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Open Recommendations

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families: Enhanced Reporting Could Improve HHS Oversight of State Spending
GAO-25-107235
Jan 13, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider granting HHS the authority to collect from states specific additional information needed to enhance its oversight authority, such as planned and actual TANF non-assistance expenditures, beyond what is provided for in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should ensure ACF design control activities to help ensure states are submitting complete narrative data in their expenditure reporting. (Recommendation 1)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of HHS should ensure ACF conducts a review of all TANF reporting requirements and forms and make appropriate changes within its statutory authority to enhance reporting for oversight of TANF funds. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Defense Contracting: DOD is Taking Steps to Restrict Mandatory Arbitration, but Additional Action Needed
GAO-25-107069
Dec 23, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency assesses the extent to which the agency's ongoing contracts that meet the criteria for inclusion of the clause at DFARS 252.222-7006, which restricts contractors' use of mandatory arbitration, have included the clause and use this information to determine what actions, if any, are needed to improve compliance for ongoing contracts. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Textile Waste: Federal Entities Should Collaborate on Reduction and Recycling Efforts
GAO-25-107165
Dec 12, 2024
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8 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Environmental Protection Agency The Administrator of EPA, in conjunction with NIST, OSTP, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of State and Energy, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 1)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed. In a separate response, EPA noted for this recommendation it will continue to work with OSTP and other agencies to explore appropriate mechanisms for integrating multi-agency research and development and science and technology efforts around textile waste and recycling, as well as explore appropriate mechanisms for operational and programmatic federal approaches to textile waste and recycling.
National Institute of Standards and Technology The Director of NIST, in conjunction with EPA, OSTP, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of State and Energy, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 2)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed.
Office of Science and Technology Policy The Director of OSTP, in conjunction with EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of State and Energy, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 3)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed.
Department of State The Secretary of State, in conjunction with EPA, NIST, NSF, and OSTP, and U.S. Department of Energy, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 4)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy, in conjunction with EPA, NIST, NSF, and OSTP, and the U.S. Department of State, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 5)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed.
National Science Foundation The Director of NSF, in conjunction with EPA, NIST, OSTP, and the U.S. Departments of State and Energy, should establish an interagency mechanism to coordinate federal efforts on textile circularity, reducing textile waste, and advancing textile recycling in the US. This interagency mechanism should identify and involve federal participants and should consider leading collaboration practices, including clearly defining common outcomes and identifying data and resource needs. (Recommendation 6)
Open
OSTP provided a formal, consolidated response to our report on behalf of OSTP, EPA, NIST, NSF, and the U.S. Departments of Energy and State. The response agreed with our findings and conclusions but disagreed with the identical, separately directed recommendation to the various agencies included in OSTP's response. The response did not accurately represent GAO's recommendation, which provided flexibility for the entities to establish an appropriate coordinating mechanism. We continue to believe an interagency mechanism focused on textiles that considers leading interagency collaboration practices is needed.

Financial Disclosure: Updates Are Needed to the Public Reporting Requirements
GAO-25-107039
Dec 10, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider amending the Ethics in Government Act to update the public reporting requirements, in consultation with the Office of Government Ethics. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of Government Ethics The Director of the Office of Government Ethics should update its 2005 recommendations for legislative changes to the executive branch public financial disclosure program, seeking authority to do so, as appropriate. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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