Improving Government: Actions Needed to Sustain and Enhance Management
Reforms (Testimony, 01/27/94, GAO/T-OCG-94-1).

Over the years, GAO has testified repeatedly on the breadth and the
seriousness of the problems undermining the effectiveness and the
credibility of the federal government.  The Comptroller General is very
encouraged by the trend toward a smaller, more efficient government--one
that stresses accountability and manages for results.  Although 1993
showed promising activity, much hard work remains to turn proposals for
management improvement into meaningful, lasting results.  The federal
government still is a long way from having the most basic management
foundation in place to guarantee accountability and effective
implementation of broader reforms.  The Comptroller General urges
Congress to expand the requirement for audited financial statements to
more federal programs and agencies, strengthen the framework for
managing information technology to ensure that agencies come up with
systems that effectively support federal programs, focus on high-risk
programs especially vulnerable to waste and mismanagement, implement the
new performance results measurement legislation, and develop strategies
for implementing the National Performance Review recommendations.  All
of these difficult reforms must be achieved against a backdrop of
continuing budgetary pressures and the realities of moving to a smaller,
more efficient government. Strong leadership and legislative-executive
branch cooperation will be essential.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-OCG-94-1
     TITLE:  Improving Government: Actions Needed to Sustain and Enhance 
             Management Reforms
      DATE:  01/27/94
   SUBJECT:  Financial management systems
             Risk management
             Federal agency reorganization
             Financial statement audits
             Accountability
             Federal agency accounting systems
             Management information systems
             Internal controls
             Total quality management
IDENTIFIER:  National Performance Review
             Defense Business Operations Fund
             DOD Corporate Information Management Initiative
             IRS Tax System Modernization Program
             Bank Insurance Fund
             Guaranteed Student Loan Program
             Medicare Program
             TSM
             TQM
             CIM
             BIF
             
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