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Open Recommendations

Supply Chain Security: Actions Needed to Improve CBP Management of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Program
GAO-26-107893
Jan 27, 2026
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop a plan and assign responsibility for overseeing the completeness and consistency of its security incident data involving CTPAT participants, such as through regular evaluations of security incident data and ensuring that security incidents reported from CTPAT field offices or self-reported by participants are included in its data. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should update the operating guidance for investigating and taking enforcement action against CTPAT participants involved in security incidents. The update should include (1) decision-making criteria based on a risk-based approach to inform decisions on methods to investigate participants, (2) decision-making criteria based on a risk-based approach to inform decisions on enforcement actions against participants, and (3) requirements that those decisions be documented. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should improve the completeness and accuracy of the CTPAT program's enforcement actions data in the CTPAT Portal by addressing (1) incomplete data entries, (2) inconsistent or inaccurate data entries, (3) missing data entries, and (4) the potential for duplicate records. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop a formal mechanism to ensure it annually reviews and updates as necessary the CTPAT program's minimum security requirements, as required by the SAFE Port Act. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop and document internal policies and procedures to ensure the agency develops an annual plan for each fiscal year to match available resources to the projected workload of the CTPAT program, as required by the SAFE Port Act, including resources to address program participant involvement in security incidents. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop a 5-year plan with outcome-based goals and performance measures of the CTPAT program, as required by the SAFE Port Act. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps: DOD and DHS Should Update Guidance to Evaluate Instructor Recruitment and Pay
GAO-26-107709
Jan 26, 2026
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should develop an evaluation plan, including a standardized set of metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of JROTC instructor recruitment. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should develop an evaluation plan, including a standardized set of metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of JROTC instructor recruitment. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should develop an evaluation plan, including a standardized set of metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of JROTC instructor recruitment. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commandant of the Marine Corps develops an evaluation plan, including a standardized set of metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of JROTC instructor recruitment. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should ensure the Commandant of the Coast Guard develops an evaluation plan, including a standardized set of metrics, to evaluate the effectiveness of JROTC instructor recruitment. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Secretaries of the military departments, should update JROTC guidance to include plans and metrics for evaluating how the JROTC instructor pay scale affects instructor recruitment and retention. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Southwest Border: CBP Should Improve Oversight of Medical Care for Individuals in Custody
GAO-26-107425
Jan 26, 2026
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14 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should ensure that the Office of the Chief Medical Officer takes action, such as providing additional training or guidance, to ensure contracted medical personnel understand the difference between medical assessments and medical encounters, and reasons for the difference. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should ensure that the Office of the Chief Medical Officer develops and implements an oversight mechanism to ensure individuals receive required medical assessments. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should clearly document in policy or guidance the factors that CBP personnel should consider to determine an individual in custody is at-risk based on serious physical or mental injuries or illnesses for the purpose of expeditious processing under CBP's standards for short-term custody. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should ensure that the Office of the Chief Medical Officer develops and implements an oversight mechanism for CBP and contracted medical personnel to ensure medically high-risk individuals in custody receive required medical care, including medical monitoring checks and red wristbands. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should ensure that the Office of the Chief Medical Officer includes information in monitoring reports on individuals at facilities without contracted medical personnel to ensure they receive the medical care required under CBP guidance. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The CBP Commissioner should develop and implement a mechanism to ensure that individuals who had medical issues identified or addressed while in CBP custody have their medical summary forms any time they leave custody. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Coast Guard Oversight: Actions Needed to Strengthen Collaboration on Investigations
GAO-26-107341
Jan 21, 2026
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
DHS Office of Inspector General The DHS Inspector General should assess the extent to which data access affects oversight project time frames and take action in response to the findings from the assessment. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure the CGIS Director develops and implements a process to regularly assess the extent to which CGIS is adhering to established policies for referring complaints to DHS OIG. This process should include identifying corrective action, as needed, based on the results of such assessments. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure the CGIS Director establishes regular communication with DHS OIG for deconflicting investigative activities. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
DHS Office of Inspector General The DHS Inspector General should establish regular communication with CGIS for deconflicting investigative activities. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure the CGIS Director clarifies roles and responsibilities for referring Coast Guard complaints and updates policies and procedures (such as the 2003 memorandum of understanding or another policy document), consistent with those of DHS OIG, accordingly. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
DHS Office of Inspector General The DHS Inspector General should clarify roles and responsibilities for referring Coast Guard complaints and update policies and procedures (such as the 2003 memorandum of understanding or another policy document), consistent with those of CGIS, accordingly. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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