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
161 - 180 of 58088 Reports
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Precision Agriculture: Benefits and Challenges for Technology Adoption and Use
Precision agriculture uses technologies such as GPS or automation to make farms more efficient. For example, farmers can use auto-steering equipment to precisely plant a field, and activity monitors can help dairy farmers collect data about their cows' health. In this Technology Assessment , we review the benefits and challenges of precision agriculture technologies. They can make farms more profitable and have environmental benefits—like reducing...
Nuclear Waste: Changing Conditions May Affect Future Management of Contamination Deposited Abroad During U.S. Cold War Activities
U.S. Cold War activities caused radioactive contamination in three other countries. The contamination in Greenland—from a closed nuclear reactor—and in Spain—from an aircraft accident—is being monitored. But changing climate and economic conditions have raised concerns about future effects on local areas. In the Marshall Islands—where the U.S. tested nuclear weapons—local officials are worried that rising sea levels may impact contaminated sites. The Department of Energy...
Veterans Health Care: VHA Has Taken Steps towards Improving Vet Centers
This testimony discusses our prior work on the Veterans Health Administration's Vet Centers. Some combat veterans experience trauma that can lead to mental illness, substance abuse, or other challenges. Vet Centers provide eligible veterans, servicemembers, and their families with counseling services. We previously recommended that VHA develop a plan to assess whether Vet Centers' services are meeting the needs of veterans, including those that may...
International Trade: USTR Should Improve Coordination on New Automotive Rules of Origin
In 2020, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement changed rules for the largest trade category among the partners—automobiles. The agreement, which sets import rules on where materials and labor for autos and parts come from, is expected to raise U.S. automotive prices but also support job growth. The U.S. Trade Representative chairs an interagency committee responsible for providing advice and input on implementing, enforcing, and modifying the...
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Coast Guard: Enforcement of Egress Requirements for Historic Wood Sailing Vessels
In 2019, a small boat off the California coast caught fire at 3:00am, killing 34 people—partly because both exits from below-deck bunks led into the fire. In 2021, the Coast Guard required certain small boats carrying passengers overnight to comply with stricter egress requirements by December 2023. Our Q&A report looks at the evolution and enforcement of these requirements for wood sailing boats. Initially, operators...
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Agencies Need to Enhance Oversight of Ransomware Practices and Assess Federal Support
Ransomware—software that makes data and systems unusable unless ransom is paid—can severely impact government operations and critical infrastructure. Such attacks have led to significant financial losses, health care disruptions, and more. Most federal agencies that lead and manage risk for 4 critical sectors—manufacturing, energy, healthcare and public health, and transportation systems—have assessed or plan to assess risks associated with ransomware. But agencies haven't fully gauged...
K-12 Education: Education Could Enhance Oversight of School Improvement Activities
Millions of K-12 students attend public schools that states designate as needing "comprehensive support and improvement." School districts can apply to receive federal funding to help these schools address education inequities and improve student outcomes. States approve school improvement plans and funding requests. The Department of Education monitors states' oversight of these plans' compliance with federal requirements. Education relies on states to select plans for...
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: Improvements Needed to Workforce and Expansion Plans for Unit of Native American Law Enforcement Personnel
Since 1974, the Shadow Wolves—a highly trained Native American tracking unit—have used traditional and modern methods to combat smuggling from Mexico to the Tohono O'odham Nation reservation in Arizona. They're part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In 2015, ICE shifted their focus from finding smugglers and contraband to conducting investigations. But ICE didn't update the program's mission or staffing needs. ICE has since issued...
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Artificial Intelligence: GAO's Work to Leverage Technology and Ensure Responsible Use
Artificial intelligence generally refers to computer systems that can solve problems and perform tasks that have traditionally required human intelligence. We testified about how GAO plans to use AI internally to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency. For example, we recently began deployment of a large language model as a tool to synthesize past reports, assist with editorial reviews, and scan congressional documents. By developing such...
