Summary: The financial requirements to carry out the responsibilities of the General Accounting Office (GAO) for fiscal year 1981 and to meet additional fiscal year 1980 costs beyond those that can be absorbed were presented. The accomplishments of GAO and plans to meet an increased workload were highlighted; benefits that Congress, the Federal Government, and the Nation have obtained from the activities of GAO were summarized. The need for additional fiscal year 1980 resources for GAO are evidenced by civilian pay raises; workload increases resulting from new legislation, increased requests for audit and evaluation work from Congress, and increased level of testimony before congressional committees; and the need to accelerate completion of the Federal Programs Inventory, a new responsibility requiring the development of an automated database which includes information on all Federal agencies. The present climate of the need to assure economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of Federal programs is great and underscores the need for an adequate level of coverage of Federal programs under the continuing oversight responsibilities of GAO. Resources provided to GAO are returned many times over in tangible savings and in significant improvements to virtually all Federal programs and agencies.
