Performance Measurement

Feb 8, 2016

Top 400 Taxpayers See Tax Rates Rise, But There’s More to the Story

As Americans were gathering party supplies to greet the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service released their annual report of cumulative tax data reported on the 400 tax r...

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Feb 4, 2016

Chlorine Bleach Plants Needlessly Endanger 63 Million Americans

Chlorine bleach plants across the U.S. put millions of Americans in danger of a chlorine gas release, a substance so toxic it has been used as a chemical weapon. Greenpeace’s new repo...

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Jan 25, 2016

U.S. Industrial Facilities Reported Fewer Toxic Releases in 2014

The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data for 2014 is now available. The good news: total toxic releases by reporting facilities decreased by nearly six percent from 2013 levels. Howe...

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Jan 22, 2016

Methane Causes Climate Change. Here's How the President Plans to Cut Emissions by 40-45 Percent.

UPDATE (Jan. 22, 2016): Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its proposed rule to reduce methane emissions...

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2008 Fiscal Policy Year in Review

It's been an exceptional year. 2008 saw not only economic indicators that evoked memories of the Great Depression, but also a record-breaking federal budget deficit. The federal government, through several agencies, activated trillions of dollars in loans and asset guarantees. Congress approved the largest supplemental spending bill in its history and gave the Treasury Department the authority to expend the equivalent of three-fourths of the federal discretionary budget on one sector of the economy. But in many other ways, Congress proved to be unremarkable by staying true to its recent history of underachievement.

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2008 Executive Branch Regulatory Agenda: Building an Administrative Legacy

In 2007, President Bush used administrative decrees — such as issuing a new regulatory executive order and giving new powers to executive branch offices — to impact the regulatory process. The administration is likely to continue pursuing administratively what it cannot accomplish legislatively or does not wish to do in the light of day.

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White House Attempts to Entrench PART at Federal Agencies

The White House issued an executive order (E.O. 13450) on Nov. 13 that would attempt to entrench the administration's controversial Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) within federal agencies long after President Bush leaves the White House. The order would create a point person within agencies responsible for program performance, allow the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) more leverage over specific aspects of program implementation and solidify the PART program review process as the evaluator of government programs.

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OMB Wraps Up First Complete Round of PART Reviews with Little to Show

With the release of the President's FY 08 budget, the Office of Management and Budget has completed reviews of almost every federal program using their review mechanism — the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). To date, nearly 1,000 federal programs, representing 96 percent of all programs, have received at least one review with the PART.

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Sunset Legislation Delayed Until September

In a sign that public pressure from concerned citizens works, the two sunset commission bills in the House scheduled for floor votes the week before August recess were both delayed until September.

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It's Working: Sunset Bills Delayed (For Now)

The two sunset commission bills that were racing toward a floor vote in the House this week have both been delayed. All signs were that they would be voted on this week, but they have both been delayed until September.

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This Is Not Your Texas Sunset Commission

The Tiahrt bill's sunset commissions differ significantly from the widely touted model from Texas. Find out why.

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Memo to Editorial Boards on Federal Sunset Commission Legislation

Two proposals racing to a floor vote in Congress this week would create an un-elected, unaccountable sunset commission that could lead to serious consequences for programs that play vital roles in protecting the environment, public health, and safety, as well as programs that provide education, social services, and community development. A vote on these proposals is likely in the House on Thursday.

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Veterans Groups Oppose Sunsets

Opposition to sunset commission legislation advanced considerably with the decision by veterans services organizations to oppose sunset bills.

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With Vote Scheduled in the House, Experts Oppose "Sunset Commission" Bills

WASHINGTON, July 25 - Policy experts and key stakeholders spoke out today calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to reject two "sunset commission" bills. The House will vote this week on both bills, under which unelected commissions would be given the authority to recommend sweeping changes in the federal government and force those changes through Congress.

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