Archive

_________________________________________________________________________________
Document Name: Endnotes and Appendix A Part III
Date: 09/07/94
Owner: National Performance Review
_________________________________________________________________________________
Title:Endnotes and Appendix A Part III

Author: Vice President Albert Gore's National Performance Review

Date:7 September 1993 10:00:00 EST

Content-Type: text/ascii charset=US ASCII

Content-Length: 1000052

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

DOJ01 Improve the Coordination and Structure of Federal Law

Enforcement Agencies*

NPR recommends the designation of the Attorney General as the

Director of Law Enforcement to coordinate federal law

enforcement efforts. It also recommends changes in the alignment

of federal law enforcement responsibilities.

-187.0 0.0

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Treasury report; fiscal impact is for Justice

only.]

DOJ02 Improve Border Management*

Federal border management should be significantly improved. NPR

recommends a series of actions to be taken by Customs and INS to

make these improvements.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Treasury report; fiscal impact is for Justice

only.]

DOJ03 Redirect and Better Coordinate Resources Dedicated to

Interdiction of Drugs*
This recommendation outlines changes that can be made to better

coordinate federal programs directed at the air interdiction of

drugs.

na na

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Treasury report; fiscal impact is for Justice

only.]

DOJ04 Improve Department of Justice Debt Collection Efforts

This recommendation would make improvements in the Justice debt

collection effort, including giving the department the ability

to retain a small percentage of debts collected and allowing

Justice to credit its working capital fund with a percentage of

debt collections to be used for the creation of a centralized

debt tracking and information system.

cbe cbe

DOJ05 Improve the Bureau of Prisons Education, Job Training,

and Financial Responsibilities Programs

NPR makes a series of recommendations for improving prison

education, training, and inmate financial responsibility

policies. 0.0 13.5

DOJ06 Improve the Management of Federal Assets Targeted for

Disposition*

Improvements are needed in the methods by which the federal

government disposes of various assets.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Treasury report; fiscal impact is for Justice

only.]

DOJ07 Reduce the Duplication of Drug Intelligence Systems and

Improve Computer Security*

NPR recommends several changes to eliminate duplication in the

federal drug intelligence system.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Treasury report; fiscal impact is for Justice

only.]

DOJ08 Reinvent the Immigration and Naturalization Service's

Organization and Management

NPR recommends a number of changes in INS organization and

management processes to provide an improved management structure

and a strategic vision for the agency.

-48.0 0.0

DOJ09 Make the Department of Justice Operate More Effectively

as the U.S. Government Law Firm

Justice should undertake several improvements in the way it

manages its litigation functions to improve service to its

customers and better manage its case load.

na na

DOJ10 Improve White Collar Fraud Civil Enforcement

Civil fraud recovery should be established as a priority and the

department should take steps to improve its white collar fraud

enforcement.

14.0 111.0

DOJ11 Reduce the Duplication of Law Enforcement Training

Facilities

Overlap and duplication in the provision of federal law

enforcement training facilities should be examined. Multi-agency

training needs should be accommodated through existing

facilities in lieu of the construction of new facilities by

individual agencies. cbe cbe

DOJ12 Streamline Background Investigations for Federal

Employees

The current method of completing background examinations on

federal employees is time-consuming and inefficient. This

recommendation outlines improvements to streamline the process

without

sacrificing thoroughness.

-60.0 0.0

DOJ13 Adjust Civil Monetary Penalties to the Inflation Index

Civil monetary penalties have not been adjusted to keep up with

inflation. Under this recommendation, a "catch-up" adjustment

would be made and the need for additional inflation adjustments

would be automatically reassessed every four years.

0.0 193.0

DOJ14 Improve Federal Courthouse Security

This recommendation is intended to address concerns of the U.S.

Marshals Service concerning security at federal courthouses.

24.0 0.0

DOJ15 Improve the Professionalism of the U.S. Marshals

Service U.S. Marshals should be selected based on merit by the

Director of the U.S. Marshal Service and reduce some positions.

