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United States Government Accountability Office

United States Government Accountability Office

5.9
An independent agency that checks how the U.S. government spends money and reports to Congress
  • proper noun
  • Formal
translation icon : Oficina de Responsabilidad Gubernamental de los Estados Unidos
  • The United States Government Accountability Office audits federal agencies to ensure that taxpayer money is spent efficiently.
  • United States Government Accountability Office (2004)

Examples

  • These concerns have led to calls for caution in applying NCLBA to rural schools by rural education advocacy groups such as the Rural School and Community Trust (Jimerson, 2003) as well as by government agencies (United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), 2004).

    Academic text (2005)
  • In conclusion, the United States Government Accountability Office (2004) indicates that rural school districts need additional resources in order to meet the requirements of NCLBA.

    Academic text (2005)
  • According to the United States Government Accountability Office (2004) in a report that summarized the additional assistance and strategies that would help small rural districts: PREFORMATTED TABLE

    Academic text (2005)
  • The United States Government Accountability Office revealed significant waste in several government programs through its recent investigation.

  • Many citizens rely on the United States Government Accountability Office to provide unbiased reports on government spending.

Synonyms

GAO
vsUnited States Government Accountability Office
  • US
1 7.2

A U.S. government agency that checks how federal agencies spend money and reports to Congress and the public

is the full formal name rather than the abbreviated form
Government Accounting Office
vsUnited States Government Accountability Office
  • Formal
4.8

An independent U.S. agency that helps Congress check how the government spends public money

is the standard official name for that oversight role

Surface Forms

Morphology

united + state + government + accountability + office

The name is fully compositional: it denotes an 'office' concerned with 'government accountability' of the 'United States', so a learner who knows the constituent words will infer it is an official body dealing with oversight or responsibility for the U.S. government. Although institutional specifics (e.g., its independence or relationship to Congress) are not derivable, the core referent and function are predictable from the parts and follow common naming patterns for official bodies.

Etymology

United States Government Accountability Office began as an office whose job was to count and check government money and work. So the name, with accountability and office, helps you remember that it 'checks' and reports on how the government spends money.