All he wants for Christmas is government accountability
By Kirstin Ellison
Posted on Mon Nov 27, 2006 at 12:24:27 PM EST
Comptroller David Walker, head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), has, for the first time, sent Congressional leadership a detailed list of areas he believes need more (or any) oversight.
His list, drawn from years of research by the watchdog agency, is intended to give Congress "a jump-start on your planning," he said.
"We cannot afford to continue business as usual in Washington, given our current deficit and growing long-term fiscal challenges," Walker said in the letter, sent this month.
Among specific issues, such as Social Security and Medicare, Walker pinpoints the need for increased oversight of the federal contracting process across all departments and agencies.
Walker recommends that Congress require agencies to report on how they ensure that contractors "are playing appropriate roles." He also urges Congress to ensure that agencies are adequately staffed to monitor contract costs and performance, particularly at critical times, such as hurricane response and the war in Iraq.
Walker also cites the need to examine the presidential appointment process.
Congress needs to look at whether some political jobs require certain qualifications and experience, such as those involved in national and homeland security, and whether other political jobs need to be given independence from the White House to ensure professionalism and objectivity.
Walker, in his letter, says oversight hearings would help agencies share ideas for innovation while holding federal officials accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars.
"This balanced approach is likely to help accelerate progress while avoiding a further erosion of the public's trust and confidence in government," Walker wrote.
Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this man's simple requests? After all, his position certainly puts him in the know. Anyone? Why shouldn't we give him what he wants and shine a little more light on how our government agencies do business?
Tags: GAO, Government Accountability Office, David Walker, oversight, openness, Government Accountability (all tags)
You are not logged in.
In order to post a comment, you must be logged in. If you have a member account, please log in to comment.
If not, you can make an account just by filling out the form below. It's quick and free.
