GOP declares war on GAO

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

05/27/2025 04:45 AM EDT


The independent Government Accountability Office has served Congress as the nation’s chief investigator of wrongdoing at federal agencies for more than a century. Now it’s under assault. The typically uncontroversial, under-the-radar agency is fighting to retain power against attempts by Republicans in the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill to undercut its legal conclusions and independence — an onslaught that has been fast and furious.

First, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency contacted GAO to assign a downsizing team there, despite the agency being housed within the legislative branch and therefore not subject to an executive order granting DOGE access to most other federal operations.

Then, last week, Senate Republicans disregarded GAO guidance and nixed waivers allowing California to set its own pollution standards, even after the watchdog concluded that the Senate couldn’t do that under a simple-majority threshold.

“The GAO has no role” in determining how the chamber should proceed, said Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in an interview in the leadup to the votes. “The GAO has no authority.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/27/gop-declares-war-on-gao-00369762

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From the excerpt -

“The GAO has no role” in determining how the chamber should proceed, said Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in an interview in the leadup to the votes. “The GAO has no authority.”

Before he was born, this amazing thing happened (I posted part of this in another thread) -

https://www.gao.gov/about/what-gao-does/history

Created by - Budget and Accounting Act of 1921

Originally named the "Government Accounting Office" and later renamed to the "Government Accountability Office".