-36.0 0.0

DOJ16 Develop Lower Cost Solutions to Federal Prison Space

Problems

This recommendation describes approaches to solving existing

prison space problems.

cbe cbe

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

DOL01 Enhance Reemployment Programs for Occupationally

Disabled Federal Employees

These recommendations would help occupationally disabled federal

employees return to productive careers by expanding DOL's

return-to-work program. This saves money by reducing long-term

benefit costs to the government.

-125.7 0.0

DOL02 Develop a Single Comprehensive Worker Adjustment

Strategy Improve services to the unemployed--and those at risk of

dislocation--and make better use of resources available for

assistance by developing a new worker adjustment strategy. na

na

DOL03 Expand Negotiated Rulemaking and Improve Up-front

Teamwork on Regulations

DOL should provide administrative guidance more quickly and

cheaply through negotiated rulemaking and a streamlined team

approach to the rules development process.

cbe cbe

DOL04 Expand the Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution by the

Department of Labor

The increased use of alternative dispute resolution could reduce

litigation and produce significant long-term savings.

cbe cbe

DOL05 Automate the Processing of ERISA Annual Financial

Reports (Forms 5500) to Cut Costs and Delays in Obtaining

Employee Benefit Plan Data

Automating the filing and processing of annual financial reports

required of pension and benefit plan administrators (ERISA Forms

5500) would reduce costs and delays.

-49.7 0.0

DOL06 Amend the ERISA Requirement for Summary Plan

Descriptions The filing of summary plan descriptions by employee

benefit plan administrators with DOL is intended to make the

plans more readily available for participants and beneficiaries.

Since requests for copies are received on only about one percent,

the cost to maintain the system and the administrative burden on

employers far outweighs the public benefit.

-0.6 0.0

DOL07 Redirect the Mine Safety and Health Administration's

Role in Mine Equipment Regulation

Shifting the Mine Safety and Health Administration's regulatory

role from one of in-house testing to one of on-site quality

assurance would provide increased economic benefits to the

mining industry and would allow DOL to redirect resources.

na na

DOL08 Create One-Stop Centers for Career Management

Establishing one-stop centers for career management would create

a customer-driven work force system, empowering Americans to

make informed career choices and providing the means to achieve

those goals.

cbe cbe

DOL09 Create a Boundary-Spanning Work Force Development

Council Because the greatest barriers to creating an integrated

work force development system are the categorical nature of

federal funds and structural fragmentation of various federal

programs, this issue proposes to coordinate work force

development efforts by convening a multi-agency Work Force

Development Council and implementing "bottom-up grant

consolidation" for states and localities. na na

DOL10 Refocus the Responsibility for Ensuring Workplace

Safety and Health

This recommendation proposes to shift responsibility for

workplace safety and health to employers by issuing regulations

requiring self-inspections and implementing a sliding scale of

incentives and penalties to ensure safety standards are met.

cbe cbe

DOL11 Open the Civilian Conservation Centers to Private and

Public Competition

A long-term reduction in costs is possible through expanded

competition for contracts to operate Job Corps Civilian

Conservation Centers.

cbe cbe

DOL12 Partially Fund Mine Safety and Health Enforcement

Through Service Fees

Charge for services to put the mining industry on a comparable

footing with other industries which bear the cost of their

regulation. This proposes to partially fund enforcement of mine

safety regulations through service fees.

-44.4 0.0

DOL13 Integrate Enforcement Activities within the Department

of Labor

Introduce greater coordination and flexibility in the DOL

enforcement agencies to project a consistent message to

customers and integrate approaches to common issues.

cbe cbe

DOL14 Apply Information Technology to Expedite Wage

Determinations for Federal Contracts

Developing an electronic data interchange/data mapping system

which is integrated into the Service Contract Act process should

eliminate delays both in the delivery of wage determinations and

in procurement when caused by determination delays.

