Federal agencies spent at least $7 billion on anti-terrorism programs in fiscal 1997, the General Accounting Office has reported. But GAO said a lack of governmentwide management may be preventing the federal government from spending the money wisely.
The Defense Department led agencies on counterterrorism spending in 1997 with $3.67 billion, GAO noted in the report, "Combating Terrorism: Spending on Governmentwide Programs Requires Better Management and Coordination" (NSIAD-98-39). That figure includes protecting troops and other security measures. The Energy Department spent $1.4 billion, including spending for security at Energy Department facilities and for nonproliferation programs. The FBI, which has lead responsibility for domestic prevention, spent $393 million on its anti-terrorism efforts. Since 1994, the FBI has nearly tripled its anti-terrorism staff and has increased spending five-fold.
But GAO criticized the National Security Council, which coordinates interagency terrorism policy, and the Office of Management and Budget, which reviews anti-terrorism budget requests, for failing to establish governmentwide priorities and for not making sure agencies aren't duplicating each other's efforts.
"There is no interagency mechanism to centrally manage funding requirements and requests to ensure an efficient, focused governmentwide application of federal funds to numerous agencies' programs designed to combat terrorism," the report said.
OMB, said GAO, does not regularly compare agencies' priorities and funding. That could lead to duplication or gaps in the government's anti-terrorism efforts.
The 1998 Defense Authorization Act requires OMB to establish a reporting system for agencies' anti-terrorism budgets. It also requires the president to submit an annual report to Congress on federal anti-terrorism activities.
GAO noted that the Government Performance and Results Act provides another vehicle for comparing programs. Agencies' first annual performance plans, which will be submitted to Congress with the fiscal 1999 budget, could describe coordinated goals and objectives for combating terrorism, GAO suggested.
The State Department, which has lead responsibility for dealing with terrorist incidents overseas, noted in comments to GAO that Congress complicates coordination efforts because various committees have jurisdiction over the agencies involved in combating terrorism.
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