GAO's Congressional Protocols: Addendum I, November 2002	 
(01-NOV-02, GAO-03-198G).					 
                                                                 
This report has been superseded by GAO-04-310G, GAO's		 
Congressional Protocols July 2004. GAO published a pamphlet	 
outlining the set of protocols governing its work for Congress.  
GAO decided to modify its protocol in two areas. GAO will not	 
conduct work involving state and local activities, and GAO will  
only submit comments on proposed legislation if requested to by  
Congress or lawfully bound to do so.				 
-------------------------Indexing Terms------------------------- 
REPORTNUM:   GAO-03-198G					        
    ACCNO:   A05440						        
  TITLE:     GAO's Congressional Protocols: Addendum I, November 2002 
     DATE:   11/01/2002 
  SUBJECT:   Agency missions					 
	     Intergovernmental relations			 
	     Congressional protocols				 

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GAO-03-198G

United States General Accounting Office Washington, D.C. 20548

GAO's Congressional Protocols Addendum 1

November 1, 2002

Since January 2000, the General Accounting Office has operated under a set
of protocols governing GAO's work for the Congress. The protocols are
intended to provide clearly defined and transparent policies and practices
relating to GAO's work. We developed these protocols in consultation with
Members of Congress and their staffs, tested them during a pilot
implementation phase from January 2000 to September 2000, refined them on
the basis of feedback from the pilot, and fully implemented them in
November 2000.

We have encouraged Members of Congress to contact us with comments or
questions and we thank them for their feedback. Based on such feedback and
our desire to maintain a fair and balanced approach to our work, we have
decided to modify our protocols in two areas immediately: (1) work
involving state and local activities and

(2) comments on proposed legislation. While the changes are important,
they affect only small sections of the existing document; therefore, we
are issuing the following addendum to the November 2000 version of GAO's
Congressional Protocols (GAO-01-145G).

State and Local Activities: GAO does not conduct studies, reviews,
evaluations or audits of state or local programs or activities that are
solely within the purview of states or localities where there is no
connection to federal matters. GAO does review certain state and local
activities and programs that are (1) carried out in furtherance of federal
law, such as environmental programs or insurance regulation, or (2) funded
by federal programs, such as Medicaid, transportation, or education
programs. In addition, to assist the Congress in developing federal
legislation, reexamining the federal role or gauging federal performance,
GAO sometimes reviews the practices of the states to ascertain "best
practices" or lessons learned in dealing with particular issues. Further,
GAO partners with state and local auditors to examine national issues that
cross geopolitical boundaries (e.g., transportation, homeland security,
Medicaid).

When GAO receives a request from a Member of Congress that focuses on a
major activity or program that is solely or largely centered in a specific
geographical area that is represented by members beyond those requesting
the work, GAO may advise the Members of Congress representing that
geographic area of the timing, scope, and methodology of the work. After
advising the requester, GAO also reserves the right to brief such members
before the final report is publicly released on the findings, conclusions,
and recommendations.

GAO-03-198G

On July 16, 2004, GAO issued GAO-04-310G:

GAO's Congressional Protocols, which supercedes this document and
GAO-01-145G.
*** End of document. ***