▁people . ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁was ▁changed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁Government ▁Account ability ▁Office ▁by ▁the ▁G A O ▁Human ▁Capital ▁Reform ▁Act ▁to ▁better ▁reflect ▁the ▁mission ▁of ▁the ▁office . ▁ ▁The ▁G A O ' s ▁aud itors ▁conduct ▁not ▁only ▁financial ▁aud its , ▁but ▁also ▁eng age ▁in ▁a ▁wide ▁ass ort ment ▁of ▁performance ▁aud its . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁the ▁G A O ▁has ▁been ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" The ▁Cong r essional ▁Watch dog " ▁and ▁" The ▁Tax pay ers ' ▁Best ▁Friend " ▁for ▁its ▁frequent ▁aud its ▁and ▁investig ative ▁reports ▁that ▁have ▁un cover ed ▁waste ▁and ▁in e ffic iency ▁in ▁government . ▁News ▁media ▁often ▁draw ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁G A O ' s ▁work ▁by ▁publishing ▁stories ▁on ▁the ▁find ings , ▁conclus ions ▁and ▁recommend ations ▁of ▁its ▁reports . ▁M embers ▁of ▁Congress ▁also ▁frequently ▁c ite ▁the ▁G A O ' s ▁work ▁in ▁statements ▁to ▁the ▁press , ▁con gression al ▁hear ings , ▁and ▁floor ▁deb ates ▁on ▁proposed ▁legisl ation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁the ▁Part ners hip ▁for ▁Public ▁Service ▁ranked ▁the ▁G A O ▁second ▁on ▁its ▁list ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁places ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁federal ▁government ▁and ▁Washington ian ▁magazine ▁included ▁the ▁G A O ▁on ▁its ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁list ▁of ▁great ▁places ▁to ▁work ▁in ▁Washington , ▁a ▁list ▁that ▁en comp ass es