Category: Government Accountability Office

Whoops! Department of Education Makes $300 Billion Accounting Mistake on Student Loans

Commentary What’s $300 billion between friends? A new report from the Government Accountability Office details a breathtaking discrepancy between what the federal government claimed the student loan program would generate, and what it actually costs taxpayers. As GAO explains: “Although the Department of Education originally estimated federal Direct Loans made in the last 25 years…


CDC, FDA Workers Observed Incidents of Political Interference: Report

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) employees say they observed incidents perceived as political interference within the federal agencies that may have altered or suppressed scientific findings,  a new federal report has found. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) interviewed 16 employees at the CDC, FDA and the…


States Failed to Quickly Allocate First Round of Pandemic Relief, Watchdogs Say

More than $5.7 trillion in federal money has been authorized for allocation under five pandemic stimulus packages approved by Congress between March 2020 and March 2021 with assistance awarded to a diverse mix of recipients ranging from individuals, small businesses, corporations, nonprofits, foundations, contractors, and governments of all shapes and sizes. But when the first…