the
    insurance industry to cover the unprecedented financial risks
    presented by acts of terrorism can be a major factor in
    recovering from terrorism attacks, while maintaining the
    stability of the economy. The act establishes a 3-year
    terrorism insurance program to pay the Federal share of
    compensation for insured losses resulting from acts of
    terrorism.
        Homeland security also entails maintaining secure energy
    sources for the United States, the largest energy consumer in
    the world. The Energy and Commerce Committee will examine
    national energy policy as it relates to conservation, energy
    efficiency, production, and consumption of various sources of
    energy. Because of a 180 percent increase in U.S. energy
    consumption during the past 50 years and threats to the
    security of global oil supplies, the Department of Energy's
    [DOE's] role in ensuring that the Nation's energy needs are met
    is critical (January 2003, GAO Report: Major Management
    Challenges and Program Risks, Department of Energy).
        The Veterans Affairs Committee will oversee the
    implementation of the Department of Veterans Affairs Emergency
    Preparedness Act of 2002 (Public Law No. 107-287). This law
    expands VA's role in creating new research centers for the
    purpose of preparing for and reacting to biological, chemical,
    or radiological terrorist attacks, as well as threats against
    active duty service members, veterans, and the general public.
    (House Report No. 107-471 (2002)).
        Several committees will oversee the development of the
    newly established Department of Homeland Security [DHS].
    Congressional oversight of the Department's creation, programs,
    and activities will be critical to its success and to the
    protection of the American people. Earlier this year the GAO
    added the implementation of the new Department to its ``high-
    risk'' list of Federal activities that are especially
    vulnerable to waste, fraud, and mismanagement.
        The Judiciary Committee will conduct oversight of the
    transfer of law enforcement functions to the DHS to ensure that
    those functions effectively assist the Department in fulfilling
    its mission ``to prevent catastrophic attacks, mobilize
    national resources for an enduring conflict, and assist in
    recovery efforts.'' House Report No. 107-609 pt. 1 at 67
    (2002).
        Both the Committee on Government Reform and the Committee
    on Transportation and Infrastructure will conduct oversight to
    ensure that the DHS is prepared to meet the challenges
    associated with integrating the various information systems
    used by the agencies transitioning into the new Department.
        The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also plans
    to oversee the transition of the U.S. Coast Guard into the new
    department, including how the move will impact the ability of
    the Coast Guard to carry out its non-security missions.
    Likewise, the committee will scrutinize the incorporation of
    the Federal Emergency Management Agency into DHS, to ensure
    that disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programs are
    not diminished. In the wake of September 11, 2001, FEMA has
    expanded its scope to focus on the consequences of terrorism,
    as well as natural disasters.
        The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will
    conduct oversight of the Transportation Security
    Administration's [TSA] move into DHS. The committee will
    examine how the TSA will coordinate with Transportation
    Department agencies that have security functions. TSA is
    responsible for security in all modes of transportation, in
    accordance with the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of
    2001 (Public Law No. 107-71).
        The Agriculture Committee will conduct oversight of the
    transition of the USDA's Plum Island Animal Disease Center into
    the DHS. The Plum Island Animal Disease Center has been folded
    into DHS, pursuant to the Homeland Security Act (Public Law No.
    107-296). The committee's oversight will include ensuring that
    the non-security functions of the center, including research
    and training programs continue in the new department. The Plum
    Island Animal Disease Center is responsible for research and
    diagnosis to protect U.S. animal industries and exports against
    catastrophic economic losses caused by foreign animal disease
    agents accidentally or deliberately introduced into the
    country.
        The Armed Services Committee will oversee how the new
    Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and the
    reorganization of combat commands, including the Northern
    Command, will help to ensure the protection of the United
    States. The committee plans to examine the impact of increased
    operational tempo and the current policy on recruitment,
    training, promotions, separations, and retirements. According
    to the GAO in its January 2003 report Major Management
    Challenges and Program Risks, Department of Defense, while the
    services were able to meet their goals for recruiting and
    retention for fiscal year 2001, retention challenges continued
    for personnel holding technical and scientific skills that are
    in demand by the private sector.
