Partnership for Public Service statement on the GAO comptroller general selection process 

WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service today released the following statement from President and CEO Max Stier in response to reports of a rushed process to select the next leader of the Government Accountability Office.

“Congress faces an urgent test of its ability to preserve independent oversight and accountability. The selection of the next Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office requires a thorough, transparent, and bipartisan selection process. Lawmakers should not allow a rushed process that sets the stage for the president to install a handpicked loyalist to lead the agency. Such a move would fundamentally undermine GAO’s independence and risk muzzling Congress’s most important tool for effective oversight. GAO must remain insulated from presidential influence so it can hold the executive branch accountable on Congress’s behalf.

“The law calls for a bipartisan commission to recommend candidates and that process should be followed. This is especially important given that the Comptroller General serves a 15-year term, making this a decision with implications that will extend far beyond any single administration or Congress. Senators must have the time to vet the nominees thoroughly and publicly, and should only confirm a leader with the independence, integrity, and expertise needed to ensure the GAO can fulfill its responsibilities to Congress.

“GAO is how Congress determines whether the money it appropriates is being spent lawfully and effectively. In fiscal year 2025 alone, that work produced $62.7 billion in financial benefits for taxpayers. Preserving its independence and ensuring it is led by a qualified, nonpartisan leader is essential to protecting that value for the American people and safeguarding our democracy.”

The Partnership for Public Service is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy.

Over the past 25 years and across five presidential administrations, we have offered government agencies and leaders crucial training and insights to better serve the public, championed legislation for effective government and shined a spotlight on the achievements of the federal workforce.

Now, building on our decades of experience, we engage the public about the value of government and how its erosion harms us all and advance reforms that seek to make our federal institutions more effective, responsive and accountable to the American people. We also strengthen leadership in federal, state and local government, help federal workers navigate an increasingly complex federal environment and provide former public servants with opportunities to shape efforts to transform government.

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