The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is claiming that the agency generated a $70.4 billion return on investment during fiscal year 2023 as a result of its oversight work.
In a May 8 report prepared to support the Biden administration’s FY2025 budget request for the agency, GAO said that its work in FY2023 yielded more than 1,200 benefits that led to improved services for Americans and strengthened public safety and efficiency of Federal agencies.
“In FY 2023 we recorded 1,220 other benefits resulting from our work across government as well as enhancements to national security and public safety,” stated U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro during his testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations.
“For example, the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) contained over 50 provisions that reflected GAO’s recommendations across important areas, including cybersecurity, military housing, commercial satellite imagery capabilities, and special operations forces skills and competencies,” Dodaro said.
Looking at performance over the longer term, the report says that GAO generated an average return on investment of $133 for every $1 spent by the agency over the past six years.
GAO’s requested FYU2025 budget totals $916 million, and another $59.8 million in offsets and supplemental appropriations to support the agency’s cybersecurity and technology capabilities, including spending in the following areas:
- National Security Enterprise including areas such as military readiness, space programs, and the U.S. nuclear complex;
- Fraud Prevention;
- Science and Technology including artificial intelligence, medical research and applications, critical minerals recovery, and quantum computing;
- Cybersecurity including national cybersecurity strategy, critical infrastructure protection, and security of Federal information systems; and
- Health Care Costs including sustainability and integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, Veterans Affairs, DOD, and Indian Health Service health care services.
“I am fully confident that the FY 2025 budget request will enable us to continue providing timely and high-quality support to the Congress and help improve government. Demand for GAO work remains high,” Dodaro said.
