Skip to main content

Priority Recommendations

Posted on November 12, 2016
Every year we make hundreds of recommendations to federal agencies on ways to improve government operations and reduce costs. With so many opportunities for improvement, agency heads and other policymakers may have trouble deciding where to start. We’ve got plenty of ideas. With a new administration and Congress coming to town, we’re shining a light on some immediate, high-impact actions for consideration—our “priority recommendations.” Both our free “Priorities for Policy Makers” app—available on the App Store® or Google Play™—and our Presidential and Congressional Transition resources are available to educate the new administration, the new Congress, and you. We know what needs to be fixed—and how to do it And you can, too, by browsing our priorities by topic or agency, either on the app or online. Did you check the weather before leaving the house today? Browse our priority recs by “subject term” and check out our 2 priority recommendations on weather forecasting. If you think forecasts are spotty now, imagine how unreliable they’d be without weather satellites. If you have kids in school, or ever were a kid in school, you might be interested in searching by “agency” and reading our 5 key recommendations for the Department of Education. They address racial disparities, emergency preparedness in K-12 education, and steps to improve the student loan process. And if you’re nearing retirement—or ever plan to retire—our “topic” on retirement security may be of interest. We’ve made 5 priority recs aimed at tackling fraud in Social Security’s Disability Insurance program, improving 401(K) plan management, and addressing key challenges at the Social Security Administration. Retirement: The federal government could take steps to better protect your 401(k) plan. Whatever your interests—whether you’re into cybersecurity, tax issues, or homeland security—chances are we’ve got a priority recommendation for you and your representatives. Saving money and improving the government If fully carried out, our priority recs could result in sizable savings, substantial improvements to government programs and operations, or significant reductions in mismanagement, fraud, waste, and abuse. Learn more about them on our site, or take them with you:
Download on the App StoreAvailable on the App Store ® Get it on Google PlayAvailable on Google Play
Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.
About Watchblog

GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.

The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.

Please send any feedback on GAO's WatchBlog to blog@gao.gov.