The Department of Labor (DOL) continues to heed the call of President
George W. Bush that Government should be results-oriented
guided not by process but guided by performance. The Department's
Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 budget was developed with just such a focus and
the outcome is the Department's first-ever integrated performance budget.
Because there has been no Congressional action on the FY 2004
Appropriations at the time of this revision, the following reflects available
information as of the publication date.
DOL's FY 2004 total request is $60.0 billion in budget authority and
17,347 full-time equivalents (FTE). The request for the Department's
discretionary programs is $11.7 billion.
Total Budget (Dollars in
Billions) |
|
FY 2003 |
FY 2004 |
Change |
Discretionary Programs: |
$11.8 |
$11.7 |
-$0.1 |
Mandatory Programs: |
$57.3 |
$48.3 |
-$9.0 |
Total, Department of Labor |
$69.1 |
$60.0 |
-$9.1 |
Full Time Equivalents |
16,932 |
17,347 |
+415 |
The Department's FY 2004 budget was developed around four critical
themes designed to make a difference in the lives of America's working
families: Get Americans Back to Work; Protect Employees'
Benefits; Ensure Workers' Rights and Safety; and Modernize DOL
for the 21st Century.
The programs and initiatives funded by this budget are managed through
the framework of the Department's strategic, outcome, and core performance
goals presented in Chapter 4 of this plan. These presentations also include the
allocation of the Department's budget authority and outlays to each of the
strategic and outcome goals, and for the first time the planned costs to
achieve each of the core performance goals as identified in the performance
budget. The introduction to Chapter 4 includes a description of our methodology
for computing these allocations, and Appendix C lists the budget activities
that support each outcome goal.
Get Americans Back to Work
In 2004, DOL and the Administration will use the opportunity presented
by the expiration of the Workforce Investment Act to make significant
improvements in Federal job training and employment programs. These reforms
will eliminate duplication through program consolidation, strengthen resource
allocation, improve accountability, enhance the role of employers in the
national workforce system, and increase State flexibility.
This theme will be further accomplished by the development of
Re-employment Accounts to at-risk job seekers. The President's economic growth
plan, released January 7, 2003, promotes this new tool, which States will have
considerable flexibility to design. The accounts will provide up to $3,000 to
job seekers to allow them to purchase the training, re-employment, or
supportive services needed to get back to work.
Protect Employees' Benefits
The Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
continues to lead the way in retirement security protection. DOL's FY 2004
request for EBSA includes strengthening Enhanced Retirement Security.
Further efforts will be devoted to ensuring access to affordable health care
benefits.
In FY 2004, the Department's Office of Inspector General will continue
its role in bolstering DOL's efforts related to this theme through initiatives
aimed at achieving the OIG strategic goal of safeguarding and improving worker
and retiree benefit programs.
Ensure Workers' Rights and Safety
While occupational injury and illness rates have reached historic lows,
more can and must be done. In FY 2004, DOL will continue to balance enforcement
and compliance assistance activities through the ongoing efforts of its
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MSHA); the Employment Standards Administration's Wage-Hour
Division and Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS); and the Office of
Inspector General (OIG). Initiatives include:
- Seeking increased Civil Monetary Penalties for MSHA, OLMS, and Wage
and Hour to strengthen existing enforcement gaps.
- OSHA's Expanded Outreach and Assistance, program oversight,
multi-lingual (non-English speaking) outreach, training and assistance, and
voluntary and cooperative programs.
- MSHA's planned strengthening of enforcement; mine rescue and
recovery operations; and, expanding education and compliance assistance focused
on small mining operations.
The OIG's Labor Racketeering Initiative will combat labor
racketeering, organized crime, and corruption relative to pension plans and
unions.
Modernize DOL for the 21st Century
This theme will be accomplished by several initiatives related to the
Department's ongoing implementation of the President's Management Agenda. These
include the Office of Chief Financial Officer's update and improvement to the
Departmental financial data systems.
The Department's successful Information Technology Initiative will, in
part, consolidate all DOL agency requests in support of the President's
Management Agenda component Expanded E-Government.
The Department's Management Initiative will continue to focus and
centrally manage DOL's efforts on implementing the other four government-wide
initiatives on the President's Management Agenda.
Further, in FY 2004, DOL intends to resubmit two ESA legislative
proposals: Black Lung refinancing and a series of revisions to FECA. The FECA
Surcharge will also be proposed again in FY 2004.
The Department will also continue to advocate viable options to reform
its Unemployment Insurance program.
Supporting legislation allowing employers to offer employees the option
of taking paid time off in lieu of overtime pay.
Program Assessment Rating Tool
Improving programs by focusing on results is an integral component of
the President's budget and performance integration initiative. As such,
approximately 20 percent of Federal programs were evaluated for effectiveness
for the first time using the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). As part of
this process, the following nine DOL programs were reviewed in calendar year
2002: Bureau of Labor Statistics; OSHA; EBSA (PWBA); Office of Federal Contract
Compliance Programs; Federal Employees Compensation Act; Community Service
Employment for Older Americans; Dislocated Worker Assistance; Trade Adjustment
Assistance; and Youth Activities. Each program was rated on Purpose,
Planning, Management, and Results/Accountability.
Highlights and results of the reviews can be found in the agency-specific
sections of the Budget Justification.
In FY 2003, these program reviews were updated, and the following
programs were reviewed as part of the FY 2005 budget request process: Migrants
and Seasonal Farm workers; Unemployment Insurance; Davis-Bacon Wage
Determination; Black Lung; and Mine Safety and Health.
The President's Management Agenda
The President's Management Agenda is an aggressive strategy for
improving the management of the Federal government with a focus on five
government-wide areas: Strategic Management of Human Capital;
Competitive Sourcing; Improved Financial Performance; Expanded
E-Government; and Budget and Performance Integration. DOL is also
one of just five Cabinet agencies with Agenda responsibilities related to
Faith-based and Community-based initiatives.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued its FY 2001 baseline
scores measuring the implementation of the President's Management Agenda with
the release of the President's FY 2003 budget. For the five government-wide
Agenda items, DOL received Yellow baseline ratings on Strategic
Management of Human Capital and E-Government and Red
baseline scores for Competitive Sourcing, Financial Management,
and Budget and Performance Integration.
On a quarterly basis, OMB has continued to rate the government's
progress in implementing the President's Management Agenda and DOL has
maintained its leadership position among Cabinet Departments. As of the fiscal
year-end on September 30, 2003, DOL status stands at four Yellow scores
in Strategic Management of Human Capital, Financial
Performance, E-Government, and Budget and Performance
Integration; the single Red rating remains for Competitive
Sourcing. In terms of rating progress, DOL scored very well. Human
Capital; Financial Performance; E-Government; and Budget
and Performance Integration were all rated Green for progress while
Competitive Sourcing received a Yellow rating.
Summary
In FY 2004, DOL is poised to continue making critical differences that
directly affect the lives of America's working families. There can be no more
important mission.
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