GAO’s recommendations database contains report recommendations that still need to be addressed.
GAO’s priority recommendations are those that we believe warrant priority attention.
We sent letters to the heads of key departments and agencies, urging them to continue focusing on these issues.
Below you can search only priority recommendations, or search all recommendations.
Our recommendations help congressional and agency leaders prepare for appropriations and oversight activities, as well as help improve government operations.
Moreover, when implemented, some of our priority recommendations can save large amounts of money, help Congress make decisions on major issues, and substantially improve or transform major government programs or agencies, among other benefits.
As of October 25, 2020, there are 4812 open recommendations, of which 473 are priority recommendations. Recommendations remain open until they are designated as Closed-implemented or Closed-not implemented.
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Recommendation: The Commissioner of CBP should review and update policies related to land port of entry inspections in accordance with Office of Field Operations guidance. (Recommendation 1)
Agency: Department of Homeland Security: United States Customs and Border Protection Status: Open
Comments: CBP concurred with the recommendation and stated that it intends to implement it by January 2021. We will continue to monitor CBP's ongoing efforts to do so.
Recommendation: The Commissioner of CBP should analyze the results of the Self-Inspection Program over time and at a level necessary to identify and address potentially reoccurring inspection deficiencies at individual ports of entry. (Recommendation 2)
Agency: Department of Homeland Security: United States Customs and Border Protection Status: Open
Comments: CBP concurred with the recommendation and stated that it intends to implement it by November 2021. We will continue to monitor CBP's ongoing efforts to do so.
Recommendation: The Commissioner of CBP should implement a policy to conduct periodic comprehensive analyses of covert test findings. (Recommendation 3)
Agency: Department of Homeland Security: United States Customs and Border Protection Status: Open
Comments: CBP concurred with the recommendation and, in March 2020, it provided information on its plans to conduct a comprehensive analysis after completing several covert tests. To fully address this recommendation, CBP should implement a policy to conduct periodic comprehensive analyses of covert test findings. We will continue to monitor CBP's ongoing efforts to do so.
Recommendation: The Commissioner of CBP should develop a new target for the land border interception rate for passengers in privately-owned vehicles with major violations that sets an ambitious and realistic goal based on past performance. (Recommendation 4)
Agency: Department of Homeland Security: United States Customs and Border Protection Status: Open
Comments: CBP concurred with the recommendation and stated that it intends to implement it by January 2021. We will continue to monitor CBP's ongoing efforts to do so.
Recommendation: To better ensure that CBP's Office of Field Operations' (OFO) staffing processes are transparent and to help ensure CBP can demonstrate that these resource decisions have effectively addressed CBP's mission needs, the Commissioner of CBP should document the methodology and process OFO uses to allocate staff to land ports of entry on the southwest border, including the rationales and factors considered in making these decisions.
Agency: Department of Homeland Security: United States Customs and Border Protection Status: Open
Comments: In May 2017, CBP's Office of Field Operations began working with a contractor to develop a comprehensive CBP position allocation methodology and tool. According to CBP officials, the purpose of this tool was to ensure a data driven, transparent process for allocating CBP resources--including staff--to land ports of entry on the southwest border. CBP officials stated that the contractor completed the tool in January 2018, CBP tested the tool in fiscal year 2018, and CBP planned to implement the tool in fiscal year 2019. However, CBP officials told us in September 2020 that a subsequent reorganization of the Office of Field Operations rendered the tool unusable without further modification. As a result, they used a manual method to allocate staff in fiscal year 2020 and plan to do the same in fiscal year 2021. As of September 2020, CBP officials planned to document the methodology and process they are now using to allocate staff to land ports of entry, including rationales and factors considered, by November 2020. This recommendation remains open.
