Follow WatchBlog via Email
-
Recent Posts
- We’ve Moved! Continue following the WatchBlog at GAO.gov/blog
- What is the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and How Does It Protect Consumers from Hazards?
- The 2021 High Risk List—Which Programs Are At High Risk of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse? (videos)
- Pregnant Women in Federal Custody—A Uniquely Vulnerable Population
- Medicaid in Times of Crisis, and An Introduction to Our New Special Product—The Health Care Capsules
- How the Small Business Administration Partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Rural Hospital Closures Create More Distance Between Residents and Care
- Vaccine Distribution, Supply Chain, Testing Still Present Challenges in Federal Pandemic Response
- Move Over! How Are Governments Trying to Protect First Responders From Roadside Crashes? (video)
- How GAO’s Recommendations Can Help the New Congress and President
Categories
- About GAO
- Agriculture and Food
- Auditing and Financial Management
- Budget and Spending
- Business Regulation and Consumer Protection
- Collections
- Communications
- Coronavirus
- disaster assistance
- Disaster Assistance
- Duplication and Cost Savings
- Economic Development
- Education
- Employment
- Energy
- Equal Opportunity
- Financial Markets and Institutions
- Fiscal Outlook and The Debt
- Fraud
- Government Operations
- Graphic
- Health Care
- High Risk List
- Homeland Security
- Housing
- Human Capital
- Infographic
- Information Management
- Information Security
- Information Technology
- Interactive graphic
- International Affairs
- Justice and Law Enforcement
- Key Issues
- Mission Team
- National Defense
- Natural Resources and Environment
- OGC
- Podcast
- Quick Look
- Racial Disparities
- Recovery Act
- Retirement Security
- Science and Technology
- Space
- Tax Policy and Administration
- Technology Assessment
- Topics
- Trade
- Transportation
- Veterans
- Video
- Worker and Family Assistance
Tag Archives: Congress
How GAO Can Help in a Congressional and Presidential Transition
The 117th Congress and the incoming Presidential administration will be taking office in a time that presents significant challenges to the government. These include the coronavirus pandemic and its far-reaching public health and economic effects; the evolving issues around race … Continue reading
Posted in About GAO, Collections
Tagged Congress, congressional transition, Coronavirus, DOF, duplication, economic recovery, election, fiscal health, fragmentation, high risk list, overlap, pandemic, pandemic response, presidential transition, priority recommendations, race, transition
Leave a comment
What is the Defense Production Act, and how is it being used in response to COVID-19?
On March 27, the administration announced it would use the Defense Production Act in response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The President directed the Department of Health and Human Services to work with General Motors to prioritize the production of ventilators that … Continue reading
Posted in About GAO, Coronavirus
Tagged CNSA, Congress, Coronavirus, defense, FEMA, health and human services, HHS, pandemic, William Russell
Leave a comment
Disclosing Wrongdoing: How to Improve Protections for Federal Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers help protect the government from waste, fraud, and abuse by reporting potential wrongdoing. Because there’s a risk of reprisal, such as being fired or reassigned, it’s important to safeguard whistleblowers’ identities and the information they provide. For National Whistleblower … Continue reading
Posted in Fraud, Government Operations
Tagged Brenda Farrell, CNSA, Congress, contractors, DCM, Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, DOD, DODIG, FAIS, federal whistleblowers, fraud waste abuse, inspectors general, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, James R. McTigue Jr., Kathy Larin, Michelle Sager, misconduct, NASA, reprisal, Shelby Oakley, SI, VA, veterans, whistleblower, whistleblower protection, whistleblower retaliation
Leave a comment
Need an Expert? We Can Help!
Did you know that GAO’s executives often speak publicly about our work? To make it easier for news media, congressional staff, and the public to connect with us, we launched a one-stop database that can help easily locate one of … Continue reading
Posted in About GAO
Tagged about GAO, Congress, connect, executives, experts, Find an Expert, media relations, subject matter expert
Leave a comment
Finding Common Ground on Flood Insurance Reform
As we enter the peak of hurricane season, many homeowners have wisely chosen to protect their properties by purchasing flood insurance. However, the nation’s taxpayers remain largely unprotected as the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is poised to continue to … Continue reading
Posted in Budget and Spending, Financial Markets and Institutions, High Risk List, Housing
Tagged Alicia Puente Cackley, Congress, financial solvency, flood, flood insurance, flood risk, flooding, FMCI, full-risk premiums, insurance, insurance premiums, means-based subsidies, National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP, property owners, Treasury Department
Leave a comment
Increased Federal Role in the Housing Finance System
Housing finance is a complex, multi-trillion-dollar industry that played a major role in the 2007-2009 financial crisis. Two of our recent reports analyzed changes in the market since the crisis and their effect on taxpayers. We discuss our findings in … Continue reading
Posted in Financial Markets and Institutions, Housing
Tagged Congress, Daniel Garcia-Diaz, default, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fannie Mae, financial crisis, financial markets, fiscal exposures, FMCI, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, government-sponsored entities, GSE, housing finance, HUD, investors, MBS, mortgage, mortgage-backed securities
Leave a comment
Are Tax Practitioners Protecting Your Personal Information?
Doing your taxes can be complicated. So it’s no surprise that nearly 90% of taxpayers use either a paid preparer or tax software to prepare and file their taxes each year. In an age of data breaches and identity theft, … Continue reading
Posted in Information Security, Tax Policy and Administration
Tagged Congress, cybersecurity, e-file, identity theft, information security, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, Jessica Lucas-Judy, paid preparers, sensitive information, SI, tax fraud, tax preparation, tax refund, tax software
Leave a comment
Impacts of Fiscal Year 2013 Sequestration
On March 1st, 2013, the president ordered an across-the-board reduction in federal agency budgets. This reduction, more commonly known as sequestration, had a wide range of effects on agency operations and services to the public. The infographic below outlines some of our key findings … Continue reading
Posted in Budget and Spending, Government Operations
Tagged agencies, budget, Congress, Defense Department, Department of Defense, Department of Labor, DOL, Environmental Protection Agency, epa, federal budget, fiscal, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Justice Department, Labor, personnel, reductions, sequester, sequestration, services, workforce
2 Comments
Navigating the Complexities of the Federal Budget
The President and Congress use the federal budget process to help allocate federal funds among competing demands. The 2015 President’s Budget (which will be released on March 4th), is the President’s principal policy statement; the administration’s plan for funding the … Continue reading
Posted in Budget and Spending, Government Operations, Video
Tagged balance, budget, budget terminology, budgetary, carryover balances, collections, Congress, costs, debt, federal debt, fiscal outlook, glossary, government accountability office, long-term, long-term debt, OMB, President, president budget, president's budget, process, resources, user fees, usgao
2 Comments
Where Do GAO Reports Come From?
As an independent nonpartisan agency that reports to Congress, our work comes from 3 main sources: Congressional Requests. Congressional committees, subcommittees, or members of Congress can request that we look into a particular subject. In conjunction with members of Congress, … Continue reading
Posted in About GAO
Tagged about GAO, committees, Comptroller General, Congress, government accountability office, mandates, process, requests, usgao
5 Comments