Government Accountability Office (GAO) Podcast: Watchdog Report

The Navy's Attack Submarines Have Costly Maintenance Challenges

The Navy's attack submarine fleet provide the United States with an unparalleled advantage to gather intelligence undetected and attack enemy targets. But during the

At FEMA, Staff Reductions and Lack of Planning May Impact Readiness

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with helping Americans and communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. But recent reductions

Ebola, Measles, and Avian Influenza—The Importance of Emerging Disease Surveillance

In recent decades, several emerging infectious diseases have necessitated the need for global responses. We looked at what's being done here in the U.S. to detect

Health Insurance Marketplace Agents' Scams and the Efforts to Prevent Them

Consumers can use the help of a broker or agent to help them navigate government-run health insurance marketplaces. Agents can be useful in helping consumers pick the bes

How Airline Mergers and Competition Impact Passengers?

The last several decades have marked a turbulent, transformative time for commercial airlines--with mergers, failed mergers, and even airlines like Spirit going out of bu

The Air Force’s Aerial Refueling Fleet Is Shrinking in Capability

During long flights or extended air combat missions, aerial refueling tankers can eliminate the need for military planes to land. Having this capability is vital for some

How GAO is Fighting Fraud and Reducing Improper Payments in Government Spending

The federal government loses hundreds of billions of dollars to fraud each year and millions more to payment errors—also known as improper payments. GAO helps federal und

What a Recent Rule Change Means for Corporate Transparency

Drug cartels and other illegal enterprises often use shell companies to hide their dealings and launder money. To combat this activity, many countries have requirements t

GAO Has Found New Ways to Save the Federal Government Billions of Dollars

Over the years, GAO’s work has helped save taxpayers billions of dollars by reducing duplication, overlap and fragmentation in programs. Each year, we issue a report that

America’s Cybersecurity Risks and How GAO Is Helping to Address Them

On this special episode of the Watchdog Report podcast, we discuss America’s cybersecurity risks, as well as GAO’s role in auditing and improving defenses against them. O

Preventing Fraud in Medicare

Medicare is the biggest spending area for the U.S. government and the largest federal health program. Due to the sheer size of Medicare, there are risks of fraud. We&#039

Efforts to Stop the Sale of Thousands of Unauthorized E-Cigarette Products

New tobacco product must first be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being sold in the United States. Despite this requirement, there are thousands

Gene L. Dodaro, the 8th Comptroller General of the United States and Head of GAO

For nearly two decades, the U.S. Government Accountability Office was led by Gene L. Dodaro, an auditor who came up-through the ranks of the agency and was sworn in as 8t

GAO Stands Out in its Ability to Answer the Tough Questions. Here’s How We Do it.

Before Congress makes tough policy decisions, it often comes to GAO for information. This episode looks at some of the toughest questions Congress has asked GAO to answer

Water Recycling Program Could Help Drought-Stricken Communities

In some parts of the United States, growing populations and prolonged droughts are straining water supplies. Large-scale water recycling could offer these communities a s

Mexican Crime Organizations and the Synthetic Drug Crisis

Thousands of Americans die each year after overdosing on illicit synthetic drugs, including synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Transnational criminal organizations have pla

USPS’s Financial Condition Struggles Under an Unsustainable Business Model

The U.S. Postal Service is a quintessentially American institution. But during the last 20 years or so, USPS has struggled financially with rising costs and declining rev

FDA's Efforts to Recall Faulty Medical Devices Limited by Insufficient Staffing

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for overseeing the safety of medical devices sold in the U.S. and issuing recalls when they're found to be unsa

Sanctions and Export Controls on Russia

In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, the United States and its allies responded with wide-ranging sanctions and export controls on Russia. What impact have these actio

What are DOD's Unfunded Priorities?

The U.S.'s defense budget makes up about half of all federal discretionary spending. But even so, there are billions of dollars in "unfunded priorities" th