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49-623: In 2008, Peter G. Peterson committed $ 1 billion to create the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing economic and fiscal "sustainability challenges that threaten America's future." Peterson recruited David M. Walker, then-Comptroller General of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office , as the foundation's first president and chief executive officer. In 2010,

98-737: A statement for the record for various subcommittees of the United States Congress. Most GAO studies and reports are initiated by requests from members of Congress, including requests mandated in statute, and so reflect concerns of current political import, for example to study the impact of a government-wide hiring freeze. Many reports are issued periodically and take a long view of U.S. agencies' operations. The GAO also produces annual reports on key issues such as Duplication and Cost savings and High-Risk Update. The GAO prepares some 900 reports annually. The GAO publishes reports and information relating to, inter alia : Each year

147-437: A columnist. Greider is credited with coining the term " Nader's Raiders " in a Washington Post article dated November 13, 1968. Greider next moved to Rolling Stone magazine, where he worked from 1982 until 1999. He was national affairs correspondent for The Nation , a progressive political weekly. Prior to his work at The Nation , he worked as an on-air correspondent for Frontline on PBS . His 2009 book

196-574: A list that encompasses the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The GAO is headed by the comptroller general of the U.S. , a professional and non-partisan position in the U.S. government. The comptroller general is appointed by the president , by and with the advice and consent of the Senate , for a fifteen-year, non-renewable term. The president selects a nominee from a list of at least three individuals recommended by an eight-member bipartisan, bicameral commission of congressional leaders. During such

245-402: A long quest to gut social security and Medicare, the core social insurance programmes on which American workers depend," and using the Peter G. Peterson Foundation for that purpose. Baker is quoted as saying that Peterson is "not focused on the debt so much as on cutting Social Security and Medicare", and added: "Even in the late '90s, when we had a surplus, [Peterson] was saying the same thing and

294-668: A reporter for the Daily Journal , a newspaper in Wheaton, Illinois . It was at that newspaper where he met his future wife, Linda Furry, a fellow reporter. Greider then worked for The Louisville Times , and was sent to Washington, D.C., in 1966 to cover Washington for The Times and for the Louisville Courier-Journal . He moved to The Washington Post in 1968, where he was a national correspondent, an assistant managing editor for national news, and

343-446: A term, the comptroller general has standing to pursue litigation to compel access to federal agency information. The comptroller general may not be removed by the president, but only by Congress through impeachment or joint resolution for specific reasons. Since 1921, there have been only eight comptrollers general, and no formal attempt has ever been made to remove a comptroller general. Labor-management relations became fractious during

392-544: Is Gene Dodaro , who has served in the position since March 13, 2008. The work of the GAO is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or is mandated by public laws or committee reports. It also undertakes research under the authority of the comptroller general. It supports congressional oversight by: As a result of its work, GAO produces: The GAO also produces special publications on specific issues of general interest to many Americans, such as its report on

441-693: Is Secrets of the Temple: How the Federal Reserve Runs the Country (1987), which chronicles the history of the Federal Reserve , and especially from 1979 to 1987 under the chairmanship of Paul Volcker , during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan . During an October 1, 2008, broadcast interview on the impending passage of the " Wall Street bailout " despite widespread public opposition. Greider observed: "(T)his

490-526: Is a very revealing moment in American democracy. We're seeing the real deformities and power alignments that govern issues like this, particularly the financial system. (A)ll of the power centers in politics and finance and business are discredited by these events. (W)e had this moment Monday (September 29, 2008) when, for complicated political reasons, a majority in the House rose up and said no. (O)f course ...

539-495: Is an independent, nonpartisan government agency within the legislative branch that provides auditing , evaluative , and investigative services for the United States Congress . It is the supreme audit institution of the federal government of the United States . It identifies its core "mission values" as: accountability, integrity, and reliability. It is also known as the "congressional watchdog". The agency

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588-481: Is composed of 15 mission teams that work on reports in a given subject area. Missions teams are headed by a Managing Director which fall under the Senior Executive Service . The current slate of mission teams is: In addition to its mission teams, the GAO also has 16 operations and staff components that support their work and carryout other agency functions, including its bid decisions. The GAO

637-526: Is headed by the Comptroller General of the United States . The comptroller general is appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate. When a vacancy occurs in the office of the comptroller general, Congress establishes a commission to recommend individuals to the president. The commission consists of the following: The commission must recommend at least three individuals to

