The Vice President and his representatives have asserted that GAO lacks the statutory authority to examine the activities of the NEPDG, recognizing only GAOas authority to audit its financial transactions.
( ( ( ( The ( Vice President ) ) and ) ( his representatives ) ) ( ( have ( asserted ( that ( GAO ( lacks ( the ( statutory ( authority ( to ( ( ( examine ( ( the activities ) ( of ( the NEPDG ) ) ) ) , ) ( ( recognizing ( only ( GAOas authority ) ) ) ( to ( audit ( its ( financial transactions ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NNP Vice) (NNP President)) (CC and) (NP (PRP$ his) (NNS representatives))) (VP (VBP have) (VP (VBN asserted) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (NNP GAO)) (VP (VBZ lacks) (NP (DT the) (JJ statutory) (NN authority) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB examine) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS activities)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NNP NEPDG)))) (, ,) (S (VP (VBG recognizing) (NP (RB only) (JJ GAOas) (NN authority)) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB audit) (NP (PRP$ its) (JJ financial) (NNS transactions)))))))))))))))) (. .)))
The Vice President and his representatives have argued that GAO does not have the ability to investigate the actions of the NEPDG, the only authority GAO has is to audit its financial transactions. 
( ( ( ( ( The ( Vice President ) ) and ) ( his representatives ) ) ( have ( argued ( that ( GAO ( ( does not ) ( have ( the ( ability ( to ( investigate ( ( the actions ) ( of ( the NEPDG ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( the ( only ( authority GAO ) ) ) ( ( has ( is ( to ( audit ( its ( financial transactions ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NNP Vice) (NNP President)) (CC and) (NP (PRP$ his) (NNS representatives))) (VP (VBP have) (VP (VBN argued) (SBAR (IN that) (S (NP (NNP GAO)) (VP (VBZ does) (RB not) (VP (VB have) (NP (DT the) (NN ability) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB investigate) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNS actions)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NNP NEPDG))))))))))))))) (, ,) (NP (DT the) (JJ only) (NN authority) (NNP GAO)) (VP (VBZ has) (VP (VBZ is) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB audit) (NP (PRP$ its) (JJ financial) (NNS transactions))))))) (. .)))