Is Congress effectively exercising its oversight authority over the executive branch?
Composite score based on: number of oversight hearings with executive witnesses, subpoenas issued and complied with, Inspector General report follow-through, GAO recommendation implementation rate by agencies, and whistleblower protection actions.
Congressional oversight is a constitutional check on executive power. Without effective oversight, agencies may drift from legislative intent, waste resources, or abuse authority. The rate at which agencies implement GAO recommendations is a particularly data-rich proxy for responsiveness to oversight.
Example Visualization
Agency-level bar chart of GAO recommendation implementation rates. Trend of open vs. closed recommendations over time. Oversight hearing volume by policy area.
How many hearings are committees conducting, and are they leading to legislative action?
What share of introduced bills are enacted into law each Congress?