Reports & Testimonies

We testified on the use of artificial intelligence at the Department of Veterans Affairs. We discussed challenges posed by AI before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization. Our testimony is based on the following reports: Artificial Intelligence: Generative AI Use and Management at Federal Agencies and Artificial Intelligence: An Accountability Framework for Federal Agencies and Other Entities. The Capitol building with...

DOD's U.S. Transportation Command arranges about 300,000 personal property shipments for military personnel and their families annually. To address widespread dissatisfaction with its moving and storage program, DOD contracted with a commercial move manager in 2021. But the contractor didn't have the capacity to manage all the shipments DOD ordered. DOD terminated the contract in June 2025 after spending over $100 million on it. DOD...

Small businesses owned by veterans, active military members, their spouses, and other military-affiliated people are an important part of the U.S. economy. We looked at some of their challenges and the resources available to them. Data shows that veterans can have trouble getting business financing from large banks. The Small Business Administration and Department of Agriculture offer loans to military-affiliated business owners. SBA lending to...

We testified on the Tribal Energy Financing Program before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. It is based primarily on the following report: Tribal Energy Finance: Changes to DOE Loan Program Would Reduce Barriers for Tribes. We made 5 recommendations to the Department of Energy in that report, including that it revise its review process to reduce fees. DOE is working to address those recommendations...

DOD is replacing the Air Force's Minuteman III missile—which is over 50 years old—with the new Sentinel system. The transition is the most complex project the service has undertaken. But the Air Force hasn't developed a risk management plan for this transition. A risk management plan would outline how to anticipate, analyze, and solve problems. Also, the Air Force may need to operate Minuteman III...

Artificial intelligence is a rapidly advancing technology that could substantially improve how government agencies operate. But AI technologies also pose risks. Various AI-related requirements from federal laws, executive orders, and guidance have steered federal agencies' efforts to use AI. This includes the AI in Government Act of 2020 and the Advancing American AI Act. We found 10 executive branch oversight groups that have a role...

When Medicare beneficiaries need medical devices or health care services, they can choose from among the items and services that Medicare has decided to cover. Medicare sets time frames for determining coverage and meets its goals more than 80% of the time. However, the agency doesn't systematically identify the reasons why some decisions are delayed, which may make it harder to improve timeliness. There are...

The Department of Education provides billions of dollars in student aid each year. In 2022, Education began modernizing its financial aid application system by contracting with companies to do the work. The new system launched with a few of the planned functions in 2023, but it had system availability issues and submission errors, among other problems. Education has since improved the system, but there's more...

A 2021 Executive Order directed federal agencies to address disproportionate health, environmental, economic, and climate impacts on disadvantaged communities. Federal agencies were tasked with implementing the Justice40 Initiative, which aimed to ensure that 40% of benefits from certain existing grants and programs went to these communities. By December 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency and Departments of the Interior and Agriculture had taken numerous steps to...

The U.S. and its allies have frozen billions in Russian assets and controlled exports of important technologies to Russia in response to the war in Ukraine. However, Russia has taken actions to mitigate the impact of these restrictions. We found that Russia’s economy declined after the invasion and sanctions in 2022, but recovered somewhat afterward. Moreover, export restrictions have hindered but not completely prevented Russia...

Accessible public transit in rural and tribal areas can be critical for older adults and people with disabilities. It connects them to jobs, social activities, and essentials like medical care and groceries. The Federal Transit Administration provides grants to these communities to help meet transit needs, such as expanding or establishing new routes and purchasing vehicles. It also assists communities in accessing and using the...

The National Nuclear Security Administration uses 3 fusion facilities to conduct experiments to help maintain and modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile. In 2023, the agency submitted a required plan to Congress for repairing and upgrading these facilities. The 10-year plan includes information on related activities, costs, and timelines. The plan also includes information for proposed near-term activities, which would cost about $492 million over 6-8...