Government Accountability Office - GAO
Categories: Accounting, Regulations
The Government Accountability Office or GAO, is part of the US government’s legislative branch. GAO’s gaol...wait, goal...is to carry out investigations for Congress, holding the US government accountable to its citizens. If a person or organization gets audited by GAO, it might just be the largest audit of their life (well, that or the IRS).
The Government Accountability Office is supposed to be super fact-based, nonpartisan...i.e. not a political tool. The investigations and audits GAO takes on are requested by committees within Congress, and others are mandated by law. They also collect and record testimonies, and provide legal opinions when its called for.
If you ever see GAO in the news, keep a lookout, since they’re the real-life superhero wielding the power of governmental truth (if there is such a thing, anyway).