[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6312600,"mediaKeyId","2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623","parentId",2390605,"title","Lawmakers press GAO on legality and risks of 'Doge' actions after mass firings and data access controversies","audioSeconds",3538,"startMs",3728000,"endMs",7266000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623&start=3728&end=7266","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623/thumbnail_3728000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6312600/Lawmakers-press-GAO-on-legality-and-risks-of-Doge-actions-after-mass-firings-and-data-access-controversies","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312600-5aa4efaf21198b4e08e6347b6c7a4bee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958901&Signature=DP16N9Y8oLYa2XGT2RFUwF-ee8MyNQzozSQwECLCVHXFkxjKrZkm8~9XEEwOHYe3l1iDEpcH52v7UqavNlM8bjtgj3sYIy~ZHXrAVKt6hS1uwNsax~B4kdfZvZtIuiqkCZsF9GjdgRkkctE76ASBLpc~GUiTmLSQYkWkuVR5t7eMud7kAcb3LpLsqyxAdEzelpRIGs0u2vYlCzJjprTWovg0clp7pz~wihr8TQmSrU2lC4PXqDpO2SExrzzy7AgNP27tcu1NLxTH76VgqnKGHskl5DRPNKgZ6A80llDaxWZ1OFwtyhDqA82O3By9xt3S1PvKNPBw3qPASFDT8cr7BA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform","date","2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","article","Several members of the House Oversight Committee used the GAO high-risk hearing to press the comptroller general on recent operational changes carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency (\"Doge\") and on allegations involving access to federal systems and mass firings.

Comptroller General Gene Dodaro told the committee GAO is examining legal and financial questions raised by the administration's actions and has sent letters requesting explanations. \"We're following the court cases as well, so we're evaluating the court filings,\" he said when asked about potential Impoundment Control Act issues. Dodaro added, \"We are going to make these decisions as fast as we can,\" and said GAO would consider litigation if appropriate.

The nut graf: Committee members from both parties asked whether the new office and related actions complied with law, whether an unelected private-sector actor should have broad access to federal data and systems, and whether mass, indiscriminate firings would worsen the problems GAO identified in the high-risk list. Dodaro said GAO will review arrangements, conflicts of interest and legal authorities and will pursue remedies under the law if it finds violations.

Republican members argued the effort is necessary to cut waste and modernize government. Representative Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and others defended rapid changes as efficiency measures. Several Democrats and some Republicans raised immediate concerns about operations: they listed examples of affected programs and staff — VA clinical and claims staff, IRS personnel during tax season, FDA and NIH researchers, and FAA safety inspectors — and warned that removing experienced employees could create safety and service gaps. Several members noted the recent firing of inspectors general and asked whether GAO considered that practice harmful to oversight independence; Dodaro said it was \"unfortunate\" and that Congress should consider procedural safeguards.

Multiple lawmakers also raised specific legal issues. Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) asked whether GAO would review whether pauses of appropriated funds violated the Impoundment Control Act; Dodaro said GAO had already asked the administration for its legal rationale and would act expeditiously. Dodaro also confirmed GAO would examine whether individuals with financial or corporate ties to entities affected by policy had inappropriate access or conflicts of interest.

Ending: Dodaro told the committee GAO was beginning relevant audits and ethics reviews at congressional request and would continue to provide the committee with findings. Several members said they would pursue subpoenas or further oversight if responses were incomplete.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","The Government Accountability Office’s 2025 High Risk List","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple members of the House Oversight Committee pressed Comptroller General Gene Dodaro about the actions of the Department of Government Efficiency (\"Doge\") and Elon Musk's role after widespread firings, data-access questions and agency disruptions; GAO said it is reviewing legal and financial implications and has sent letters seeking answers.","taxTitle","Oversight and Reform: House Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1835,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6312605,"GAO adds disaster assistance to high-risk list, urges FEMA to simplify aid and limit scope of federal involvement",1055,953000,2008000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623&start=953&end=2008","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623/thumbnail_953000.jpg","/articles/6312605/GAO-adds-disaster-assistance-to-high-risk-list-urges-FEMA-to-simplify-aid-and-limit-scope-of-federal-involvement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312605-c7e7afab044a65fc87cb787f46f79548/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958901&Signature=ALMreXk0iQfqyc9PBMnoan00cMuANNdNnODBqQvYu2e59eB5M2ijGC9vvlVbL6cXQcUVuFUxXYxh-zPqlp30HPJnC3hZgpu~WPtOGwP9rS2cr6A2GD784NtM9V0~jxj4wGCCsgx2m6eJoNYLjUf99So-68NIxnvP3WcoKOPS95cjWxpKqibUYOUSY99aBXhzfEKsIiUVlDJT7RTXkGqy4xk3FyV9MSRKwY~b7FImv7tGA~G0hEs0y~veZXbs31Jk5DdXGwHmdA1-WIogUBYdOCD7vMhrDSdLtczDzLZ7Bf4~NMrczlnsqd3OMk8Qg1eu3M7ugiCWUimJERRijQs~BQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","GAO told the House Oversight Committee that it added improving the delivery of federal disaster assistance to its 2025 high-risk list because the system is fragmented, frequently overextended and costly.

