Reports & Testimonies

Many veterans leave military service with wilderness survival and related skills that can translate into careers in outdoor recreation, such as park ranger. Veterans can build on these skills by using the GI Bill from the Department of Veterans Affairs towards degrees in environmental science, forestry, and related disciplines, as well as other specialized job training (e.g., mountain climbing instructor). Federal agencies, like the Forestry...

This testimony discusses our work on the nation's unsustainable fiscal path, the fiscal risks of debt limit impasses, and what Congress could do to address these challenges. For example: Large annual budget deficits drive debt growth as spending exceeds revenue Interest costs make up a larger share of total spending as overall debt and interest rates increase over the long-term Delays in raising or suspending...

DOD has worked for years to upgrade GPS with a military-specific signal known as M-code. DOD plans to have the needed ground, space, and user equipment ready soon. But it's unclear whether the current constellation of 24 satellites will meet some users' accuracy needs. Having 3 more satellites could help, but DOD may not be able to keep all 27 available consistently over the next...

GAO and federal agencies' inspectors general make recommendations that could save money or improve public services. But agencies don't always implement them. Agencies must report on unimplemented recommendations with their annual budget justification. Most of the agencies we reviewed did so, but the level of detail they provided varied—possibly because they were confused by the reporting requirements. The Office of Management and Budget offers guidance...

Federal law enforcement agencies must collect DNA samples from certain detained noncitizens and people who are arrested, facing criminal charges, or convicted of crimes. The FBI sends DNA test kits to such agencies upon request. In fiscal year 2022, Customs and Border Protection collected samples from about 37% of the 1.7 million people it encountered. But the agency doesn't know whether this covers all the...

Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the U.S. Department of Energy outlines 30 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, the U.S. electricity grid faces risks from climate change, and we recommended that DOE implement a department-wide strategy to improve...

NASA plans to invest over $83 billion in its major projects to continue exploring Earth, the moon, and the solar system. This is our 15th annual assessment of these projects. In the last year, NASA decreased its total project "overruns"—when costs incurred are more than budgeted—by almost $5 billion. The agency's largest, most complex projects have the biggest impact on these overruns. A key factor...

The IRS's alternative dispute resolution programs—which use an IRS mediator to resolve tax disputes between taxpayers and the agency—may be faster and less costly than its traditional appeals process. But the use of these programs fell by more than 65% between FYs 2013-2022, and the IRS doesn't have enough data to understand why. For instance, the IRS doesn't collect data on how often it rejects...

We testified about the Department of Homeland Security's attempts to update its aging IT systems. These legacy systems can be costly to maintain and vulnerable to hackers. We recommended in 2019 that DHS develop a modernization plan for one of its most critical legacy systems. DHS did so in February 2022, and included milestones in the plan to replace this system and remove outdated hardware...

During the pandemic, Congress provided more than $52 billion in supplemental funding to help keep child care providers in business and ensure that low-income families could still access care. In this testimony, we discuss our work on how states used those funds, e.g., waiving family co-payments and increasing payments to care providers. States are still spending the money, and a full picture of its impact...

In FY 2021, the Department of Defense used three times as much energy as all other federal agencies combined. President Biden issued an executive order in December 2021 requiring federal agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy and water use, and waste. DOD is working to comply with this executive order. For instance, it is increasing funding for key energy conservation projects. However, we found...

There are more than 200 known zoonotic diseases—those caused by pathogens that spread between animals and humans. Domestically, zoonotic disease risks can come from U.S. wildlife and animals imported from abroad. While federal agencies are developing a surveillance system to detect zoonotic diseases in U.S. wildlife, they could also do more to improve collaboration—including sharing information on emerging diseases. Some of the federal regulations on...

Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) outlines 40 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we made 11 recommendations to help OMB create a federal program inventory that would help the public better...

The Department of Defense's most expensive weapon system—the F-35 aircraft—is now more than a decade behind schedule and $183 billion over original cost estimates. This program is weighing options to upgrade its engine and cooling system. But it hasn't taken some important steps, such as fully assessing the costs and technical risks of the different options. DOD also doesn't plan to manage the upgrades as...

Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs outlines 29 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we recommended that VA revise its guidance so that it uses funds for health care services more efficiently. VA implemented...

Each year, we audit the financial statements of the IRS and issue opinions regarding these statements and related internal controls (i.e., processes in place to ensure the proper authorization and recording of transactions). Our FY 2022 audit identified new issues related to IT systems, tax refunds, and safeguarding assets. For example, IRS did not adequately correct certain tax return errors according to its own procedures...

Directed energy weapons—such as lasers—use energy fired at the speed of light. These weapons can produce force that ranges from deterrent, to damaging, to destructive. Many countries, including the U.S., are researching their use. Because they use energy instead of bullets or missiles, directed energy weapons could be less expensive per shot and have virtually unlimited firing power. However, the long-term health effects of these...

This testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives discusses our review of the March 2023 bank failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Risky business strategies, weak risk management practices, and weak liquidity drove the failures. Both banks grew rapidly from 2019-2021—which can signal risk. Further, the growth was fueled heavily by deposits that weren't federally insured. Federal regulators raised concerns about these risks...

When the Department of Transportation funded construction of the U.S. highway network decades ago, some highways cut through neighborhoods—disconnecting communities. Now some cities are either removing highways or building structures called "caps" over certain sections of highway to reuse the land for community and economic development. In Feb. 2023, Transportation awarded funds to 45 projects through a new pilot program to reconnect communities. But the...

The Department of Energy has several programs to ensure proper access to and handling of the nation's nuclear weapons and related information. DOE started a program in 2014 to further protect against insider threats from employees, contractors, and trusted visitors. But as of 2023, DOE hasn't fully implemented the program. For example, DOE doesn't ensure that employees are trained to identify and report potential insider...