Reports & Testimonies

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, opinions on telework have been evolving. For this Q&A, we talked to a number of organizations that represent private sector employers and workers. They collectively identified improvements in recruiting and retaining workers as the greatest benefit of telework. They also noted that maintaining workplace culture in a telework environment was the biggest challenge. Additionally, some experts said telework opens work opportunities...

The Department of Energy can issue or guarantee loans for innovative or high-impact energy projects that private lenders can't or won't take on. In 2021 and 2022, legislation increased the amount of money available to DOE's loan programs. The number of applications for loans and guarantees also increased substantially. We looked at these programs and found: DOE isn't on track to issue loans and guarantees...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many riders stopped using public transit. Commuter rail, an alternative to driving between suburbs and city centers, was hit particularly hard. As of December 2024, a majority of the nation's 31 commuter rail systems were running at close to pre-pandemic levels. But most systems continued to face lower ridership and higher operating costs. Increases in federal funding since 2019 helped offset...

The American spirit of innovation drives inventors to develop new technologies. Patents help them protect their inventions. But patent examiners say they aren't given enough training, resources, or time to thoroughly review patent applications—especially for complicated new technology. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has tried new ways to support patent examiners, but there's more to do. For example, the agency doesn't track if its...

The U.S. faces constantly-evolving threats—e.g., terrorism and cyberattacks. Every 4 years, the Department of Homeland Security must examine and, as needed, update the nation's homeland security strategy to ensure it's consistent with national and departmental plans and priorities. DHS didn't meet legal requirements for the 2023 review. For example, the review's report was late. Also, stakeholders told us they weren't consulted before the report was...

Each year, the Department of Transportation distributes billions of dollars to Tribes, states, and localities to build and repair road infrastructure. Most of these funds are distributed by formula grant programs, which use variables to calculate how much money recipients receive. As Congress develops new surface transportation legislation, it could create new formula programs. We surveyed current recipients and others, who suggested multiple variables that...

Medical providers at the VA can refer veterans to behavioral health providers outside VA for treatment of conditions like depression. These providers should send medical records back to VA after caring for a veteran. Such exchanges help ensure that a veteran receives coordinated care. We found that VA doesn't monitor whether these records are sent back, and a significant portion of the medical records were...

Nonprofit drug companies in the U.S. aim to lower drug prices or ease shortages. They are supported by donations and revenue from sales and set their prices at a level to cover their expenses. Three of the 7 companies we reviewed currently have products on the market, including surgical injections and a nasal spray to reverse drug overdoses. One uses long-term purchasing contracts with hospitals...

Federal employees work across the country—and may make different salaries than their local nonfederal counterparts. To help align federal workers' salaries with their local areas, Congress authorized an annual "locality pay adjustment" starting in 1994. In 2023, 60% of federal employees received a locality pay increase. Even with adjustments over the years, a pay gap persists. Changing how the gap is calculated could make it...

Each year, we audit the Federal Housing Finance Agency's financial statements. During our 2024 audit, we found that FHFA doesn't have sufficient guidance to determine and review its accounts payable accruals—expenses incurred but not yet paid. Also, FHFA lacks guidance for communicating between its accounting office and business units. This guidance is necessary to ensure that the accounting office has the information it needs to...

Cities across the nation are using "smart city" technologies like traffic cameras and gunshot detectors to improve public services. In this technology assessment, we looked at their use in transportation and law enforcement. Experts and city officials reported multiple benefits. For example, Houston uses cameras and Bluetooth sensors to measure traffic flow and adjust signal timing. Other cities use license plate readers to find stolen...

When enforcing regulations, federal agencies use fines to hold violators accountable and to deter future violations. But if agencies don't regularly adjust these fines for inflation, they may become less effective. Congress enacted the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 partly to address this issue. In 2015, Congress amended the act to require GAO to annually review agencies' compliance with certain provisions. We...

Research on the human genome—the complete set of a person's DNA—has led to better health care and has many potential benefits. The Department of Health and Human Services has led key research, including a project to create a repository of the genomes of 1 million Americans. Its policy is to responsibly share such data with researchers. But intelligence agencies warn that misuse of U.S. genomic...

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...

Department of Defense civilian firefighters are a first line of defense when catastrophes threaten DOD installations. But DOD has experienced long-standing staffing issues within this workforce. From FY 2019-2023, DOD employed fewer civilian firefighters than authorized—i.e., below the minimum staffing level required for safe operations. DOD identified causes of its staffing gaps, such as competition from local fire departments that may offer better pay and...

Many veterans rely on nursing home care to help meet their health needs. In FY 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs paid about $1.5 billion for veteran nursing home care provided in state veterans homes. VA provides funding and inspects these homes to ensure compliance with VA quality standards. We made 4 recommendations in our November 2022 report to help VA oversee these homes. We...

Federal law lets some employers pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage. Some states stopped allowing this. We looked at 2 states to find out what happened next. The states could track what happened to about 1,000 people. Almost half got new jobs. This is an "Easy Read" version of our report. Easy Read is a way some groups make their written information easier...