\"Storms are becoming more frequent and intense,\" Comptroller General Gene Dodaro said, noting that \"in the last 10 years, the federal government's appropriated $500,000,000,000 for disaster assistance\" and that FEMA was managing more than 600 disasters, some lingering for years.

The nut graf: GAO said the federal response is spread across more than 30 agencies with overlapping rules; survivors and communities face confusing requirements and inconsistent timelines. GAO staff recommended a set of reforms to streamline delivery, including a survivor-facing roadmap describing what assistance is available, clearer federal-state decision rules for disaster declarations, and better cost-estimating practices for catastrophic events.

GAO witness Chris Curry, who leads GAO disaster work, told the committee that the survivor\u0000experience often requires applicants to \"pull the assistance out of FEMA\" and that the process is fatiguesome and fragmented across agencies. GAO suggested FEMA review the per-capita threshold it uses to decide whether to engage and noted a suggestion that better triage could reduce federal involvement in some cases; Dodaro said GAO estimated FEMA could be noninvolved in roughly 27 fewer disasters if the evaluation better accounted for state and local capacity.

Members from storm-affected districts urged faster action. North Carolina Rep. Fox, who described severe recent hurricane losses in his state, said survivors need a clear timeline and expectations for aid. GAO staff recommended consolidating automated eligibility checks where appropriate and improving program coordination to shorten how long survivors wait for assistance.

Ending: GAO said it will continue work on FEMA and recommended Congress consider legislative clarifications that help FEMA focus resources on truly catastrophic needs while encouraging state and local preparedness.

","GAO added improving delivery of federal disaster assistance to its 2025 high-risk list and told the committee FEMA is overextended; GAO staff recommended clearer survivor roadmaps, better coordination across agencies, and tighter criteria for federal declarations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6312610,"GAO warns federal IT and cybersecurity remain high risk; legacy systems, FAA and VA cited",2407,1068000,3475000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623&start=1068&end=3475","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623/thumbnail_1068000.jpg","/articles/6312610/GAO-warns-federal-IT-and-cybersecurity-remain-high-risk-legacy-systems-FAA-and-VA-cited","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312610-41341d3b0a69a87ea138bcc290655c93/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958901&Signature=WL5MheTpRIE8i14mgNoDXm1EPonmF-RGdG5n45Z~Kt~8Xd3JtRhpsEhHQDZN7-LvqmIYUzC9VKsE6k3iaxNzRsRGuQ1k-w1YytVVHuGh5OE55qvQJby4RJhxIEMB7Sy0roBvyEM3M8j8MlveD0Dj00jdw6CJwPrHJeoC7JWy9V93Vb0T5kvyoYypleXmrNnHJ2CW7foN5Gqj3DsCZ~AoAeX0HH1X9lJx46keW0sFHUUoS~51wdSFHyDau25NMVznuRrj~~itLMCqtS4XBpefkaKvBFQ60lzJO3icoFq7h~yris434V-tQ4W8MORW5GnnWqvvrT0eyr9Ll2sV50-tbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Comptroller General Gene Dodaro told the House Oversight Committee that the federal government's IT portfolio and cybersecurity posture remain on GAO's high-risk list and called for accelerated, deliberate modernization.

Dodaro said the government spends about $100 billion a year on information technology and that approximately 80% of that amount goes to maintaining legacy systems rather than investing in new capabilities. \"Most of that goes to maintain existing legacy systems and not to new technology,\" he said. He and GAO IT staff cited multiple examples of aging technology: some systems identified for retirement are decades old and coded in languages such as COBOL, and FAA air-traffic-control components include systems that GAO says are not sustainable.

