Coast Guard: Improvements Needed in Management of Programs and Activities

GAO discussed the management of the Coast Guard. GAO noted that: (1) the Coast Guard's spending authority increased from $2.5 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1983 to $3.7 billion in FY 1993; (2) the Coast Guard has shifted its resources by increasing funding for some programs and decreasing funding for others programs; (3) Coast Guard management weaknesses include weaknesses in its acquisition process, an insufficient base of information about programs and activities, and an inability to measure program results; (4) the Coast Guard needs to emphasize to its managers the importance of looking for and addressing management weaknesses on an agencywide basis; and (5) the Coast Guard should continue its implementation of systems to measure the effectiveness of its programs.