Budget Estimates for Fiscal Year 1979

GAO requested an appropriation of $187.843 million for fiscal year 1979, an increase of $11.863 million over its 1978 appropriation. The increase is primarily attributable to the need for increased personnel to avoid unacceptably "thin" audit coverage. The GAO budget request has three basic objectives: (1) to be able to respond to specific congressional requests for assistance; (2) to maintain a minimum level of audit and program evaluation for all programs for which the GAO has audit responsibility under its basic statutes; and (3) to carry out continuing day-to-day responsibilities under the GAO basic statutes. About 95 additional positions are needed in 1979 to meet the GAO mandated workload. Beyond that, 25 average positions will be needed to meet the requirements of recent legislation. Some legislation assigns GAO a particular one-shot review, usually within a specified timeframe. Other legislation creates or expands programs which assign audit responsibility to GAO. The resources requested are not to fulfill audit and evaluation requirements of any pending legislation but are intended to meet responsibilities already mandated to GAO.