Government Accountability Office
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the “congressional watchdog,” GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. The head of GAO, the Comptroller General of the United States, is appointed to a 15-year term by the President from a slate of candidates Congress proposes. Gene L. Dodaro became the eighth Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on December 22, 2010, when he was confirmed by the United States Senate. He was nominated by President Obama in September of 2010 and had been serving as Acting Comptroller General since March of 2008.
Their mission is to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. They provide Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan, non-ideological, fair, and balanced.
Their work is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or is mandated by public laws or committee reports. They also undertake research under the authority of the Comptroller General. We support congressional oversight by:
- * auditing agency operations to determine whether federal funds are being spent efficiently and effectively;
- * investigating allegations of illegal and improper activities;
- * reporting on how well government programs and policies are meeting their objectives;
- * performing policy analyses and outlining options for congressional consideration; and
- * issuing legal decisions and opinions, such as bid protest rulings and reports on agency rules.
They advise Congress and the heads of executive agencies about ways to make government more efficient, effective, ethical, equitable and responsive. Their work leads to laws and acts that improve government operations, saving the government and taxpayers billions of dollars. Learn more.
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