This year, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) celebrates 100 years of making the government work better for you. 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 $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. Most recently, GAO has been evaluating the largest response to a national emergency in US history, the $2.6 trillion COVID-19 response legislation, and making recommendations about how to improve its effectiveness in dealing with public health issues and the economy.

To learn more, read our press release about our fiscal year 2020 performance.