Under OMB's guidance, agencies' fiscal year 1997 budget requests were to contain a significantly greater amount of performance information to help define funding levels and projected program results.
1997 was the leanest year as far as information goes, because OMB loosened their requirements. 
mnli hypothesis: 1997 was the leanest year as far as information goes, because OMB loosened their requirements.  premise: Under OMB's guidance, agencies' fiscal year 1997 budget requests were to contain a significantly greater amount of performance information to help define funding levels and projected program results.