Reports & Testimonies

The Department of Defense expects to spend billions of dollars over the next 5 years to launch hundreds of satellites into space. Private companies conduct these launches at federal launch sites, called ranges. Companies also use the ranges to launch commercial satellites. As government and commercial launches have increased, so too has the strain on range infrastructure. DOD can bill companies for their use of...

The Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense provide health care to over 18 million veterans and servicemembers. The two departments may share health care resources, like surgery services, through sharing agreements, which help improve access to health care and lower costs. There were 185 such agreements as of April 2025 in areas like mental health and orthopedics. However, we found that the departments...

The 5 permanently-inhabited U.S. territories borrow through financial markets to fund priorities like infrastructure projects. Every 2 years, we examine the territories' public debt and review their economic conditions. The territories face challenges to economic growth, which can make it harder for them to secure or repay debt. These include the high cost of importing goods and energy, population loss, and extreme weather events that...

Health care spending per capita is higher in the U.S. than in any other high-income country. Yet, people living in the U.S. don't live as long in comparison and are more likely to die of conditions that can be prevented or treated. To find ways to help address this disparity, we convened a forum in October 2024. Experts from government, academia, and industry identified changes...

Building commercial ships in U.S. shipyards supports the maritime industry, which plays a vital role in national security. However, U.S. commercial shipbuilding has been in decline for decades. The Maritime Administration has four financial assistance programs to help change that. It's not clear if these programs are meeting the needs of the industry or national security. The agency hasn't established measurable goals, such as the...

The Bureau of Industry and Security oversees export of "dual-use" items—including computer chips—that can have both civilian and military uses. To protect U.S. national security while still facilitating trade, the bureau issues export licenses which are reviewed by the Departments of Defense, Energy, and State. The bureau: Hasn't assessed its long-term workforce needs, including size and composition—in light of its growing workload Could better communicate...

We testified on wildfire management technologies before the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands. It is based primarily on the following reports: Science & Tech Spotlight: Wildfire Detection Technologies Artificial Intelligence in Natural Hazard Modeling: Severe Storms, Hurricanes, Floods, and Wildfires Forest Service: Fully Following Leading Practices for Agency Reforms Would Strengthen Prescribed Fire Program We've made recommendations and offered policy options...

Improper payments are payments that shouldn't have been made, were made in the wrong amount, or lacked sufficient supporting documentation. This Q&A looks at the improper payment estimate for Medicaid managed care. About three-quarters of Medicaid beneficiaries are in managed care, under which states pay private health plans a set fee per person to cover care. Recently, Medicaid managed care's improper payment estimate has been...

Suicides occur among veterans at twice the rate of nonveterans. Preventing them is a top priority of Veterans Affairs. To help, it runs the Veterans Crisis Line, a 24/7 phone, chat, and text service. We looked at some challenges facing the crisis line. For example, staff handle multiple chat and text interactions at once, which makes it harder for staff to focus and can lead...

Children covered by Medicaid are entitled to a comprehensive set of screening, diagnostic and treatment services. These services help ensure that children's health conditions are found and treated in a timely manner. States are responsible for making sure eligible children aged 20 and under receive these services. As of fiscal year 2023, well-child screening rates hadn't yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. States often contract with...

To ensure the safety and security of the U.S. coastline and inland waterways, the Coast Guard relies heavily on a fleet of 241 cutters—vessels 65 feet or greater in length with accommodations for crew to live on board. Due to deferred maintenance and challenges obtaining essential parts, the aging cutter fleet is becoming increasingly unavailable for missions as equipment fails. To make up for these...

Disasters like hurricanes and oil spills can affect fisheries and communities and may result in lost revenue or jobs. When a fishery disaster occurs, eligible entities such as states or Tribes may request assistance from the National Marine Fisheries Service. We found the agency generally took 3 years to disburse funds for some of the 111 requests it received since 2014. The agency is altering...

NASA plans to invest about $80 billion in its major projects to continue exploring Earth, the moon, and the solar system. NASA's cybersecurity risk management program is a set of steps it should take to protect systems and information when developing these projects. Each step comprises a set of related tasks. NASA completed at least some cybersecurity tasks in each program step for all the...

Suicides occur among veterans at twice the rate of nonveterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs has named suicide prevention one of its top priorities. To help, VA runs the Veterans Crisis Line, a 24/7 phone, chat, and text service. We testified on crisis line challenges. For example: Staff handle multiple chat and text interactions at once, which can mean less attention for those contacting the...

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico is the nation's only facility for disposal of certain defense-related nuclear waste. It's expected to operate until the 2080s, but much of its important infrastructure is decades old and needs to be repaired or replaced. The Department of Energy tracks the condition of its nuclear waste disposal infrastructure. Its contractor runs the facility's operations. DOE doesn't have...

States must determine if everyone on the rolls for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program remain eligible each year. They check paperwork, verify income, and more. During the pandemic, full redeterminations were paused until April 2023. Millions were expected to lose coverage once states resumed those efforts. We found that 27 million people (about one-third) were disenrolled after redeterminations resumed. Disenrollment levels varied by...

We testified on quantum computing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation. It is based primarily on the following reports: Future of Cybersecurity: Leadership Needed to Fully Define Quantum Threat Mitigation Strategy Quantum Computing and Communications: Status and Prospects The Office of the National Cyber Director still needs to address our previous recommendations.

The Department of Veterans Affairs schedules tens of millions of health care appointments for veterans each year, using dozens of systems to support appointment scheduling. These complex systems have contributed to delays in providing care. The department has begun efforts to modernize these systems. However, we found VA's project schedule for its modernization program was not comprehensive. For example, it didn't include all IT work...

This Q&A examines potential economic effects of increased abortion restrictions following the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Studies we reviewed show that these state restrictions can affect individuals and their families, as well as the broader economy. Studies also show that abortion restrictions can influence women's decisions about where to live, affect their ability to get an education, affect...