Policy Wonk Treasure on @HeinOnline

Isn't it great when you can find a good, fact-based non-partisan analysis of some issue or program?

HeinOnline just released a new database, GAO Reports and Comptroller General Opinions.

The General Accountability Office (formerly General Accounting Office) "is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the 'congressional watchdog,' GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, reliable information to help the government save money and work more efficiently." The GAO is headed by the Comptroller General. Unlike many administrators, who come and go with presidential administrations, the Comptroller General has a 15-year term, giving the agency continuity.

In the HeinOnline database you can find reports on a wide range of topics, across many decades. E.g.:

• Endangered Species: Past Actions Taken To Assist Columbia River Salmon [RCED-92-173BR] (1992)
• Federal Land Management: Information On Usage Of The Antiquities Act [RCED-99-244R] (1999)
• Illicit Opioids: While Greater Attention Given to Combating Synthetic Opioids, Agencies Need to Better Assess Their Efforts [GAO-18-205] (2018) 
• 2017 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with Disclosure Requirements [GAO-18-388] (2018) 
• Death Penalty Sentencing: Research Indicates Pattern Of Racial Disparities [T-GGD-90-37] (1990)

You could find a lot of these reports on GAO's own website, but HeinOnline gives you faster and more flexible searching and sorting. It's much easier to work with.

While you policy wonks are exploring HeinOnline, take a look at the U.S. Congressional Documents library. It includes Congressional Budget Office documents, CRS Reports, and more.