Government Accountability Office

Not to be confused with the Government Accountability Institute

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the investigative arm of Congress, which generates reports for congressmen and the public.

For example, a recent report of the GAO concluded that between 1993 and 2004 annual research and development spending by the pharmaceutical industry increased 147 percent, to $60 billion. But the report observed during the same period the number of new drug applications to the FDA grew by only 38 percent, and that new applications have generally declined since 1999.

In September 2007, the GAO reported that the Iraqi government had failed to meet 11 out of 18 non-binding benchmarks set by the United States Congress in May (four benchmarks were partially met).[1]

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Report Finds Little Progress in Iraq