Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 363.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Apr 24, 2012

Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011- (Sec. 2) Authorizes the Comptroller General (GAO) to: (1) obtain federal agency records required to discharge his or her duties, including by bringing civil actions under this Act, (2) make and retain copies of agency records, and (3) administer oaths when investigating fraud or federal employee misconduct.

(Sec. 4) States that no provision of the Social Security Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (including any information disclosed to the Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for purposes of pre-merger review under the Clayton Act) shall be construed to limit, amend, or supersede GAO's authority to obtain any information, inspect, or copy any record under this Act.

Requires GAO to prescribe policies and procedures to protect from public disclosure proprietary or trade secret information obtained pursuant to this Act.

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Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to: (1) alter or amend the prohibitions against the disclosure of trade secrets or other sensitive information prohibited by federal and other applicable laws; or (2) affect prohibitions applicable to GAO against unauthorized disclosure of information.

(Sec. 5) Requires GAO to notify a congressional committee or Member of Congress if an agency has not provided within 30 days information requested by GAO relating to any request from such committee or Member.

(Sec. 6) Requires agency statements on actions taken or planned in response to GAO recommendations to be submitted to the congressional committees with jurisdiction over the pertinent agency program or activity and to GAO.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. McCaskill, Claire [D-MO] · D–MO

Committees

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Apr 24, 2012
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 363.
Apr 24, 2012
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with amendments. With written report No. 112-159.
Apr 24, 2012
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Lieberman with amendments. With written report No. 112-159.
Oct 19, 2011
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Jan 31, 2011
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jan 31, 2011
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Reported to Senate · Apr 24, 2012 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in Senate · Jan 31, 2011 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze S.237 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.237, 112th Congress: Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/237

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2012-04-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s237/BILLS-112s237rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:40:25Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.237 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.237 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.237, 112th Congress: Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/237

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2012-04-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s237/BILLS-112s237rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:40:25Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.237 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.237 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

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Discuss S.237, 112th Congress: Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/237

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2012-04-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s237/BILLS-112s237rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:40:25Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.237 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.237 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

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Discuss S.237, 112th Congress: Government Accountability Office Improvement Act of 2011

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/senate-bill/237

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 2012-04-24.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/s237/BILLS-112s237rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:40:25Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.237 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.