Number:        118-15
Date:             January 13, 2025

The President Signs S. 709
“Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024”

On December 23, 2024, the President signed into law S. 709, the Federal Agency Performance Act of 2024 (Public Law No: 118-190). The Senate previously passed this bill on February 8, 2024 and the House passed it on December 5, 2024.

This new law addresses federal agency performance and accountability.  Among other things, the  law revises the requirements regarding strategic reviews of federal agencies’ performance goals.  The following are provisions of interest to the Social Security Administration. 

Section 2. Establishment of Strategic Reviews and Reporting

Not less frequently than annually and consistent with guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget, each agency head and Chief Operating Officer must:

• review with the appropriate agency official responsible for each covered goal 1 the progress achieved 2 toward the covered goal and the likelihood that the agency will achieve the covered goal;
• coordinate with relevant personnel within and outside the agency who contribute to the accomplishment of each covered goal;
• assess progress toward each covered goal by reviewing performance information and other types of evidence relating to each covered goal, such as program evaluations and statistical data;
• identify whether additional evidence is necessary to better assess progress toward each covered goal, and prioritize the development of the evidence;
• assess whether relevant organizations, program activities, regulations, policies, and other activities, contribute as planned to each covered goal;
• identify risks that would reduce likelihood that the agency will achieve the covered goal;
  
• identify strategies for performance improvement 3 for each covered goal at greatest risk of not being achieved;
• require the agency’s Performance Improvement Officer or other senior agency official to support the head and Chief Operating Officer of each agency; and
• provide a summary of the findings of the strategic review on the agency’s public website and to the Office of Management and Budget for publication of the results achieved toward the agency priority goals on a single federal performance website.

Section 4. Federal Government Priority Goals

Federal government priority goals must:

• be updated and revised not less frequently than during the first year of each Presidential term;
• be made publicly available not less frequently than concurrently with the submission of the budget of the United States Government made during the first full fiscal year following any year during which a term of the President commences;
• include plans for the successful achievement of each goal within each Presidential term; and
• explicitly cite to any specific contents of the budget that support the achievement of each goal.

Section 5. Federal Government Priority Goal Co-Leaders

Not fewer than two lead Government officials, identified as appropriate, must be jointly responsible

for coordinating efforts to achieve priority goals.  Not less than one shall be from:  

• the Executive Office of the President; and
• an agency identified as contributing to the Federal Government performance goal.