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
81 - 100 of 58088 Reports
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Central America: USAID Should Strengthen Staffing and Fraud Risk Management for Initiative Addressing Migration to the U.S.
In 2021, USAID announced Centroamérica Local, a 5-year, $300 million initiative that is empowering local organizations in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to address the root causes of migration to the U.S.—such as poverty, corruption, and violence. Our review of the initiative found: USAID's offices in the 3 countries asked for more staff but haven't yet gotten what they need USAID has taken steps to...
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Freedom of Information Act: Additional Guidance and Reliable Data Can Help Address Agency Backlogs
The Freedom of Information Act requires federal agencies to provide public access to government information. Agencies generally must process FOIA requests within 20 working days, but the government-wide backlog of requests grew over the last decade. Agency FOIA officers cited factors such as staffing challenges and complex requests as contributing to backlogs. The Justice Department, which helps agencies administer FOIA, could improve its backlog guidance...
Grants: AmeriCorps Should Take Multiple Actions to Better Manage Fraud Risks
AmeriCorps funds grants—over $900 million in FY 2023—for volunteer and national service programs to address a range of community needs across the country. These grants support projects in areas like disaster recovery, educational support, and environmental stewardship. AmeriCorps has taken some steps to manage potential fraud in its grant programs, such as developing training on what fraud might look like. But it hasn't considered the...
Ukraine: DOD Should Improve Data for Both Defense Article Delivery and End-Use Monitoring
Since February 2022, the U.S. has provided more than $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including an unprecedented amount of equipment. DOD has been delivering this equipment rapidly, sometimes taking days to complete deliveries that typically take weeks. But DOD doesn't have clear guidance for tracking equipment deliveries, and its delivery data may not be accurate. Also, DOD modified its monitoring approach during the...
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FEMA: Opportunities Exist to Address Mission Challenges and Increased Workload
The Federal Emergency Management Agency leads our nation's effort to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. In recent years, FEMA has been called on to help in even more emergencies—stretching its workforce and resources. In this testimony, we discuss our prior work on FEMA's response to challenges such as COVID-19 and sheltering at the southern border. We also discuss FEMA's longstanding challenges related...
Educación Superior: Las Instituciones de Servicio a Hispanos informaron de grandes necesidades de instalaciones e infraestructura digital
To see the version of this page in English, see GAO-24-106162 . Las Instituciones de Servicio a Hispanos (HSI, por sus siglas en inglés), es decir, las universidades con una matrícula de estudiantes universitarios de al menos el 25 por ciento de hispanos, educaron más de 2 millones de estudiantes hispanos durante el año escolar de 2021 a 2022. Sin embargo, estas universidades tienen grandes...
Higher Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions Reported Extensive Facility and Digital Infrastructure Needs
Para la versión de esta página en español, ver a GAO-24-107052 . Hispanic-Serving Institutions—colleges with an undergraduate student enrollment that is at least 25% Hispanic—educated over 2 million Hispanic students during the 2021-2022 school year. But these colleges have extensive facility needs. Many have maintenance backlogs, damage from natural disasters, and facilities that need modernization. These colleges also have technology needs—to improve student internet access...
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Science & Tech Spotlight: Combating Deepfakes
Deepfakes are videos, audio, or images that seem real but have been manipulated with AI. They've been used to try to influence elections and to create non-consensual pornography. Researchers are developing new ways to detect deepfakes, such as AI models that spot color abnormalities. And authentication methods, like digital watermarks, can help prove that a video or image has been altered. But simply detecting deepfakes...
Anti-Money Laundering: Better Information Needed on Effectiveness of Federal Efforts
The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 aims to modernize how federal agencies combat money laundering and other financial crimes. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is responsible for implementing many of the Act's requirements—like assessing how new technologies can help detect such crimes. But FinCEN has yet to provide a full update to Congress and the public on its progress meeting these requirements. Also, the government...
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Cybersecurity: Improvements Needed in Addressing Risks to Operational Technology
Operational technology systems control processes or production, and are often used in critical infrastructure—e.g., a system of sensors, controllers, and actuators that open and close the valves in oil pipelines. Cyberattacks pose a significant threat to these systems. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency provides technical assistance to help critical infrastructure owners and operators address those cyber risks. But owners and operators had some challenges...
Defense Contracting: DOD Should Encourage Greater Use of Existing Expertise to Review Indemnification Requests
The unusually risky work that DOD's contractors sometimes do—e.g., building hypersonic weapons—may not be covered by insurance. As such, contractors rely on government indemnification to shield them from financial liability if there's a catastrophic incident. Recently however, DOD has had challenges negotiating contractor requests for indemnification. We found indemnification requests are rare and mostly approved. DOD has an insurance review team to help evaluate requests...
Facial Recognition Technology: Federal Law Enforcement Agency Efforts Related to Civil Rights and Training
We testified about our prior work on federal law enforcement's use of facial recognition technology. In 2023, we reviewed 7 agencies in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice that had reported using the technology to support criminal investigations. All 7 agencies initially used facial recognition services without requiring staff to take related training. Two agencies required it as of April 2023. Also, we reported...
DHS Annual Assessment: Most Programs Are Meeting Current Goals, but Some Continue to Face Cost and Schedule Challenges [Reissued with revisions on Mar. 7, 2024]
This is our 9th annual assessment of the Department of Homeland Security's major acquisition programs. We reviewed 16 programs with DHS-approved baselines—which establish goals for how the system being acquired should perform, when it should be delivered, and what it should cost. Fifteen of these programs met their cost and schedule goals, but most of these programs have updated their goals at least once since...
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Bank Supervision: More Timely Escalation of Supervisory Action Needed
The Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank failures in 2023 raised questions about federal bank supervision. This Q&A report shows that the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation identified numerous concerns at the banks as early as 2018, but did not issue enforcement actions, which would have required the banks to fix the problems. The Federal Reserve's procedures for moving from a lower-level...
Commercial Aviation Manufacturing: Supply Chain Challenges and Actions to Address Them
Air travel has rebounded since 2020, increasing airlines' demand for new aircraft and parts for current fleets. Boeing and Airbus—and companies that supply them with parts and materials—have faced challenges increasing production to meet demand. Aviation manufacturers reported shortages of workforce and materials. Some said they were offering financial incentives working with local schools to build interest in aviation careers increasing oversight of suppliers adding...
Coast Guard: Action Needed to Evaluate Efforts to Address Sexual Assault and Harassment
Investigations and reports have shown sexual assault and harassment to be persistent problems in the Coast Guard for decades. We testified that the Coast Guard has taken action on this over time—including reviewing its policies, practices, and culture, and reporting on areas that could be improved. In November 2023, the agency started work on new efforts to address these issues. For example, it is updating...
Small Business Administration: Progress and Work Remaining to Implement Key Management Improvements
The Small Business Administration set up programs to help with the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program. We testified about 23 recommendations we've made to improve this and other SBA programs. SBA has addressed 10 of our recommendations. For example, we recommended that it conduct a formal fraud risk assessment and develop a strategy to manage risks, and SBA has done so. However, SBA...
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Human Capital: Characteristics and Administration of the Federal Wage System
In this report, we review the administration of the Federal Wage System—the government's pay system for trade, craft, and labor hourly employees. And we examine characteristics of the system, such as which occupations and geographic areas are covered under it. The FWS was originally intended to set these employees' pay rates in line with local market rates. However, subsequent congressional actions have linked FWS pay...
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Federal Student Loans: Education Should Enhance Reporting on Direct Loan Performance and Risk
The Department of Education administers the federal Direct Loan program, which helps students and their parents pay for higher education. The program has grown substantially over the last 30 years, and estimates of the program's costs have changed over time. Education is currently working to improve the program's cost estimates. In the meantime, we recommended making annual reports more detailed to help Congress make decisions...
Science & Tech Spotlight: Wearable Technologies in the Workplace
In 2022, workers in warehousing, manufacturing, and construction experienced over 700,000 nonfatal injuries and over 2,000 fatal accidents. This Spotlight discusses how companies are deploying technologies worn on the body to try to improve safety and productivity. These wearable technologies vary in size and function. Technologies such as exoskeletons—which can provide physical support to the user's body during repetitive overhead work—are already in use in...