Government Accountability Office (GAO) Podcast: Watchdog Report
Summary: Featuring interviews with GAO officials on significant issues and new reports, the Watchdog Report is recorded, hosted, and produced by GAO staff.
- Visit Website
- RSS
- Artist: Government Accountability Office
- Copyright: GAO's products and information on GAO's Web site are not protected by copyright law in the United States and may be copied and distributed in their entirety without permission from GAO.
Podcasts:
Most of the seafood Americans eat comes from abroad and much of it is farm-raised. How could FDA and USDA better protect consumers from potential health risk associated with eating imported seafood?
The Department of Veterans Affairs reports on the health care quality of both VA and non-VA medical centers on two websites. We looked at how useful and easily accessible veterans find this information when determining where to access care.
Federal agency information systems collect and hold a massive amount of data, from tax records to contract paperwork to classified information. So what policies and practices are government agencies using to keep the information it collects secure?
Recent advances in science and technology are making it possible to simultaneously test for multiple infections at the same time. We talk about the potential benefits to patients and challenges with bringing this technology to a doctor's office near you.
Thousands of U.S. diplomatic personnel and their families live in an overseas environment with a host of security threats and challenges. So how prepared is the Department of State to protect personnel and diplomatic facilities?
In fiscal year 2016, the Department of Defense spent $150 billion on service contracts. How do these services support DOD's mission? How does DOD manage these contracts?
The U.S. energy pipeline network is composed of over 2.7 million miles of pipelines transporting gas and hazardous liquids. What are these pipelines made of and how are they maintained?
The U.S. Postal Service has monopolies on delivering letters and accessing mailboxes, which were designed to protect its revenues and help it provide universal service. However, its net losses reached $5.6 billion in fiscal year 2016--and have topped $62 billion over the past decade. We looked at potential changes that could help the Postal Service fulfill its mission.
Combating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, best known as ISIS, is a U.S. national security priority. This fight requires vast military, humanitarian, and cybersecurity resources, among other things. We'll talk about some key issues around the U.S. strategy for countering ISIS in this longer form podcast.
The Department of Defense has a program that transfers some of its excess equipment--such as night vision goggles and simulated rifles--to law enforcement agencies. Transfer of this equipment is supposed to be tightly controlled, because many of these items are weapons or could easily be converted into weapons. But could a fictitious federal agency gain access to the program and obtain these controlled items?
VA estimates that 44 percent of veterans who served in the Persian Gulf War in 1990-91 have Gulf War Illness--and soldiers that have since been deployed to Southwest Asia may suffer from similar medical issues. So, how is the VA dealing with vets who submit claims for Gulf War Illness?
The Department of Veterans Affairs has faced challenges managing its budget and ensuring that veterans have access to health care. So, how can the VA accurately measure whether it's providing quality health care?
Memory Supplements are a growing market - sales nearly doubled to $643 million in 2015 from 2006. So, how are these products marketed? And do their marketing practices violate federal laws?
The United States faces a complex national security environment. How has over a decade of warfare impacted our military's readiness to face new and evolving threats? We take a look at this and a host of other challenges facing the Department of Defense in this longer-form podcast.
Most of the National Weather Service's operations offices are open 24 hours a day, every day, to issue weather forecasts and warnings. But how are their staff vacancies--which are growing--affecting their ability to provide this lifesaving information?