        The Committee on Government Reform plans to conduct
    oversight on the question of whether the Federal Government
    would be able to perform essential functions in the event of
    another terrorist attack. For example, if there were another
    attack, would the government continue to be able to disburse
    benefit checks, collect revenues, and communicate with other
    agencies and state and local first responders? The committee
    expects to work with Federal agencies to ensure they have
    contingency plans in place in case of another major disruption,
    such as the September 11th attacks.
        In addition to questions surrounding continuity of
    operations for the executive branch, the threat of another
    attack raises vulnerability issues for congressional
    operations. In the 108th Congress, the House Administration
    Committee plans to review congressional continuity issues,
    including organizing sessions of Congress at alternate
    locations and providing technological support for Member
    communications and chamber operations. In addition, the House
    adopted some new rules to address continuity issues, including
    requiring the Speaker of the House to name a successor and
    allowing him to declare an emergency recess or accelerate or
    postpone the reconvening of the House in the event of an
    emergency.

                            Savings and Efficiencies

        Millions of dollars of savings could be achieved through
    greater oversight and management of Federal contracting
    processes. Contract management deficiencies at selected Federal
    departments and agencies continue to make the General
    Accounting Office's ``high-risk'' list. This list contains
    Federal programs that are especially vulnerable to waste,
    fraud, and mismanagement. According to the GAO, poor
    acquisition management plagues the largest Federal purchasers,
    including the Department of Defense [DOD], Department of
    Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    [NASA]. Together these three agencies account for the
    overwhelming majority of Federal contracting dollars, with DOD
    alone accounting for 80 percent of the Federal Government's
    annual contracting budget.
        Both the Committee on Government Reform and the Armed
    Services Committee plan to investigate defense contract
    management problems. DOD is the government's largest purchaser,
    spending more than $163 billion for goods and services used to
    support the agency's mission. Despite the importance of
    contracting to defense activities, contract management has been
    a high-risk area since 1992. According to the GAO, financial
    management practices and systems are so poor that the
    Department is unable to ensure that it is acquiring goods and
    services it needs at the best value for the taxpayer. Between
    fiscal year 1994 and fiscal year 2001, defense contractors
    voluntarily returned almost $7 billion in overpayments. In
    addition, the Department faces serious challenges in its
    efforts to contract for over $5 billion annually for health
    care needs. Its health care program is overly complicated,
    prescriptive, and unstable. Making matters worse is the fact
    that the Department's acquisition workforce has been cut in
    half over the past 10 years.
        The Committee on Government Reform also plans to scrutinize
    contract management at DOE and NASA. The contracting programs
    at both of these agencies have been longstanding ``high-risk''
    areas, according to the GAO. The Energy Department is the
    largest nonmilitary contracting agency in the Federal
    Government, spending $18 billion annually on contracts.
    Contractors carry out most of the Department's missions and
    operate its laboratories and other facilities. DOE contract
    management has been designated a GAO high-risk area since 1990,
    with ongoing problems with the selection of the appropriate
    contract types, the lack of sufficient competition for
    contracts, and cost and schedule overruns. DOE is taking steps
    to address these longstanding management problems. For example,
    according to its fiscal year 2002 Performance and
    Accountability Report, the agency is working to base more of
    its service contracts on performance. It is also trying to put
    more of its solicitations for contracts online. Despite these
    reform efforts, the GAO has found no indication of improved
    performance.
        The Science Committee also plans to investigate DOE's
    procurement and contract management practices, including
    contracting by the National Nuclear Security Administration and
    the national laboratories. Although DOE has increased the
    proportion of major site contracts awarded competitively to 56
    percent, it continues to extend contracts at weapons
    laboratories on a noncompetitive basis (January 2003, GAO
    Report: Major Management Challenges and Program Risks,
    Department of Energy).
