Whois & Analysis for gao.gov

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a government agency that provides auditing, evaluation, and investigative services for the United States Congress.

It is the supreme audit institution of the federal government of the United States.

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Congress meets in the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election, though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a gubernatorial appointment.

Members are usually affiliated to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party, and only rarely to a third party or as independents.

Congress has 535 voting members: 435 Representatives and 100 Senators.

The House of Representatives has six non-voting members in addition to its 435 voting members.

These members can, however, sit on congressional committees and introduce legislation.

These members represent Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In political science, nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with a political party.

Some organizations claiming to be nonpartisan are truly such; others are nominally nonpartisan (for reasons of law or public perception) but closely follow the policies of a political party.

The United States federal budget comprises the spending and revenues of the US federal government.

The budget is the financial representation of the priorities of the government, reflecting historical debates and competing economic philosophies.

The government primarily spends on healthcare, retirement, and defense programs.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office provides extensive analysis of the budget and its economic effects.

It has reported that the U.S. is facing a series of long-term financial challenges, as the country ages and healthcare costs continue growing faster than the economy.

Watchdog journalism informs the public about goings-on in institutions and society, especially in circumstances where a significant portion of the public would demand changes in response.

This might involve: