WASHINGTON–U.S. government plans and strategies for coping with catastrophic events need to be fundamentally reformed and should be a priority for the incoming Congress, according to recommendations from the Government Accountability Office.

The GAO's position on what it believes should be the priorities for the next Congress were laid out by Comptroller General David Walker in a letter to House and Senate leaders, as well as leaders of the House Government Reform Committee, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental affairs, and both Appropriations Committees.

"There are two general themes that support our recommendations," Mr. Walker said in the letter. "First, we cannot afford to continue business as usual in Washington, given our current deficit and growing long-term fiscal challenges. Second, most of the federal government's current policies, programs, functions and activities are based on conditions that existed decades ago, are not results-based, and are not well aligned with 21st century realities.