        NASA spends over $12 billion each year through its
    contracting program. For over a decade, GAO has identified
    NASA's contract management as a high-risk area. In addition to
    maintaining poor financial and management systems, NASA has
    failed to place emphasis on end results, product performance,
    and cost control. Although much work remains, NASA is taking
    steps to improve its acquisition practices. According to its
    fiscal year 2002 Performance and Accountability Report, NASA
    exceeded its goal of using performance-based contracts for 80
    percent of its contracting dollars.
        The Armed Services Committee will oversee efficiency
    problems and infrastructure costs at the Pentagon. According to
    the GAO in its 2003 report entitled Major Management Challenges
    and Program Risks for the Department of Defense, although DOD
    is emphasizing reforms, it lacks an overarching business
    transformation strategy. Infrastructure costs account for
    nearly 44 percent of its budget, detracting from DOD's ability
    to spend funds on more critical requirements to carry out its
    mission.
        In addition, the Armed Services Committee and the Committee
    on Government Reform will examine DOD information technology
    [IT] acquisition and management to ensure compliance with the
    E-Government Act of 2002 and the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996. In
    its 2003 report entitled Major Management Challenges and
    Program Risks, Department of Defense, GAO found that the DOD
    invests significant funds in information technology; however,
    information management and information security weaknesses have
    reduced the effectiveness of these investments.
        The Veterans Affairs Committee will review the potential
    for cost savings resulting from the sharing of medical care
    resources between the Department of Defense and Department of
    Veterans Affairs. Sharing of medical resources between these
    two agencies was authorized by the Bob Stump National Defense
    Authorization for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law No. 107-314).
    According to a 1999 GAO survey of VA and DOD officials,
    beneficiary access and patient satisfaction improved when DOD
    and VA resources were shared.
        The Committee on Small Business plans to investigate ways
    to improve procurement goals for disabled veterans. In
    establishing the new office of Veterans Business Development
    and the National Veterans Business Development Corp., the Small
    Business Administration [SBA] has made it a goal to integrate
    services from DOD, VA, and Department of Labor [DOL] to cut
    costs in veterans business issues, according to the SBA Fiscal
    Year 2003 Performance Plan.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee will review the
    efficiency, effectiveness, funding, and pace of progress of the
    Superfund program. The oversight will focus on the
    Environmental Protection Agency's [EPA] administration of the
    Superfund Trust Program, which according to the EPA's fiscal
    year 2002 annual report, has resulted in cost recoveries of
    $3.1 billion from 1997 through 2002.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    on the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Public Law No.
    107-204), and the work of the Public Company Accounting
    Oversight Board. According to the Conference Report, investors
    must be protected by improving the accuracy and reliability of
    corporate disclosures made pursuant to securities law. The act
    established the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board,
    which is responsible for overseeing audits of public companies
    that are subject to securities laws and establishing audit
    report standards and rules. The board is also responsible for
    inspecting, investigating, and enforcing compliance with the
    law by public accounting firms and certified public
    accountants.
        The Committee on Financial Services will also conduct
    oversight of the Federal Reserve's operations and management
    system. The Federal Reserve is responsible for the Nation's
    monetary policy and supervising and regulating banking
    institutions.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight on the
    implementation and success of the National Parks Omnibus
    Management Act of 1998 (Public Law No. 105-391), which is a law
    to enhance management practices of the National Parks Service.
    The act was passed after the GAO found that the National Park
    Service had inadequate data on the condition of resources
    entrusted to its management.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight of the
    Federal land exchange program authorized by the Federal Land
    Exchange Facilitation Act. The act transferred the authority to
    administer the program to the Bureau of Land Management. From
    1996 to 2000, GAO issued a number of external audits
    criticizing the land exchange program.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight on the
    implementation of the National Wildlife Refuge System
    Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law No. 105-57), and the
    efforts to complete a comprehensive conservation plan for each
    refuge. According to the Conference Report, the law provides
    that the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to
    administer a national network of lands and waters for the
    conservation, management, and restoration of fish, wildlife,
    and plant resources and their habitats. The system is comprised
    of 540 refuges, which are located in all 50 States and five
    territories.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee will monitor the
    management of government and private sector use of the spectrum
    by the National Telecommunications and Information
    Administration and the Federal Communications Commission [FCC].