The nut graf: GAO argued that sustaining decades-old systems increases costs and cyber risks. Committee members pressed GAO for practical steps agencies should take now: portfolio management to avoid duplicate software buys, stronger investment review processes, and accelerated retirement plans for unsustainable systems.

Dodaro also pointed to the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health records program, which GAO said has cost more than $12 billion to date and is only partially deployed. GAO staff reminded lawmakers that sustaining legacy platforms creates staffing pressures because fewer workers have expertise in older languages, a problem that complicates cybersecurity and operations.

GAO recommended improved IT portfolio reviews, better metrics to judge cloud and legacy investments, and stronger agency-level governance to stop duplication and ensure security. Members of the committee asked GAO for agency-specific follow-up and asked that GAO share lessons learned from successful modernization efforts.

Ending: Lawmakers said they would use GAO\u0000recommendations to press agencies to produce timetableed modernization plans and more transparent IT spending metrics.

","GAO testified that legacy information technology and federal cybersecurity continue to be major high-risk areas, with the government spending more to sustain old systems than to adopt new technology and exposing agencies to cybersecurity vulnerabilities.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6312615,"GAO: Improper payments and the tax gap remain among the largest drains on federal resources",66,972000,1038000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623&start=972&end=1038","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623/thumbnail_972000.jpg","/articles/6312615/GAO-Improper-payments-and-the-tax-gap-remain-among-the-largest-drains-on-federal-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312615-ade125325e7cdd397e1fa892ebfcb587/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958901&Signature=NL5atGKuW9soz4GxzMPEnBwCuVU8yQ0hA3abnvuj0hxa5WeMvAhDNL92WXxaIHgJgnc1knuZ-qrTUA8CADkjtaARZqr~Mle~5TCFpE9qLE2bsuPhShZnp~Js7kMeRqESJULWZnzZUgz-oUhZt~9pWUIgkWmDIQM33mnB~bYI15N1B5WPYgyz5xwNFKxGh30F6lucPn-ghkc9vki4MDcp-LI19I~ggLN99BlWVjzbjUAYodtLiR6sKqtM0zhoLRK9kuaHRJiT21FNywOiv7e1Hw-kpJBmzoAFuOOw1GZGP21lJGW9m7hxFIpoAf7ev0hGMnx-mgSGP9Wu8AtbKOitfQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Comptroller General Gene Dodaro told the House Oversight Committee that improper payments and the federal tax gap account for large recurring losses of federal funds and need sustained congressional and administrative action.

\"The last six years has been over a hundred and $50,000,000,000 every year in improper payments,\" Dodaro said in his opening remarks, describing improper payments as payments that \"should not have been made or was made in the wrong amount.\" He added GAO's recent work shows many programs either do not report full improper payment estimates or do not have enough auditing of managed-care and other complex payment arrangements.

The nut graf: Members from both parties said they wanted to reduce improper payments. GAO and lawmakers highlighted a mix of technical fixes and statutory changes, including broader data matching to stop payments to decedents, stronger identity verification for unemployment insurance, and extending statutes of limitation for pandemic-era fraud prosecutions.

GAO estimated the gross tax gap between taxes owed and taxes collected is roughly $600 billion; Dodaro said voluntary compliance rests at about 80 to 85 percent and called for improved enforcement. Members seized on a set of specific proposals: Dodaro and GAO staff urged Congress to make permanent Treasury access to Social Security's death master file (a tool already used in pilot work), and to extend certain fraud statutes of limitation from five to ten years for unemployment-insurance cases created during the pandemic.

Members also discussed Medicaid, Medicare and employer/managed-care payments. Dodaro said Medicaid's improper-payment estimates historically cover the fee-for-service portion but not the managed-care portion, which now accounts for a large share of payments; GAO has recommended the agency increase oversight and audits of managed care plans.

On fraud broadly, Dodaro cited a GAO estimate for 2018\u0000to 2022 that annual fraud losses across federal programs fell in a wide range and noted that pandemic-era programs created unique vulnerabilities. He told lawmakers GAO has suggested statutory and administrative steps that would raise recoveries without cutting benefits for people who are eligible.