0.1 0.0

DOL15 Provide Research and Development Authority for the

DOL's Mine Safety and Health Program

Granting the Mine Safety and Health Administration authority to

procure services and goods directly would improve the mine safety

program by expediting the acquisition process for new and

improved technology.

na na

DOL16 Increase Assistance to States in Collecting Delinquent

Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Contributions

This recommendation outlines ways of improving state collections

of delinquent unemployment insurance contributions.

na na

DOL17 Revise and Update the Consumer Price Index

The consumer price index has important consequences for both

public and private decisions. This important measure should be

updated to reflect recent inflation trends.

56.0 0.0

DOL18 Improve the Delivery of Legal Services by the Office of

the Solicitor in the Department of Labor

The delivery of legal services by the Office of the Solicitor can

be improved by using cooperative agreements, coordinated

budgeting and better use of resources.

na na

DOL19 Transfer the Veterans' Employment and Training Service

to the Employment and Training Administration

The DOL can improve service delivery to veterans and save money

by consolidating administration of this function.

-66.0 0.0

DOL20 Reduce Federal Employees' Compensation Act Fraud

Congress needs to amend several sections of the United States

Code to enable DOL to eliminate benefits to persons who have been

convicted of defrauding the program.

-22.6 0.0

DOL21 Change the Focus of the Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Quality Control Program to Improve Performance

Re-examining the present mix of systems to shift the focus of

this program from error measurement to a constructive use of the

results would allow DOL to improve benefit payment quality and

more effectively achieve the program's goals.

na na

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA01 Improve NASA Contracting Practices

This recommendation outlines several steps NASA can take to

improve its contracting procedures, including greater use of

performance standards, contracting out for data instead of

hardware whenever appropriate, and using cooperative research

agreements to more quickly exploit high performance computing

techniques.

cbe cbe

NASA02 Increase NASA Technology Transfer Efforts and Eliminate

Barriers to Technology Development

NASA should expand its technology transfer efforts and promote

the development of new technologies.

na na

NASA03 Increase NASA Coordination of Programs with the U.S.

Civil Aviation Industry

NASA should develop a closer relationship with the U.S. civil

aviation industry to ensure industry input is received early and

throughout the technology development process.

na na

NASA04 Strengthen and Restructure NASA Management

NASA program management should be aggressively overhauled. This

recommendation outlines a number of steps the agency should take,

both in overall management and in the management of the space

station program.

-1,982.0 0.0

NASA05 Clarify the Objectives of the Mission to Planet Earth

Program

This recommendation suggests a number of steps needed to improve

the management and performance of the Mission to Planet Earth

program.

na na

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION/OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

POLICY

NSF01 Strengthen Coordination of Science Policy

NPR recommends modifying the current structure of the Federal

Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology

(FCCSET) to strengthen its role in science policy.

na na

NSF02 Use a Federal Demonstration Project to Increase

Research Productivity

NPR recommends using a demonstration project structured between

several universities and five federal agencies as a model for a

program to reduce administrative overhead on research grants. na

na

NSF03 Continue Automation of NSF Research Support Functions

NSF should push forward with efforts to implement advanced

information technology in the proposal submission, review, award,

and information dissemination areas.

na na

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

SBA01 Allow Judicial Review of the Regulatory Flexibility Act

Allow access to the courts when federal agencies develop rules

that fail to properly examine alternatives that will lessen the

burden on small businesses.

cbe cbe

SBA02 Improve Assistance to Minority Small Businesses

This proposal recommends a complete review of all federal

minority business assistance programs and the establishment of a

Small Disadvantaged Business Set-Aside program for civilian

agencies to provide increased opportunities for minority small

business. na na

SBA03 Reinvent the U.S. Small Business Administration's

Credit Programs

Identify ways to improve SBA's credit programs to make SBA more

responsive to those industries with the potential for creating a

higher number of jobs, those involved in international trade, and

those providing critical technologies. It will also enable the

agency to operate more efficiently.

na na

SBA04 Examine Federal Guidelines for Small Business Lending

Requirements

The federal government should examine the guidelines bank

regulators set for small business lending by financial

institutions to ensure that capital is available without undue

barriers while maintaining the integrity of the financial

institutions.

