To be a leading democracy in the information age means producing objective, independent, scientifically grounded, and widely shared quality information on where we are and where we are going, on both an absolute and relative basis, including comparisons to other nations.
David Walker, President and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation / Former Comptroller General of the United States
Publications
Suggested Areas for Oversight for the 110th Congress (GAO-07-235R)
November 2006
In November 2006, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, issued a study that outlined its suggested areas of oversight. In this study, the GAO described the need to develop a single set of key national indicators as a top priority for federal lawmakers. Such a system, the GAO found, would help inform strategic planning, enhance performance and accountability reporting, inform congressional oversight and decision making, facilitate oversight and stimulate greater citizen engagement. The GAO called for a government-wide strategic plan, supported by key national indicators to assess performance, position and progress.
INFORMING OUR NATION: Improving How to Understand and Assess the USA's Position and Progress (GAO-05-1)
November 2004
The GAO studied a diverse set of key indicator systems that provide economic, environmental, social and cultural information for local, state or regional jurisdictions covering about 25 percent of the American population, as well as several systems outside of the United States. This study was requested by Congressional leaders who recognized that they could benefit from the experiences of other groups that had already developed and implemented key indicator systems. The GAO found opportunities to improve how the United States understands and assesses its position and progress, and urged Congress to consider developing a national key indicator system for the United States.
FORUM ON KEY NATIONAL INDICATORS: Assessing the Nation's Position and Progress (GAO-03-672SP)
May 2003
The GAO, in cooperation with the National Academies, hosted a forum on key national indicators in February 2003. The purpose of the forum was to have a rich and meaningful dialogue on whether and how to develop a set of key national indicators for the United States. Forum participants—national leaders and experts from businesses, government, the media, foundations and nonprofits as well as the scientific, statistical and educational communities—discussed issues related to indicators at all levels, from communities to the nation as a whole. This report summarizes the research, points of view and commitments produced by that forum.