Mission evolution at the GAO: A conversation with Gene Dodaro

How has the mission of the U.S. Government Accountability Office evolved? How is GAO innovating the way it does its oversight mission? What does the future hold...

March 14, 2022 12:06 pm

3 min read

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The Business of Government Hour, hosted by Michael J. Keegan, features a conversation with government executives and thought leaders who are changing the way government does business. The show explores topics such as leadership, management, technology, innovation, public service, as well as the mission of government in the 21st century.

ON THIS WEEK’S SHOW:

How has the mission of the U.S. Government Accountability Office evolved? How is GAO innovating the way it does its oversight mission? What does the future hold for the U.S. Government Accountability Office? Join host Michael Keegan as he explores these questions and more with Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, leader of the GAO.

LISTEN TO THE FULL SHOW:

GUEST BIOGRAPHY:

Gene L. Dodaro became the eighth Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) on December 22, 2010, when he was confirmed by the United States Senate. He was nominated by President Obama in September of 2010 from a list of candidates selected by a bipartisan, bicameral congressional commission. He had been serving as Acting Comptroller General since March of 2008.

Mr. Dodaro has testified before Congress dozens of times on important national issues, including the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the federal government’s long term fiscal outlook, efforts to reduce and eliminate overlap and duplication across the federal government and GAO’s “High Risk List” that focuses on specific challenges—from reducing improper payments under Medicare and Medicaid to improving the Pentagon’s business practices. In addition, Mr. Dodaro continues to develop GAO’s efforts to meet the needs of Congress in such areas as science, technology and cybersecurity.

As Comptroller General, Mr. Dodaro helps oversee the development and issuance of hundreds of reports and testimonies each year to various committees and individual Members of Congress. These and other GAO products have led to hearings and legislation, billions of dollars in taxpayer savings, and improvements to a wide range of government programs and services.

In a GAO career dating back more than 45 years, Mr. Dodaro has held a number of key executive posts. For 9 years, Mr. Dodaro served as the Chief Operating Officer, the number two leadership position at the agency, assisting the Comptroller General in providing direction and vision for GAO’s diverse, multidisciplinary workforce. Mr. Dodaro led the development of GAO’s strategic plans for serving Congress and improving government in the 21st Century. He also played a key role in guiding the agency’s efforts to highlight current and emerging issues that warrant attention from policymakers.

In leading GAO, Mr. Dodaro works with the Congress and the administration on major management reform initiatives, including the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, the Federal IT Acquisitions Reform Act of 2014, the Fraud Reduction and Data Analytics Act of 2015; and the 1994 Government Management Reform Act, which expanded the Chief Financial Officers Act. Mr. Dodaro also has extensive experience working with state and local government officials.