The Government Accountability Office(GAO), is charged with auditing the entire federal government, and making recommendations to Congress. The GAO has been around since 1923. Dare I say, they're not doing their job properly.

“GAO 6.0” Re-structuring & Policy recommendations:

Item 1:

Item 1a:

The GAO needs to be an independent U.S. Government agency, with the same authority of a cabinet department.

Currently the GAO is the auditing arm for the U.S. Congress. The people at GAO may be fiercely independent, but they're still mostly an obscure advisory agency to the Legislative branch.

The GAO issues about 800 reports and 1500 policy recommendations, annually. Americans rarely ask their congressional delegation, how much work they put in to reviewing those reports and acting on the policy recommendations.

Item 1b:

All GAO employees, contractors, sub-contractors and advisors will become AT WILL federal employee. With an annual performance review. All GAO positions will be probationary for the first 730 days.

Item 2:

The Comptroller General of the United States(GAO director), will be a direct Presidential appointment of one 5-year term. An appointment that can be terminated within that 5-year period, only by the President.

This will not be a U.S. Senate confirmed appointment.

Currently, the GAO director serves a 15-year term, and that process is not getting practical results.

Item 3:

All current Inspector General offices in the U.S. Government, will become an operating division in the GAO, reporting directly to new GAO Chief Inspector General Officer.

Item 3a:

All Inspectors' General will meet the following education, employment and operational requirements:

Item 3a1:

AT WILL federal employee, with an annual performance review. The position will be probationary for 730 days.

Item 3a2:

Masters Degree + 15 years experience in accounting, forensic accounting, auditing and finance or,

PhD. + 12 years experience in accounting, forensic accounting, auditing and finance or,

Bachelors degree +20 years experience in accounting, forensic accounting, auditing and finance.

Item 3a3:

The Inspector General will be a bonded position.

Item 4:

Transparency guidelines:

Item 4a:

Every audit, report and policy recommendation, will be posted on the GAO website, and updated every week as needed.

Item 4b:

The Comptroller General and COO, will be required to give a televised report, the last Sunday of each month, 7pm – 11pm EST. They will report on every thing they did at the GAO that month. All media outlets will be invited to cover the monthly GAO report.

Their reports shall be 30 minutes each.

Item 4c:

On a 6-month rotating basis, the following GAO senior officers and other U.S. Government officers, will join the Comptroller and COO, to give 30 minute reports each.

6 officers per month:

GAO inspector General

Chief quality officer

Continuous Process Improvement

Chief administrative officer(or deputy)

Applied research and methods

Defense capabilities and management

Financial management and assurance

Forensic audits and investigative service

Homeland security and justice

Information Technology and Cybersecurity

Physical Infrastructure

Strategic issues

Contracting and national security acquisitions

Education, workforce and income security

Financial markets and community investment

Health care

International affairs and trade

Natural Resources and Environment

Science, technology assessments and analytics

State dept. inspector general

Treasury dept. inspector general

Defense dept. inspector general

Justice dept. inspector general

USDA inspector general

HHS inspector general

SSA chief actuary

Energy dept. inspector general

Commerce dept. inspector general

CIA inspector general

DHS inspector general

NSA inspector general

Interior dept. inspector general

EPA inspector general

Transportation dept. inspector general

Treasury dept. Office of the Treasurer

Treasury dept. Office of financial stability

NOTE: Most Americans are out of cash at the end of the month. Hence the reason for the GAO staff to give their reports on the last Sunday.

Item 4d:

All GAO officials at a senior management level, will need to serve under a performance bond, posted annually.

Item 5:

A GAO “Open-Market Team” will be created. This office will focus on bringing down the cost of government procurements and service contracts.

The goal will be for all U.S. Government contracts and procurements to be at a fair-market value.

Item 6:

A GAO “Closure Team” will be created. This office will focus on Departments, Bureaus, Divisions, agencies, Offices, Programs and Grant programs that need to be eliminated.

The criteria will be to close down any of the above within 24 months.

No section of the federal government will be excluded.

Item 7:

All GAO annual reports and policy recommendations, will be posted on the GAO website.

Item 8:

Every report and policy recommendation on the GAO website, will have a “I Support This” Button, to allow citizens to send that specific report/policy to their Representative and Senators.

This will be a simple two-step process. Where the citizen enters their zip-code, click the button, the software program brings up their Rep/Senators and they click “SUBMIT.”

Item 9:

Every federal department, independent agency, commission, agency website: Shall have a BIG RED BUTTON on their homepage, that reads: “Budget, line by line. Click Here.”

The GAO website homepage will have a master RED button that reads: “Federal Government Budget, line by line, Click Here.”

Item 10:

Add two assistant general counsels for contract law.

Item 11:

Eliminate the staff office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness.

The GAO demands must be merit-based/skillset-based employment, if the U.S. Government is to be properly audited.

Item 12:

Add more staff to the Audit Policy Quality Assurance office.

Item 13:

Add a specific office for A.I. Auditing.

Item 14:

Every 5 years, a full review of the GAO structure, practices, processes and procedures; as part of an “ISO” for policy changes and restucturing needs..