Many of the urgent policy concerns identified here are critical and time sensitive and require prioritized federal action. They include

• oversight of financial institutions and markets,
• U.S. efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan,
• protecting the homeland,
• undisciplined defense spending,
• improving the U.S. image abroad,
• finalizing plans for the 2010 Census,
• caring for service members,
• preparing for public health emergencies,
• revamping oversight of food safety,
• restructuring the approach to surface transportation,
• retirement of the Space Shuttle,
• ensuring an effective transition to digital TV, and
• rebuilding military readiness.

There are many other issues which the next Congress and the Obama administration will need to deal with well beyond the transition period and which are also vitally important. GAO will be examining these issues in detail in upcoming reports during 2009. For that list, please see "Upcoming Reports on Major National Issues."