On Tuesday January 17th, the Senate signed a bill that will enable the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to gain access to the National Directory of New Hires, a federal database that contains personal and financial data on nearly every working American, as well as those receiving unemployment compensation. It is hoped that better oversight of this database will help the GAO to identify potential fraud in federal programs and ensure that these programs help those who are most in need.
The Legislation is waiting to be signed by the President.