The Big Picture
- A streamlined, focused government
- Consolidated, effective programs
- No long-term, unfunded commitments
The Details
- Reduce the number of Cabinet-level agencies to create greater focus on mission, reduce overlapping overhead costs, and uncover potential efficiencies.
- Make government more manageable with 7 Departments: State; Treasury; Defense, including Veteran Affairs; Justice; Homeland Security; Health and Human Services, including housing assistance; and "New” Department of Commerce including "old" departments of Commerce, Labor, Education, Agriculture, Interior, and Energy as well as Urban Development, Transportation (interstate and international), Environmental Protection, and Markets & Competition.
- Reduce the number of Congressional committees and subcommittees to parallel the cabinet-level department structure with three additional committees that span functions: Budget, Intelligence, and Congressional Operations. To build expertise, House members can serve on only one committee or one subcommittee while Senators can serve on one committee and one subcommittee.
- “New” Commerce becomes an advocate for the economy, free markets, competition, consumers, and public goods – not specific interests or industries.
- "New" Commerce also provides an opportunity to align industry needs with education and the labor market.
- Move Veteran Affairs back within Department of Defense to maintain continuity of human capital as well as a connection between veterans and the Armed Forces.
- Move all health, nutrition, unemployment, housing, and other income security programs to the Department of Health and Human Services to create a concise, complete view of programs that provide assistance to individuals.
- Move all direct loan and loan guarantee programs to the Department of Treasury.
Download or print 2012 Position Paper