    Because of its limited availability and current allocation, the
    spectrum will need to be used efficiently in order to benefit
    new wireline and wireless telecommunications technologies and
    prevent redundancy of services.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee intends to review the
    level of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
    [CPB], which is $362.8 million for fiscal year 2003 (House
    Report No. 108-10 (2003)), as well as examine the costs
    involved in converting public television stations to the
    digital standard and the uses of digital technology by those
    stations. According to the CPB Digital Funding for Public
    Television report, Federal appropriations for digital
    conversion has included $20 million in fiscal year 2001 and $25
    million in fiscal year 2002 in direct assistance and $43.5
    million in those 2 years for specific digital transition
    projects.
        The Confidential Information Protection and Statistical
    Efficiency Act of 2002 (Public Law No. 107-347) allows for
    sharing of business data among agencies under uniform
    confidentiality protections. The Ways and Means Committee will
    examine whether this authority should be expanded to permit the
    Internal Revenue Service to share tax data with other Federal
    agencies for statistical purposes, to improve the quality of
    government information.
        Trade Adjustment Assistance programs were extended for
    fiscal year 2002 and fiscal year 2003 at a cost of
    approximately $400 million per year. The Ways and Means
    Committee will continue its oversight of those programs for
    workers and firms that have lost jobs or business as a result
    of increases in imports. House Report No. 107-244 (2001).
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    of the Treasury Department's printing and striking of U.S.
    currency and coins and the efficiency and productivity of
    manufacturing operations. The Fiscal Year 2002 Treasury
    Department Performance and Accountability Report finds that the
    U.S. Mint has improved its production operations efficiency by
    consolidating headquarters and cutting unnecessary items from
    the budget.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee will investigate DOE's
    Environmental Management program to clean up radioactive and
    hazardous wastes. DOE estimates that the total cost of clean up
    of all the sites will exceed $220 billion and take 70 years,
    and that $60 billion has been spent without a corresponding
    reduction in actual risk (January 2003, GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of Energy).
        The Science Committee intends to monitor the DOE's plans to
    reorganize its headquarters program offices, field offices, and
    over 50 government-owned, contractor-operated facilities. Many
    of these facilities are in need of repair. An estimated $5
    billion to $8 billion above amounts budgeted will have to be
    invested in the nuclear weapons complex over the next 10 years,
    and over $300 million has been identified in deferred
    maintenance for science laboratories (January 2003, GAO Report:
    Major Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of
    Energy).
        The Ways and Means Committee will investigate the
    multibillion-dollar computer modernization component of the
    Internal Revenue Service [IRS] 10-year modernization program.
    This program is intended to improve service to taxpayers and
    ensure greater taxpayer compliance with tax laws. The
    modernization program remains at risk because the scope and
    complexity of the program is growing and the management
    capacity is still evolving. (January 2003, GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of the
    Treasury).
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight on the
    U.S. Forest Service's financial management. The January 2003
    GAO Report: Major Management Challenges and Program Risks,
    Department of Agriculture, designated the financial management
    of the U.S. Forest Service as ``high risk'' because of serious
    internal control weaknesses.
        The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will
    conduct oversight to determine if implementation of the Federal
    Motor Carrier Safety Administration's January 1, 2003, New
    Entrant Program will result in a reduction of Federal and State
    safety and enforcement activities. The committee is concerned
    that the fiscal year 2003 budget does not contain the necessary
    resources to conduct the program. The program requires all new
    motor carriers, private and for-hire, operating in interstate
    commerce to apply for registration as a ``new entrant.'' The
    new entrant designation will be removed from the registration
    at the end of the 18-month safety-monitoring period, if the
    carrier has passed a safety audit or has not been deemed
    ``unfit'' following the compliance review and the new entrant
    does not have any outstanding civil penalties. The Federal
    Motor Carrier Safety Administration plans to use a combination
    of Federal and State personnel to implement the program.

