High Risk List
GAO’s list, updated at the start of each new Congress, of programs and operations with serious vulnerabilities to waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement, or in need of transformation.
There are 38 areas on our High Risk List as of February 2025. Our list has led to significant financial benefits for the country and taxpayers. Efforts to address High Risk issues have totaled nearly $759 billion in savings—an average of $40 billion per year. Since the last update 2 years ago, progress was seen in ten areas, resulting in approximately $84 billion in financial benefits.
Congress and executive agencies working together on our open recommendations can lead to lasting solutions and billions more in cost-savings for Americans. Overall, 25 areas maintained their status. Three areas regressed—DOD Weapon Systems Acquisition, Improving IT Acquisitions and Management, and Managing Federal Real Property. And, we added one new area on federal disaster assistance due to the recent increase in natural disasters and the need for efficient and effective federal relief.
When was each High Risk area added to the list? This table (PDF, 1 page) shows the year that each area on GAO’s 2025 High Risk List was designated High Risk.
About the High Risk List
In 1990, we began a program to report on government operations that we identified as “High Risk.” Since then, generally coinciding with the start of each new Congress, we have reported on the status of progress to address High Risk areas and update the list.
Overall, our High Risk List has served to identify and help resolve serious weaknesses in areas that involve substantial resources and provide critical services to the public. Since our program began, the government has taken high-risk problems seriously and has made long-needed progress toward correcting them. In a number of cases, progress has been sufficient for us to remove the High Risk designation.
We often get asked what agencies can do to get off the High Risk List. In this report, we discuss cases in which agencies and Congress took actions to improve programs and yield financial and other benefits. In some of these cases, we narrowed the scope of the High Risk areas or removed them from the list because of these improvements.
Area Ratings
The key elements needed to make progress in High Risk areas are top-level attention by the administration and agency leaders grounded in the five criteria for removal from the High Risk List, as well as any needed congressional action.
The five criteria are:
Leadership Commitment. Demonstrated strong commitment and top leadership support.
Capacity. Agency has the capacity (i.e., people and resources) to resolve the risk(s).
Action Plan. A corrective action plan exists that defines the root cause, solutions, and provides for substantially completing corrective measures including steps necessary to implement solutions we recommended.
Monitoring. A program has been instituted to monitor and independently validate the effectiveness and sustainability of corrective measures.
Demonstrated Progress. Ability to demonstrate progress in implementing corrective measures and resolving the High Risk area.
In 2015, GAO began illustrating progress in High Risk areas using a five-pointed star. The star visibly indicates whether each of the five criteria have been met, partially met, or not met for that area.
