Reports & Testimonies

The United States is the world's largest exporter of defense items such as ammunition and missiles. Public reports have raised concerns that some countries may be using these weapons in ways that violate human rights or harm civilians. U.S. agencies are responsible for ensuring weapons are not provided to countries that violate human rights. In 2023, the Department of State developed a process to respond...

The Department of Defense contracts with private sector companies to provide health care services for over 9 million beneficiaries in its TRICARE program—including active-duty service members, retirees, and their family members. As of September 2024, DOD had 13 health, dental, and pharmacy contracts valued at over $160 billion. We found that 11 of the 13 current contracts increased in value compared to prior versions for...

After Hurricane Katrina, the Army Corps of Engineers created a national database on U.S. levees—structures that help prevent flooding. The Corps and the Federal Emergency Management Agency maintain the publicly available database, which includes levee conditions and information about the people and property at risk if levees fail. The Corps and FEMA regularly update the database after levee inspections. This Q&A looks at how this...

This Q&A report examines sepsis at Department of Defense-run medical facilities. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition caused by an extreme response to an infection. It is a leading cause of hospital admissions and deaths. Sepsis cases accounted for about 1% of admissions at DOD medical facilities in FYs 2017-2023. DOD tracks 4 measures of medical facility quality related to sepsis. Military facilities generally met or...

Generative AI could dramatically increase productivity and transform workloads in many industries. It can be used to respond to questions in customer service chats, create schedules, summarize information, produce Internet content—and more. But generative AI also poses potential risks to people and the environment. For example, the IT equipment that powers generative AI needs a lot of water and electricity to function efficiently and avoid...

Mental health issues like anxiety and depression are common during and after pregnancy. Service members and their families may be at higher risk, facing challenges such as deployment and isolation. We estimated that about half of service members in the Department of Defense's TRICARE program who gave birth in military hospitals or clinics got all recommended mental health screenings. The screening rate was lower for...

Each year, eligible Americans miss out on billions of dollars in food aid, financial assistance, and other federal benefits. This is, in part, because of the time and resources needed to apply for benefits. Federal agencies try to assess these burdens with the goal of reducing them. The Office of Management and Budget reviews their efforts. OMB's instructions for documenting burdens could be clearer. For...

The percentage of college students with health insurance has increased over the last decade, from 81% in 2010 to 92% in 2022. But nearly 1.6 million students still lacked coverage in 2022, including: Students from certain historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups Certain nonworking students Students in states that hadn't expanded Medicaid eligibility Some students also faced challenges getting coverage. For example, affordability was an...

The Coast Guard investigates a range of issues and can inform Congress about them, which can assist in congressional oversight. But the Coast Guard didn't inform Congress about a 2020 series of investigations that found the Coast Guard Academy frequently mishandled allegations of sexual assault. The Coast Guard's guidance is unclear about which investigations require proactive congressional notification. For example, some guidance says to notify...

The Department of Defense made changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion workforce, as required by a 2024 law. Among other things, the law Stated that DOD may not establish new or fill vacant DEI positions Set limits on pay rates for civilian employees with duties related to DEI Executive orders in 2025 further directed federal agencies, including DOD, to end DEI programs. We reviewed...

The Army Corps of Engineers stores water in its reservoirs for local water utilities and other municipal and industrial water users. These users pay annual fees to the Corps, which cover their share of operation and maintenance costs. Corps officials say they communicate with users about these fees annually, but we found they often provide few details beyond the amount. Users told us it's unclear...

Military families can find it hard to get special education services for their children with disabilities—especially in overseas locations. Students' individualized education programs outline how many minutes of specialized instruction they are legally required to receive. But Department of Defense schools don't consider this information for special education staffing. This may contribute to not having staff available to deliver enough specialized instruction, or to delays...

Drug overdose deaths in the U.S., including those from fentanyl, surged over the past 25 years. To reduce drug trafficking and criminal activity, the Department of Defense and the National Guard help support federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement. The counterdrug support services they offer include information analysis, translation and transcription, and air and ground surveillance. DOD and the National Guard Bureau work to...

Asset management firms manage trillions of dollars, but minority and women-owned firms manage a tiny portion. Our prior report discussed the difficulties these firms face when competing against larger firms for asset management opportunities. In this report, we found that these firms face several challenges. For example, they may lack the resources to keep client fees low—a challenge larger firms can more easily overcome due...

Offshore wind energy is a growing U.S. source of renewable energy. It could also affect public health, tribal resources, and more—but the extent of any potential effects is uncertain. The Department of the Interior and other federal agencies oversee offshore wind energy development. They are supposed to work with Tribes, fisheries, and other groups that could be affected. But their engagement with these groups isn't...

Nearly 25% of college students in 2020 reported limited or uncertain access to food. Despite being potentially eligible, most didn't receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—formerly known as "food stamps"—which could help them pay for food. A recent law gave the Department of Education authority to share students' Free Application for Federal Student Aid data with federal and state SNAP agencies to identify and...

Railroad crossings, where train tracks intersect with roads or paths, pose risks for drivers and pedestrians. There are concerns with pedestrians trespassing at these crossings, with pedestrian deaths and injuries increasing. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides funding and technical assistance for states' projects to improve crossing safety, such as installing gates. But the agency's technical assistance doesn't include examples of trespassing-related pedestrian projects that...