GAO Report Identifies Billions in Waste

Lean Six Sigma Experts Pounce On New GAO Report

Atlanta, GA – According to the Government Accounting Agency’s 2012 annual report, released this week, tens of billions of dollars are wasted every year due to unnecessary duplication, overlaps, and just plain waste in the Federal Government.   Sen. Tom Coburn R-OK estimates that these wastes cost taxpayers as much as $100 Billion Dollars every year.

“This is not news to Effective Government Now, the Coalition of Lean Six Sigma professionals who came together in the Fall of 2011 at the invitation of Speaker Newt Gingrich, specifically to work with Newt’s vision that reducing the cost and size of government can be done thoughtfully with common private sector business applications.  We are not limited only to the politically charged choices of raising taxes or slashing needed services”, said Effective Government Now Chairman Jack Merritt.

Last Summer Newt said:

“There are a number of sophisticated management systems that create more productive, more effective patterns of work.

One of those systems is Lean Six Sigma.

If applied across the entire federal government, some estimate it could save $500 billion a year or $5 trillion over a ten-year period. By comparison, the [then] newly created “Super Committee” is [was] merely trying to save $1.5 trillion.

A properly focused Lean Six Sigma effort could reorient government to act in ways that would help balance the budget, grow our economy, accelerate job creation, and make America the most competitive country in the world.

To achieve this future, it will require us to work together to educate the American people, the news media and our elected officials, and win the argument for smaller, leaner, and more effective government.”

Speaker Gingrich had the right ideas nine months ago, and the GAO has just validated his foresight.  Republican Study Committee Jim Jordan pointed out that “… 11 different agencies run 94 different programs to encourage ‘green building’” and “13 agencies operate 209 different STEM education programs.”  The GAO highlighted 51 areas and 130 recommended actions.

The Effective Government Now Coalition believes that neither the Congress nor the President has acted responsibly to address the rampant waste in our government.  Recovery must be driven by both the Executive Branch and Congress.  Both must work together to set priorities and measure results, while holding the Departments and Agencies responsible with Lean Six Sigma.  This will require bold and experienced leadership.  We believe that Speaker Newt Gingrich is the right person, with the right vision, and the best track record to drive this necessary collaboration to fundamentally change the way our federal government spends and, in the future, saves money.

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