Choosing the Next Comptroller General: Shaping the Future of Government Accountability
As the nonpartisan head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) tasked with auditing federal programs and advising Congress on a range of issues, the Comptroller General (CG) is one of the most important unelected positions in the federal government. Selecting a qualified successor when current CG Gene Dodaro’s term expires in December 2025 will be essential to the efficiency and effectiveness of the legislative branch through 2040. In addition to a strong background in financial auditing, the next CG should hold a deep understanding of Congress as well as emerging science and technology issues—as this is crucial to ensuring that the GAO adopts modernized methods of government accountability going forward.
The Comptroller General of the United States is the principal accountability officer for the federal government and leader of the Government Accountability Office, a legislative branch agency that aids Congress in saving billions of dollars annually in waste.
Gene Dodaro is the current CG of the United States. Dodaro was nominated by President Obama to become the Acting Comptroller General on March 13, 2008, when David M. Walker announced he was departing from the office. Dodaro was later confirmed by the US Senate for a term of fifteen years on December 22, 2010. Thus, in accordance with the 15-year term limit for the position, Dodaro’s tenure as CG will soon be expiring on or around December 22, 2025.
The Comptroller General (CG) is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the US Senate. The CG’s term limit is 15 years, and reappointment is not allowed. When there is a vacancy in the CG position, Congress establishes a bipartisan, bicameral commission to recommend individuals to the President. The commission includes the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the majority and minority leaders of the House and the Senate, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
The CG leads the GAO in fulfillment of its mission to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information to improve government, ensure government accountability, and save taxpayer money.
The CG serves as the chief accountability officer for the federal government and oversees the operations of the GAO in a nonpartisan manner. This includes:
Auditing the financial statements that the Treasury Secretary and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) present to Congress and the President each year
Issuing Government Auditing Standards and participating in audit-related international forums
Supporting accountability across the federal government by reporting on and providing resources to prevent fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement of federal funds
Issuing legal decisions on disputes over government contracts
As the head of the GAO, the CG ensures that top GAO employees—especially the Chief Operating Officer, the General Counsel, and the Chief Financial Officer—are fulfilling their duties on behalf of the agency.
As the leader of the GAO, the CG determines the direction of the office and ensures GAO officials are fulfilling their responsibilities to oversee the actions of the executive branch. In other words, the CG spearheads the crucial missions of upholding accountability in the executive branch and ensuring the responsible usage of funds by the federal government. As the legislative branch’s workforce and needs continue to evolve, and as the executive branch becomes ever more complex, the CG is responsible for driving GAO’s evolution to remain a relevant and responsive support agency for Congress. For example, in response to Congress’s call for increased expertise on science and technology matters, over the last three years CG Dodaro pursued creation of GAO’s Science, Technology Assessment and Analytics (STAA) Team and Innovation Lab. These innovative departments within the agency have become a benchmark for legislative branch science and technology advancement and knowledge, demonstrating the agency’s agility in responding to Congress’s needs.
In addition, the Comptroller General is, in many ways, the face of the GAO. The CG regularly issues reports and delivers testimonies on the finances of federal departments and agencies, which can lead to hearings, legislation, improvements to government programs and services, and ultimately, the saving of billions of taxpayer dollars: for every dollar invested in the GAO, there is a $114 return for Congress and the American people.
CG Gene Dodaro says he and his office “continue to develop GAO’s efforts to meet the needs of Congress in such areas as science, technology and cybersecurity.” Through actions such as launching the GAO’s STAA Team and, more recently, the Innovation Lab, Dodaro has showcased the CG’s authority to initiate innovative ideas to fulfill the GAO’s goals of supporting Congress, preventing fraud, saving taxpayer dollars, and ensuring overall government accountability.
Through working with members of Congress in a nonpartisan fashion, the CG will oftentimes deliver testimonies to Congress regarding financial audits, investigations, and analyses of government accounts. With this responsibility of reporting to Congress, the CG holds a unique platform of influence: they can provide insights to Congress on how the federal government can continue to adopt more modernized, technologically-advanced methods to guarantee accountability in government finances.
As Comptroller General Gene Dodaro’s term will be expiring at the end of 2025, the search for the next CG will soon be underway. In light of this, it is important to highlight some characteristics and qualifications that the next CG should have:
Financial Auditing Experience
The role of CG demands extensive experience in financial auditing, as a core responsibility of the CG is to conduct and issue findings from audits of federal departments and agencies’ financial statements.
Before being nominated for the role, Comptroller General Gene Dodaro had ample experience specializing in financial management and budget issues, including a role in which he conducted the GAO’s first-ever audit of the financial statements of all federal departments and agencies. This kind of extensive background in financial auditing is crucial to the role of CG.
Knowledge of the Modern Congress
The CG position also requires an intimate knowledge of the modern Congress and its needs.
Delivering testimonies to Congress on audits, investigations, and analyses of government accounts are all part and parcel to the role of CG. In addition, the GAO’s work is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees. This makes comprehensive knowledge of the modern Congress an essential characteristic of the next CG.
Additionally, there are a number of long-term fiscal challenges that must be dealt with—rising federal debt, credit downgrades, and more. Thus, the next CG will need to be able to not just recommend solutions but actively ensure Congress is aware of what progress fails to be made and which recommendations remain unimplemented.
A Creative, Innovative Appraoch
The next CG should have a creative, innovative approach to the role—especially with regards to science and technology developments—to ensure the GAO remains relevant to the modern Congress.
Developments in science, AI, and technology continue to proliferate and have substantial impacts on the legislative and executive branches. In recent years, the GAO has invested heavily into its science, technology assessments and analytics (STAA) team. The next CG should build on this progress by not only possessing extensive knowledge of modern-day science, technology, and cybersecurity, but also driving new STAA initiatives that expand the GAO’s capacity and efficiency.
Eager for Partnership and Innovative Networking
The next CG should also be open and eager for partnership and innovative networking.
If the GAO, led by the Comptroller General, were to collaborate and share information with other executive branch agencies and Congressional contacts, this could drastically improve the efficiency and effectiveness of both GAO and Congress as a whole. Thus, having a CG that actively pursues creative partnerships, interconnectedness, and information-sharing across the federal government is paramount.
The GAO plays an essential role as Congress’s watchdog and elite research hub, churning out recommendations that result in billions of taxpayer dollars saved. As the agency prepares for a leadership change in the coming two years, Congress should soon begin its search for an innovative, experienced, and forward-thinking individual to become the next Comptroller General. The decision is a vital one, as the individual will play a key role in determining GAO’s future as an evolving, responsive, and relevant partner for the modern Congress.
