COVID-19 Relief: Funding and Spending as of Jan. 31, 2023

The federal government has provided about $4.6 trillion to help the nation respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Tracking federal spending is complex—especially at this unprecedented magnitude. As part of its ongoing and comprehensive review of the federal pandemic response, GAO oversees and regularly reports on this spending.

Six COVID-19 relief laws enacted in 2020 and 2021 provided about $4.6 trillion of funding for pandemic response and recovery. As of January 31, 2023, the most recent date for which government-wide information was available, the federal government obligated a total of $4.5 trillion and expended $4.2 trillion, or 98 and 90 percent, respectively, of these relief funds as reported by federal agencies to the Department of the Treasury in accordance with Office of Management and Budget guidance.

As of January 31, 2023, $90.5 billion, or 2 percent of the total amount of funding provided for COVID-19 relief, remained available for obligation (unexpired unobligated balance). Additionally, $23.7 billion was expired (expired unobligated balance), meaning that this amount was not available for incurring new obligations but was available for recording eligible obligation adjustments.

This snapshot updates the November 30, 2022, COVID-19 relief dollar amounts included in GAO's February 2023 testimony on emergency relief funds.

For more information, contact Kristen Kociolek at (202) 512-2989 or kociolekk@gao.gov.