                             Government Performance

        One of the primary oversight tools that congressional
    committees have is the Government Performance and Results Act
    of 1993 (Public Law No. 103-62) (Results Act). This law gives
    Congress and taxpayers information about what agencies are
    accomplishing in relation to the money they spend. The Results
    Act shifts the focus of government decisionmaking and
    accountability away from processes and toward results. This
    year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Results Act. The
    administration has started a program to link the budgets for
    selected programs to the results those programs are achieving.
    As we reach the 10-year anniversary of the Results Act this
    year, the Committee on Government Reform will examine whether
    government performance and accountability has improved or
    declined over the past decade. In addition, Results Act plans
    and reports should be used by committees to review whether
    Federal departments and agencies are accomplishing their goals
    and objectives. They can also be used to identify programs that
    are overlapping or duplicative and can be used to enforce
    accountability when goals and objectives are not being met.
        The Rules of the House require that committee reports
    accompanying legislation include a statement of general
    performance goals and objectives, including outcome-related
    goals and objectives, for which the measure authorizes funding.
    Performance goal statements should: (1) describe goals in an
    objective, quantifiable, and measurable form; (2) describe the
    resources required to meet the goals; (3) establish performance
    indicators to measure outputs or outcomes; and (4) provide a
    basis for comparing actual program results with performance
    goals.
        For example, the International Relations Committee plans to
    investigate the implementation of the Results Act in the State
    Department and USAID. According to the January 2003 GAO Report:
    Major Management Challenges and Program Risks, U.S. Agency for
    International Development, USAID has had problems with
    performance accountability in the past. A 2001 Department of
    State Inspector General report stated that all seven audited
    areas needed improvement in performance monitoring plans.
        The Armed Services Committee plans to examine Results Act
    implementation for the DOD. The GAO found in a January 2003
    report that the DOD continues to lack performance measures that
    tie resource allocation with specific outcomes as required
    under the Results Act. In fact, DOD did not issue Results Act
    performance plans for fiscal year 2002 or fiscal year 2003 and
    has not reported on fiscal year 2001 results.
        The Judiciary Committee will review whether regulatory
    actions usurp congressional authority by having the effect of
    raising taxes. The Judiciary Committee will also review whether
    Executive orders are used consistent with the President's
    executive authority.

                                Law Enforcement

        Another important theme within the oversight activities of
    the Congress is the investigation and prevention of crime and
    the establishment and implementation of drug policies. Policies
    currently used by agencies to reduce crime and the availability
    of illegal drugs should be evaluated for overall effectiveness.
    For example, the International Relations Committee will oversee
    the efficient use of funds meant to pursue narcotics reduction
    objectives. According to the January 2003 GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of State,
    while billions of dollars spent by the United States have
    resulted in the arrest of drug traffickers and the seizure of
    illegal drugs, the availability of drugs in the United States
    has not been materially reduced.
        The Judiciary Committee expects to conduct oversight on
    Federal law enforcements efforts to identify, investigate, and
    dismantle drug trafficking organizations and to examine the
    connection between drugs and terrorism. The Department of
    Justice has established a revised final fiscal year 2003 goal
    of disrupting or dismantling 90 priority drug trafficking
    organizations. Attorneys General's 2002 Performance Report.
        The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure will
    conduct oversight of the Coast Guard's drug interdiction
    mission to ensure that the Coast Guard's resources are
    effectively used to reduce the supply of illegal drugs in the
    United States. The Anti-Drug Abuse Amendments Act of 1988
    (Public Law No. 100-690) expanded the Coast Guard's law
    enforcement authority to include the enforcement of Federal
    laws above the high seas and waters.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    of the USA PATRIOT Act (Public Law No. 107-56), and the
    establishment of the Department of Homeland Security to ensure
    that anti-money laundering efforts continue. In 2002, the
    Treasury Department embarked on the largest anti-money
    laundering regulatory program to date. According to the
    Treasury Department's Fiscal Year 2002 Performance and
    Accountability Report, the implementation of the USA PATRIOT
    Act resulted in the value of monetary instruments seized being
    188.7 percent above the projection for fiscal year 2002, and
    the value of property seized being 43.9 percent above the
    projection for fiscal year 2002.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    of the efforts to detect and combat counterfeiting of U.S.
    currency and will monitor the transfer of the Secret Service
    into the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that the
    move will not diminish the Service's anti-counterfeiting
    effectiveness. According to the Treasury Department's Fiscal
    Year 2002 Performance and Accountability Report, $68 of
    counterfeit currency was present for every million dollars of
    genuine currency in circulation. This amount is 15 counterfeit
    dollars fewer per million dollars than the target goal set for
    2002.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct a broad
    review that includes the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Public Law No.
