Supporting Congressional Oversight

As the United States enters a new century, the 107th Congress and the new administration face an array of challenges and opportunities to enhance the performance and accountability of the federal government and to position our country for the future. Our recently issued Performance and Accountability Series described those challenges and opportunities in (1) a governmentwide summary, (2) separate reports on 21 departments and agencies, and (3) a companion volume focusing on government operations and programs which our work has identified as high risk because of their greater vulnerabilities to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. This report complements that series by providing a framework for considering the budgetary implications of certain program reform options discussed in past GAO work but not yet addressed or enacted. While this report is not intended to represent a complete summary of possible options, it does provide specific examples that demonstrate the programmatic and fiscal oversight needed as we enter the new millennium.