A major way that Congress conducts oversight is through hearings. Refusal to cooperate with a Congressional subpoena can result in charges of contempt of Congress, which could result in a prison term.
Congress also maintains an investigative organization, the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Founded in 1921 as the General Accounting Office, its original mission was to audit the budgets and financial statements sent to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Today, the GAO audits and generates reports on every aspect of the government, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent with the effectiveness and efficiency that the American people deserve.
The House works closely with a variety of supporting agencies including:
Architect of the Capitol
Congressional Budget Office
Government Accountability Office Investigative arm of Congress charged with examining matters relating to the receipt and payment of public funds
Government Printing Office
Library of Congress The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
United States Botanic Garden The U.S. Botanic Garden was formally placed under the jurisdiction of the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress in 1856 and has been administered through the Office of the Architect of the Capitol since 1934.
These agencies provide assistance to and support services for Congress.
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