Federal Downsizing: The President's Fiscal Year 1996 Budget and Its Compliance with the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994

GAO discussed the President's fiscal year (FY) 1996 budget proposal, focusing on its compliance with the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994. GAO noted that: (1) the act requires the government to cut its workforce to 272,900 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions by 1999; (2) FTE targets were met in FY 1994 and will likely be met in FY 1995; (3) the Administration proposes eliminating 173,300 FTE through FY 1996; (4) 75 percent of these positions will be eliminated from Department of Defense agencies; (5) the targets of many agencies' workforce reductions are supervisors and managers, headquarters staff, and personnel, budget, accounting, and acquisition positions; (6) as some agencies may be required to make more significant reductions than others, isolated cases of reductions-in-force may occur at some agencies, especially during FY 1996; and (7) although the savings associated with the workforce reductions are difficult to measure, these savings have been reflected in the budget.