Ending: Members from both parties asked GAO to provide written, actionable steps and encouraged quick statutory fixes such as making the Social Security death-match permanent and revising statutes of limitation for pandemic-era fraud prosecutions.","Comptroller General Gene Dodaro told the Oversight Committee that improper payments continue at very high levels and that the federal tax gap remains large; members pressed for legislative fixes including extending statutes of limitation and using data matches to stop payments to decedents.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6312620,"GAO adds disaster assistance to 2025 high-risk list, warns of continued billions in improper payments",11276,310000,11586000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623&start=310&end=11586","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390605-4bdd633afb58eca0917948c5eed5e623/thumbnail_310000.jpg","/articles/6312620/GAO-adds-disaster-assistance-to-2025-high-risk-list-warns-of-continued-billions-in-improper-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312620-8c3b276d5a307f0a995452cd4359224c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770958901&Signature=UZ3eg3IoSPyihZbO50Q~mFhDpbtxO-V2kE-O6mMFUzNMuLLI3EqEkf-FrTJ0s~aSB0D89WBGZ-aoUH93SzmsxjTU~MgqpGVE-tZXJpZaJYhWogCNzqdPRDOd5xsRvt~azIFTjfWGuYuYTAA4c1~uan2wXny~iAALBuaVu0bEg~PhGv2CUWs40ezzwx0~CTPd9FPEg5GWfQfx~RhcxPasRBAFs4LfV2va6AWivJMJu5K8yoiYLip027nIDwFNqK6Rgf-jbxVUJZGuxSaCl6JFPY~syHlILp~J8qBbDQh52OZMuI~1rjnxganrVWdeNKzrMXJDPmWKilvC5ojXq5k2vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office, told the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Feb. 27 that GAO added one new area to its 2025 high-risk list: improving the delivery of federal disaster assistance.

The update, released at the start of the 119th Congress, lists 38 high-risk areas that GAO said involve either large financial exposures (at least $1 billion) or serious risks to public health, safety or essential services. \"We're adding one new area this year, and that's improving the delivery of disaster assistance,\" Dodaro said.

The nut graf: GAO\u0000said the programs on the list together present recurring risks that require congressional attention, executive action and sustained management. Dodaro told lawmakers that acting on GAO recommendations has previously produced large returns and that \"we've saved over $760,000,000,000 over time\" from implemented recommendations.

Most urgent among the items Dodaro emphasized were improper payments and the federal government's fragmented response to disasters. He told the committee improper payments remain \"a very intractable problem,\" saying the government has recorded more than $150 billion a year in improper payments in recent years and that some programs have not reported full estimates. GAO also reiterated a long-standing concern about the federal information technology portfolio: \"The government spends over a hundred billion dollars a year,\" Dodaro said, \"most of that goes to maintain existing legacy systems and not to new technology.\" He warned that many legacy systems are decades old and pose security and sustainability risks.

Dodaro named examples on the high-risk list during his opening: Department of Defense financial management and weapon system acquisitions, the Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic health record deployment, and FAA air-traffic-control systems. He told members the list includes matters affecting critical infrastructure, cybersecurity and medical-product oversight.

Committee members of both parties welcomed the testimony and pressed Dodaro for specifics on where Congress could act first. Ranking Member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and other Democrats said they supported measured reforms rather than sweeping staff cuts; Connolly told the committee, \"You don't do it by taking a wrecking ball to the entire structure and hope you get the bad with the good.\" Several Republicans said they wanted faster action to recover taxpayer funds and eliminate waste.

Dodaro closed by urging sustained attention and implementation: \"Action and heightened attention on these issues can save billions of dollars, improve public health and safety, and also go to the heart of improving the service and the effectiveness and efficiency and a return on investment and build better trust in our government institutions.\" The GAO report will be entered into the hearing record and GAO staff are available to assist Congress on implementing recommendations.

Ending: Members said they will use the report as a roadmap for oversight and legislative proposals; several requested follow-up briefings and written responses from agencies mentioned in the high-risk list.","Comptroller General Gene Dodaro told the House Oversight Committee the Government Accountability Office\u0000added improving federal disaster assistance to its 2025 high-risk list and warned that long-standing problems including improper payments, legacy IT and DOD financial management continue to expose taxpayers to very large losses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lawmakers press GAO on legality and risks of 'Doge' actions after mass firings and data access controversies

GAO adds disaster assistance to high-risk list, urges FEMA to simplify aid and limit scope of federal involvement

GAO warns federal IT and cybersecurity remain high risk; legacy systems, FAA and VA cited

GAO: Improper payments and the tax gap remain among the largest drains on federal resources

GAO adds disaster assistance to 2025 high-risk list, warns of continued billions in improper payments