Opportunities for Congressional Oversight and Improved Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Budgetary Implications of Selected GAO Work
GAO-04-649: Published: May 7, 2004. Publicly Released: May 7, 2004.
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This report contains in a single document the budgetary implications of selected program reforms discussed in past GAO work but not yet implemented or enacted. Since 1994, we have prepared annual reports similar to this product, in order to continue to assist congressional committees in identifying approaches to reduce federal spending or increase revenues. This year's report contains over 100 examples of budget options organized by budget function. Where possible, budgetary savings estimates provided by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) are presented.
In this report, we highlight opportunities for, and specific examples of, legislative and administrative change that might yield budgetary savings. These budget options are based on past GAO work. While this report is not intended to represent a complete summary of all possible options, it does provide specific examples that demonstrate the programmatic and fiscal oversight needed as our nation's priorities are reassessed in light of short and long-term challenges. As consistent with our prior budgetary implications reports, we have organized the options presented in this report as falling in one of the following three areas: (1) reassess objectives--options for reconsidering whether to terminate or revise services and programs because goals have been achieved, have been persistently not met, or are no longer relevant due to changing conditions; (2) redefine beneficiaries--options for revising formulas or eligibility rules or improving the targeting of benefits or fees; and (3) improve efficiency--options to address program execution problems through consolidation, reorganization, improving collections methods, or attacking high-risk activities. The specific options described in each example are not intended to suggest the only way to address some of the significant problems identified in our reviews of federal programs and activities. Each example presents only one of many possible options available to the Congress, and including a specific option in this report does not mean that we endorse it or that the chosen option is the only or the most feasible approach.
Dec 15, 2020
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The Nation's Fiscal Health:
Information on the Spending and Revenue Implications of Potential Debt TargetsGAO-21-211: Published: Dec 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 15, 2020.
Oct 7, 2020
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The Nation's Fiscal Health:
A Long-Term Plan Is Needed for Fiscal SustainabilityGAO-21-161T: Published: Oct 7, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 7, 2020.
Sep 23, 2020
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The Nation's Fiscal Health:
Effective Use of Fiscal Rules and TargetsGAO-20-561: Published: Sep 23, 2020. Publicly Released: Sep 23, 2020.
Jan 23, 2020
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Federal Trust Funds and Other Dedicated Funds:
Fiscal Sustainability Is a Growing Concern for Some Key FundsGAO-20-156: Published: Jan 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 23, 2020.
Dec 19, 2019
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State and Local Governments' Fiscal Outlook:
2019 UpdateGAO-20-269SP: Published: Dec 19, 2019. Publicly Released: Dec 19, 2019.
Nov 14, 2019
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Certificated Expenditures:
Executive Office of the President FY 2018 Certificated Expenditures Were Spent for Authorized PurposesGAO-20-139R: Published: Nov 14, 2019. Publicly Released: Nov 14, 2019.
Oct 16, 2019
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Civilian Personnel:
Additional Guidance and Consistent Data Reporting Could Help Improve the Marine Corps' Budget ManagementGAO-20-148: Published: Oct 16, 2019. Publicly Released: Oct 16, 2019.
Jun 26, 2019
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The Nation's Fiscal Health:
Actions Needed to Achieve Long-Term Fiscal SustainabilityGAO-19-611T: Published: Jun 26, 2019. Publicly Released: Jun 26, 2019.
Apr 10, 2019
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The Nation's Fiscal Health:
Action Is Needed to Address the Federal Government's Fiscal FutureGAO-19-314SP: Published: Apr 10, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2019.
Mar 27, 2019
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Fiscal Exposures:
Federal Insurance and Other Activities That Transfer Risk or Losses to the GovernmentGAO-19-353: Published: Mar 27, 2019. Publicly Released: Mar 27, 2019.
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