7th Annual Performance Report Scorecard: Which Federal Agencies Best Inform the Public?

Featuring:

Hon. David Walker 
Comptroller General of the United States
Government Accountability Office

Hon. Maurice P. McTigue 
Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Vice President
Mercatus Center at George Mason University 

Dr. Jerry Ellig 
Senior Research Fellow
Mercatus Center at George Mason University 

The past year has seen a dramatic change in public awareness of government accountability. Lobbying scandals, bridges to nowhere, disaster relief disasters, and earmarks that take precedence over reconstruction have led both the average citizen and the media to ask, "Is anybody minding the store?"

In order to realize full transparency and accountability in the federal government, Congress must not only oversee where money is being spent, but ask the question, "To what end?"

On April 18th, the Mercatus Center at George Mason University will host a special panel discussion to kickoff the release of our annual Performance Report Scorecard. The scorecard looks to shed light on which of the 24 largest federal agencies are supplying vital information that citizens and their elected leaders need to make informed funding and policy decisions.

The Report rates and ranks the major departments and agencies based on the fullness and accuracy of their disclosure. The Scorecard also highlights best and worst practices among the agencies' annual performance and accountability reports. Mercatus researchers evaluate the reports according to transparency, public benefit, and forward-looking leadership.