Budget process legislation (S-3521) approved by the Senate Budget Committee includes a provision to create a ‘Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies’ that would be modeled on the periodic base closure commissions that have recommended significant closings and realignments of Defense Department bases over the years.
The proposed commission would last for four years to evaluate executive agencies and their programs. The White House would establish a systematic method for assessing the effectiveness and accountability of agency programs—possibly based on or simply incorporating the program assessment and ratings tool (PART) that the Bush administration has established–and submit to the Commission an assessment these programs assessed by that method. The Commission would annually submit to Congress legislation that would implement a plan designating the agencies and programs that should be realigned or eliminated. The Congress would be required to consider the legislation under fast-track procedures that would preclude amendments.
The provision addresses one of the perceived weaknesses of the PART process, the lack of a firm link between its findings regarding programs and ultimate budgetary decisions to scale back, redirect or even abolish programs found to be deficient. Numerous other proposals have been made over the years to create similar review commissions, including proposals currently pending in the House.
The measure also would impose various spending control mechanisms and switch the government to a two-year budget cycle.