Government Accountability Office
441 G Street NW., Washington, DC 20548
202-512-3000
http://www.gao.gov
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| COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES | Gene L. Dodaro |
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| STAFF OFFICES—Managing Directors | |
| Congressional Relations | Orice Williams Brown |
| Opportunity and Inclusiveness | Edda Emmanuelli-Perez |
| Public Affairs | Charles Young |
| Strategic Planning and External Liaison | James-Christian Blockwood |
http://www.gao.gov/cghome/gdbiog.html | | |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | Katherine A. Siggerud |
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| Chief Quality Officer | Timothy P. Bowling |
| Managing Director of the Continuous Process Improvement Office | Patricia McClure |
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| MISSION TEAMS—Managing Directors | |
| Applied Research and Methods | Nancy Kingsbury |
| Contracting and National Security Acquisitions | Michele Mackin |
| Defense Capabilities and Management | Cathleen A. Berrick |
| Education, Workforce, and Income Security | Barbara D. Bovbjerg |
| Financial Management and Assurance | J. Lawrence Malenich |
| Financial Markets and Community Investment | Lawrance Evans, Jr. |
| Forensic Audits and Investigative Service | Johana R. Ayers |
| Health Care | A. Nicole Clowers |
| Homeland Security and Justice | Charles M. Johnson, Jr. |
| Information Technology and Cybersecurity | Valerie Melvin |
| International Affairs and Trade | Thomas Melito |
| Natural Resources and Environment | Mark E. Gaffigan |
| Physical Infrastructure | Daniel Bertoni |
| Strategic Issues | J. Christopher Mihm |
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| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER / CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | Karl J. Maschino |
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| Deputy Chief Administrative Officer | Paul R. Johnson |
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| GENERAL COUNSEL | Thomas H. Armstrong |
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| Deputy General Counsel / Ethics Counselor | (vacancy) |
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| Inspector General | Adam Trzeciak |
http://www.gao.gov/about/workforce/igbio.html The key personnel table was updated 2–2019.
The key personnel table was updated 2–2019. | | |
https://www.gao.gov/about/careers/our-teams/ The Government Accountability Office helps the Congress fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and heightens the Federal Government's accountability and performance.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for the Congress. The agency is known as the "congressional watchdog" because it investigates how the Federal Government spends taxpayer dollars. The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (31 U.S.C. 702) established the General Accounting Office. Eighty three years later, it was renamed the Government Accountability Office pursuant to the GAO Capital Reform Act of 2004 (31 U.S.C. 702 note).
Activities
The GAO gathers information that the Congress uses to determine how effective executive branch agencies are at carrying out their missions. Its efforts routinely center on answering basic questions: Are Government programs meeting their objectives? Are they providing services of value to the public? Ultimately, the GAO ensures that the Government is accountable to the American people.
To help Senators and Representatives make informed policy decisions, the GAO provides them with accurate, balanced, and timely information. The Office supports congressional oversight by evaluating Government policies and programs; auditing agency operations to ensure effective, efficient, and appropriate spending of Federal funds; investigating allegations of illegal and improper activities; and issuing legal decisions and opinions.
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After the signing of the armistice agreement of November 11, 1918, the hostilities of the First World War ended. Although the United States had entered the war late as a combatant, it transported millions of troops and their equipment to the Western Front to support the Allies. Wartime spending inflated the national debt, and Congress needed reliable information and enhanced expenditure control. In 1921, to improve managing the Nation's affairs, Congress passed the Budget and Accounting Act. To learn more about this piece of legislation and the role that a new agency was playing in Federal financial management, visit "The History of GAO" web pages.
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