    106-102) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, in addition to
    other financial privacy issues, to determine whether consumers
    have adequate protection from identity theft and assistance if
    they should become victims of identity theft. According to a
    Federal Trade Commission [FTC] report, identity theft comprised
    42 percent of the consumer fraud complaints received by the
    commission in 2001.

                         Citizen Services and Benefits

        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    on the implementation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Public Law
    No. 106-102), highlighting the notice requirements for
    consumers regarding how their personal informational is used
    and released by private financial institutions. Title V of that
    act outlines financial privacy requirements for consumers when
    dealing with private financial institutions.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    to ensure that the Fair Credit Reporting Act benefits
    individual consumers and the Nation. On January 1, 2004,
    certain uniform national provisions of the credit reporting
    process will expire. Oversight will also be conducted as to the
    consequence of allowing individual States to set their own fair
    credit reporting standards. The Fair Credit Reporting Act,
    which is enforced by the FTC, was enacted to promote accuracy
    and ensure privacy for information provided in credit reports.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct continued oversight
    on the implementation of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and
    the conflicts and inconsistencies in its application to private
    property and Federal activities. The act was created to provide
    a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species
    and threatened species depend may be conserved and to provide a
    program for the conservation of such endangered species and
    threatened species.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight on these
    remedial steps to improve the Department of the Interior's
    Indian Trust account management. The Department of the Interior
    is responsible for funds which Indian tribes or individual
    tribal members recover from land or water settlements, treaty
    provisions, and other sources. The funds are deposited into
    trust funds managed by the Office of Trust Fund Management.
    Hundreds of thousands of Indian Trust accounts have not been
    reconciled and are now subject of litigation between account
    owners and the Department of Interior. According to the
    Department of the Interior's Status Report to the Court No. 12
    for October 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002, steps are being taken
    in order to correct the mismanagement of the Indian Trust
    accounts, including ordering computer and software equipment to
    organize and manage the trusts better.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight on how to
    reform the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
    (Public Law No. 95-87) in order to complete the act's
    reclamation goals and keeping the healthcare promises to
    retirees. The act created the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund,
    which required operators of coal mines to pay into the fund
    quarterly fees for coal produced by surface and underground
    mining, or 10 percent of the value of the coal in the mine,
    whichever is less. The fee is used for the restoration of pre-
    1977 abandoned coal mines and to pay premiums for particular
    coal miners and spouses who were guaranteed healthcare benefits
    in coal wage agreements signed from 1950 and later. The fee
    collection authority is set to expire in 2004, although many
    priority projects remain unfinished.
        The Committee on Resources will conduct oversight to ensure
    that the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management's
    wildfire suppression fleet is upgraded in an expeditious
    manner. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
    empaneled a commission to review the safety of Forest Service
    and Department of the Interior aviation after a series of plane
    crashes during the 2002 wildfire season. The December 2002
    report stated that the safety record of aircraft and
    helicopters used in wildfire management is unacceptable. As a
    result, two types of aircraft were grounded.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee will review the FCC's
    administration of the Universal Service Fund, which will focus
    on both the services covered by the fund and potential fraud,
    waste, and abuse of the Schools and Libraries program. The
    overall fund is $4.5 billion, and the Schools and Libraries
    portion is $2.25 billion.
