About GAO
Overview
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO examines how taxpayer dollars are spent and provides Congress and federal agencies with objective, reliable information to help the government save money and work more efficiently.
For example, we identified about $77.6 billion in financial benefits in fiscal year 2020—a return of about $114 for every $1 invested in us. We also identified 1,332 other benefits that led to program and operational improvements across the government. Read the press release about these numbers.
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Our processes for reports, testimonies, and legal decisions; how we serve Congress; and our role as an audit institution.
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