The Office of Congressional Relations--Its Role and Relationships

This article appeared in the OGC Adviser, Vol. 3, No. 3, April 1979. The Office of Contressional Relations (OCR) is the central coordination point within GAO for contacts with the Congress. OCR is organized within the Office of the Comptroller General under the direct supervision of the Deputy Comptroller General. Its function is to aid GAO in providing the Congress with prompt and useful assistance. The effectiveness of GAO in serving Congress depends on how well audit reports, legal opinions, testimony, bill comments, and other material are presented to Congressional policymakers. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) has a close relationship with OCR because of the many Congressional requests for legal advice, often of an informal nature. Beyond providing Congressional staff with formal and informal legal advice, OGC is responsible for the legislative program of GAO. Over the last few years, the size of the Congressional staff, the amount of GAO work directly devoted to specific Congressional needs, and the frequency and variety of contact between GAO and the offices of committees have increased. OCR staff must rely on other divisions and offices to accept increased responsibility for carrying out GAO policies on Congressional relations. Consequently, a true partnership has developed between OCR and the staffs in many divisions and offices of GAO. When Congressional jurisdiction is called into question, OCR knowledge of committee authority can help GAO avoid a jurisdictional quarrel.