Government Accountability Office
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Government Accountability Office |
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|---|---|
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| State level | Federation |
| position | Establishment of the United States Congress |
| Supervisory authority | United States Congress |
| founding | June 10, 1921 |
| Headquarters | Washington, DC |
| Authority management | Eugene Louis Dodaro , Comptroller General of the United States |
| Servants | approx. 3100 |
| Budget volume | $ 489 million (2007) |
| Web presence | www.gao.gov |
The Government Accountability Office ( GAO for short ) is the court of accounts that reports to the United States Congress as a non-partisan investigative body . It examines government projects with regard to corruption, efficiency and mismanagement, advises Congress on optimization issues in current and future programs, and reviews complaints against award decisions. In its tasks it is similar to the German Federal Audit Office and the Federal Public Procurement Chamber at the Federal Cartel Office .
history
GAO was established as the General Accounting Office by federal law dated June 10, 1921. Its mission is to “investigate all events related to the receipt, distribution and use of taxpayers' money” and to “report” to Congress and the President. It has to propose how public tasks can be carried out more efficiently or cost-effectively.
On July 7, 2004, was General Accounting Office in the wake of the adoption of the Human Capital Reform Act to Government Accountability Office renamed.
structure
The GAO is directed by the Comptroller General of the United States . He must be impartial in his administration and is appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate for a term of 15 years. The President chooses him from a list of at least three personnel proposals drawn up by an eight-member, non-partisan commission from both Houses of Congress. The Comptroller General can not be easily dismissed, his removal from office is only through a formal impeachment proceedings ( impeachment possible) or the joint resolution of both houses of Congress. To date there has been no such case. The office is unique in the US system of "political appointees" in that it is non-partisan and guarantees continuity with the long term of office during the regular changes of government and parliament.
From 1998 to 2008 David M. Walker , formerly a partner at the former accounting firm Arthur Andersen and an official in the Department of Labor under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush , was the seventh comptroller to head GAO. He resigned on February 15, 2008 to take over the chairmanship of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Eugene Louis Dodaro has led GAO since then. The previous incumbents were John R. McCarl (1921–1936), Fred H. Brown (1939–1940), Lindsay Carter Warren (1940–1954), Joseph Campbell (1954–1965), Elmer B. Staats (1966–1981) and Charles Arthur Bowsher (1981-1996).
GAO employs approximately 3,100 people. 80% of them work in the head office in Washington, DC , the remaining 20% in 11 field offices in the USA. Analysts, computer specialists, accountants, lawyers and economists are primarily employed. 80% of GAO expenses are personnel expenses. The authority has annual budget funds i. H. of US $ 489 million (2007). The GAO staff consists of officials at all levels; the posts should not be filled according to political affiliations.
Task area
The GAO has three core tasks:
- Control of budgetary and accounting compliance
- Review of public authorities and programs for effectiveness and efficiency
- Review of award decisions upon request
The control in the area of budget and bookkeeping requirements serves the separation of powers: The executive branch led by the US president, i. H. the federal administration is responsible for nearly all items of expenditure in the US federal budget . The legislature (both houses of Congress) has budget powers, which they exercise primarily through the passage of US federal budget laws. The GAO enables Congress to examine the extent to which the federal administration is complying with the requirements of the budget laws and can also demonstrate this through proper accounting. GAO is also responsible for formulating the rules governing government accounting; H. GAO sets the guidelines for bookkeeping and the management of public money in commissions to the private sector.
At the initiative of Congress or by legal authority, GAO reviews the effectiveness and efficiency of individual agencies or the profitability of programs. The corresponding reports of the GAO denounce (often very directly) the waste of public funds and therefore regularly enjoy special media interest. For reasons of capacity, GAO has the option of prioritizing and possibly not completing orders. The decisive criteria here are urgency, representativeness and volume.
In connection with the award of public contracts, unsuccessful or disqualified bidders may apply to GAO for a review of the award decision. GAO reviews procedures, discretion, and award decisions. It can stimulate the correction of individual procedural errors as well as a completely new procedure. In this role, GAO received special attention during the two-time reviews of the award of a contract for air refueling aircraft by the US Department of Defense to Boeing and Northrop Grumman with EADS as an important supplier, also in Europe.
The GAO works in the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) with audit authorities of other countries. They develop common standards, jointly review international organizations and take part in peer review processes.
The GAO sees itself not least as the trustee of the US taxpayers: By monitoring state spending practices and on the basis of GAO recommendations, approx. Saved US $ 45.9 billion in public spending. All GAO data and reports are publicly available and are mostly also offered in electronic form on the Internet.
statistics
GAO Fiscal Year 2007 Performance
| measure | Fiscal year 2007 |
|---|---|
| Savings from following GAO recommendations from GAO | $ 45.9 billion |
| Other savings | US $ 1.35 billion |
| Interviews with witnesses | 276 |
| Reports with recommendations | 66% |
| Recommendations that have been implemented | 82% |
| Reports within the respective time limits | 94% |
swell
- ↑ Public Law 67-13, 42 Stat. 20-27
- ↑ Para. 312 (a), 42 Stat. 25-26
- ↑ Chuck Young: [1] , p. 37. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
See also
- List of members of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions
- Procurement law
- Internal control system
- Court of Auditors