na na

SBA05 Manage the Microloan Program to Increase Loans for

Small Business

Allowing SBA to guarantee loans made by banks to nonprofit

intermediaries, who could, in turn, make small loans to

low-income individuals, women, minorities and other small

businesses unable to obtain credit through traditional lending

sources would increase private sector participation and lessen

administrative burdens linked to direct government lending.

na na

SBA06 Establish User Fees for Small Business Development

Center Services

Authorize Small Business Development Centers to charge a nominal

fee for their services to reduce federal outlays and require the

direct beneficiaries of the assistance to pay a share of the

cost. 0.0 102.0

SBA07 Distribute SBA Staff Based on Workload and

Administrative Efficiency

Reallocating staff based on administrative efficiency and

objective workload measures to allow the SBA to better serve its

customers by shifting resources from its central and regional

offices into its district offices.

na na

SBA08 Improve Federal Data on Small Businesses

The quality of information made available to shape federal

legislative and regulatory actions affecting small and large

businesses will be increased if federal household and employer

surveys include a "size of firm" question.

na na

DEPARTMENT OF STATE/U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY

DOS01 Expand the Authority of Chiefs of Mission Overseas This

recommendation proposes a pilot program to expand the management

authority of Chiefs of Mission overseas in the

allocation of fiscal and staffing resources.

cbe cbe

DOS02 Integrate the Foreign Affairs Resource Management

Process NPR recommends specific reforms of the interagency

foreign policy resource management process to improve

coordination. The

recommendation also covers specific improvements within the

Department of State.

na na

DOS03 Improve State Department Efforts to Promote U.S.

Business Overseas

International trade is an important responsibility of U.S.

missions overseas in the post-Cold War world. This recommendation

outlines several improvements that can be made in State

Department efforts in this area.

cbe cbe

DOS04 Provide Leadership in the Department's Information

Management

The Department of State should make significant changes in the

way it manages information technology policy. Several

improvements are recommended.

cbe cbe

DOS05 Reduce Mission Operating Costs

Several recommendations are made for reducing U.S. costs to

operate missions overseas, including eliminating certain

facilities, reducing security costs and considering altogether

new forms of overseas representation.

-57.8 0.0

DOS06 Consolidate U.S. Nonmilitary International Broadcasting

This recommendation supports the Administration's decision to

consolidate U.S. international broadcasting under USIA and

outlines ways of extending the benefits of this change.

na na

DOS07 Relocate the Mexico City Regional Administrative

Management Center

NPR recommends moving this administrative support office to the

U.S. to save money and recommends examining the need for similar

offices now in Paris and Bangkok.

-0.1 0.0

DOS08 Improve the Collection of Receivables

The State Department should do a better job collecting debts,

such as medical expenses and others, owed to the department.

-9.8 0.0

DOS09 Change UN Administrative and Assessment Procedures This

recommendation outlines several changes in the U.S.'s fiscal

relationship with the United Nations, including recommending an

oversight office for the organization and tax law changes to

reduce costs to the federal government.

-36.2 0.0

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

DOT01 Measure Transportation Safety

NPR recommends the development of common, government-wide

measures of transportation safety.

na na

DOT02 Streamline the Enforcement Process

NPR recommends pilot programs in the U.S. Coast Guard, the

Federal Aviation Administration, and the Federal Highway

Administration, designed to offer greater flexibility in

enforcement methods. cbe cbe

DOT03 Use a Consensus-Building Approach to Expedite

Transportation and Environmental Decisionmaking

DOT should conduct two demonstration projects to apply a

problem-solving approach to transportation planning, development

and decisionmaking as a means of reducing costs and improving the

efficiency of agency decisionmaking.

na na

DOT04 Establish a Corporation to Provide Air Traffic Control

Services

NPR recommends development of a detailed action plan and

statutory language for changes in air traffic control management

to make it more business-like. cbe = cannot be estimated (due to

data limitations or uncertainties about implementation time

lines). 0.0 0.0

DOT05 Permit States to Use Federal Aid as a Capital Reserve

This recommendation would allow federal transportation grant

recipients to use grant funds capital reserve to back debt

financing to construct eligible transportation projects.

