Changes to Interactions Question 22 Better Oversight Much of our value to the Congress is our assistance in oversight of the Executive Branch. We believe that GAO could be more useful to the Congress in exercising its oversight responsibilities if the committees of jurisdiction were encouraged to hold comprehensive oversight hearings on all major federal agencies annually, or perhaps once during each Congress. These hearings would utilize agency Chief Financial Officer's annual reports, the agencies' audited financial statements and annual reports on the adequacy of their internal controls, as well as evaluative and investigative work performed by GAO, the other congressional support agencies and the Inspectors General. The agencies would also report on their progress against specific goals and provide information on the kind of performance measures envisioned in the draft Government Performance and Results Act now under consideration by Congress. 10 Year Budget Question 23 Please provide a ten year historical profile of your budgets and staffing levels, as well as any pro forma projections of future budgets and staffing levels you may have prepared. Average positions authorized was 5,100. However, full funding was not available. Net of reduction of $12,941,000 sequester pursuant to P.L. 99-177, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings. Net of reductions of $1,568,000 sequester pursuant to P.L. 101-164 to provide funds for the war on drugs; $5,055,000 pursuant to P.L. 99-177, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings and P.L. 101-239. Also includes $5,564,000 in rent collected from occupants of the GAO building derived from a special fund established pursuant to P.L. 100-545, the GAO Building Transfer Act. Net of reduction of $5.319 sequester pursuant to P.L. 99-177, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings. Also, $3,968,000 was unavailable for obligation or expenditure in FY 1991, but remained available for 1992. GAO has requested $497,585,000 for FY 1994. As compared to FY 1992, the FY 1994 request is about an 11 percent increase which enables us to return to the 1992 level of services. It covers essential activities and our reduced 4,900 average positions. Detailed Employees Question 24 Do you ever "detail" employees to Congressional staffs? If so, under what circumstances does this occur? Please provide a complete list of all detailed staff over the last two years, and to whom they were detailed. GAO details employees to Congressional committees, not to individual Members. The assignment process generally works as follows. Our Office of Congressional Relations (OCR) works continually with committee staff on matters involving GAO and usually receives the initial request for detailees. Upon receiving the written or verbal request, it determines: the type of effort; i.e., working as part of a team, managing others, or working alone on a job, to determine the approximate grade level needed, geographic location; i.e., Washington, D.C. or elsewhere and the estimated amount of travel from the primary location, · the need for specialized background or training; i.e., economics, legal, security clearances, etc. With this information, the OCR staff contacts the GAO unit which usually performs the subject matter work and asks it to identify one or two candidates who would be available soon without seriously impairing GAO's on-going congressional work. OCR reviews the nominees and arranges for a meeting between the GAO staff and the committee staff member managing the work. When the detail is mutually agreed upon, OCR responds in writing to the requesting chairman that GAO agrees to provide evaluators for a specific period of time subject to the prior written authorization of the Committee on House Administration or the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Concurrent notification of the pending detail is provided to the ranking minority member of the requesting committee or subcommittee. Upon receiving written authorization from the Committee on House Administration or the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, OCR will confirm in writing the specific term of the detail to the requesting committee chairman and ranking minority member. Most requests for detailee assistance are accommodated, but the amount of effort is frequently negotiated. Often a committee will request three, five, or more GAO detailees at the same time and this can be quite disruptive to GAO's current work involving ongoing congressional requests. GAO will meet with committee staff and discuss these situations on a case-by-case basis and reach a mutually agreeable response to the committee' need. We monitor the impact on our divisions, offices and regions in providing detailees to avoid an excessive demand on any particular unit. We also, through OCR, provide travel funds and other assistance as necessary. A list of detailees over the last two years is shown in the two attachments. See: Attachment 24-A Supplement to the Comptroller General's 1992 Annual Report Outside Fund-raising Question 25 To what extent does your organization engage in outside fund-raising from private sources, such as foundations? How are these funds used? (Please specify the amount of money raised each year for the past decade.) Does any congressional committee oversee the use of these funds? GAO does not have ongoing authorization to engage in outside fund-raising activities nor to accept financial gifts. However, the fiscal year 1988 through 1993 appropriation bills contained specific language allowing GAO to accept funds in support of the XIV Congress of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INCOSAI). Nearly $20,000 was received in 1991 and 1992 from the International Organization of Supreme The House and Senate Appropriations Committees oversee the use of these funds. Authorizations Question 26 Question 26. Is your organization annually or permanently authorized? How many House and Senate committees oversee your organization? The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, 31 U.S.C. 702, established GAO as a permanent agency outside the executive branch. However, Congress must annually appropriate funds for ongoing operations. The House Government Operations Committee and the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee as well as the House and Senate Appropriations Committees' oversee GAO operations. |