White House

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the status of its audit work at the Executive Residence at the White House.

GAO noted that: (1) the first two phases of its work are still on schedule; (2) GAO is auditing the unvouchered expenditures as provided in sections 105(d) and 106(b) of title 3, United States Code; (3) under these sections, GAO verifies that the unvouchered expenditures were for authorized purposes and report any unauthorized expenditures to Congress; (4) GAO's audit of reimbursable expenditures of the Executive Residence involves official and nonofficial events, as personal expenses of the First Family; (5) because they are initially treated as unvouchered expenditures financed from the Executive Residence at the White House, Operating Expenses appropriation, GAO reviews the reimbursement processes and procedures as part of its audit of unvouchered expenditures; (6) GAO expects to complete its fieldwork on the first two phases this month; (7) in its November testimony, GAO stated that it had no progress in confirming the aggregate number of overnight guests and determining the number of stays within the Executive Residence because it had not obtained any records from the White House; (8) GAO stated that to respond to the Subcommittee's request, GAO required access to documents or systems that that would establish aggregate number of guests and stays; (9) prior to GAO's testimony, White House officials expressed concerns about GAO inspecting private and personal papers of the First Family that had been used to compile a previously published list of overnight guests; (10) GAO stated in its testimony that it had presented a letter to the White House proposing that it discuss the possibility of alternative sources of information with the Executive Residence's Chief Usher, Administrative Officer, Head Housekeeper, and others; (11) since its testimony, GAO has still not obtained any additional records on overnight guests and stays; (12) however, GAO has met with Executive Residence personnel, including the Chief Usher, Administrative Officer, and Head Housekeeper, and are continuing to work with Counsel to the President staff to arrange meetings with the President's Director of Personal Correspondence, Secret Service representatives, and others; and (13) GAO is also continuing to work with Counsel to the President staff to obtain records that would enable it to confirm the aggregate number of overnight guests and stays at the Executive Residence.