DOD Education Activity: Civilian Payroll Remediation Continues
The Department of Defense has over 12,000 civilian employees in its "Education Activity" schools around the world. These schools educate the children of service members and civilian employees on military installations. Independent public accounting firms auditing DOD's annual financial statements have reported issues related to the civilian payroll system. For example, they've found that some payroll amounts don't match supporting documentation. We found similar issues...
Federal Software Licenses: Agencies Need to Take Action to Achieve Additional Savings
Federal agencies buy thousands of software licenses annually. Across the 24 agencies we examined, 10 vendors accounted for the majority of the most widely used licenses. But it's unclear which products under those licenses are most widely used because of agencies' inconsistent and incomplete data. For example, multiple software products may be bundled into a single license with a vendor, and agencies may not have...
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Paid Parental Leave: OPM Should Take Steps to Further Raise Awareness of the Program
Starting October 1, 2020, most federal civilian employees became eligible to take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for the arrival of a new child whether by birth, adoption, or foster care. The Office of Personnel Management's government-wide data showed that most federal employees were aware of the benefit, and the number of employees who took paid parental leave generally aligned with OPM's...
2023 Tax Filing: IRS Improved Customer Service, but Could Further Improve Processing and Evaluate Expedited Hiring
IRS has previously had challenges processing tax returns on time and meeting taxpayer needs. But in 2023, IRS's service showed improvement. Tax filers experienced faster processing times, shorter wait times for phone service, and more in-person options for getting tax help. However, the agency fell short of some of its goals for processing tax returns on time. Also, IRS was able to use a faster...
Federal Regulation: Selected Emerging Technologies Highlight the Need for Legislative Analysis and Enhanced Coordination
Agencies face challenges regulating drones, medical devices with artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies in a timely manner. We asked agencies that regulate some of these complex, rapidly evolving technologies about their strategies. They told us that they: Use varied approaches—including strategic foresight tools like "scenario planning"—to anticipate regulatory issues Coordinate with other federal agencies and foreign governments to share information and achieve shared goals...
VA Acquisition Management: Oversight of Service Contracts Needing Heightened Management Attention Could Be Improved
VA increasingly relies on contractors for a wide range of services. But if contractors perform certain functions—e.g., providing legal advice or supporting budget prep—without additional oversight from government officials, they could pose risks to government decision-making and accountability. The Office of Management and Budget issued guidance to help agencies determine which contracted services need this oversight. However, VA has yet to fully implement this guidance...
Hospital Financing: Volume Limits and Reporting Could Help Manage Risks of Expanding FHA's Mortgage Insurance Program
The Federal Housing Administration insures mortgage loans to hospitals that need financing for projects like renovations. The insurance protects lenders from losses if hospitals don't make their loan payments. Currently, hospitals that provide acute care—like emergency services—are eligible. We looked at the potential effects of expanding the program to others, such as psychiatric hospitals. These hospitals generally have less revenue, which may increase FHA's risk...
Grants Management: Action Needed to Ensure Consistency and Usefulness of New Data Standards
The federal government spent roughly $1.2 trillion on grants in 2022. But it's hard to track and manage this spending because agencies collect data in different ways. The Grant Reporting Efficiency and Agreements Transparency (GREAT) Act may help—setting standards for agency data collection throughout the government. The Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Health and Human Services identified 540 data elements—such as...
National Nuclear Security Administration: Better Performance Tracking and Documentation Needed for Minor Construction Projects
This Q&A report reviews the National Nuclear Security Administration's management of its minor construction projects, such as upgrades to its facilities. Currently NNSA doesn't need specific congressional approval for these projects if they cost less than $30 million. We discuss the potential impacts of raising this cost threshold on NNSA's projects and Congress's oversight of them. Also, NNSA hasn't formally documented how the projects should...
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Forensic Technology: Algorithms Offer Benefits for Criminal Investigations, but a Range of Factors Can Affect Outcomes
Fingerprints and other physical evidence have long helped law enforcement officers solve crimes. Advances in forensic algorithms allow experts to partially automate the examination of such evidence. Algorithms can analyze finger or palm prints, facial images, or DNA. We testified that these tools can improve speed and objectivity in many investigations. But analysts and investigators face challenges such as possible bias and misuse, and difficulty...