na na

DOT06 Encourage Innovations in Automotive Safety

NPR recommends allowing the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration to grant more exemptions from highway safety

standards to develop new safety systems.

na na

DOT07 Examine User Fees for International Over-Flights DOT

should conduct a cost allocation study to determine whether

foreign air carriers passing over U.S. air space are paying their

fair share and whether direct user fees should be imposed. 0.0

9.0

DOT08 Increase FAA Fees for Inspection of Foreign Repair

Facilities

To ensure full cost recovery, increase the fees charged for

certification and surveillance of foreign aircraft repair

stations. 0.0 8.0

DOT09 Contract for Level I Air Traffic Control Towers

NPR recommends converting 99 Level I (low-use) air control towers

to contract operation and reviewing the remaining Level I towers

for possible decommissioning.

-3.1 0.0

DOT10 Establish an Aeronautical Telecommunications Network to

Develop a Public-Private Consortium

FAA should pursue the creation of a public-private consortium

under a cooperative agreement with industry to develop an

Aeronautical Telecommunications Network.

na na

DOT11 Improve Intermodal Transportation Policy Coordination

and Management

DOT should institute a strategic planning process to promulgate

national, integrated transportation policies.

na na

DOT12 Develop an Integrated National Transportation Research

and Development Plan

DOT should examine the nation's transportation-related research

and development portfolio and develop an integrated national

transportation plan that considers specific transportation

research needs as well as intermodal transportation plans.

na na

DOT13 Create and Evaluate Telecommuting Programs

DOT should implement a telecommuting plan within the agency and

should evaluate transportation-related behavior and other topics

requiring research in this area.

na na

DOT14 Improve DOT Information Technology Management

The department should develop an information management strategy

which will enable the sharing of data among its component

agencies and reduce costs.

-224.5 0.0

DOT15 Provide Reemployment Rights for Merchant Mariners

Guarantee reemployment rights to U.S. seafarers at their private

sector jobs if called to serve during a war or national

emergency. na na

DOT16 Establish an Independent Commission to Review U.S.

Maritime Industry

NPR recommends a detailed examination of the future of the

maritime industry in the U.S. and the benefits derived by the

taxpayers from maritime industry subsidies and related issues.

na na

DOT17 Eliminate Funding for Highway Demonstration Projects

Rescind funding for existing highway demonstration projects.

These demonstration projects should compete at the state level

for the limited highway resources available and not be singled

out for special treatment at the federal level.

-7,853.0 0.0

DOT18 Reduce Spending for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy As

an economy measure, federal funding for the U.S. Merchant Marine

Academy should be cut by half. The Academy should be given the

ability to charge tuition to cover a portion of its operations.

-45.16 0.0

DOT19 Rescind Unobligated Earmarks for the FTA New Starts and

Bus Program

Rescind unobligated balances for fiscal year 1992 and prior

earmarked funding under this FTA program that remain unobligated

after three years. cbe = cannot be estimated (due to data

limitations or uncertainties about implementation time lines).

-131.5 0.0

DOT20 Reduce the Annual Essential Air Service Subsidies This

recommendation would set new, more restrictive criteria for small

airports to qualify for essential air service subsidies. -65.0

0.0

DOT21 Terminate Grant Funding for Federal Aviation

Administration Higher Education Programs

To reduce costs, eliminate federal grant funding of two FAA

post-secondary education programs.

-45.4 0.0

DOT22 Assign Office of Motor Carriers (OMC) Field Staff to

Improve Program Effectiveness and Reduce Costs

OMC should develop a resource allocation model so that regional

managers will be able to optimize geographic assignment of staff,

schedule carrier reviews in an efficient manner, and eliminate

unnecessary travel requirements.

cbe cbe

DOT23 Automate Administrative Requirements for Federal Aid

Highway Projects

NPR recommends improvements in the flow of information on Federal

Aid Highway projects that will reduce paperwork and reduce staff

time in completing certain forms and other current requirements.

na na

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY/RESOLUTION TRUST CORPORATION

TRE01 Improve the Coordination and Structure of Federal Law

Enforcement Agencies*

NPR recommends the designation of the Attorney General as the

Director of Law Enforcement to coordinate federal law enforcement

efforts. It also recommends changes in the alignment of federal

law enforcement responsibilities.

