CUTTING OFF MY NOSE TO SPITE MY FACE: That’s an apt description of congressional Republicans intent on slashing the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) operating budget by half. The GAO is the investigative arm of the legislative branch and among the most important oversight tools available to the Senate and House.

Foundation for American Innovation Senior Fellow Dan Lips points out that former Comptroller-General (GAO’s top boss) David Walker, who commands respect in both political parties to this day after leading the investigative agency from 1998 to 2008, says the current budget reduction is like Congress “shooting itself in the head.” Lips makes a strong case for reforms instead of budget slashing.

Here’s my suggestion: Instead of slashing GAO’s budget by half, Hill GOPers should start cutting funding of the many executive branch agencies that have ignored or outright refused to implement literally thousands of solid cost-saving recommendations from GAO auditors and investigators. Congress should have been doing this decades ago, but it’s not yet too late to reinvigorate the “ultimate weapon” the Constitution assigns to Congress.

As the agency noted at the outset of a May report pointing to $100 billion in potential savings, “since 2011, implementation of GAO’s work in this area has led to $725 billion in savings for the federal government. This year’s report adds 148 new measures in 43 topic areas that Congress and federal agencies could take to reduce costs, improve programs, and boost revenues. Implementing our newest measures, in conjunction with our existing recommendations, could save over $100 billion for the American people.”

There is strong dissatisfaction among House GOPers with GAO because of several recent rulings that upset the Trump administration. With a new Comptroller-General coming soon to GAO, those on the Hill who are angry with the agency have an opportunity to set things straight in such regards.