FEDERALhearing transcript

Senate Hearing on Government Waste and Fraud Risks

Original title: HIGH RISK: GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS SUSCEPTIBLE TO WASTE, FRAUD, AND MISMANAGEMENT

January 1, 2018

government accountability waste and fraud federal oversight GAO government efficiency

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal oversight mechanism to identify federal programs at risk of losing taxpayer money, which directly influences future legislative priorities and agency funding decisions.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Federal Agencies

Agencies identified in the GAO High-Risk Series are subject to increased congressional oversight and potential mandates for operational reform.

Taxpayers

Taxpayers are affected by the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs funded by public revenue.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2018.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing to review the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) '' report. The session focused on identifying federal programs and operations susceptible to waste, fraud, and mismanagement to improve government efficiency and accountability.

Key Facts

The hearing was held on February 15, 2017, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
The committee reviewed the GAO's 'High-Risk Series,' a list maintained since the early 1990s identifying government operations prone to waste, fraud, and mismanagement.
The committee's stated mission includes enhancing economic and national security while promoting efficient, effective, and accountable government.
Witnesses included the Comptroller General of the United States and Inspectors General from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security.
The hearing included opening statements from 9 different Senators.
The record includes post-hearing responses from the GAO Comptroller General and the Directors/Inspectors General of the Census Bureau, VA, and DHS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GAO High-Risk Series?

It is a list maintained by the Government Accountability Office since the early 1990s that identifies federal government programs and operations that are particularly vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.

What was the purpose of this specific hearing?

The purpose was to conduct oversight by reviewing the findings in the report to help the committee promote more efficient and accountable government operations.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Mission Statement Update

The committee formally updated its mission statement to include 'promote more efficient, effective, and accountable government' at the suggestion of Senator McCaskill.

Claire McCaskill Ron Johnson

Connected Entities

personMichael J. Missal“Inspector General, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs”Map →

personJohn Roth“Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security”Map →

personRon Johnson“Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs”Map →

personJohn H. Thompson“Director, U.S. Census Bureau”Map →

personEugene L. Dodaro“Comptroller General of the United States, GAO”Map →

organizationGovernment Accountability Office“Federal agency that produces the High-Risk Series report”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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