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Federal Budget: Opportunities for Oversight and Improved Use of Taxpayer Funds

GAO-03-922T Published: Jun 18, 2003. Publicly Released: Jun 18, 2003.
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Highlights

No government should waste its taxpayers' money, whether we are operating during a period of budget surpluses or deficits. Further, it is important for everyone to recognize that waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement are not victimless activities. Resources are not unlimited, and when they are diverted for inappropriate, illegal, inefficient, or ineffective purposes, both taxpayers and legitimate program beneficiaries are cheated. Both the Administration and the Congress have an obligation to safeguard benefits for those that deserve them and avoid abuse of taxpayer funds by preventing such diversions. Beyond preventing obvious abuse, government also has an obligation to modernize its priorities, practices, and processes so that it can meet the demands and needs of today's changing world. More broadly, the federal government must reexamine the entire range of policies and programs--entitlements, discretionary, and tax incentives--in the context of the 21st century. Periodic reexamination and revaluation of government activities has never been more important than it is today. Our nation faces long-term fiscal challenges. Increased pressure also comes from world events: both from the recognition that we cannot consider ourselves "safe" between two oceans--which has increased demands for spending on homeland security--and from the U.S. role in an increasingly interdependent world. And government faces increased demands from the American public for modern organizations and workforces that are responsive, agile, accountable and responsible.

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Cost controlCost effectiveness analysisFederal aid programsFederal fundsFinancial managementFunds managementProgram managementMedicaidClaims paymentsFraud, Waste and Abuse