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Open Recommendations

Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Help Ensure Effective Use of Billions in Funding for Modernization Efforts
GAO-26-109215
Jun 30, 2026
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should update the service's foundational modernization documents as necessary to ensure strategic alignment with Coast Guard missions, desired outcomes, and measurable targets for each area of reform emphasis—organization, people, technology, and contracting and acquisition. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should develop an evaluation plan with mechanisms for assessing the effectiveness of reform actions for each area of reform emphasis—organization, people, technology, and contracting and acquisition. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Disaster Contracting: Actions Needed to Encourage Advance Contract Use and Improve Information Sharing and Oversight
GAO-26-108121
Jun 09, 2026
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should define the Procurement Disaster Assistance Team's and Regional Offices' roles and responsibilities in encouraging state, local, and tribal governments to award advance contracts for debris removal, including how they should coordinate and share information. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should ensure that the Procurement Disaster Assistance Team updates its training materials to include quality information, such as other governments' success stories using advance contracts. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Corps of Engineers The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works should ensure that the Chief of Engineers and the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers conduct an analysis of the information sharing practices for debris removal missions, including the differences between the Hurricane Helene and Los Angeles wildfires, and identify any lessons learned for responding to future disasters. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should take steps, such as providing training on how to use checklists, to ensure Consolidated Resource Center officials are aware of cost eligibility policy requirements for reviewing grants involving noncompetitive and time-and-material contracts. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should conduct regular assessments to identify risks of fraud, waste, and abuse in FEMA's debris removal program. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA Administrator should ensure that the PA program develops a process for addressing fraud, waste, and abuse risks identified in regular risk assessments of its debris removal program, including evaluating and revising its controls for these risks and, if necessary, instituting additional controls. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Law Enforcement: DHS Could Improve Data Collection and Assessment of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Programs
GAO-26-107878
Jun 04, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should direct OHS to assess and update the list of data variables specified in its Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Directive and, if appropriate, ensure that OHS updates the Workforce Fatality Tracking System to be consistent with any changes to the directive. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should ensure that OHS, in coordination with DHS law enforcement agencies, develops a process to consistently collect relevant information and use this information to assess its law enforcement agencies' mental health and suicide prevention programs. For example, OHS could oversee progress of DHS mental health and suicide prevention programs by collecting data on elements such as successes, shortcomings, and plans for improvement on a regular basis and assess the outcomes. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
United States Customs and Border Protection The Commissioner of CBP should develop and implement a plan to assess the effectiveness of Safe Harbor, while taking into account employee confidentiality concerns. This plan could consider, for example, including results with near-term measurable outcomes as well as building and assessing evidence by identifying and collecting needed data and other information. It could also include consulting with internal DHS or external resources as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Border Security: Additional Information Could Inform Enforcement Decisions for Noncitizens Paroled at the Southwest Border
GAO-26-107765
May 18, 2026
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement The Director of ICE should obtain information from CBP on the parole status of noncitizens CBP paroled at the southwest border and make that information accessible to relevant ICE officials to inform ICE's monitoring and enforcement decisions. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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