Oversight Hearing Will Examine the Most High Risk Federal Programs

Tomorrow, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing to examine the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) 2015 High Risk Report. The High Risk Report identifies programs within the federal government that suffer from waste, mismanagement of federal dollars, fraud, or abuse.   Additionally, in order to be listed in the report, a program must have a minimum of $1 billion dollars at “risk.”

WITNESSES:  Panel I

The Honorable Gene L. Dodaro

Comptroller General

U.S. Government Accountability Office

Panel II

The Honorable John Koskinen

Commissioner

Internal Revenue Service

The Honorable Alan F. Estevez

Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics

U.S. Department of Defense

Mr. John J. MacWilliams

Senior Advisor

U.S. Department of Energy

Shantanu Agrawal, M.D.

Deputy Administrator and Director

Center for Program Integrity

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Mr. Robert M. Lightfoot, Jr.

Associate Administrator

NASA

BACKGROUND

GAO’s criteria for “high risk” are explained in the 2000 guidance document, “Determining Performance and Accountability Challenges and High Risks.” The following criteria are considered by the GAO to determine whether or not a “high risk” designation should be applied to the program:

·         GAO considers exposure to loss in monetary or other quantitative terms.

o   At a minimum, $1 billion must be at risk.

·         Other considerations include:

o   Is the area of national significance or key to performance and accountability?

o   Does the risk involve public health or safety, service delivery, national security, national defense, economic growth, or privacy or citizens’ rights?

o   Could the risk result in significant impairment to service, program failure, injury or loss of life, or significantly reduced economy, efficiency, or effectiveness?

o   Are corrective measures planned or underway to resolve material control weakness?

The meeting is open to the public and a live video stream will be broadcast here.  Visit the Committee Calendar for additional information.