686-557: Is limited to official use in order to protect national security. The variety of their reports' topics range from Federal Budget and Fiscal Issues to Financial Management, Education, Retirement Issues, Defense, Homeland Security, Administration of Justice, Health Care, Information Management and Technology, Natural Resources, Environment, International Affairs, Trade, Financial Markets, Housing, Government Management and Human Capital, and Science and Technology Assessments and Analytics. The GAO often produces highlights of its reports that serve as

735-534: Is really being used by corporations to reduce their U.S. taxes on their U.S. income." Jeffrey Faux, an economist at the Economic Policy Institute, criticized Peterson for making his fortune at Blackstone while paying the relatively low 15 percent private equity tax. Faux is quoted as saying that "Pete Peterson has been writing books and funding think tanks, calling on people to make sacrifices ... for him to have any credibility at all he should be

784-619: The European Parliamentary Technology Assessment (EPTA) as an associate member. In 2019, the GAO established a new mission team, the Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team, which has primary responsibility for technology assessments. The GAO has published a TA Design Handbook to help technology assessment teams analyze the impact of technology and make complex issues more easily understood and useful to policymakers. The GAO defines TA as

833-569: The "thorough and balanced analysis of significant primary, secondary, indirect, and delayed interactions of a technological innovation with society, the environment, and the economy and the present and foreseen consequences and impacts of those interactions." Recognizing that the effects of those interactions can have implications, the GAO has in some of its products included policy options. The Technology Assessment section of its website lists GAO's public TA reports. William Greider William Harold Greider (August 6, 1936 – December 25, 2019)

882-727: The $ 1.2 million Solutions Initiative grant program. As part of this program, the American Enterprise Institute , Bipartisan Policy Center , Center for American Progress , Economic Policy Institute , The Heritage Foundation , and Roosevelt Institute Campus Network each received grants of $ 200,000 to develop comprehensive plans for long-term fiscal sustainability . Grantees had complete discretion and independence to develop their own fiscal goals or targets and to propose recommended packages of solutions and timeframes for achieving them. The six Solutions Initiative plans contained specific policy recommendations, reflecting

931-476: The Foundation aired a series of informational advertisements during the debate. The ads featured children speaking to specific long-term fiscal challenges and the future effects of failing to address the U.S. debt. The final ad concluded with a message from former Sens. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) encouraging congressional leaders to work together and develop a bipartisan plan that addresses

980-823: The GAO analysts bargaining unit; the local voted to name itself IFPTE Local 1921, in honor of the date of the GAO's establishment. On February 14, 2008, the GAO analysts' union approved its first-ever negotiated pay contract with management; of just over 1,200 votes, 98% were in favor of the contract. The GAO also establishes standards for audits of government organizations, programs, activities, and functions, and of government assistance received by contractors, nonprofit organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations. These standards, often referred to as Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS), are to be followed by auditors and audit organizations when required by law, regulation, agreement, contract, or policy. These standards pertain to auditors' professional qualifications,

1029-590: The GAO issues an audit report on the financial statements of the United States Government. The 2010 Financial Report of the United States Government was released on December 21, 2010. The accompanying press release states that the GAO 'cannot render an opinion on the 2010 consolidated financial statements of the federal government , because of widespread material internal control weaknesses, significant uncertainties, and other limitations'. As part of its initiative to advocate sustainability ,

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1078-536: The GAO publishes a Federal Fiscal Outlook Report, as well as data relating to the deficit . The U.S. deficit is presented on a cash rather than accruals basis, although the GAO notes that the accrual deficit "provides more information on the longer-term implications of the government's annual operations". In FY 2010, the US federal government had a net operating cost of $ 2,080 billion, although since this includes accounting provisions (estimates of future liabilities),

1127-631: The GAO's current mission statement, the agency exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. The name was changed in 2004 to the Government Accountability Office by the GAO Human Capital Reform Act to better reflect the mission of

1176-665: The IRS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Homeland Security, among others. Unsuccessful bidders for government contracts may submit protests if they have reason to challenge an agency's decision, and the GAO may then release a report on the decision, redacted if necessary. Various GAO decisions have confirmed that: In reviewing protests of an agency’s evaluation, [GAO] does not reevaluate proposals, rather, we review

