The Government Accountability Office plays a vital role in providing independent oversight and accountability for the federal government. Gutting the Government Accountability Office's budget would undermine Congress's ability to identify waste, fraud, and inefficiencies across the federal government. As your nonpartisan watchdog, GAO has consistently delivered immense returns by rooting out overspending and ineffective programs. In 2024 alone, GAO identified $67.5 billion in potential savings and efficiencies – a staggering $76 return for every $1 invested in the agency.
Some key examples of GAO's impact include saving $13.4 billion by prompting HHS to update data used for Medicaid demonstration projects, halting a $12 billion nuclear waste facility to avoid $6 billion in further costs, preventing $4.8 billion in improper Defense payments, eliminating $3.8 billion in duplicative missile tracking systems, and blocking $2.1 billion in fraudulent pandemic business loans. Overall, agencies implementing GAO's recommendations from 2011-2025 have yielded $725 billion in savings for taxpayers.
GAO's annual reviews pinpointing fragmentation, overlap, and duplication provide a blueprint to streamline spending across IT systems, weapon programs, construction projects and more – with potential savings over $100 billion. Implementing outstanding proposals could eliminate wasteful expenditures and redirect funds to more effective services.
At a time of soaring deficits and record debt levels, preserving this independent oversight is crucial to reining in overspending and upholding fiscal responsibility. Degrading GAO's resources would be counterproductive, shielding government inefficiency from scrutiny while burdening taxpayers.
I urge you to reject proposals undermining this vital watchdog and instead leverage its expertise to enhance accountability and defend the public purse.
First sent on July 11 by Coleman
