<Ul> <Li> The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (P.L. 79 - 601), for the first time, explicitly called for "legislative oversight" in public law . It directed House and Senate standing committees "to exercise continuous watchfulness" over programs and agencies under their jurisdiction; authorized professional staff for them; and enhanced the powers of the Comptroller General, the head of Congress's investigative and audit arm, the Government Accountability Office (GAO). </Li> <Li> The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (P.L. 91 - 510) authorized each standing committee to "review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration and execution" of laws under its jurisdiction; increased the professional staff of committees; expanded the assistance provided by the Congressional Research Service; and strengthened the program evaluation responsibilities of GAO . </Li> <Li> The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (P.L. 93 - 344) allowed committees to conduct program evaluation themselves or contract out for it; strengthened GAO's role in acquiring fiscal, budgetary, and program - related information; and upgraded GAO's review capabilities . </Li> </Ul> <Li> The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (P.L. 79 - 601), for the first time, explicitly called for "legislative oversight" in public law . It directed House and Senate standing committees "to exercise continuous watchfulness" over programs and agencies under their jurisdiction; authorized professional staff for them; and enhanced the powers of the Comptroller General, the head of Congress's investigative and audit arm, the Government Accountability Office (GAO). </Li> <Li> The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (P.L. 91 - 510) authorized each standing committee to "review and study, on a continuing basis, the application, administration and execution" of laws under its jurisdiction; increased the professional staff of committees; expanded the assistance provided by the Congressional Research Service; and strengthened the program evaluation responsibilities of GAO . </Li> <Li> The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (P.L. 93 - 344) allowed committees to conduct program evaluation themselves or contract out for it; strengthened GAO's role in acquiring fiscal, budgetary, and program - related information; and upgraded GAO's review capabilities . </Li>

A legislative veto is a congressional committee's right to pass on an agency decision