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Open Recommendations (38 total)

Wildfires: Additional Actions Needed to Address FEMA Assistance Challenges

GAO-25-106862
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should amend the FMAG regulations to provide tribal governments the option to request FMAG declarations directly from FEMA. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should document its position on approving FMAG declarations for fires burning on federal land but threatening nearby communities in the FMAG Program and Policy Guide. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should assess ways to provide assistance for immediate post-wildfire mitigation and take steps to provide such assistance. If FEMA determines it needs additional authorities, it should develop a legislative proposal for implementing the proposed change(s). (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should clarify eligible pre-positioning costs, including use of in-state resources, in the FMAG Program and Policy Guide. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should establish a formal process to regularly collect and assess nationwide feedback from state, local, and tribal FMAG recipients and incorporate such feedback into program policy, as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Recruitment and Retention in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories

GAO-25-106527
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency should ensure that employees in offices that are outside of the Eastern time zone are able to access live training at a reasonable time, that includes the opportunity to interact with the instructor(s) and peers. (Recommendation 10)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency should evaluate the agency's efforts to obtain and use feedback on hiring, recruitment, and retention practices, including human capital flexibilities, from staff in the noncontiguous U.S. to identify and address opportunities for improvement. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Recruitment and Retention in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories

GAO-25-106527
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency should evaluate the agency's current recruitment strategies and efforts to identify opportunities to broaden the pool of qualified local candidates in USVI. (Recommendation 7)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Disaster Relief Fund: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Could Improve FEMA's Estimates

GAO-24-106676
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should identify and document lessons learned related to estimating obligations for declared catastrophic disasters based on its experience with COVID-19. (Recommendation 1)
Open
FEMA did not concur with our recommendation. We maintain that the recommendation is warranted and will continue to monitor FEMA's efforts to address it. When we confirm what actions FEMA has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Justice40: Additional Efforts Needed to Improve Tribal Applicants' Access to Federal Programs Under Environmental Justice Initiative

GAO-24-106511
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Administrator of FEMA should ensure that program offices implementing Justice40 covered programs maintain records of related consultations with Tribes and consider—with tribal input—publicly sharing a high-level summary of consultation results, as appropriate, to improve tribal applicants' access to information about tribal input on federal programs and decrease the burden on Tribes and eligible Indigenous communities. (Recommendation 5)
Open
In written comments reproduced in our report, FEMA stated that it anticipates taking steps in the coming months to implement our recommendations on improving tribal applicants' access to Justice40 covered programs. We will update the status of this recommendation when we receive additional information from the agency.
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