Government Accountability Office (GAO)

In their own words – “The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the “congressional watchdog,” GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars….Our Mission is to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and ensure the accountability of the federal government for the benefit of the American people. We provide Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonpartisan, nonideological, fair, and balanced….Our Work is done at the request of congressional committees or subcommittees or is mandated by public laws or committee reports.”   See more on the GAO here.

Despite their claims of being fair and balanced, a review of the GAO reports on the Postal Service show a bias toward defining the large mailers as the stakeholders and their view that urgent action is needed to dismantle the Postal Service.   Still, the reports often have useful factual information that could be used to the advantage of the American public to save the Post Office and preserve good jobs for their communities.  In addition, the GAO reports often provide advance notice of  the issues that Congress is focused on.  For your convenience, below are GAO reports that have something to do with the Postal Service and/or postal workers.  To check all GAO reports click here.

September 26, 2013
Health and Pension Benefits Proposals Involve Trade-offs – Testimony Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate

September 26, 2013
Information on Workforce Injuries Arising During Mail Delivery

July 18, 2013
U.S. Postal Service: Proposed Health Plan Could Improve Financial Condition, but Impact on Medicare and Other Issues Should Be Weighed before Approval

July 10, 2013
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Analysis of Benefits Under Proposed Program Changes

June 25, 2013
Opportunities to Increase Revenue Exist with Competitive Products; Reviewing Long-Term Results Could Better Inform Promotions Decisions

April 17, 2013
U.S. Postal Service: Urgent Action Needed to Achieve Financial Sustainability

March 21, 2013
U.S. Postal Service–Applicability of Appropriations Act Provision Under Continuing Resolution

February 13, 2013
U.S. Postal Service: Urgent Action Needed to Achieve Financial Sustainability

January 15, 2013
U.S. Postal Service: Overview of Initiatives to Increase Revenue and Introduce Nonpostal Services and Experimental Postal Products

December 4, 2012
U.S. Postal Service: Status, Financial Outlook, and Alternative Approaches to Fund Retiree Health Benefits

November 26, 2012
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Analysis of Proposed Changes on USPS Beneficiaries

November 14, 2012
Contract Postal Units: Analysis of Location, Service, and Financial Characteristics

October 26, 2012
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Analysis of Proposed Program Changes

July 25, 2012
Federal Real Property: Strategic Partnerships and Local Coordination Could Help Agencies Better Utilize Space

April 25, 2012
U.S. Postal Service: Field Offices’ Role in Cost-Reduction and Revenue-Generation Efforts

April 17, 2012
U.S. Postal Service: Challenges Related to Restructuring the Postal Service’s Retail Network

April 12, 2012
U.S. Postal Service: Mail Processing Network Exceeds What Is Needed for Declining Mail Volume

March 21, 2012
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Status of Previously Identified Management Challenges

February 6, 2012
Federal Employees’ Compensation Act: Benefits for Retirement-Age Beneficiaries

January 25, 2012
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES’ COMPENSATION ACT: Preliminary Observations on Fraud-Prevention Controls

November 17, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Action Needed to Maximize Cost-Saving Potential of Alternatives to Post Offices

October 20, 2011
Government Operations: Potential Financial Effect on the U.S. Postal Service of Increased Voting by Mail

October 14, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Mail Trends Highlight Need to Fundamentally Change Business Model

October 13, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Allocation of Responsibility for Pension Benefits between the Postal Service and the Federal Government

September 30, 2011
Decennial Census: Census Bureau and Postal Service Should Pursue Opportunities to Further Enhance Collaboration

September 6, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Actions Needed to Stave off Financial Insolvency

June 15, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Dire Financial Outlook and Changing Mail Use Require Network Restructuring

May 17, 2011
United States Postal Service: Strategy Needed to Address Aging Delivery Fleet

May 5, 2011
United States Postal Service: Strategy Needed to Address Aging Delivery Fleet

March 29, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Ending Saturday Delivery Would Reduce Costs, but Comprehensive Restructuring Is Also Needed

March 2, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Modernization and Restructuring Needed to Address Financial Challenges

February 16, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Foreign Posts’ Strategies Could Inform U.S. Postal Service’s Efforts to Modernize