Volcker Commission Press Briefing Transcript

Twelve years ago, the original Volcker Commission issued a report predicting the decline of the federal public service. Today, the new National Commission on the Public Service warns that without fundamental reform, the federal government will be unable to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century.

“Our recommendations go much deeper into the workings of the federal government than any of us would have predicted when we began this process,” Commission Chairman Paul A. Volcker notes, “but we concluded that far reaching change was necessary. Our recommendations may seem overwhelming to some, and may make others nervous, but we believe the task we have laid out is achievable.”

The Volcker Commission released its report, Urgent Business for America: Revitalizing the Federal Government for the 21st Century, along with recommendations for reform on January 7, 2003.