My testimony focuses on (1) our recent work on federal drug control efforts; (2) ONDCP’s efforts to implement performance measures; (3) ONDCP’s anticipated actions to lead the development of a centralized lessons-learned data system for drug control activities; and (4) whether ONDCP, which is scheduled to expire in September of this year, should be reauthorized. “1. “2. “3. “4. “5. ONDCP’s Efforts to Implement Performance Measures

We have acknowledged for many years that performance measurement in the area of drug control has been difficult. We also reported in 1993 that ONDCP’s national strategies did not contain adequate measures for assessing the contributions of component programs for reducing the nation’s drug problems. As a result, we recommended that, as part of its reauthorization of ONDCP, Congress direct the agency to develop additional performance measures. In reauthorizing ONDCP in 1994, Congress specified that ONDCP’s performance measurement system should assess changes in drug use, drug availability, the consequences of drug use, drug treatment capacity, and the adequacy of drug treatment systems. The efforts of the contractor were eventually abandoned, and in the summer of 1996 ONDCP began a new effort to develop performance measures for all drug control operations. The new effort relies on working groups, which consist of representatives from federal drug control agencies and state, local, and private organizations, to develop national drug control performance measures. As of April 15, 1997, ONDCP officials said they had not yet implemented this recommendation. Given the complexity of the issues and the fragmentation of the approach to the national drug control strategy among more than 50 agencies, we continue to believe there is a need for a central planning agency, such as ONDCP, to coordinate the nation’s drug control efforts. In addition, we have found no compelling evidence to lead us to advise against ONDCP’s reauthorization for a finite period of time.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO discussed the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), focusing on: (1) its recent work on federal drug control efforts; (2) ONDCP's efforts to implement performance measures; (3) ONDCP's anticipated actions to lead the development of a centralized lessons-learned data system for drug control activities; and (4) whether ONDCP, which is scheduled to expire in September 1997, should be reauthorized.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) its recent work shows that there are some promising initial research results in the area of demand reduction but that international supply reduction efforts have not reduced the availability of drugs; (2) GAO's work also shows that the nation still lacks meaningful performance measures to help guide decisionmaking; (3) GAO has acknowledged that performance measurement in the area of drug control is particularly difficult for a variety of reasons; (4) notwithstanding, GAO has concluded over the years that better performance measures than the ones in place were needed; (5) in 1993, GAO recommended that Congress, as part of its reauthorization of ONDCP, direct the agency to develop additional performance measures; (6) in reauthorizing ONDCP in 1994, Congress specified that ONDCP's performance measurement system should assess changes in drug use, drug availability, the consequences of drug use, drug treatment capacity, and the adequacy of drug treatment systems; (7) ONDCP's initial effort, with a private contractor, did not prove fruitful, and, in the summer of 1996, it began a new effort involving working groups composed of representatives from federal drug control agencies and state, local, and private organizations; (8) the working groups have been tasked with establishing performance measures for the goals set forth in the 1997 national strategy articulated by ONDCP; (9) as of April 15, 1997, no new measures had been approved by the ONDCP Director; (10) given the complexity of the issues and the fragmentation of the approach to the national drug strategy among more than 50 federal agencies, GAO continues to believe that there is a need for a central planning agency, such as ONDCP, to coordinate the nation's efforts; and (11) while it is difficult to gauge ONDCP's effectiveness given the absence of good performance measures, GAO has found no compelling evidence that would lead it to advise against ONDCP's reauthorization for a finite period of time.