Reports & Testimonies

Social Security is a major source of income for millions of retirees and other Americans. As program costs continue to exceed revenues, the fund that supports payments for retirees and their families is projected to be unable to pay full benefits in 10 years. This brief updates our 2015 report on Social Security and examines financial issues the program faces. The sooner policymakers address the...

Veterans Affairs is in the process of replacing its IT system used to maintain veterans' health records—and has deployed its new system to a few locations. But the new system has presented issues for some users. For example, many users said that they weren't adequately trained to use it. They also said that having to use the new system had decreased morale and job satisfaction...

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 General Services Administration outlines 6 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, GSA could save millions of dollars by helping ensure that federal agencies make use of excess personal property—things like office chairs...

The Small Business Administration provided $1 trillion to help small businesses during the pandemic. But in some instances funds went to fraudsters—the Department of Justice charged hundreds of individuals and is investigating many more. We flagged 3.7 million recipients of SBA funds as having warning signs consistent with potential fraud. Such "indicators" aren’t proof of fraud, which is why we referred them for further review...

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 the Interior outlines 12 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, Interior should improve its oversight of offshore oil and gas activities, and address the safety and environmental risks associated with...

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 the Director of National Intelligence outlines 19 open recommendations that it should prioritize. These recommendations are intended to address management issues related to business functions and systems, facilities, workforce, and personnel vetting...

The Department of Defense's Missile Defense Agency develops systems to detect attacks and track, intercept, and destroy missiles in flight. Every year, MDA sets goals for the systems it plans to deliver to the military and the tests it plans to conduct. We found that MDA did not meet these goals in FY 2022. The agency didn't deliver all of its planned interceptors and radar...

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation helps maintain stability and public confidence in the nation's financial system. During our 2021-2022 financial statement audit of the two funds that the FDIC administers (the Deposit Insurance Fund and the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation Resolution Fund), we continued to identify issues—what auditors call a "significant deficiency." These issues related to how the FDIC ensures that its payments...

IT and communications technologies use parts and services from around the globe. Emerging threats in the supply chain for these technologies can put federal agencies—including DOD—at risk. For example, communications hardware with compromised components could lead to the loss of sensitive data. Of our practices for managing agency-wide supply chain risks, DOD addressed 4 and partially addressed the other 3. Specifically, DOD still needs to...

Cloud services—on-demand access to shared resources such as networks, servers, and data storage—can help federal agencies deliver better IT services for less money. But without effective security measures, these services can make agencies vulnerable to risks such as cyberattacks. We looked at how four agencies implemented key cloud security practices—like having a plan to respond to incidents. While the agencies implemented some of the security...

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...

This testimony discusses FEMA's strategic plan and challenges the agency faces when leading national preparation for and response to disasters. The agency's work is complicated by longstanding workforce management issues and a fragmented federal approach to disaster recovery. The agency is short-staffed, and it's unclear if hiring efforts will be effective. Additionally, the government's disaster response programs are spread across 30 different agencies, making it...

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 Health and Human Services outlines 45 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, HHS should identify how it will increase U.S. production of medical supplies to help ease future global supply...

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...

Students who attend nonprofit private schools may be eligible for the same services—such as tutoring and English language services—as public school students. These federally funded services are provided by school districts. States must designate a specialist to address inquiries and concerns about such services. We surveyed these specialists and found that many felt they didn't have enough guidance and training on their roles or 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 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...

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...

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...