GAO: Federal Data: Congressional Action Needed to Improve Interoperability of Award and Payment Eligibility Data
What GAO Found Agencies can use more than 100 federal data sources—or a combination of them—to verify if recipients meet the eligibility criteria for federal programs throughout the award life cycle (which includes pre-award screening, post-award monitoring, and payment validation). As of September 2025, these included 28 data sources in the Do Not Pay working system (DNP) or designated for inclusion in DNP. However, weaknesses in data interoperability may hinder agencies’ ability to efficiently determine award and payment eligibility. Data interoperability is the ability to share and dissemin [gao:improper payment]
Evidence
1 sources- 01https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-26-107466
GAO
trust 0.90“What GAO Found Agencies can use more than 100 federal data sources—or a combination of them—to verify if recipients meet the eligibility criteria for federal programs throughout the award life cycle (which includes pre-award screening, post-award monitoring, and payment validation). As of September 2025, these included 28 data sources in the Do Not Pay work…”
Across the aisle
Voices on this issue
Independent voices from different starting points, on the record about this kind of action. The framework grades behavior, not party — these quotes come from people who would say the same thing under any administration.
From the right
“Conservatism is supposed to be about institutions. If you are tearing the institutions down, you are not doing conservatism.”
Adam Kinzinger
Former Republican congressman from Illinois; House Jan 6 Committee member.
Kinzinger has restated this principle across multiple post-2021 appearances. Public statements (consolidated)