<section xmlns="http://xml.house.gov/schemas/uslm/1.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" style="-uslm-lc:I80" id="idb6b0538f-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712"><num value="712">§ 712.</num><heading> Investigating the use of public money</heading>
<chapeau style="-uslm-lc:I11" class="indent0">The Comptroller General shall—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I12" class="indent1" id="idb6b05390-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712/1"><num value="1">(1)</num><content> investigate all matters related to the receipt, disbursement, and use of public money;</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I12" class="indent1" id="idb6b05391-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712/2"><num value="2">(2)</num><content> estimate the cost to the United States Government of complying with each restriction on expenditures of a specific appropriation in a general appropriation law and report each estimate to Congress with recommendations the Comptroller General considers desirable;</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I12" class="indent1" id="idb6b05392-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712/3"><num value="3">(3)</num><content> analyze expenditures of each executive agency the Comptroller General believes will help Congress decide whether public money has been used and expended economically and efficiently;</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I12" class="indent1" id="idb6b05393-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712/4"><num value="4">(4)</num><content> make an investigation and report ordered by either House of Congress or a committee of Congress having jurisdiction over revenue, appropriations, or expenditures; and</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I12" class="indent1" id="idb6b07aa4-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52" identifier="/us/usc/t31/s712/5"><num value="5">(5)</num><content> give a committee of Congress having jurisdiction over revenue, appropriations, or expenditures the help and information the committee requests.</content>
</paragraph>
<sourceCredit id="idb6b07aa5-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52">(<ref href="/us/pl/97/258">Pub. L. 97–258</ref>, <date date="1982-09-13">Sept. 13, 1982</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/96/889">96 Stat. 889</ref>.)</sourceCredit>
<notes type="uscNote" id="idb6b07aa6-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52">
<note topic="historicalAndRevision" id="idb6b07aa7-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52">
<table xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class="HNR" width="50%" style="border-collapse:collapse;  border-bottom:1px solid black; -uslm-lc: c3,L2,tp7,s10,xls64,xs96,tp7,s10,xls64,xs96; " id="idb6b07aa8-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52">
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<thead>
<tr class="title" style="font-size:7pt; border-bottom:1px solid black; -uslm-lc:I95;">
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<p style=""><span style="font-variant:small-caps">Historical and Revision Notes</span></p></th>
</tr>
<tr class="header" style="font-size:6pt; border-bottom:1px solid black;  border-top:1px solid black; -uslm-lc:h1;">
<th style="min-width: 38.0pt; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; border-right:1px solid black;"><p style=" text-align:center;"><i>Revised Section</i></p></th><th style="width:68.0pt ; max-width:68.0pt; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black;"><p style=" text-align:center;"><i>Source (U.S. Code)</i></p></th><th style="width:100.0pt ; max-width:100.0pt; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; border-left:1px solid black;"><p style=" text-align:center;"><i>Source (Statutes at Large)</i></p></th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody style="line-height:7pt; font-size:6pt;">
<tr style="border-top:1px solid black; -uslm-lc:I01;"><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;" class="leaders"><span>712(1)</span></p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;">31:53(a)(1st sentence words before 5th comma).</p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-left:1px solid black; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;"><a href="/us/act/1921-06-10/ch18/s312/a">June 10, 1921, ch. 18, § 312(a)</a>(1st sentence words before 5th comma), (b), <a href="/us/stat/42/25">42 Stat. 25</a>.</p></td></tr>
<tr style="-uslm-lc:I01;"><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;" class="leaders"><span>712(2)</span></p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;">31:59.</p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-left:1px solid black; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;"><a href="/us/act/1946-08-02/ch753">Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753</a>, §§ 205, 206(1st sentence), <a href="/us/stat/60/837">60 Stat. 837</a>.</p></td></tr>
<tr style="-uslm-lc:I01;"><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;" class="leaders"><span>712(3)</span></p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;">31:60(1st sentence).</p></td><td style=" text-align:right; vertical-align:top; border-left:1px solid black; padding-left: 2pt;"/></tr>
<tr style="-uslm-lc:I01;"><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;" class="leaders"><span>712(4)</span></p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;">31:53(b)(1st sentence).</p></td><td style=" text-align:right; vertical-align:top; border-left:1px solid black; padding-left: 2pt;"/></tr>
<tr style="-uslm-lc:I01;"><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;" class="leaders"><span>712(5)</span></p></td><td style=" text-align:left; vertical-align:top; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; padding-right:2pt; padding-left: 2pt;"><p style=" text-align:left; text-indent: -1em; padding-left:1em;">31:53(b)(last sentence).</p></td><td style=" text-align:right; vertical-align:top; border-left:1px solid black; padding-left: 2pt;"/></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0">In clause (1), the words “at the seat of government or elsewhere” are omitted as surplus.</p>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0">In clause (2), the words “estimate the cost to the United States Government of complying with each restriction on expenditures” are substituted for “make a full and complete study of restrictions . . . limiting the expenditure therein with a view to determining the cost to the Government incident to complying with such restrictions”, and the word “desirable” is substituted for “necessary or desirable”, to eliminate unnecessary words.</p>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0">In clause (3), the words “executive agency” are substituted for “agency in the executive branch of the Government (including Government corporations)” because of section 102 of the revised title.</p>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0">In clause (4), the words “committee of Congress” are substituted for “committee of either House” for consistency.</p>
<p style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0">In clause (5), the words “at the request of any such committee, direct assistants from his office” are omitted as surplus.</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="idb6b07aa9-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Oversight and Audit Authority</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/116/136/dB/tIX/s19010">Pub. L. 116–136, div. B, title IX, § 19010</ref>, <date date="2020-03-27">Mar. 27, 2020</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/134/579">134 Stat. 579</ref>, provided that:<quotedContent origin="/us/pl/116/136/dB/tIX/s19010">
