The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, has ignited a long-overdue conversation, if not heated debate, about federal spending.
While reactions have been mixed among fiscal conservatives, one thing is clear: DOGE has demonstrated that billions of dollars in waste exist and that serious reforms are necessary.
However, if DOGE is to have a lasting impact, its greatest legacy should not be the elimination of symbolic culture war spending or headline-grabbing terminations of federal employees — it should be a fundamental shift in how Washington allocates taxpayer dollars.
The best way to achieve this is through mandatory performance-based budgeting (PBB) legislation.
The Need for Performance-Based Budgeting
For decades, federal agencies have operated with little direct accountability for the efficiency or effectiveness of their spending.
Budgets grow annually, often based on the simple premise that if a program existed last year, it deserves more funding this year.
While various administrations have attempted to assess program performance, none have had the authority or political will to truly tie budgets to results.
The time has come for Congress to remedy that.
Performance-based budgeting would require every federally funded program to justify its existence through measurable outcomes.
Agencies meeting or exceeding their goals could receive standard budget approvals, while those that fail to deliver results would require a supermajority vote in Congress to continue receiving funding.
This structure would introduce a level of fiscal discipline that Washington has lacked for far too long.
A Framework for Reform
To ensure long-term accountability, this writer proposes the following framework for PBB legislation:
Mandatory Performance Reviews
Within one year of enactment, every federal agency must submit to a new performance management and budgeting framework overseen by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Agencies must define clear, achievable goals tied to their mission.
Regular Assessments
At least once every three years, OMB would review all federal programs to determine if they are fulfilling their intended purpose, achieving strategic goals, and operating efficiently. These reviews would be made public and submitted to Congress as part of the President’s budget. Transparency is essential to ensuring public trust.
Budgetary Consequences
If a program meets or exceeds its performance benchmarks, Congress can approve its budget with a simple majority vote.
If it fails to meet expectations, it would require a two-thirds majority vote to receive continued funding.
This process ensures accountability and prevents inefficient programs from being indefinitely funded.
Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement
Successful PBB implementation requires committed leadership at all levels and direct engagement with program stakeholders.
This ensures that performance metrics reflect real-world effectiveness rather than bureaucratic checkboxes.
This approach rewards efficiency, incentivizes innovation, and forces Congress to take a hard look at whether taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.
A Conservative Solution with Bipartisan Appeal
Fiscal conservatives have long championed government efficiency, and performance-based budgeting offers a principled way to achieve it.
Instead of arbitrary cuts, PBB ensures that spending decisions are data-driven and results-oriented. Most significantly, it aligns with core conservative principles of accountability and limited government while offering a common-sense solution that even reform-minded moderates should support.
A 2010 study on performance-based budgeting highlighted that its success hinges on transparency, clear goal-setting, and strong leadership.
If Washington implements these principles, and adheres to them, PBB could transform federal budgeting from a politically driven exercise into a performance-focused process which truly serves the American people.
DOGE has exposed inefficiencies, but unless we follow through with systemic reform, its efforts will fade into history as just another short-lived attempt to trim bureaucratic waste.
By enacting PBB before the 2026 midterms, Congress and President Trump can transform DOGE from a temporary cost-cutting exercise into a permanent mechanism for responsible governance.
The choice is clear: We can either continue with business as usual — allowing wasteful spending to flourish — or we can seize this moment to enact meaningful reform.
If Washington is serious about reducing the deficit and making government work for the people, then mandatory performance-based budgeting must be the next step.
Dennis C. Revell is a noted political strategist and public affairs consultant. He is the son-in-law of the late President Ronald Reagan, witnessing dramatic episodes and quiet moments of Reagan’s life, both during and after the White House years. These experiences gave him unique insights into the president’s leadership and personal perspectives. Read More Dennis Revell – Here.