Sponsors (2)
The bill increases oversight and evidence‑based review to reduce improper payments and protect program sustainability, but it brings additional costs and oversight burdens and risks stricter enrollment rules that could delay or restrict benefits for eligible low‑income people.
Taxpayers: improved detection of improper payments will reduce waste and save federal dollars by identifying high‑risk program areas.
Low‑income individuals: programs serving them will get stronger controls against fraud and abuse, helping sustain program funding and better target resources to eligible recipients.
Federal agencies and Congress: will receive evidence‑based GAO analyses to guide policy changes that improve eligibility and enrollment accuracy and reduce issuance of erroneous benefits.
Low‑income individuals: tighter eligibility and enrollment processes could unintentionally delay or restrict benefits for eligible people if implemented rigidly.
State and local governments: could face increased federal oversight pressure and additional resource and staffing burdens to implement recommended changes.
Taxpayers: preparing periodic, comprehensive GAO assessments will add federal audit and staff costs, increasing government spending.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs GAO to assess and report on the highest-risk program areas and practices that threaten the integrity of federal funds administered by states, localities, and pass-through entities, and to recommend fixes.
Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to produce a report, within two years and periodically after, identifying program areas and administrative practices at the federal, state, and local levels that pose the greatest risk to the integrity of federal funds administered by states, localities, and pass-through entities. The GAO must identify systemic vulnerabilities, evaluate evidence-based mitigation practices, describe federal tools and technical assistance, and make recommendations to federal agencies and Congress to reduce improper payments and strengthen eligibility and enrollment processes. The GAO should rely on existing oversight, audit, and investigative materials where practicable, may perform new analyses or audits as needed, and is given discretion over methodology and report form. The law provides definitions for “improper payment” and “State” by reference to existing statutes.
Official title: Government Audit and Accountability of Federally Funded State-Administered Programs Act
Introduced March 26, 2026 by Ro Khanna · Last progress June 9, 2026