1225-824: The agency in "taking corrective action in the face of a clearly meritorious protest". The GAO confirmed in 2014 that its jurisdiction includes investigation of protests raising allegations of agency violation of the Procurement Integrity Act . After the closing of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in 1995, Congress directed the GAO to conduct a technology assessment (TA) pilot program. Between 2002 and 2005, three reports were completed–-use of biometrics for border security, cyber security for critical infrastructure protection , and technologies for protecting structures in wildland fires. The GAO reports and technology assessments, which are made available to

1274-429: The broad public ... regards this bailout as a swindle and backwards. (The public wonders 'w)hy are you giving all this money to the people who caused this crisis and taking the money from the public assets of the victims?'" On January 29, 2009, in an interview with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! , Greider commented regarding the United States' financial system's financial crisis : "I've been writing for some months,

1323-428: The cash deficit is $ 1,294 billion. The most recent GAO strategic plan, for 2018–2023, sets out four goals, namely: The Forensic Audits and Investigative Service (FAIS) team provides Congress with high-quality forensic audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse; other special investigations; and security and vulnerability assessments. Its work cuts across a diverse array of government programs administered by

1372-784: The context of the nation's political and economic challenges. Participants included former Chairmen of the Federal Reserve Alan Greenspan and Paul Volcker , Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling , Representatives Peter Roskam and Chris Van Hollen , former acting Director of the Congressional Budget Office Donald B. Marron Jr. , and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget Peter Orzag . The Peterson Foundation

1421-480: The debt wasn't in any obvious way a problem then." The think tank Citizens for Tax Justice criticized the Peter G. Peterson Foundation for its support of lenient tax policy towards corporations. The group is quoted as saying that "The Peter G. Peterson Institute, which is ostensibly concerned about the U.S. fiscal imbalance, has come out against provisions in [a Senate bill] that would prevent multinational corporations from abusing foreign tax credits ... . [T]he credit

1470-537: The evaluation to determine if it was reasonable, consistent with the solicitation’s evaluation scheme and procurement statutes and regulations, and adequately documented. There is a facility within the Bid Protest Regulations for the GAO to recommend reimbursement of a bidder's protest costs if the procuring agency takes corrective action in response to a protest. The circumstances justifying bid protest cost reimbursement must involve "undue delay" by

1519-568: The findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its reports. Members of Congress also frequently cite the GAO's work in statements to the press, congressional hearings, and floor debates on proposed legislation. In 2007 the Partnership for Public Service ranked the GAO second on its list of the best places to work in the federal government and Washingtonian magazine included the GAO on its 2007 list of great places to work in Washington,

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1568-719: The first one to say we ought to be paying more taxes on these tremendously profitable arrangements." Lisa Graves , in The Nation , compared Peterson's alleged business strategy of buying firms, gutting them for profit, therein resulting in employees losing their jobs and retirement security to his strategy with the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. He is said to want to "loot Social Security", leaving Americans without retirement benefits. 40°45′50″N 73°58′40″W  /  40.7638°N 73.9778°W  / 40.7638; -73.9778 Government Accountability Office The United States Government Accountability Office ( GAO )

1617-423: The fiscal future of the United States, GAO's role in the federal bid protest process, and critical issues for congressional consideration related to improving the nation's image abroad. The GAO is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and maintains an additional 11 field offices around the country. Each field office contains several mission teams, but not every mission team is represented at each field office. The GAO

1666-519: The foundation launched an annual Washington, D.C., event aimed to draw attention to America's long-term fiscal issues. In October 2010, David M. Walker stepped down as President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation to establish his own venture, the Comeback America Initiative with funding provided by the Foundation. Source: Board of Directors: Advisory Board: In January 2011, The Peter G. Peterson Foundation launched

1715-414: The global economy. The credibility of this work was heavily criticized by economist Paul Krugman , who argued that Greider ignored the fallacies of composition that run rampant in the work, misinterpreted facts (some of which were incorrect), and misled readers with false assumptions – all possibly due to his lack of consultation with economists. Greider's most well-known, powerful and far-reaching work

1764-678: The groups' unique perspectives and priorities, and looked out 10 and 25 years into the future. To make the plans more easily comparable, the Solutions Initiative program required that they be developed from a common starting point based upon the Congressional Budget Office 's long-term projections. The Peterson Foundation also asked the Tax Policy Center and Barry Anderson (former acting director at CBO) to serve as independent scorekeepers, reviewing

