Overview
Title
An Act to improve performance and accountability in the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill wants to make sure the people working in the government do a good job and tell everyone how they're doing. It asks them to check if they're meeting their goals and to share their progress with everyone.
Summary AI
The bill S. 709, titled the "Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024," seeks to improve the way federal agencies evaluate and report on their performance and strategic goals. It requires agencies to conduct strategic reviews and use performance information to assess their progress towards set objectives, ensuring they coordinate internally and externally to achieve these goals. The bill also amends the requirements for federal performance websites to enhance transparency by providing detailed performance data and updates. Additionally, it repeals outdated pilot projects and mandates regular updates and public availability of federal government priority goals.
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AnalysisAI
The proposed legislation, known as the "Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024," seeks to enhance the efficiency and accountability of the federal government. It aims to establish strategic reviews, improve the Federal Performance Website, and update the handling of priority government goals. Additionally, the bill mandates new leadership structures for performance goals and repeals certain outdated pilot projects.
General Summary of the Bill
The Act intends to reform how federal agencies evaluate and achieve strategic goals. It mandates an annual review of these goals to assess and enhance agencies' progress. The bill also requires improvements to the Federal Performance Website to ensure it meets modern digital standards and facilitates transparency. Furthermore, it sets guidelines for updating Federal Government Priority Goals and outlines the roles of Federal Government Priority Goal Co-Leaders.
Significant Issues
One issue is the bill's vague title, "An Act to improve performance and accountability in the Federal Government, and for other purposes," which implies broad and undefined potential changes. The requirement for agencies to conduct annual strategic reviews may create administrative burdens without explicit benefits, potentially leading to inefficiencies. Similarly, there is a lack of clear criteria for defining and updating government priority goals, raising concerns about accountability.
Another concern is the ambiguity in identifying and defining roles for Priority Goal Co-Leaders, which might concentrate decision-making power within the Executive branch, risking political imbalance. Furthermore, the bill repeals outdated pilot projects without specifying which projects or justifying their removal, leaving questions about transparency and the soundness of these decisions.
Impact on the Public
The Act aims to enhance government transparency and accountability, potentially leading to more effective governance that benefits the public broadly. By improving strategic evaluation processes and updating digital infrastructures, such as the Federal Performance Website, the public may gain better access to government performance data, promoting trust and engagement.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Federal agencies are likely to experience increased administrative loads due to annual review requirements, necessitating additional resources or adjustments in workflow. This could impact employees within these agencies, requiring adaptations to their operational routines.
On a broader scale, the bill might centralize decision-making authority around particular government performance goals, possibly benefiting those within the Executive branch who might gain increased influence. Conversely, this could marginalize other branches or agencies, affecting inter-agency collaboration and power dynamics.
In summary, while the "Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024" proposes significant changes that could enhance government transparency and operational efficiency, certain ambiguities and requirements within the bill pose risks of inefficiencies and imbalanced power distribution. Stakeholders across government sectors and the public must stay informed and involved to ensure that the Act serves its intended purpose effectively.
Issues
The vague term 'and for other purposes' in the title of the bill allows for potential misuse or misinterpretation, as it can encompass a broad range of activities not clearly defined within the text. This could result in significant legal and political implications. (General)
The changes to the structure and requirements for strategic reviews and reporting in Section 2 might lead to increased administrative burden without clear evidence of the benefits, potentially resulting in inefficiencies and higher taxpayer costs. This includes the annual reviews requirement and vague criteria for assessing progress. (Section 2)
The lack of specificity in the criteria for determining and revising Federal Government Priority Goals might lead to superficial updates and lack of accountability, risking ineffective governance and public trust issues. This is compounded by vague timing for public availability of these goals. (Section 4)
The ambiguity regarding the identification and roles of Federal Government Priority Goal Co-Leaders might centralize decision-making authority towards the Executive branch, potentially creating a political imbalance. This could affect inter-branch collaboration and public perception of impartial governance. (Section 5)
The repeal of outdated pilot projects in Section 6 lacks clarity on the specific projects affected and the justification for their removal, which raises questions about the transparency and rationale of legislative changes. (Section 6)
Section 3's requirement for the federal performance website to conform to specific standards might lead to inconsistencies and challenges across agencies based on varying interpretations of the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, affecting public access and transparency. (Section 3)
The absence of detailed financial implications, funding allocations, or potential wasteful spending considerations throughout the bill presents a risk of unanticipated fiscal impacts, which might lead to inefficient use of federal resources and public criticism. (General)
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
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Summary AI
The section of the bill titled "An Act to improve performance and accountability in the Federal Government, and for other purposes" has been passed by the Senate. It seeks to enhance how well the government functions and holds people responsible for their actions.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this Act states that it will be officially known as the "Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024."
2. Establishment of Strategic Reviews and Reporting Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The amendment to Section 1121 of title 31, United States Code, requires federal agencies to annually review their progress towards strategic goals, using performance data and coordinating with relevant personnel. It mandates agencies to identify risks, assess contributions to goals, and suggest strategies for improvement in achieving these objectives, supported by various key officers. Additionally, Section 1116 is amended to include a summary of these reviews in agency reports.
3. Revisions to the Federal Performance Website Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section updates the Federal Performance Website requirements by specifying what information must be included, how it should be organized and archived, and ensures compliance with digital experience standards. It also outlines expectations for reporting the achievements towards agency and government priority goals, comparing current results with planned performance over specific time periods.
4. Federal Government Priority Goals Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section amends a law to specify that Federal Government Priority Goals must be updated at least once every Presidential term, made publicly available with the U.S. Government budget each new term, include plans for achieving each goal within a term, and reference budget contents that help achieve these goals.
5. Federal Government Priority Goal Co-Leaders Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section amends a law to require that each federal government performance goal be supported by at least two lead officials, one from the Executive Office of the President and another from an agency contributing to the goal, to jointly coordinate efforts to achieve it.
6. Repeal of Outdated Pilot Projects Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The bill section repeals outdated pilot projects by removing sections 1118 and 1119 from Chapter 11 of title 31 in the United States Code. It also updates related references by adjusting subsections and the table of sections accordingly.
7. Clarifying Amendments Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section makes two clarifications: it updates the language about citing evidence-building activities in strategic plans to specify when it's applicable, and it changes the timing for agency performance reports to ensure they happen within 150 days.
8. GAO report Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The GAO report section requires the Comptroller General of the United States to present a report to specific Senate and House committees 18 months after the law is enacted. This report will assess how effective the law and its changes are.