GAO has released its biennial list of government programs susceptible to waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement.
The list includes four new programs since 2007: modernizing the federal financial regulatory system, protecting public health through better oversight of medical products, transforming EPA’s processes for accessing and controlling toxic chemicals, and – one added in 2008, preparations for the 2010 Census.
The FAA’s air traffic control modernization initiative has been removed from the list. According to GAO-09-271, since 2007, the FAA has continued to make progress in addressing the root causes of its past problems and has committed to sustaining that effort.
Committee ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, described the list as a roadmap for rooting out waste, fraud, abuse and inefficiencies. "It is obvious from GAO’s 2009 high risk list that much work remains to be done," she said.
The chair of the federal workforce subcommittee, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, cited the need for improvements especially in DHS. "We must empower the DHS under secretary for management with the authority and resources to promote management reform."
He also said that he is committed to working with OPM to improve the government’s hiring process.