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="a">“(a)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Definitions</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>In this section—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><chapeau> the term ‘appropriate congressional committees’ means—</chapeau><subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="A">“(A)</num><content> the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="B">“(B)</num><content> the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="C">“(C)</num><content> the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="D">“(D)</num><content> the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="E">“(E)</num><content> the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives;</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="F">“(F)</num><content> the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of Representatives; and</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="G">“(G)</num><content> the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and</content>
</subparagraph>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><content> the term ‘Comptroller General’ means the Comptroller General of the United States.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="b">“(b)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Authority</inline>.—</heading><content>The Comptroller General shall conduct monitoring and oversight of the exercise of authorities, or the receipt, disbursement, and use of funds made available, under this Act [div. B of <ref href="/us/pl/116/136">Pub. L. 116–136</ref>, see Tables for classification] or any other Act to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic and the effect of the pandemic on the health, economy, and public and private institutions of the United States, including public health and homeland security efforts by the Federal Government and the use of selected funds under this or any other Act related to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic and a comprehensive audit and review of charges made to Federal contracts pursuant to authorities provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act [<ref href="/us/pl/116/136">Pub. L. 116–136</ref>, see Tables for classification].</content>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="c">“(c)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Briefings and Reports</inline>.—</heading><chapeau>In conducting monitoring and oversight under subsection (b), the Comptroller General shall—</chapeau><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><content> during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [<date date="2020-03-27">Mar. 27, 2020</date>] and ending on the date on which the national emergency declared by the President under the National Emergencies Act (<ref href="/us/usc/t50/s1601">50 U.S.C. 1601</ref> et seq.) with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19) expires, offer regular briefings on not less frequently than a monthly basis to the appropriate congressional committees regarding Federal public health and homeland security efforts;</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><chapeau> publish reports regarding the ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts, which, along with any audits and investigations conducted by the Comptroller General, shall be submitted to the appropriate congressional committees and posted on the website of the Government Accountability Office—</chapeau><subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="A">“(A)</num><content> not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and every other month thereafter until the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act; and</content>
</subparagraph>
<subparagraph style="-uslm-lc:I23" class="indent2"><num value="B">“(B)</num><content> after the period described in subparagraph (A), on a periodic basis; and</content>
</subparagraph>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="3">“(3)</num><content> submit to the appropriate congressional committees additional reports as warranted by the findings of the monitoring and oversight activities of the Comptroller General.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="d">“(d)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Access to Information.—</inline></heading><paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="1">“(1)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Right of access</inline>.—</heading><content>In conducting monitoring and oversight activities under this section, the Comptroller General shall have access to records, upon request, of any Federal, State, or local agency, contractor, grantee, recipient, or subrecipient pertaining to any Federal effort or assistance of any type related to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic under this Act or any other Act, including private entities receiving such assistance.</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="2">“(2)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Copies</inline>.—</heading><content>The Comptroller General may make and retain copies of any records accessed under paragraph (1) as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="3">“(3)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Interviews</inline>.—</heading><content>In addition to such other authorities as are available, the Comptroller General or a designee of the Comptroller General may interview Federal, State, or local officials, contractor staff, grantee staff, recipients, or subrecipients pertaining to any Federal effort or assistance of any type related to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic under this or any other Act, including private entities receiving such assistance.</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="4">“(4)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Inspection of facilities</inline>.—</heading><content>As determined necessary by the Comptroller General, the Government Accountability Office may inspect facilities at which Federal, State, or local officials, contractor staff, grantee staff, or recipients or subrecipients carry out their responsibilities related to the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic.</content>
</paragraph>
<paragraph style="-uslm-lc:I22" class="indent1"><num value="5">“(5)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Enforcement</inline>.—</heading><content>Access rights under this subsection shall be subject to enforcement consistent with <ref href="/us/usc/t31/s716">section 716 of title 31</ref>, United States Code.</content>
</paragraph>
</subsection>
<subsection style="-uslm-lc:I21" class="indent0"><num value="e">“(e)</num><heading> <inline class="small-caps">Relationship to Existing Authority</inline>.—</heading><content>Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit, amend, supersede, or restrict in any manner any existing authority of the Comptroller General.”</content>
</subsection>
</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="idb6b0c8ca-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Identification, Consolidation, and Elimination of Duplicative Government Programs</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/111/139/tII/s21">Pub. L. 111–139, title II, § 21</ref>, <date date="2010-02-12">Feb. 12, 2010</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/124/29">124 Stat. 29</ref>, provided that: <quotedContent origin="/us/pl/111/139/tII/s21">“The Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office shall conduct routine investigations to identify programs, agencies, offices, and initiatives with duplicative goals and activities within Departments and governmentwide and report annually to Congress on the findings, including the cost of such duplication and with recommendations for consolidation and elimination to reduce duplication identifying specific rescissions.”</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
<note style="-uslm-lc:I74" topic="miscellaneous" id="idb6b0c8cb-80bb-11ea-989b-d8c1717abb52"><heading class="centered smallCaps">Report on Tobacco Settlement Agreement</heading><p><ref href="/us/pl/107/171/tX/s10908">Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10908</ref>, <date date="2002-05-13">May 13, 2002</date>, <ref href="/us/stat/116/538">116 Stat. 538</ref>, provided that: <quotedContent origin="/us/pl/107/171/tX/s10908">“Not later than <date date="2002-12-31">December 31, 2002</date>, and annually thereafter through 2006, the Comptroller General shall submit to Congress a report that describes all programs and activities that States have carried out using funds received under all phases of the Master Settlement Agreement of 1997.”</quotedContent>
</p>
</note>
</notes>
</section>