Reports & Testimonies

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 State Department outlines 12 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, revenue from passport and visa fees dropped during COVID-19, and may not return to pre-pandemic levels for several years. We recommended that...

To reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions, the White House issued a "Grand Challenge" that aims to increase the production of sustainable jet fuel to 3 billion gallons per year by 2030. Its goal is also to produce enough fuel to meet 100% of commercial jet fuel demand by 2050. Currently, this fuel is used at two large airports, but accounts for less than 0.1% of...

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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) outlines 8 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, NRC should add extra security features—such as multifactor authentication—to its licensing process for possessing radioactive material. This would make it...

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 Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) outlines 7 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we recommended that OSTP work with other agencies to improve how they collaborate—such as by defining common...

The demand for commercial airline travel rebounded after the COVID-19 pandemic, heightening the need for pilots and mechanics. But while the number of pilots has grown in recent years, there may not be enough of them to meet airlines' needs in the future. There also may not be enough mechanics to maintain airplanes. To make aviation careers more attractive, airlines and maintenance facilities are offering...

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 Justice outlines 13 open recommendations that it should prioritize. The recommendations relate to opioids, the federal prison system, FBI whistleblowers, immigration courts, and cybersecurity. DOJ implemented 3 recommendations we identified as a...

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 USAID outlines the 2 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, one recommendation is for USAID to establish performance goals that will help it assess its progress on a global food security initiative. USAID...

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 Social Security Administration outlines 4 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, one of these recommendations would help SSA safeguard recipients' personal data by ensuring privacy officials are reviewing and approving protections for...

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 Housing and Urban Development outlines 11 open recommendations to prioritize. For example, HUD's "Point-in-Time" counts may underestimate the number of persons experiencing homelessness and may not accurately reflect changes in this population...

People experiencing homelessness, who may be in shelters or living on the streets, may be vulnerable and most severely affected by disasters like hurricanes. Two federal agencies—the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)—provide funding to state and local governments that can help assist the homeless population during a disaster. However, HUD and FEMA don't regularly work together on...

Artificial intelligence is a rapidly evolving technology that presents operational and workforce challenges for the federal government. We testified on our key practices for the responsible use of AI in federal agencies. The practices are organized around four principles—governance, data, performance, and monitoring. For example, "monitoring" calls for agencies to ensure AI systems remain reliable and relevant over time. Also, there is a severe shortage...

This Health Care Capsule summarizes our work on health care access in rural areas. Rural residents face several access challenges, including: Fewer health care providers, which limits access to specialized services Longer travel distances to get to health care and fewer transportation options than urban areas Less broadband internet, which limits access to telehealth services We've recommended that federal agencies learn more about the needs...

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 Environmental Protection Agency outlines 15 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, 4 of the recommendations would help EPA protect bodies of freshwater by monitoring, forecasting, and preventing algae overgrowths that can make...

It's critical that the public receive alerts about destructive tsunamis. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration sends tsunami alerts to the public via: Emergency broadcast messages on TV and radio Emergency texts on mobile devices Social media posts and website alerts NOAA has taken steps to improve how it alerts the public, such as updating its website to allow easy access to critical information during...

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 Transportation outlines 20 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, in January 2023, we recommended that DOT develop a comprehensive strategy to safely integrate drones into the national airspace. DOT...

The Veterans Health Administration operates the nation's largest health care system. In recent years, VHA has had difficulty attracting and retaining enough staff to meet the growing health care needs of veterans. We testified about our recent work on VHA's workforce challenges, including: meeting staffing needs to manage referrals to health care providers outside of VHA recruiting and retaining mental health care staff to provide...

The Transition Assistance Program helps servicemembers choose a career, pursue higher education, or find a job after military service. The program tailors support to individuals' needs based on how prepared they are to enter civilian life. We testified that nearly 25% of servicemembers who needed maximum support didn't attend a mandatory 2-day class. And most servicemembers didn't start the program at least 1 year before...

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 Labor outlines 11 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we recommended that it examine and publicly report on the extent and potential causes of racial and ethnic inequities in the...

Noncompete agreements can restrict workers from seeking employment with a competitor or from starting a competing business. These agreements can help companies protect confidential information, but they can also lead to less job mobility and lower wages for workers. Employers have historically used these agreements for highly skilled workers and executives with access to trade secrets or other proprietary information. However, employers we surveyed reported...

Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft connect passengers with drivers via mobile apps. Most ridesharing drivers use their personal vehicles. All passenger vehicles can be subject to recalls—when automakers notify car owners that certain repairs are needed for safety. Most drivers aren't legally required to fix recalled cars, and ridesharing passengers don't know the recall status of their rides. About 16% of ridesharing vehicles...