Senator Lankford Subcommittee Examines Federal Workforce Reorganization

WASHINGTON, DC – The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, under the chairmanship of Senator James Lankford (R-OK), today held a hearing to examine federal agency reorganization plans and the Office of Management and Budget’s efforts to streamline the federal civilian workforce. 

Following the President’s March 13, 2017 Presidential Executive Order on a Comprehensive Plan for Reorganizing the Executive Branch, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney issued a memorandum on April 12, 2017 for agencies titled “Comprehensive Plan for Reforming the Federal Government and Reducing the Federal Civilian Workforce.” The memorandum directed agencies to submit plans to “maximize employee performance,” “high-level drafts” of Agency Reform Plans to reorganize programs and organizational charts to eliminate duplication and inefficiencies, and progress reports on “near-term workforce reduction actions” to OMB by June 30, 2017.

“Today, we learned that the Departments of Commerce, Agriculture, Justice and Homeland Security are on track to meet the first deadline of the Office of Management and Budget’s government-wide reorganization memorandum,” said Lankford. “Our witnesses described in detail how their agencies are working to make government more effective and efficient for the American people. With a growing national debt, I was glad to hear that these four agencies are working hard to eliminate duplicative programs, realign their workforces with core agency missions, and deliver savings for the taxpayer.”

Lankford continued, “Our witnesses also said that the White House’s Office of Management and Budget has been extremely helpful and responsive as their agencies work to reorganize government. I applaud the Administration for working hard to reduce wasteful spending and streamline the federal government. It appears that the four agencies present today are serious about reforming government and meeting the targets set by OMB Director Mick Mulvaney. It is our duty in Congress to ensure that the rest of the federal government is also seriously reforming itself and addressing longstanding inefficiencies. As this government-wide reorganization progresses, I look forward to continuing to work with the Administration and make government work better for the people. I encourage the Administration to present Congress with recommendations to change the law to effectively reorganize the federal government and reduce wasteful spending and duplication.”

Today’s witnesses included: Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Administration Ellen Herbst; Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for Administration Lee Lofthus; Department of Agriculture Office of Budget and Program Analysis Associate Director Don Bice; and Department of Homeland Security Director of Program Analysis and Evaluation Division Michael Stough.

CLICK HERE to view the hearing video and read opening statements.

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