General Accounting Office Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is General Accounting Office?

The General Accounting Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. It is the federal government’s primary auditing and investigative arm and provides support to Congress in meeting its oversight responsibilities. The GAO helps lawmakers make informed decisions on how to spend taxpayer funds by providing objective analysis and recommendations on a wide range of issues. It also monitors the performance of executive agencies to ensure they are following laws and regulations, while also protecting the interests of U.S. taxpayers.The GAO was established in 1921 as part of the Budget and Accounting Act to provide Congress with information about how public money was being spent. Today, it employs approximately 3,200 people across multiple locations in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Georgia, California and other states around the country. Its main office is located at 441 G Street NW in Washington D.C., but it also has regional offices in 12 major cities throughout the United States including New York City; Denver; Dallas; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Atlanta; Seattle; Boston; Phoenix; Chicago; Detroit; and Austin/San Antonio. The agency’s mission is dedicated to helping improve government operations through auditing federal programs for efficiency, economy and effectiveness as well as providing policy analysis services for Congress on a broad range of topics including health care costs, tax policies and military readiness issues among others. The GAO reviews hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of federal spending each year ensuring that taxpayer money is being used effectively while uncovering waste or fraud wherever possible. In addition to their work related to budget oversight ,the GAO also serves as a research tool for members of Congress who are looking into particular issues or trying to craft legislation affecting certain areas such as healthcare or education reform. The agency can provide detailed reports on matters ranging from foreign affairs or defense spending ,to national security threats or homeland security concerns. They may even conduct investigations into certain areas when requested by members of Congress In summary ,the General Accounting Office plays an important role in helping ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely while providing valuable information regarding effective policy solutions. By providing reliable data ,analytical expertise ,and legislative recommendations ,the GAO helps inform lawmakers so that they can make more informed decisions when it comes time vote on important bills affecting all Americans.