Reports & Testimonies
GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
Most Recent Reports
61 - 80 of 58103 Reports
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Aircraft Registrations: Risks Remain from Efforts to Obscure Ownership Information
This testimony discusses our prior work on the FAA's management of the U.S. registry for civil aircraft. Accurate registry information can, for example, facilitate aircraft purchases or help investigators combat drug trafficking or money laundering. But the FAA generally relies on self-certification and doesn't verify information such as applicant identity or ownership. Shell company or limited liability company ownership can also make it hard to...
Coast Guard: Aircraft Fleet and Aviation Workforce Assessments Needed
The Coast Guard protects and defends the U.S. coastline and inland waterways. It relies heavily on its fleet of about 200 aircraft to do so—especially for search and rescue missions. The Coast Guard is working to modernize its fleet. For example, it intends to consolidate its helicopters from 98 short-range and 48 medium-range helicopters to an all medium-range helicopter fleet. This would reduce the number...
Higher Education: Employment Discrimination Case Referrals Between Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Could Be Improved
Despite recent increases in Black and Hispanic employees on higher education faculties, they're still underrepresented. Current or prospective higher education faculty can file complaints of employment discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They also file complaints with the Department of Education—which refers almost all of them to EEOC. About 90% of Education's referrals to EEOC are required to be sent within 30 days, but...
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Federal Research: Key Practices for Scientific Program Managers
In fiscal year 2021, the federal government funded over $85 billion in basic research as well as early research directed toward a specific practical aim. Federal research spurs innovation and promotes national economic competitiveness, prosperity, and security. Scientific program managers at federal agencies that sponsor research play a crucial role in guiding and shaping the research. This report identifies key practices that program managers use...
Health Centers: Revenue, Grant Funding, and Methods for Meeting Certain Access-To-Care Requirements
Health centers provide primary care in places with a shortage of health care services. They served over 30 million people in 2022—regardless of their ability to pay. We reviewed health centers' revenue and more for 2018-2022. Annual revenue increased from $28.7 billion to $42.9 billion over this period. The Health Resources and Services Administration provided $34 billion in grants to support these centers over that...
Federal Home Loan Banks: Actions Related to the Spring 2023 Bank Failures
In this Q&A report, we continue our review of federal actions leading up to the bank failures between March 10 and May 1, 2023. Before they failed, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank borrowed more money from their respective Federal Home Loan Banks than other banks their size. When there were runs on the banks—high volumes of withdrawals—the Federal Home Loan Banks...
Indian Health Service: Opportunities Exist to Improve Clinician Screening Adherence and Oversight
The Indian Health Service provides health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives. To ensure that its patients are receiving quality care, IHS screens the clinicians it employs—e.g., doctors and nurse practitioners—to verify their professional qualifications. However, federal IHS facilities didn't always fully follow the requirements for verifying these qualifications. This is partly because IHS's guidance on how to do so is spread out across...
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Vehicle Repair: Information on Evolving Vehicle Technologies and Consumer Choice [Reissued with revisions on Apr. 5, 2024]
"Right-to-repair" is the ability to repair your own vehicles or get repairs at auto dealerships or independent repair shops. In this Q&A report, we looked at the effects of changing technologies on the right-to-repair. For example, the use of technology to wirelessly transfer vehicle health and repair data with automakers could give dealerships an advantage. If independent repair shops don't have access to this data...
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Roadside Safety: DOT Should Update Public Awareness Materials on Move Over Laws
All states and the District of Columbia have "Move Over" laws—which require drivers to change lanes, slow down, or both, when approaching certain vehicles stopped on the roadside with flashing warning lights. States often use road signs and social media to inform the public of these laws. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration supports states' efforts via funding, research, and public awareness materials like videos...
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Army Modernization: Production Challenges for Stryker Upgrade Reinforce Need to Follow Acquisition Leading Practices in Future Efforts [Reissued with revisions on Apr. 3, 2024]
The Army's Stryker combat vehicle is an 8-wheeled armored vehicle that transports infantry into combat. To respond to increased competition from Russia, the Army tried to rapidly upgrade its existing Strykers to have increased firepower. But in doing so, the Army didn't fully analyze and address potential production risks. As a result, it had hardware and software issues with the upgraded Strykers. Our leading practices...
