III

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. RES. 23

To express the sense of the Senate that the Oregon Option project has

the potential to improve intergovernmental service delivery by shifting

accountability from compliance to performance results and that the Federal Government should continue in its partnership with the State and

local governments of Oregon to fully implement the Oregon Option.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

JANUARY 4, 1995

Mr. HATFIELD submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Governmental Affairs

RESOLUTION

To express the sense of the Senate that the Oregon Option

project has the potential to improve intergovernmental

service delivery by shifting accountability from compliance to performance results and that the Federal Government should continue in its partnership with the State

and local governments of Oregon to fully implement the

Oregon Option.

Whereas Federal, State and local governments are dealing

with increasingly complex problems which require the delivery of many kinds of social services at all levels of government;

Whereas historically, Federal programs have addressed the

Nation’s problems by providing categorical assistance
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•SRES 23 IS

with detailed requirements relating to the use of funds

which are often delivered by State and local governments;

Whereas although the current approach is one method of

service delivery, a number of problems exist in the current intergovernmental structure that impede effective

delivery of vital services by State and local governments;

Whereas it is more important than ever to provide programs

that respond flexibly to the needs of the Nation’s States

and communities, reduce the barriers between programs

that impede Federal, State and local governments’ ability

to effectively deliver services, encourage the Nation’s

Federal, State and local governments to be innovative in

creating programs that meet the unique needs of the people in their communities while continuing to address national goals, and improve the accountability of all levels

of government by better measuring government performance and better meeting the needs of service recipients;

Whereas the State and local governments of Oregon have

proposed a pilot project, called the Oregon Option, that

would utilize strategic planning and performance-based

management that may provide the new models for intergovernmental social service delivery;

Whereas the Oregon Option is a prototype of a new intergovernmental relations system, and it has the potential to

completely transform the relationships among Federal,

State and local governments by creating a system of

intergovernmental service delivery and funding that is

based on measurable performance, customer satisfaction,

prevention, flexibility, and service integration; and
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•SRES 23 IS

Whereas the Oregon Option has the potential to dramatically

improve the quality of Federal, State and local services

to Oregonians: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the

2 Oregon Option project has the potential to improve inter3 governmental service delivery by shifting accountability

4 from compliance to performance results and the Federal

5 Government should continue in its partnership with the

6 State and local governments of Oregon to fully implement

7 the Oregon Option.