-92.9 0.0

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE02 Improve Border Management*

Federal border management should be significantly improved. NPR

recommends a series of actions to be taken by Customs and INS to

make these improvements.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE03 Redirect and Better Coordinate Resources Dedicated to

the Interdiction of Drugs*

This recommendation outlines changes that can be made to better

coordinate federal programs directed at the air interdiction of

drugs.

-186.6 0.0

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE04 Foster Federal-State Cooperative Initiatives by the IRS

Cooperative relationships between the IRS and state tax

administrations, including joint filing of data, should improve

taxpayer service as well as collection activity while reducing

costs.

cbe cbe

TRE05 Simplify Employer Wage Reporting

The administrative burden caused by our current employer

wage-reporting requirements could be reduced while maintaining or

improving the effectiveness of government operations by

developing and implementing a simplified wage reporting system.

cbe cbe

TRE06 Establish Federal Firearms License User Fees to Cover

Costs

The current fee for a retail dealer's firearms license

(authorized in 1968) does not cover the cost of license

processing and is low enough to encourage applications from

individuals wishing to occasionally purchase firearms at reduced

cost. Increased fees would recover the cost of operating the

firearms program.

0.0 132.5

TRE07 Improve the Management of Federal Assets Targeted for

Disposition*

Improvements are needed in the methods by which the federal

government disposes of various assets.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE08 Reduce the Duplication of Drug Intelligence Systems and

Improve Computer Security*

NPR recommends several changes to eliminate duplication in the

federal drug intelligence system.

na na

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE09 Modernize the IRS

The IRS Tax System Modernization (TSM) initiative, currently in

its initial stages, would ease taxpayer burdens due to manual

return processing and inaccessible information, and enable IRS to

provide a level of service comparable to private sector financial

institutions.

cbe cbe

TRE10 Modernize the U.S. Customs Service

NPR recommends a number of changes in Customs' organization and

management processes to provide an improved management structure

and strategic vision.

0.0 450.0

TRE11 Ensure the Efficient Merger of Resolution Trust

Corporation into the FDIC

The merger of the RTC and the FDIC should ensure the transfer of

RTC expertise not currently held by the FDIC in order to provide

the most efficient administration of these asset-disposition

functions.

na na

TRE12 Reduce the Duplication of Law Enforcement Training

Facilities*

Overlap and duplication in the provision of federal law

enforcement training facilities should be examined. Multi-agency

training needs should be accommodated through existing facilities

in lieu of the construction of new facilities by individual

agencies.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE13 Streamline Background Investigations for Federal

Employees*

The current method of completing background examinations of

federal employees is time-consuming and inefficient. This

recommendation outlines improvements to streamline the process

without sacrificing thoroughness.

cbe cbe

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE14 Adjust Civil Monetary Penalties to the Inflation Index*

Civil monetary penalties have not been adjusted to keep up with

inflation. Under this recommendation, a "catch-up" adjustment

would be made and the need for additional inflation adjustments

would be automatically reassessed by the government every four

years. 0.0 126.0

[As a footnote: *Issue corresponds to an identical issue in the

Department of Justice report; fiscal impact is for Treasury

only.]

TRE15 Increase IRS Collections Through Better Compliance

Efforts

NPR supports the current efforts of the IRS under Compliance 2000

to improve voluntary compliance and other efforts to collect

taxes already owed to the federal government.

cbe cbe

TRE16 Improve Agency Compliance with Employment Tax Reporting

Requirements

Many federal agencies do not fully comply with federal tax

reporting requirements. Responsibilities for compliance should be

more fully communicated and enforced.

cbe cbe

TRE17 Authorize Federal Tax Payment by Credit Card

Legislation should be enacted to allow certain taxpayers to make

tax payments with a credit card.

cbe cbe

TRE18 Modernize the Financial Management Systems

NPR recommends several changes to improve financial management

with Treasury, including consolidation of some operations, the

improved use of technology, and other actions.

