Tag Archives: Treasury

Working toward Implementing the DATA Act

Federal agencies spend more than $3.7 trillion a year. But it’s not always easy to get reliable, useful, and consistent information about this spending—information that can help improve oversight, decision making, and transparency. So, Congress passed the Digital Accountability and … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Using Money When You Can’t See It

How does someone who is visually impaired distinguish a $1 bill from a $5 or a $20? It’s nearly impossible—U.S. paper currency is all the same size, same general design, and has the same texture. But there’s also no simple … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Will “Hamilton” Win Big? Its Namesake Already Inspired a Lot of GAO Work

Alexander Hamilton has quite the legacy: he was the first Secretary of the Treasury; he created a plan for managing the national debt; and he is now the inspiration behind the Tony Award-nominated musical, Hamilton. In anticipation of this Sunday’s … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The DATA Act Turns 2

The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, known as the DATA Act, is 2 years old today. This law is supposed to make it easier to get reliable, standardized information on federal spending. Today’s WatchBlog explores what we’ve found … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Budget Day Is Around the Corner

The 2017 President’s Budget is scheduled to be released next week. The president’s proposal is the result of work that started last spring at the White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and executive branch agencies—from Agriculture to Veterans … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Tracking Federal Spending with the DATA Act (infographic and podcast)

The federal government spends more than $3.5 trillion dollars a year. But how that money is spent is not always easy to track. Enter the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014. Known as the “DATA Act,” this law is … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , ,

It Takes Money to Make Money (podcast)

The U.S. Mint made 13 billion coins in 2014—some of which cost more to make than they’re worth. How can the government save money making money? Listen to Lori Rectanus, a director in our Physical Infrastructure team, discuss her team’s … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Debt Limit 101

Congress has voted to suspend the debt limit through March 15, 2017. But how could future lawmakers address this issue in order to save the federal government money and avoid future disruptions? Today’s WatchBlog examines the debt limit. What is … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Podcast on Debt Limit Approaches

The debt limit is a cap on the amount of money that the Department of the Treasury can borrow to meet the nation’s financial obligations. Delays in raising this statutory limit can have broad implications for the entire financial system.

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , ,

All About Agency Financial Statement Auditing

Every year, GAO audits selected agencies’ financial statements and the consolidated financial statements of the federal government. We’ve discussed the results of our federal government audit on the WatchBlog before, but we wanted to provide more context on the agency-level … Continue reading

Image | Posted on by | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment