Report of the President\u27s Commission on Budget Concepts

The Commission addressed itself to the conceptual problems of what the budget ought to be, and to what the budget ought to do. The Commission rightly concerned itself in establishing and recommending criteria and rules by which the budget could be made a more understandable document, and a more useful instrument for public policy decisions now and in the future. After a six-month study, and we all wish there had been more time, the Commission made its recommendations last October. Less than a month ago, as you undoubtedly know, the President approved the Commission\u27s report and its recommendations for adoption in the budget for fiscal 1969. The full recommendations of the Commission are covered in its report of some 100 pages, which I\u27m sure many of you have read. Staff papers and other materials reviewed by the Commission will be published as a companion document shortly. My purpose this evening is not to go into the details of the report. My purpose, rather, is to summarize the important recommendations in that report. And I want to spend a little time later on several topics of considerable interest to us as accountants and managers which were not fully treated by the Commission