WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) today was reappointed chairman of the bipartisan Government Performance Task Force by U.S. Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray (D-WA). The Task Force, established in 2009 with Sen. Warner as its initial chairman, supports the Budget Committee by providing oversight and recommendations on ways to increase the performance and reduce the cost of federal agencies and programs.

“The continuation of the Task Force represents a strong, ongoing commitment from the Budget Committee to keep looking for smart ways to save taxpayer dollars by improving how our government works,” Sen. Warner said.  “Our Task Force will pursue additional reforms that will reduce duplication, break down agency silos, build a more collaborative culture across government, and modernize how we use technology to improve transparency and accountability. This kind of oversight work typically does not generate a lot of headlines, but I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to find new ways to save taxpayer money.”

Sen. Murray also announced additional members of the Task Force today, including Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH). Chairman Murray and Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL) will serve as ex officio members.

“I am pleased to announce the membership of the Budget Committee’s Government Performance Task Force and that it will continue to be chaired by Sen. Warner,” said Sen. Murray. “This bipartisan Task Force is an important tool to improve efficiency and effectiveness in government operations as well as ensure that taxpayer dollars are being invested wisely. Senator Warner has a long history of fighting for smart and efficient government investments and I cannot think of a better chair for the Task Force. I look forward to their continued work and thank all who have agreed to serve.”

As Governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006, Sen. Warner worked in a bipartisan way to implement businesslike reforms that made state government more effective and affordable, resulting in Virginia's designation as the nation’s best managed state in the Pew Charitable Trust’s independent 2005 Government Performance Project. 

In Congress, Sen. Warner successfully sponsored the bipartisan Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010, which requires federal agencies to identify their top priorities, annually report program results, and clearly identify ineffective or overlapping programs for potential consolidation or elimination. 

In addition, Sen. Warner has introduced the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, which would improve and expand federal fiscal accountability by requiring more transparent reporting of every dollar spent by the federal government. He also is a lead sponsor of the Government Customer Service Improvement Act, reintroduced last week, which aims to make the taxpayer's interaction with federal agencies more efficient and customer-friendly.