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2017 High Risk List – 2020 Decennial Census (video)

Posted on February 16, 2017

This year, we added the 2020 Decennial Census to our High Risk List—our biennial report highlighting areas particularly susceptible to fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or needing a fundamental transformation.

In 2020 the government will once again conduct a census of the nation’s population, gathering critical demographic information to be used to, among other things, define legislative districts and allocate billions in financial assistance. The 2010 Census cost over $12 billion, and innovations planned for 2020—while aimed at saving money—may introduce new risks.

Watch Robert Goldenkoff, a director in our Strategic Issues team, explain why we added the 2020 Decennial Census to our latest High Risk List.

High Risk: Census 2020

Description

As part of GAO's High Risk series, Robert Goldenkoff, a director in GAO's Strategic Issues team, describes why GAO put the 2020 Decennial Census on its list of programs at high risk for waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement.