GAO's Views on H.R. 791, a Bill to Establish the Social Security Administration as an Independent Agency
T-HRD-89-7: Published: Mar 1, 1989. Publicly Released: Mar 1, 1989.
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GAO discussed H.R. 791, which would make the Social Security Administration (SSA) an independent agency. GAO found that the bill would: (1) remove the Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income Programs from the Department of Health and Human Services; (2) create an independent SSA headed by a three-member bipartisan board; (3) establish a beneficiary ombudsman within SSA; and (4) establish certain exemptions from the budget, personnel, and administrative requirements of central management agencies. GAO believes that: (1) SSA needs a strong single administrator appointed to a fixed 8-year term and assisted by an advisory board that would provide institutional memory on policy matters; (2) SSA should have the opportunity to show that it has the requisite management expertise to effectively delegate specific management authorities; (3) it should not be required to perform the contradictory functions of consulting on program implementation and reporting on program effectiveness; (4) SSA should have the contract authority for computer purchases and facility construction only after it has strengthened its financial controls; (5) SSA should base its requests for personnel on a comprehensive work-force plan, raise the current pay level for key technical and professional staff, and justify any increases in its senior- and executive-level staff with federal personnel regulations, rather than allowing the board to appoint staff; and (6) the roles of the board, the executive director, and the beneficiary ombudsman need clarification.
Jan 19, 2021
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Federal Rulemaking:
Selected EPA and HHS Regulatory Analyses Met Several Best Practices, but CMS Should Take Steps to Strengthen Its AnalysesGAO-21-151: Published: Dec 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 19, 2021.
Jan 13, 2021
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Department of Energy Contracting:
Improvements Needed to Ensure DOE Assesses Its Full Range of Contracting Fraud RisksGAO-21-44: Published: Jan 13, 2021. Publicly Released: Jan 13, 2021.
Dec 16, 2020
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Data Governance:
Agencies Made Progress in Establishing Governance, but Need to Address Key MilestonesGAO-21-152: Published: Dec 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 16, 2020.
Dec 9, 2020
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2020 Census:
The Bureau Concluded Field Work but Uncertainty about Data Quality, Accuracy, and Protection RemainsGAO-21-206R: Published: Dec 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 9, 2020.
Dec 3, 2020
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2020 Census:
Census Bureau Needs to Assess Data Quality Concerns Stemming from Recent Design ChangesGAO-21-142: Published: Dec 3, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 3, 2020. -
2020 Census:
Census Bureau Needs to Ensure Transparency over Data QualityGAO-21-262T: Published: Dec 3, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 3, 2020.
Nov 30, 2020
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Federal Buying Power:
OMB Can Further Advance Category Management Initiative by Focusing on Requirements, Data, and TrainingGAO-21-40: Published: Nov 30, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 30, 2020.
Nov 24, 2020
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Disaster Response:
Agencies Should Assess Contracting Workforce Needs and Purchase Card Fraud RiskGAO-21-42: Published: Nov 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 24, 2020.
Nov 23, 2020
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Federal Contracting:
Actions Needed to Improve Department of Labor's Enforcement of Service Worker Wage ProtectionsGAO-21-11: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 23, 2020.
Nov 18, 2020
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Federal Telework:
Key Practices That Can Help Ensure the Success of Telework ProgramsGAO-21-238T: Published: Nov 18, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 18, 2020.
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