Staff have better access to nonpartisan, fact-based science and technology expertise.
Why This Matters
Science and technology industries and the tools they use are rapidly changing. Over the last three years alone, policy staff have had to become experts on pandemic healthcare and vaccine development, cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, 5G, GenAI, and more. To get smart on these topics quickly, staff need timely, fact-based, nonpartisan policy insights that they can trust. The GAO STAA team began supporting staff in this way after its launch in 2019.
How It Happened
GAO is a key support Legislative branch agency for Congress, assisting in data gathering and analysis to keep the Executive branch accountable. GAO’s strong network of experts across all industries, married with its strict commitment to nonpartisanship, set it up for success when it undertook the creation and launch of STAA in 2019. By listening to and understanding the needs of the modern House Member and staff, the GAO’s STAA showcased how an agency could adapt to the needs of a modern Congress tackling the world’s most challenging issues. ModCom recognized STAA’s value and made recommendation #141. Today, STAA, its Innovation Lab, and all of the other offices under GAO continue to provide vital information to Members of Congress elevating our nation’s policy discussions.
The Impact
In the years since its creation, the STAA — and GAO as a whole — continues to be a trusted source for Congressional staff. In addition to providing timely data and technology assessments, the STAA announced the creation of its Innovation Lab, a forward-looking hub for experimentation and policy forecasting. To date, the STAA has published over 50 foresight-oriented assessments and explainers to aid Congressional staff in their understanding of complex science and technology issues.
Next Steps
Congress should ensure that GAO’s STAA has the proper resources and personnel it needs to provide Congress with the foresight, oversight, and insight on the most pressing science and technology issues of our time.
Glossary
ADA = Americans with Disabilities Act
AOC = Architect of the Capitol
CHA = Committee on House Administration
CAO = House Chief Administrative Officer
CDTF = Congressional Data Task Force
COLA = Cost-of-Living Adjustment
CPF = Community Project Funding
CR = Continuing Resolution
GAO = Government Accountability Office
GAO STAA = The Government Accountability Office’s Science, Technology Assessment, and Analytics team
GenAI = Generative Artificial Intelligence
HIRO = House Intern Resource Office
HDS = House Digital Service
LIS = Legislative Information Service
LLM = Large Language Model
MIA = Modernization Initiatives Account
ModCom = The House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress
ModSub = Subcommittee on Modernization (ModSub) within the Committee on House Administration
MOU = Memorandum of Understanding
NMO = New Member Orientation
OCWR = Office of Congressional Workplace Rights
