Overview

The Recovery Act requires that GAO conduct reviews of how Recovery Act funds are being used and whether they are achieving their stated purposes to preserve and create jobs as well as assist those most affected by the recession.

Program Reviews

GAO's October 15, 2012, report, the latest in a series responding to the Act's mandate, updates and adds new information on the use of Recovery Act funds for Department of Energy cleanup projects. Future GAO reports will focus on additional programs that have been funded under the Recovery Act.

Reported Jobs Data

The Recovery Act mandates that GAO comment on the estimates of jobs created or retained as reported by recipients of Recovery Act funding. GAO issued an initial report related to recipient reporting, including recommendations for recipient report improvements, on November 19, 2009. GAO provides updated information concerning recipient reporting in accordance with its mandate for quarterly reporting in the March 3, 2010, May 26, 2010, September 20, 2010, December 15, 2010, April 7, 2011, June 29, 2011, September 22, 2011, December 16, 2011, June 18, 2012, September 14, 2012 and October 15, 2012, reviews.

National Overview

The national overview is a summary of GAO's findings and recommendations from reviews conducted between February 2009 and September 2010.

Selected State Spending

GAO's reviews of state spending focused on 16 states and the District of Columbia, which contain about 65 percent of the U.S. population and are estimated to receive about two-thirds of the intergovernmental federal assistance available through the Recovery Act. These reviews were conducted between February 2009 and September 2010.