Perspectives on Fiscal and Performance Challenges Facing the Federal Government

This is a Comptroller General Presentation delivered to the South East and South West Intergovernmental Audit Forum in Biloxi, MS on September 17, 2013. Major topics of this presentation include: overall budget environment in the near and long term, the budget control act: focus on discretionary spending, debt held by the public under two fiscal policy simulations, potential fiscal outcomes, governmentwide improper payments: estimates are decreasing but are not complete, internal controls: updating GAO's green book, and GAO's approach to collaboration with the accountability community on PPACA.