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Open Recommendations

Workforce Innovation And Opportunity Act: Actions Needed to Ensure People with Disabilities Can Access DOL Job Programs
GAO-26-107473
Feb 20, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Labor The Secretary of Labor should take additional steps to collect more complete data on workforce program participants' disability types. These steps could include targeting technical assistance to states where these data are less complete. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DOL disagreed with this recommendaton, raising three concerns. First, DOL stated that it does not require participants to disclose information on their disability type, consistent with non-discrimination provisions and supporting regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also noted that participants are provided the choice of voluntarily disclosing this information. Our recommendation does not suggest that DOL should require it. We believe that DOL can provide technical assistance that promotes the collection of more complete data without requiring disclosure. Second, DOL was concerned that increasing technical assistance on a particular field where data are already substantially complete may encourage states to inappropriately pressure participants to answer the question when participants would prefer not to. However, our recommendation does not suggest increasing technical assistance in states where the data are already substantially complete; rather, it suggests that such assistance go to states where the data are less complete. Third, DOL said that its existing processes for improving data integrity are already targeting technical assistance to states where data are less complete. Our report acknowledges some of these efforts, however, DOL does not take further action to follow up on this information, such as through targeted technical assistance. DOL officials we interviewed told us they do not plan to target technical assistance to those states where the data are less complete.
Department of Labor The Secretary of Labor should develop a written procedure for routinely analyzing DOL's state monitoring reports, including associated reports on local workforce agencies, to identify any widespread issues with accessibility for people with disabilities and take appropriate action to address them. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DOL agreed with this recommendation. The agency stated that it will develop additional procedures on routinely analyzing monitoring reports in its next update to an employment and training order on grants management policies and responsibilities, scheduled to be completed by the end of fiscal year 2026. We will monitor the progress of these efforts.
Department of Labor The Secretary of Labor should evaluate state and local workforce agencies' awareness and use of guidance, including its promising practices guide at such time as it is reposted to its website, and technical assistance on ensuring accessibility of its workforce programs for people with disabilities and take steps as needed to improve dissemination or promotion. (Recommendation 3)
Open
DOL agreed with this recommendation. The agency stated that it will identify methods and opportunities to increase dissemination of resources and technical assistance and assess state and local workforce agencies' awareness of them. We will monitor the progress of these efforts.

Coast Guard: Additional Actions Needed to Address Reports of Community Discrimination Against Service Members
GAO-26-107875
Feb 11, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure that the CRD reviews and clarifies the definition of a social climate incident and ensure that the term is defined the same way in all agency policies, including its Civil Rights Manual and Assignments Manual. (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 that the CRD develops and implements a standardized process for the collection and retention of required social climate incident documentation. (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 that the CRD consistently makes all commands aware of the CRD's social climate incident tools, including the incident reporting data provided through the internal SharePoint website. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Research Security: Agencies Should Assess Safeguards Against Discrimination
GAO-26-107544
Jan 22, 2026
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Science Foundation The Director of the NSF should ensure that the Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy, or the appropriate office within NSF, document an interim risk mitigation process for its TRUST pilot while continuing to develop a final process. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Administrator of NASA should ensure that the appropriate office document how its interim process addresses risk assessment criteria, remediation steps, and due process rights for research institutions or individuals as it continues to develop its final research security process. (Recommendation 2)
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 should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, or the appropriate office within DOD, assess the agency's research security processes to determine whether current safeguards provide reasonable assurance that discrimination will not occur and whether any additional safeguards would be practical and beneficial. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Research, Technology, and Economic Security Office, or the appropriate office within DOE, assess the agency's research security processes to determine whether current safeguards provide reasonable assurance that discrimination will not occur and whether any additional safeguards would be practical and beneficial. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration The Administrator of NASA should ensure that the appropriate office assess the agency's research security processes to determine whether current safeguards provide reasonable assurance that discrimination will not occur and whether any additional safeguards would be practical and beneficial. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Institutes of Health The Director of NIH should ensure that the Office of Extramural Research, or the appropriate office within NIH, assess the agency's research security processes to determine whether current safeguards provide reasonable assurance that discrimination will not occur and whether any additional safeguards would be practical and beneficial. (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: Additional Actions Needed to Improve Oversight and Prevent Instructor Sexual Misconduct
GAO-26-107524
Jan 20, 2026
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16 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, revises the standardized MOA with school districts to include all statutory requirements, including (1) a requirement for schools to notify the military service within 48 hours of all allegations of instructor misconduct, regardless of whether investigative or disciplinary actions are taken; (2) a requirement for schools to certify that they annually provide training to students on methods to prevent, respond to, and report sexual misconduct; and (3) a procedure for instructor certifications to expire after not more than 5 years. (Recommendation 1)
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 should ensure that the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, in coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and in consultation with the Department of Education, develops and publishes standardized Title IX compliance training for JROTC instructors. (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 Army The Secretary of the Army should, once the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness develops and publishes standardized Title IX compliance training for JROTC instructors, implement the standardized training by administering it to new and existing instructors on an annual basis. (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, once the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness develops and publishes standardized Title IX compliance training for JROTC instructors, implement the standardized training by administering it to new and existing instructors on an annual basis. (Recommendation 4)
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, once the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness develops and publishes standardized Title IX compliance training for JROTC instructors, implement the standardized training by administering it to new and existing instructors on an annual basis. (Recommendation 5)
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, once the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness develops and publishes standardized Title IX compliance training for JROTC instructors, implements the standardized training by administering it to new and existing instructors on an annual basis. (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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