The Recovery Act requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the use of Recovery funds by states and localities every two months. Its reports are below:
Mar. 3, 2010
Recovery Act: One Year Later, States' and Localities' Uses of Funds and Opportunities to Strengthen Accountability
As of February 12, 2010, $88.7 billion, or a little more than 30 percent, of the approximately $282 billion of total Recovery Act funds for programs administered by states and localities had been paid out by the federal government. GAO's latest report is its fifth on the uses of and accountability for Recovery Act funds in 16 selected states and in the District of Columbia. It is also the second GAO report commenting on jobs created or retained as reported by recipients of Recovery Act funds. In addition, the report updates the status of efforts by various federal agencies to implement GAO's 23 previous recommendations and makes 5 new recommendations to improve accountability.
The 508 accessible text can be found here:
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-437
Dec. 10, 2009
One-Quarter of Recovery Act Funds Administered by States and Localities Has Been Paid Out
In its fourth report, GAO found that as of November 27, 2009, $69.1 billion, or about one quarter of the approximately $280 billion of total Recovery Act funds for programs administered by states and localities, had been paid out. GAO's work continues to focus on selected states' and localities' uses of and accountability for the Recovery Act funds. GAO also updates the status of federal agencies' efforts to implement prior GAO recommendations to help address a range of accountability issues.
GAO Highlights (PDF 216 KB) GAO Full Report (PDF 3.89 MB)
Nov. 19, 2009
Recipient Reports: Good Initial Efforts to Ensure Accurate Reporting but Significant Data Quality Issues Need Addressing
GAO’s first review of recipient reported jobs data found that while the recipients GAO contacted appear to have made good faith efforts to ensure complete and accurate reporting, GAO’s fieldwork and initial review and analysis of recipient data from www.recovery.gov, indicate that there are a range of significant reporting and quality issues that need to be addressed. GAO recommended steps OMB should take in continuing to work with federal agencies to increase recipients’ understanding of the jobs (full-time-equivalent) reporting requirements and guidance. GAO also recommended that OMB should work with the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and federal agencies to re-examine quality assurance processes, procedures, and requirements in light of identified data quality issues in the first round of recipient reporting.
GAO Highlights (PDF 160 KB) GAO Full Report (PDF 1.14 MB)
Sept. 23, 2009
GAO Issues Report on Recovery Act Funds: Need for Accountability and Reporting Challenges to Be Fully Addressed
In its third bimonthly report, GAO found that as of September 11, 2009, the Department of the Treasury had outlayed about $48 billion of the estimated $49 billion in Recovery funds to states and localities in federal Fiscal Year 2009. GAO reviewed selected states' and localities' uses of, accountability for, and evaluations of the impact of the Recovery Act funds. GAO will make recommendations to federal agencies administering the Recovery programs on how to address accountability and transparency issues and to the Office of Management and Budget regarding clearer accountability for recipient financial data and timely notification of funding provided within a state.
GAO Highlights (PDF 89 KB) GAO Full Report (PDF 1.66 MB)
July 8, 2009
GAO Issues Report on States' and Localities' Uses of Recovery Act Funds While Facing Fiscal Stresses
For this second bimonthly report, GAO focused on nine federal programs that are expected to account for approximately 87 percent of Recovery Act funding to states and localities in Fiscal Year 2009. GAO looked at selected states' and localities' current and planned use of these Recovery funds, along with their approaches for ensuring accountability of the funds received, and evaluating the impact of the funds. The report recommended several ways to improve the monitoring of Recovery Act programs at the state level, such as:
- The Office of Management and Budget should leverage Single Audits as an oversight tool for evaluating Recovery Act programs. The Single Audit Act requires state and local governments and nonprofit organizations receiving more than $500,000 in federal awards in a year to obtain an audit.
- Congress should consider a mechanism to help fund the additional costs and efforts for auditing Recovery Act programs.
GAO Highlights (PDF 129 KB) GAO Full Report (PDF 5.8 MB)
April 28, 2009
GAO Issues First Report on Recovery Act Accountability
The Recovery Act calls for $280 billion to be administered through states and localities. The Act requires the GAO to do bimonthly reviews of the use of funds by selected states and localities. In this first report, GAO describes selected states' and localities' uses and planning of Recovery Act funds, accountability approaches, and plans to evaluate the impact of funds received. GAO's work is focused on 16 states and the District of Columbia—representing about 65 percent of the U.S. population and two-thirds of the intergovernmental federal assistance available through the Recovery Act. The report makes recommendations to strengthen accountability for these funds.
GAO Highlights (PDF 126 KB) GAO Full Report (PDF 2.6 MB)