[GAO Authority To Audit the National Railroad Passenger Corporation]

Several questions were asked concerning the GAO responsibility to perform financial statement audits of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK). The following interpretations of applicable legislation were made: (1) the financial audit requirements of the Government Corporation Control Act were superseded by the Rail Passenger Service Act; (2) this latter Act requires only that GAO conduct annual performance audits of AMTRAK; (3) GAO does not have the responsibility to perform financial statement audits of AMTRAK; (4) the Rail Act also requires that performance audits be conducted on an annual basis with financial audits being conducted annually by independent certified public accounting firms; (5) AMTRAK was added to the Corporation Act on October 30, 1980, but neither Act provides for duplicate audits because they are not required since the Corporation Act does not control GAO audits of AMTRAK; and (6) the legislative history shows clearly that Congress did not intend for GAO audits to duplicate existing financial audits.