Gas Pipeline Safety: Better Data and Planning Would Improve Implementation of Regulatory Changes
About 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines cross the nation. Pipelines and related equipment failure can cause incidents of harm to people or property. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration recently issued rules to strengthen gas transmission safety regulations. Among other things, these rules require pipeline operators to assess more miles of pipeline than before and keep better records. Our Q&A report found that...
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Nuclear Power Plants: NRC Should Take Actions to Fully Consider the Potential Effects of Climate Change
Climate change is likely to exacerbate natural hazards—such as floods and drought. The risks to nuclear power plants from such hazards include damage to systems and equipment that ensure safe operation. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's oversight process includes addressing safety risks at these plants. However, NRC doesn't fully consider potential increases in risk from climate change. For example, NRC mostly uses historical data to identify...
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2020 Census: The Bureau Adapted Approaches for Addressing Unexpected Results and Developing Annual Population Estimates
The 2020 Census was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the Census Bureau had to revise some of its data collection activities. This may have led to some unexpected census results. State, local, and tribal governments can challenge some of those results. For example, the Bureau received 74 cases challenging population counts of group quarters—e.g., university housing. The Bureau also received 123 cases challenging housing...
2023 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Compliance with Requirements
To make government lobbying more transparent, paid lobbyists and firms must: Register with Congress File reports on who lobbied and what they did each quarter File semiannual reports on political contributions We assess compliance with these requirements in a sample of reports. As in past years, most lobbyists filed but some omitted information. For example, 23% of quarterly reports listed lobbyists who didn't disclose their...
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Small Business Research Programs: Increased Performance Standards Likely Affect Few Businesses Receiving Multiple Awards
Small businesses are important drivers of economic growth, but they can face challenges accessing capital to fund research and development. To help, federal agencies award funding to small businesses. These awards are competitive, yet some businesses have received multiple awards. This has raised concerns about crowding out new businesses. In 2022, Congress increased standards for small businesses that receive the highest numbers of awards—like requiring...
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Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute: Review of the Audit of the FY 2023 Financial Statements
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute is a federally funded, nonprofit corporation that was established to fund and evaluate research aimed at helping patients, doctors, and policymakers make better health care decisions. PCORI is required to have its financial statements audited annually, and we're required to review those audits. PCORI's auditor issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on its fiscal year 2023 financial statements, concluding that these...
Army Corps of Engineers: Actions Needed to Better Align Management of Real Estate Administrative Fees with Key Practices
The Army Corps of Engineers manages the real estate at its infrastructure projects nationwide that businesses, state governments, and others can work with the Corps to use. For example, a business can lease land on a lake to run a marina. Users pay fees to the Corps to cover the costs of reviewing applications and overseeing uses. We testified about concerns with the fees' consistency...
Veterans Community Care Program: Additional Information on VA Statutory Appointment Timeliness Measurements is Needed
VA's community care program refers eligible veterans to a health care provider in their community if they can't access care at a VA facility. VA has had challenges scheduling community care appointments in a timely way. So, Congress required VA to measure elapsed time between and across points in the care process, specifically when: Care is requested A referral is sent to a community care...
Ukraine: Status of Foreign Assistance
In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, four U.S. agencies have allocated $44.1 billion from supplemental funding and other funds to address the economic and humanitarian needs of people affected by the crisis. This Q&A report examines the status of these funds and State's role in coordinating it. State doesn't have a systematic, comprehensive approach to specifically track this funding. For example, State...
Driver Assistance Technologies: NHTSA Should Take Action to Enhance Consumer Understanding of Capabilities and Limitations
Driver assistance technologies are increasingly included in new vehicles. But drivers who don't understand these technologies may increase their risk of accidents by turning off safety features or over-relying on convenience features. The New Car Assessment Program is one way the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration educates drivers on vehicle technology. NHTSA's proposed updates to the program could help people better understand these technologies, but...