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Government Accountability Office

441 G Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20548
Phone, 202-512-3000.
Internet, www.gao.gov

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan Agency that works for Congress. GAO is often called the ''congressional watchdog'' because it investigates how the Federal Government spends taxpayer dollars. The GAO was established as the General Accounting Office by the Budget Accounting Act of 1921 (31 U.S.C. 702). It was renamed the Government Accountability Office pursuant to the GAO Capital Reform Act of 2004 (31 U.S.C. 702 note; 118 Stat. 881).

Activities
GAO gathers information to help Congress determine how effectively executive branch agencies are doing their jobs. GAO's work routinely answers such basic questions as whether Government programs are meeting their objectives or providing good service to the public. Ultimately, GAO ensures that Government is accountable to the American people. To that end, GAO provides Senators and Representatives with the best information available to help them arrive at informed policy decisions-information that is accurate, timely, and balanced. GAO supports congressional oversight by:

evaluating how well Government policies and programs are working;
auditing Agency operations to determine whether Federal funds are being spent efficiently, effectively, and appropriately;
investigating allegation of illegal and improper activities; and
issuing legal decisions and opinions. With virtually the entire Federal Government subject to its review, GAO issues a steady stream of products-more than 1,000 reports and hundreds of testimonies by GAO officials each year. GAO's familiar ''blue book'' reports meet short-term immediate needs for information on a wide range of Government operations. These reports also help Congress better understand issues that are newly emerging, long term in nature, and with more farreaching impacts. GAO's work translates into a wide variety of legislative actions, improvements in Government operations, and billions of dollars in financial benefits for the American people.