GAO’s Work Led to $67.5 Billion in Financial Benefits on Behalf of Congress and the American People

WASHINGTON (November 15, 2024) - The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released its fiscal year 2024 Performance and Accountability Report. This past FY, our work yielded $67.5 billion in financial benefits for Congress and the American people-a return of approximately $76 for each dollar invested in GAO. We also identified 1,232 other benefits that cannot be measured in dollars but led to program and operational improvements across the government. These benefits included public safety, national security, and vulnerable populations such as children, veterans, and those with disabilities.

"This annual report underscores GAO's value both in achieving impressive financial benefits and improving programs vital to the wellbeing of the American people," said Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and the head of the GAO. "It makes clear GAO is one of the best values in government."

In FY 24, GAO also provided lawmakers with timely information on a range of domestic and international challenges and priorities to promote better management of federal programs, affect legislation, and continue oversight efforts. Some highlights of this year's report include:

Financial Benefits. We reported $13.4 billion in savings resulting from GAO recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services to better align states' cost estimates for Medicaid demonstrations with recent costs. The Department of Defense implemented GAO's recommendations to improve their ability to identify improper payments, resulting in $4.8 billion in savings.

Fraud Prevention. The unprecedented amount of fraud in pandemic programs underscored the need for better fraud risk management practices. This year, we issued our first of government-wide fraud estimates on program spending. GAO estimated financial losses to the government from fraud to be between $233 billion and $521 billion annually, based on data from FY 2018-2022. During this time, we made about 130 recommendations and Matters for Congressional Consideration to address fraud-related issues and improve fraud risk management.

Legislative Impacts. Our work led to key legislative decisions. For example, the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024 required the Department of Defense to establish minimum standards for military housing to address poor barracks conditions based on GAO recommendations. That Act contained more than 50 provisions that reflected GAO's recommendations across other important areas, including cybersecurity and personnel security clearances.

Vulnerable Populations. We reported on the challenges the Social Security Administration has faced with modernizing its disability programs. Our work prompted SSA to publish new guidance that updated occupation information-which will help the agency make more informed disability award decisions. We also conducted work focused on the protection of children and students, reporting on efforts and obstacles to educating K-12 students with disabilities and preventing harm to youth placed in residential facilities. We made recommendations to the Department of Veterans Affairs highlighting needs for improved assistance to veterans. These included ways VA should improve the appeals process for denied disability benefits requests, and the monitoring of mental health screening and severe maternal complications.

Ukraine Oversight. We continued our Ukraine oversight work and collaborated with several entities in the oversight community to provide the Congress with comprehensive information. In FY 2024, we issued 15 products related to our oversight work on military and humanitarian assistance. Our recommendations address issues such as improving financial systems to track the allocation, obligation, and disbursement of foreign assistance funding provided in response to the crisis in Ukraine.

In FY24 we received 568 requests and mandates for work from 93 percent of the full committees of the Congress. We issued 718 total products and made 1,484 new recommendations. We testified 60 times before 39 committees or subcommittees on topics including improving veterans' access to healthcare in rural areas, F-35 costs and engine modernization, challenges related to preventing and recovering disability insurance overpayments, and using AI in criminal investigations. GAO also opened a new permanent space in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill to further facilitate assistance to members of Congress and their staff.

For more information, contact Sarah Kaczmarek, Managing Director of Public Affairs, at (202) 512-4800.

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The Government Accountability Office, known as the investigative arm of Congress, is an independent, nonpartisan agency that exists to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities. GAO also works to improve the performance of the federal government and ensure its accountability to the American people. The agency examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. GAO provides Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonideological, fair, and balanced. GAO's commitment to good government is reflected in its core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability.

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