http://www.azstarnet.com/star/today/10826nbushreform.html

By William Neikirk
CHICAGO TRIBUNE

WASHINGTON - President Bush unveiled a government-reform plan Saturday that could lead to downsizing of the vast federal bureaucracy and force agencies to compete with private firms in delivering some services.

The 14-point plan calls for greater use of "electronic government"; a crackdown on overpayments in such programs as Medicare, food stamps, veterans health payments and student loans; and efficiency measurements to provide more funds to agencies that do a better job of delivering services.

It would overhaul food-aid programs and determine whether the United States has too many people deployed overseas in more than six departments. Also, federal housing programs would be put under the microscope to see if tenants are getting too much money or landlords are meeting requirements for providing clean and safe units.

Many of these initiatives can be accomplished through administrative action by the White House's Office of Management and Budget, but others would require legislation.

More competition

In his Saturday radio address, Bush said his proposals would "bring more competition to government and make government more attentive to citizens. Americans demand top-quality service from the private sector. They should get the same top-quality service from their government."

Bush called his plan "targeted and focused" in comparison with so-called "reinventing government" efforts of previous presidents, including his predecessor, Bill Clinton.

Most presidents in modern times have adopted similar efficiency campaigns, with mixed results.

Fraud, waste in student aid

The president said that year after year, the General Accounting Office, Congress' watchdog agency, has called for eliminating fraud and waste in student aid programs. "And year after year, virtually nothing has been done to make sure that federal aid intended for needy students goes only to the needy," Bush said.

The president will propose a "freedom to manage" bill that could be controversial in Congress. This measure would establish a procedure that would allow the executive branch to eliminate "structural barriers" to efficient management now written into the law. If Congress disagreed, it would have to vote later to keep the provisions in the law.

The president said the government now spends $45 billion a year on computers and information technology, more than it spends on highways.

But "unlike private sector companies, this large investment has not cut the government's costs or improved people's lives in any way that we can measure."

Expanding Internet use

The government will expand Internet use so citizens can find information more readily and make comments to officials. It will develop a "digital signature" program for transactions between the government and the public, and by the end of 2002 will have a single Web site through which procurements can be made.

Using a football metaphor to describe Bush's plan, Deputy OMB Director Sean O'Keefe said the initiative is "more akin to a 'three yards and a cloud of dust' than a Hail Mary pass."

The plan would require agencies in some cases to compete with private companies for providing "commercial-type functions," such as payroll or janitorial services. At least 5 percent of commercial activities would be subject to government-private competition this year and 10 percent next year, OMB officials said.



All content copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001 AzStarNet, Arizona Daily Star and its wire services and suppliers and may not be republished without permission. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the expressed written consent of Arizona Daily Star or AzStarNet is prohibited.

Front Page | Tucson | Opinion | Business | Sports | Accent | Entertainment
WEATHER | AZ/WEST | NATIONAL | WASHINGTON | WORLD | E THE PEOPLE | AP WIRE | NEWSLINKS