David Walker, who is the United States Comptroller General and the head of the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Congress’s chief watchdog organization, announced that he will be leaving the agency to pursue other professional opportunities. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Ranking Member Susan Collins released this statement:
“As our nation’s Comptroller General, David Walker has served admirably as Congress’s fiscal watchdog. Under his leadership, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has conducted numerous investigations that helped expose and eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government, including the biennial “high risk” list that captures the most troubled government programs and provides a roadmap for needed reform. The reports of the GAO save millions in taxpayer dollars, and Mr. Walker’s “Fiscal Wake-up Tour” – a series of town hall-style forums across the nation – has raised important issues about the long-term fiscal health of the country.
“Under Mr. Walker’s leadership, the GAO has worked closely with the Senate Homeland Security Committee on numerous issues, such as border security, homeland security grants, immigration services, interagency contracting, information sharing, and human capital reform, to name just a few. His close work with Senator Lieberman and me on many major investigations, including Hurricane Katrina, has provided invaluable date and insights that have informed with our committee’s investigations and legislation. I wish him all the best.
“His departure from GAO will be a big loss to the agency. I am grateful for his many years of dedicated public service and wish him well in his new endeavors.”
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