The GAO: How Its Activities Affect Federal Regulatory Policy

The topic of discussion was the work of GAO and how it can influence federal regulatory policies and practices affecting the energy industry. GAO objectives are closely tied to the Congress' needs for information and advice in carrying out its legislative and oversight or review responsibilities. The agency's primary role today is the analysis or audit of federal programs and government corporations to determine if services can be performed more efficiently and objectives achieved more economically. In addition, congressional committees and individual members ask GAO to look into a great variety of federal operations of particular concern to them, energy issues being a prime example. GAO plays a strong role in reviewing major regulatory reform bills introduced in Congress to evaluate their costs and other impacts. Another concern has been with reducing unnecessary federal paperwork requirements placed on the public, and some progress has been made with other agencies in controlling them. Furthermore, GAO has made efforts to improve regulatory accounting requirements and thereby reduce the burden on industry respondents. Since the development of domestic natural gas resources is an important part of the balanced program which the Nation needs, GAO has also been intricately involved in evaluation of national energy policies and programs.