Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE)

GAO’s report entitled “Opportunities to Reduce Potential Duplication in Government Programs, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue” has just been released. The report identifies $billions in potential savings that could be realized by reducing program duplication.

Comments:

1. Not only could taxpayer dollars be saved by reducing overlap and duplication, but greater efficiencies and safety benefits would be achieved.  As BOE has frequently noted, a single agency should be responsible and accountable for safety and pollution prevention at offshore facilities. For regulators, “overlap means underlap.” Important issues are sure to be overlooked, misunderstood, or confused. Jurisdictional redundancy inevitably results in unnecessary complexity, and regulatory and industry personnel are required to spend too much time resolving and coordinating administrative and procedural matters.  This time would be better spent focusing on mission critical safety issues.
2. Much of the duplication among agencies is the result of the overlapping responsibilities of congressional committees, complex and poorly crafted legislation, and insufficient emphasis on function-based management.
3. Program savings achieved by one government unit are immediately absorbed by another, discouraging cost-effective management practices. Senior and mid-level Federal managers should be able to transfer savings directly to a debt reduction fund that cannot be used for any other purpose. Federal managers should receive positive recognition for savings and efficiency, not criticism or immediate budget reductions.