        The Energy and Commerce Committee will continue to monitor
    the FCC's implementation of the local competition goals of the
    1996 Telecommunications Act (Public Law No. 104-104). A major
    objective of the act is to provide for a pro-competitive, de-
    regulatory national policy framework designed to accelerate
    rapidly private sector deployment of advanced
    telecommunications and information technologies and services to
    all Americans by opening all telecommunications markets to
    competition (House Report No. 104-458 (1996)).
        The Committee on Agriculture will conduct oversight of the
    Department of Agriculture's implementation of the Farm Security
    and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law No. 107-171). The
    act directs USDA's Secretary to enter into contracts with
    eligible owners and producers of eligible cropland for both
    direct and counter-cyclical payments in crop years 2002 through
    2006.
        The public must have confidence that the Federal judiciary
    will uphold the law with integrity and impartiality. The
    Judiciary Committee will continue to examine the judicial
    discipline system following the dismissal without further
    inquiry of substantial evidence of misconduct set forth in a
    formal complaint by the chairman against Seventh Circuit Senior
    Judge Richard D. Cudahy and the admission in open court by
    Minnesota District Judge James Rosenbaum of his knowing
    imposition of an illegal sentence. In re: The Judicial Council
    for the Seventh Circuit, 294 F.3d 947 (7th Cir. 2002)(regarding
    Senior Judge Cudahy); House Report No. 107-769, at 29 (2002)
    (quoting Judge Rosenbaum from a sentencing hearing transcript:
    ``Now that represents an illegal departure'').
        The Committee on Energy and Commerce will monitor the
    implementation of improvements to the Medicare program.
    Medicare program expenditures were approximately $241 billion
    in fiscal year 2001 and account for one in every eight Federal
    dollars spent. Over 40 million elderly and disabled Americans
    receive health care services through this program. Due to the
    size and complexity of Medicare, the Centers for Medicare &
    Medicaid Services continue to have difficulty with payment
    methods so that they reward fiscal discipline and ensuring
    beneficiary access to care. (January 2003, GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of Health
    and Human Services).
        The Veterans Affairs Committee will investigate
    inefficiencies with regard to service of beneficiaries,
    collecting funds from third parties, and evaluating claims from
    veterans and family members. The January 2003 GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Veterans
    Administration, stated that inadequate national oversight often
    hampers the VA's ability to assess the quality and timeliness
    of the care it provides and limits its ability to identify
    performance problems and appropriate measures to improve
    performance.
        The Committee on Financial Services will conduct oversight
    of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's
    implementation of its Section 8 Housing Project and its
    consequences. According to GAO in its January 2003 report
    entitled Major Management Challenges and Program Risks,
    Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD's Section 8
    Project works directly with approximately 22,000 property
    owners. The program encourages the owners to develop or
    rehabilitate rental housing for low-income families with rental
    assistance tied to specific units under an assistance contract
    wit the project owners. The Section 8 Project consumes over 50
    percent of the total HUD discretionary budget each fiscal year.
        Although GAO has removed the Department of Housing and
    Urban Development [HUD] as a high-risk agency, the Committee on
    Financial Services will conduct comprehensive oversight of
    HUD's management and staffing initiatives. According to HUD's
    Fiscal Year 2002 Performance and Accountability Report, HUD has
    completed implementation of a new staffing resource estimation
    and allocation system, enhanced staff recruiting, and
    development and training programs.
        The Education and the Workforce Committee will monitor the
    Department of Education's 601 recommendations to implement
    internal financial controls directed at fraud, waste and
    mismanagement in the grants and loan disbursement process,
    third party draft processes, and government purchase cards.
    These recommendations were made to address losses, which were
    estimated at $450 million before October 2001 (January 2003,
    GAO Report: Major Management Challenges and Program Risks,
    Department of Education).
        The Education and the Workforce Committee will oversee
    implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (Public Law No.
    107-110), particularly State and local compliance with
    accountability and assessment standards. A majority of States
    had not complied with specific requirements as of March 2001.
    The Department of Education allocated $2.8 billion in fiscal
    year 2002 to achieve objectives to link Federal education
    funding to accountability for results, increase flexibility and
    local control, increase information and options for parents,
    and encourage the use of scientifically based methods within
    Federal education programs (January 2003, GAO Report: Major
    Management Challenges and Program Risks, Department of
    Education; Department of Education Fiscal Year 2002 Performance
    and Accountability Report).
