Budget Issues: Effective Oversight and Budget Discipline Are Essential--Even in a Time of Surplus

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed selected performance challenges within federal agencies and programs and possible changes to congressional oversight models to help address such problems, focusing on: (1) the federal services that could be better provided by the private sector; (2) the federal subsidies to individuals, business, or states and local governments are no longer needed or are poorly targeted; (3) the overlapping or fragmented programs that could be consolidated or better coordinated; (4) the federal facilities or locations that are outmoded, ineffective, or excess to requirement; and (5) what areas major federal capital investments could be more cost effective in.