Reports & Testimonies

The Federal Communications Commission ensures access to broadband—high-speed internet—is deployed across the U.S. It uses a speed benchmark to assess whether broadband speeds are adequate and may take action to improve availability in areas where they aren't. FCC annually assesses and reports on whether the benchmark should be updated to meet public needs. But FCC's reporting has been inconsistent over the years. For example, the...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection invests billions of dollars each year on systems like software and boats to support its missions. But CBP's purchases have frequently cost more and taken longer to arrive than expected. Using lessons learned from past mistakes may help CBP keep future programs on track. We looked at 10 CBP acquisition programs and found that they didn't consistently collect or share...

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates costs before purchasing acquisitions, such as satellites, ships, computers, and facilities. The reliability of these cost estimates can be improved by using the best practices outlined in GAO's cost estimating guide. The cost estimating procedures used by 2 NOAA offices that buy satellites and facilities weren't fully aligned with GAO's best practices. And 2 offices that purchase ships...

"Wargames" are simulations of conflict that DOD uses to prepare for actual warfare. Organizations within DOD and external providers—such as federally-funded research centers and contractors—provide wargames. But DOD hasn't assessed the risks of relying on external providers. We identified steps DOD takes to ensure quality wargames. However, DOD stores wargame information in systems that don't share data with others, which hinders collaboration. Also, none of...

Historically, DOD has relied on its own systems to monitor objects in space and assess the potential for collisions with satellites. Tracking these objects is known as “space situational awareness.” In recent years, commercial companies have begun collecting more data on space objects. DOD already uses some of this data to maintain its awareness as the number of threats and objects in space grows. DOD...

Medicaid's home- and community-based programs play an important role supporting beneficiaries with intellectual or developmental disabilities—such as Down syndrome—in their daily activities, like eating and bathing. We reviewed Medicaid data for 6 states from 2019 and found that: Over 45% of beneficiaries with such disabilities who were enrolled in these programs had an additional health condition—such as an anxiety disorder or high blood pressure. The...

"Electronic health information exchange" enables the sharing of medical records electronically among health care providers, and between providers and patients. The use of electronic exchange among hospitals and physicians has increased in recent years, partly due to federal funds that helped advance its use. However, we found that the use of electronic exchange among small and rural hospitals was lower than that of other hospitals...

Private-sector companies own and operate about 99% of homes at U.S. military installations. Laws put in place since 2019 increased DOD's responsibilities to oversee this housing. DOD has taken steps to address requirements but could do more. For example, DOD: Provided residents with a formal dispute resolution process and access to a tenant advocate, but should improve advocates' training, provide residents better information, and solicit...

We issued our updated High Risk List in April 2023. The list highlights 37 areas across the federal government that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, or that need broad reform. Overall, 16 areas on our list improved—including VA health care and the Postal Service. One area—DOD's business systems modernization—regressed. And we removed two existing areas—the 2020 decennial census and pension benefit programs...

Since 2008, fires on Navy ships that were undergoing maintenance have caused more than $4 billion in damages—and the loss of two ships. Maintenance repairs on ships can cause sparks in confined areas, leaving them at high risk of fire. The Navy has worked to improve fire safety, but we found that lessons learned from fires aren't being shared consistently across the service. And while...

This testimony discusses an update to our High Risk List—which highlights 37 areas across the federal government that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, or that need broad reform. Overall, 16 areas on our list improved—including VA health care and the Postal Service. One area—DOD's business systems modernization—regressed. We also removed two existing areas—the 2020 decennial census and pension benefit programs. We added...

USPS is replacing its fleet of 200,000 delivery vehicles. Its new vehicles will include features like air bags, collision sensors, and an electric vehicle option. USPS analyzed different factors, like fuel costs, to determine what proportion of gas and electric vehicles to purchase. In March 2022, USPS used a gas price of $2.71 in its analysis when actual gas prices were higher—affecting the decision to...

This is our 8th annual assessment of the Department of Homeland Security's major acquisition programs. These programs acquire systems for operations like securing the border, screening travelers, and improving disaster response. We found that 18 of the 25 programs we reviewed were meeting their cost and schedule goals by the end of FY 2022. DHS also requires programs to identify their cybersecurity risks in a...