        The Judiciary Committee will conduct oversight of the
    billions of dollars of grants managed by the Department of
    Justice's Office of Justice Programs [OJP]. The Department's
    Inspector General identified grants management at OJP as one of
    the Department's Top Ten Management Challenges in a November 8,
    2002 memorandum to the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney
    General.
        The Judiciary Committee will examine the effect of the
    bankruptcy laws to ensure that protections for employee
    pensions, wages, and benefits are adequately protected.
        The Judiciary Committee will conduct oversight on
    admissions policies adopted in the wake of affirmative action
    litigation and referenda in States, such as Washington,
    Georgia, Texas, Florida, and California. The admissions
    policies of the University of Michigan and its law school are
    currently under review by the Supreme Court to determine
    whether their affirmative action programs are unconstitutional.
        The Committee on the Judiciary will conduct oversight on
    the copyright system to ensure the appropriate balance between
    protection of copyrighted material from theft by duplication
    using digital technology and access to consumers of copyrighted
    materials.
        [The oversight plans of all house committees follow:]

       MINORITY VIEWS OF HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN, HON. MAJOR R. OWENS, HON.
    EDOLPHUS TOWNS, HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY, HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS, HON.
      DENNIS J. KUCINICH, HON. DANNY K. DAVIS, HON. JOHN F. TIERNEY, HON.
    DIANE E. WATSON, HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ, HON. JIM
                          COOPER, AND HON. CHRIS BELL

        We agree with the majority that Congress should focus
    oversight efforts in the coming years on ensuring improvement
    in the Federal Government's management problems and reduction
    of waste, fraud, and abuse in government. We also believe that
    the majority report appropriately underscores the need for
    Congress to invest time and resources in overseeing the
    implementation of laws to address the myriad security issues
    facing the country in the aftermath of September 11th, and the
    coordination of Federal Government activity in this area.
        We appreciate the work the chairman on this committee has
    done in this Congress to work cooperatively with the minority
    to identify and plan oversight activities. With respect to the
    oversight plans of committees as a whole, however, there is a
    significant gap in the oversight approach proposed by the
    majority for this Congress. The majority has failed to
    recognize the important role Congress should play in examining
    questionable activities by executive branch officials.
        A good example of the need for congressional oversight is
    the administration's use of forged evidence relating to Iraq.
    On March 7th, Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the
    International Atomic Energy Agency, reported that evidence
    linking Iraq to efforts to purchase uranium from Africa was
    fake. Despite the fact that the CIA also doubted the
    credibility of this evidence, it was a central part of the
    administration's case against Iraq. It was part of the State
    Department's December 19, 2002, response to Iraq's disarmament
    declaration to the United Nations Security Council. It was
    cited by the President in his 2003 State of the Union address.
    And it was subsequently relied upon by Secretary of Defense
    Donald Rumsfeld. The use of this evidence in the face of CIA
    doubts raises serious questions about the conduct of senior
    administration officials.
        Congress should also conduct oversight of the
    administration's inclination to place politics ahead of science
    in multiple areas. For example, the administration has removed
    valuable information from public health Web sites, replaced
    respected scientists on scientific advisory boards, and based
    policies on misleading data.
        In short, we believe that congressional oversight of the
    executive branch from the lowest to highest levels is central
    to our democratic system, regardless of whether the majority in
    Congress shares a party affiliation with the President.

                                       Hon. Henry A. Waxman.
                                       Hon. Major R. Owens.
                                       Hon. Edolphus Towns.
                                       Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney.
                                       Hon. Elijah E. Cummings.
                                       Hon. Dennis J. Kucinich.
                                       Hon. Danny K. Davis.
                                       Hon. John F. Tierney.
                                       Hon. Diane E. Watson.
                                       Hon. Chris Van Hollen.
                                       Hon. Linda T. Sanchez.
                                       Hon. Jim Cooper.
                                       Hon. Chris Bell.