Olympic Games: Federal Government Provides Significant Funding and Support
GGD-00-183
Published: Sep 08, 2000. Publicly Released: Sep 15, 2000.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on government funding and support for the Olympic Games, focusing on: (1) the amount of federal funding and support provided to the 1984 and 1996 Summer Olympic Games, and planned for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and the types of projects and activities that were funded and supported; (2) the federal policies, legislative authorizations, and agency controls in place for providing the federal funds and support to the Olympic Games; and (3) whether federal funding for certain Olympic-related projects was provided in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Recommendations
Matter for Congressional Consideration
| Matter | Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Congress may want to consider whether a governmentwide policy on the overall role of the federal government with respect to funding and supporting U.S.-hosted Olympic Games is warranted. If Congress decides that a governmentwide policy is warranted, it may want to enact legislation that sets forth the appropriate role of the federal government in terms of funding and supporting the Olympic Games when held in the United States. Possible areas that Congress may want to consider for specifying a federal role or policy include: (1) selection of a bid city; (2) the amount and type of federal funding and support to be provided; (3) information desired before and after funding and support are approved; and (4) the federal government oversight to be exercised and by whom. | As of September 2004, Congress has not taken any actions to address this matter. |
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office of Management and Budget | To enable Congress, the executive branch, and other interested parties to identify and monitor the total amount and type of federal funding support planned for and provided to the Olympic Games when they are held in the United States, the Director, Office of Management and Budget should track and periodically report to Congress each federal agencies' planned and actual funding and support of the 2000 Olympic Games hosted in the United States, beginning when a U.S. city is awarded the right to host the Games through the completion of the Games. |
In response to the recommendation, OMB included a table in the President's 2002 budget, that for the first time listed all planned and actual federal funding and support for the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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| Office of Management and Budget | To enable Congress, the executive branch Office of Management and Budget and other interested parties to identify and monitor the total amount and type of federal funding support planned for and provided to the Olympic Games when they are held in the United States, the Director, Office of Management and Budget, should provide guidance to agencies identifying how data on funding and support of Olympic Games should be compiled to ensure consistent and complete reporting and request all federal entities to provide information, including those that do not normally report data to the Office of Management and Budget. |
In response to the recommendation, OMB provided guidance to federal agencies on how they should compile and report information on federal funding and support of the Olympic Games. This information was used to prepare a table in the President's 2002 budget, that for the first time listed all planned and actual federal funding and support for the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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| Department of Veterans Affairs | The Administrator, General Services Administration, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the appropriate officials at their respective agencies to ensure that federal funds for the Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in the United States are used for the appropriate purposes in accordance with underlying appropriations and other statutes and all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and agreements. |
The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) developed a memorandum of understanding with the Salt Lake Olympic Committee that provides guidance on how VA funds will be used, and the conditions under which monies will be released, to non-federal entities. A copy of the memorandum of understanding will be shared with appropriate members of Congress.
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| General Services Administration | The Administrator, General Services Administration, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the appropriate officials at their respective agencies to ensure that federal funds for the Olympic and Paralympic Games hosted in the United States are used for the appropriate purposes in accordance with underlying appropriations and other statutes and all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and agreements. |
As of September 2001, GSA has not taken any action to address this recommendation. In written comments on the draft report, GSA requested that the recommendation be removed from the final report because it believed that GAO misinterpreted the information.
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Budget outlaysFederal fundsIntergovernmental fiscal relationsRecreation area securityReporting requirementsSportsOlympic gamesFederal fundingFederal agenciesVeterans