How Does GAO Serve Congress?
GAO’s mission is to support Congress in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities. In other words, we work for Congress.
But what does that look like on a day-to-day basis?
Today’s WatchBlog post takes a closer look at how GAO’s work supports congressional priorities and the other services we provide to support Members as they do their jobs.
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Where does GAO’s work come from?
About 95% of our work is mandated or requested by Congress. Mandates are provisions in legislation that require us to study and report on an issue or program. They account for about half of our work. The other half are requests from committee leadership.
Congress asks us to examine some of the most consequential, costly, and complex issues of today. These include weapons system development, the federal government’s use of artificial intelligence, efforts to reduce veteran suicides, and the modernization of the air traffic control system.
We typically receive more than 600 new congressional requests and mandates each year. We use our congressional protocols to help prioritize these asks. The protocols, developed in consultation with Congress, also make clear that we give equal weight to requests from the majority and minority.
We are also in continual conversation with Members and congressional staff. This ongoing communication helps ensure that we are working on their highest priorities.
As you can imagine, congressional interests span the entirety of government functions. Fortunately, GAO’s reach extends to wherever the federal dollar goes. And the wide-ranging expertise of GAO’s workforce allows us to examine any federal program, activity, or spending for Congress—from securing nuclear materials to administering nutrition programs.
Listen to our new podcast (available here and below) with GAO’s Nikki Clowers to learn more about how we work for congress.
In response to congressional asks, we conduct program evaluations, audits, forensic investigations, and technology assessments, as well as issue legal decisions. We also provide expert testimony at congressional hearings. Typically, we’re asked to testify about 60 times a year.
GAO's work for Congress saves taxpayers billions of dollars, improves how federal programs work, prevents fraud, and informs legislation. Last year alone, our work yielded $67.5 billion in financial benefits. That’s a return of about $76 for every dollar invested in GAO.
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How else does GAO support Congress… beyond reports and testimonies?
To meet congressional needs, we also offer a range of other professional services, including:
Offering training on current Issues. Using our office space in the Longworth House Office Building, we offer regular presentations and discussions on emerging science and technology issues and other current events. For example, following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, our disaster assistance experts met with congressional staff to answer questions about FEMA’s response and recovery efforts.
Providing quick turnaround assistance. We help Members and congressional staff with time-sensitive informational needs through quick turnaround technical assistance. Such assistance includes providing comments on draft legislation, analyzing data, or preparing questions for witnesses at hearings.
Last year, we provided more than 1,100 instances of technical assistance.
Supporting congressional committees. At their request, we detail GAO staff to congressional committees for up to one year to work on legislative and oversight projects. During the last 5 years, we have detailed more than 180 staff to 49 congressional committees.
Finally, and most importantly, we support Congress by remaining independent and nonpartisan. While Congress mandates or requests almost all our work, it does not tell us how to go about the work or what answers we should find. This goes to the heart of who we are as independent, nonpartisan auditors. It’s why Congress turns to us again and again: we can be counted on for calling it like we see it, regardless of who is asking.
- GAO’s fact-based, nonpartisan information helps Congress and federal agencies improve government. The WatchBlog lets us contextualize GAO’s work a little more for the public. Check out more of our posts at GAO.gov/blog.
- Got a comment, question? Email us at blog@gao.gov.
GAO Contacts
GAO's mission is to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information that can help improve federal government performance and ensure accountability for the benefit of the American people. GAO launched its WatchBlog in January, 2014, as part of its continuing effort to reach its audiences—Congress and the American people—where they are currently looking for information.
The blog format allows GAO to provide a little more context about its work than it can offer on its other social media platforms. Posts will tie GAO work to current events and the news; show how GAO’s work is affecting agencies or legislation; highlight reports, testimonies, and issue areas where GAO does work; and provide information about GAO itself, among other things.
Please send any feedback on GAO's WatchBlog to blog@gao.gov.