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 relations; and government readiness to meet these challenges and others on the horizon.
Today’s WatchBlog looks at resources GAO makes available to Congressmembers, the incoming administration, their staffs, the media, and the public—all to help the government prepare for and respond to these pressing concerns.
Transition resources on GAO.gov
Image
GAO provides information on the key challenges facing the nation, as well as our recommendations in these areas to improve government services or save taxpayer dollars. As a trusted source for fact-based, nonpartisan information about government agencies and programs, GAO is well-positioned to help elected and federal officials and their staff prioritize policy matters and develop oversight agendas.
Today, we launched a new webpage with information on major issues facing the nation and the federal government’s ability to meet strategic challenges. There are also links to GAO’s priority recommendations for improving vital government services or achieving significant savings.
U.S. Comptroller General and head of GAO, Gene Dodaro, talks about the resources available on the Transition page in this video:
If officials are new to GAO or just need a refresher, we’ve compiled some of our best resources right on the congressional transition page. Here’s a taste of the links you will find there:
- Coronavirus Oversight. We are continually reviewing many aspects of the federal response to the pandemic and providing oversight of related spending.
- Economic Downturns—Federal Responses. We provide relevant information and recommendations on this and prior economic downturns, including response, recovery, and long-term consequences.
- Race in America. We bring our long-term analyses of racial inequalities to bear on the major issues minorities face in the nation.
- The Government’s Ability to Meet Strategic Challenges. Our work has often found that the government may not have what it needs to maintain its operations in a rapidly changing world while addressing serious domestic and global challenges. We address several known risks that need to be managed collaboratively and across boundaries.
- High Risk. Our signature list of programs and operations that are ‘high risk’ due to their vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or that need transformation.
- Our Priority Recommendations. Implementing these can save a lot of money, help Congress and federal managers make decisions on major issues, and substantially improve or change programs or agencies.
- The Nation’s Fiscal Health. Our signature work on federal, state, and local fiscal conditions and getting the nation onto a more sustainable fiscal path.
- Fragmentation, Overlap, Duplication, Cost Savings. Our annual report provides information on opportunities to reduce fragmentation, overlap, and duplication, as well as reduce costs and increase revenue for the federal government.
Need to learn more? Meet our experts
Image
This is a lot of information to navigate—we know that Congress and federal officials have a tough job ahead. That’s why we have experts in all policy areas who can help! Our experts can get you a quick answer or a full briefing. Congressional staff can call our Office of Congressional Relations at (202) 512-4400 or email congrel@gao.gov, and media can contact our Office of Public Affairs at (202) 512-4800 or email youngc1@gao.gov. You can also look up senior GAO staff by expertise at Find an Expert.
More ways to explore GAO’s work
Image
Looking to get up to speed in your policy area? The Key Issues pages provide information about GAO’s work on a range of issues facing the nation and highlight some of our most relevant reports. These pages are updated periodically to reflect recent GAO reports.
- Comments on GAO’s WatchBlog? Contact blog@gao.gov.
GAO Contacts
GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.
The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.
Please send any feedback on GAO's WatchBlog to blog@gao.gov.