Government Accountabiltiy Office (GAO)

Title

Government Accountabiltiy Office (GAO)

Description

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.

GAO's 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. It provides Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan, nonideological, fair, and balanced.

GOA's Core Values of accountability, integrity, and reliability are reflected in all of the work GAO does. It operates under strict professional standards of review and referencing; all facts and analyses in its work are thoroughly checked for accuracy. In addition, GAO's audit policies are consistent with the Fundamental Auditing Principles (Level 3) of the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions.

GAO's Work is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or is mandated by public laws or committee reports. It also undertakes research under the authority of the Comptroller General. It supports 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.

The GAO advises Congress and the heads of executive agencies about ways to make government more efficient, effective, ethical, equitable and responsive.

GAO's work leads to laws and acts that improve government operations, saving the government and taxpayers billions of dollars.

Creator

GAO

Date

1921

Source

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Seal_of_the_United_States_Government_Accountability_Office.svg/1200px-Seal_of_the_United_States_Government_Accountability_Office.svg.png

Relation

Rights

Government Accounting Office.

Source: Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Publisher

GAO

Contributor

GAO

Format

Medium: Logo

Language

English

Type

Organization

Identifier

GAO, Government Accountability Office, Congress, Watchdog, Accountability, Oversight, Efficiency

Coverage

United States

Files

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Seal_of_the_United_States_Government_Accountability_Office.svg/1200px-Seal_of_the_United_States_Government_Accountability_Office.svg.png

Reference

GAO, Government Accountabiltiy Office (GAO), GAO, 1921

Cite As

GAO, “Government Accountabiltiy Office (GAO),” Virtual Museum of Public Service, accessed March 28, 2024, https://vmps.omeka.net/items/show/393.