1813-530: The history and events behind America's rapidly growing national debt. William Greider , writing in The Nation , accused Peterson of using "fiscal responsibility" as a cover for an ulterior motive, namely cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits. Greider argued that Peterson wanted "to loot Social Security" and that he employed the Peter G. Peterson Foundation towards that end. Economist Dean Baker similarly described Peterson as having "been on

1862-412: The issues raised by the 2008 securities crisis, Occupy Wall Street , and works with a similar theme by Gar Alperovitz , Richard Wolff , Michael Moore , Noreena Hertz , and Marjorie Kelly, it can be considered an under-recognized work. Greider also wrote a book on globalization – One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism (1997) – which suggested vulnerabilities and inequities of

1911-492: The national debt. In November 2010, the Peterson Foundation launched a $ 6 million national campaign to raise awareness about the U.S. debt titled "OweNo." The campaign featured nationally broadcast television ads starring satirical presidential candidate named Hugh Jidette, (a play on "Huge Debt"). In August 2008, The Peter G. Peterson Foundation purchased the rights to I.O.U.S.A. , a documentary that examined

1960-544: The nine-year tenure of the seventh comptroller general, David M. Walker . On September 19, 2007, GAO analysts voted by a margin of two to one (897–445), in a 75% turnout, to establish the first union in the GAO's 86-year history. The analysts voted to affiliate with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), a member union of the AFL–CIO . There are more than 1,800 analysts in

2009-423: The office. The GAO's auditors conduct not only financial audits, but also engage in a wide assortment of performance audits. Over the years, the GAO has been referred to as "The Congressional Watchdog" and "The Taxpayers' Best Friend" for its frequent audits and investigative reports that have uncovered waste and inefficiency in government. News media often draw attention to the GAO's work by publishing stories on

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2058-400: The plans and applying consistent analytical techniques to all of the proposals. The six Solutions Initiative plans were released at the 2011 Fiscal Summit. On November 16, 2012, the Peterson Foundation hosted Post Election: The Fiscal Cliff and Beyond, which convened elected officials and policy experts to discuss implications of the impending fiscal cliff and potential paths forward within

2107-403: The president, and the president may request that the commission recommend additional individuals. The president then selects an individual from those recommended to nominate as the new comptroller general. The president's nomination must be confirmed by the Senate's Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs before being voted on by the full Senate. The current comptroller general

2156-401: The public, have become essential vehicles for understanding science and technology (S&T) implications of policies considered by the Congress. Since 2008, Congress has established a permanent TA function within the GAO. This new operational role augments GAO's performance audits related to S&T issues, including effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. federal programs. In 2010, the GAO joined

2205-561: The quality of audit effort, and the characteristics of professional and meaningful audit reports. In 1992, the GAO hosted the XIV INCOSAI , the fourteenth triennial convention of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). The GAO is a United States government electronic data provider, as all of its reports are available on its website, except for certain reports whose distribution

2254-437: Was Come Home, America: The Rise and Fall (and Redeeming Promise) Of Our Country . Before that he published The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy , which explores the basis and history of the corporation, the existence of employee-ownership as an alternative form of corporate governance, environmental issues, and how important people's contributions are to make the economy a humane one. Given its anticipation of

2303-587: Was an American journalist and author who wrote primarily about economics. Greider was born in Cincinnati , Ohio on August 6, 1936, to Harold William Greider, a chemist, and Gladys (McClure) Greider, a writer, and raised in Wyoming, Ohio , a Cincinnati suburb. William Greider went on to study at Princeton University, receiving a B.A. in English in 1958. After college, Greider began his reporting career as

2352-629: Was established as the General Accounting Office by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921. The act required the head of the GAO to: investigate, at the seat of government or elsewhere, all matters relating to the receipt, disbursement, and application of public funds, and shall make to the President ... and to Congress ... reports [and] recommendations looking to greater economy or efficiency in public expenditures. According to

2401-530: Was the official broadcast sponsor of the 2011 Bloomberg / Washington Post Presidential Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The debate, the first of the 2012 presidential election season to focus entirely on the economy and fiscal issues, was moderated in a roundtable format by PBS ' Charlie Rose , Washington Post political correspondent Karen Tumulty and Bloomberg TV White House correspondent Julianna Goldman . As part of its sponsorship,

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