GAO, often called the "congressional watchdog,” is an independent, non-partisan agency that works for Congress. GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, non-partisan, fact-based information to help the government save money and work more efficiently.
For example, we identified about $70.4 billion in financial benefits for the federal government in fiscal year 2023—a return of approximately $84 for every dollar invested. GAO’s average return on investment for the past 6 years is $133 to $1. We also identified 1,220 other benefits that led to program and operational improvements across the government. To learn more, read our press release about our fiscal year 2023 performance.