-41.1 0.0

TRE19 Repeal Section 5010 of the Internal Revenue Code to

Eliminate Tax Credits for Wine and Flavors

The wine and flavors tax credit should be repealed.

0.0 500.0

TRE20 Amend or Repeal Section 5121 of the Internal Revenue

Code Requiring Special Occupational Taxes on Retail Alcohol

Dealers This recommendation would increase federal income from

alcohol dealers.

0.0 45.0

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

DVA01 Develop the Master Veteran Record and Modernize the

Department's Information Infrastructure

Creation of a master veteran record for all VA programs and the

improvements in the department's information technology will

improve services to veterans and their families.

na na

DVA02 Modernize Benefits Claims Processing

Modernization of the VA benefits claims processing system will

improve the quality of service and save taxpayer dollars over

time. na na

DVA03 Eliminate Legislative Budget Constraints to Promote

Management Effectiveness

VA is covered by a number of special legislative requirements,

including employment "floors" for certain programs. Reducing or

eliminating some of these controls can reduce costs and improve

service without sacrificing accountability.

cbe cbe

DVA04 Streamline Benefits Claims Processing

VA should examine the usefulness of a New York Regional Office

approach to benefits claims processing that promises to

streamline the process. It should also examine regional staffing.

1.8 0.0

DVA05 Consolidate Department of Defense and Department of

Veterans Affairs Compensation and Retired Pay Programs

DOD and VA should create a task force to jointly examine their

disability compensation adjudication and disbursement processes.

cbe cbe

DVA06 Enhance VA Cost Recovery Capabilities

Revise VA policy to use a portion of cost recovery funds to

defray debt collection costs and expand recoveries to save money.

0.0 486.5

DVA07 Establish a Working Capital Fund

This recommendation would allow creation of a working capital

fund using existing resources in the department to be used for

certain selected needs.

na na

DVA08 Decentralize Decisionmaking Authority to Promote

Management Effectiveness

NPR recommends that VA headquarters and field management work

together to improve agency decisionmaking, including the

delegation of some decisionmaking to field activity directors.

na na

DVA09 Establish a Comprehensive Resource Allocation Program

VA should design and develop a comprehensive, departmentwide,

performance and needs-based resource allocation program to

replace current approaches.

na na

DVA10 Serve Veterans and Their Families as Customers

This recommendation outlines several approaches for VA to improve

its focus on veterans and their families as customers.

na na

DVA11 Phase-Out and Close Supply Depots

VA should convert its existing centralized depot storage and

distribution program to a commercial just-in-time delivery system

and close unneeded supply depots.

-168.0 0.0

DVA12 Improve Business Practices through Electronic Commerce

VA should expand its use of electronic media to reduce paperwork

and save money. It should seek to make greater use of electronic

funds transfer of compensation and pension benefits.

-124.1 0.0

DVA13 Eliminate "Sunset" Dates in the Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1990

To achieve cost savings, extend certain cost savings measures

that are due to expire in 1998.

-704.8 490.0

DVA14 Raise the Fees for Veterans Affairs' Guaranteed Home

Loans

As a cost savings measure, loan fees on veterans loans should be

raised above the levels set in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation

Act of 1994.

-811.4 0.0

DVA15 Restructure the Veterans Affairs' Health Care System VA

should reexamine its role and delivery structure after the

issuance of the report of the President's National Health Care

Reform Task Force and take actions to restructure the VA health

care system.

0.0 0.0

DVA16 Recover Administrative Costs of Veterans' Insurance

Program from Premiums and Dividends

VA should be permitted to recover certain insurance program costs

from insurance trust fund surpluses.

0.0 0.0

Grand Total $28,110.3 $8,255.7

.

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