White House Seeks Public Input for Government Overhaul
Suggestions from the public on how to enhance efficiency at federal agencies will be collected beginning March 16, according to an executive order President Trump signed in the beginning of the week.
The order will be published in the Federal Register, giving the public six months to submit suggestions to the Office of Budget and Management for improving agencies, such as the transportation division of trucking regulators.
At the end of the public comment period, the director of OMB will be tasked with submitting to Trump a plan to “eliminate unnecessary agencies, components of agencies, and agency programs, and to merge functions,” according to the order.
Input from the public and the leadership at the agencies will be used to formulate the proposal, the order said.
“This order requires a thorough examination of every executive department and agency to identify money — where money is being wasted and how services can be improved, and whether or not the programs are truly serving the American people,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters March 13. “This is the beginning of a long-overdue reorganization of the federal government and another significant step towards the president’s often-stated goal of making it more efficient, effective and accountable to the American people.”
Trump and conservative policymakers in Congress have promoted the notion of shrinking the size of the federal government.
