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Open Recommendations

Foreign Assistance: Agencies Made Broad Changes, but State Lacked Guidance for Decisions
GAO-26-108607
Sep 30, 2026
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should direct the Chief Acquisition Officer and Director of the Bureau of Global Acquisitions and other relevant programming bureaus to ensure that the status of foreign assistance grants and agreements in the MyGrants database is consistent, accurate, and up to date.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should direct the Chief Human Capital Officer and Comptroller, or other appropriate official, to take steps to ensure that State is able to obtain or generate comprehensive data on the composition of its workforce, including Foreign Service, Civil Service, locally employed staff, and personal services contractors, by location.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Director, Office of Policy Planning or other appropriate office develops, documents, and communicates agencywide guidance with standards for aligning foreign assistance program and project decisions with foreign policy priorities.
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Firearms Trafficking to Mexico: Better Data and Performance Monitoring Would Help Agencies Direct Resources to Counter Cartels
GAO-26-108061
Sep 28, 2026
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should ensure that the Commissioner of CBP takes steps to record readily analyzable data on the types of firearms—particularly types of rifles sought by TCOs in Mexico—seized during CBP outbound inspections. Such steps could include modifying CBP's current data collection system, such as by making certain optional fields required or adding drop-down options, or by providing training or guidance in the identification of specific types of firearms. (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 the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Commissioner of CBP develop objectives, goals, and desired outcomes to enable the department to establish corresponding performance measures for HSI's and CBP's efforts to combat firearms trafficking from the U.S. to Mexico. DHS could do so by updating its strategic plan, annual performance plan, or other guidance. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice The Attorney General of the United States should ensure that the Director of ATF develops performance measures for ATF's Operation Southbound and uses them to monitor the operation's effectiveness in combating firearms trafficking to Mexico. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of INL develops and uses baselines and targets and collects results for all INL performance measures to monitor its funding of the ATF FTIU and Mexican law enforcement capacity-building projects to combat firearms trafficking to Mexico. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

West Bank and Gaza: State Should Incorporate Leading Practices and Lessons Learned into Anti-Terrorism Oversight
GAO-26-107939
Sep 23, 2026
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should direct the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs to finalize anti-terrorism policies and procedures for ESF or NSIP-funded activities in the West Bank and Gaza and determine the steps it will take to appropriately mitigate terrorist diversion risk, including how USAID's previous intelligence-based vetting capabilities will be used. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should determine and document how State will mitigate terrorist diversion risk for any State components beyond NEA that could manage future ESF or NSIP-funded activities in West Bank and Gaza, such as the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should direct the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs and any other State components providing ESF or NSIP-funded award in the West Bank and Gaza to adopt the use of mandatory anti-terrorism provisions in any new policies and procedures. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should direct the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs and any other State components providing ESF or NSIP-funded awards in the West Bank and Gaza to establish timelines to better ensure that compliance audits under this program are conducted in time to identify noncompliance and take appropriate actions before awards end. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

International Agreements: DOD Has Opportunities to Improve Internal Communication and Oversight
GAO-26-108249
Aug 06, 2026
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should require the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment and the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel to establish a mechanism to ensure timely communication with the military departments and other stakeholders of key policy and procedure changes for acquisition-related international arrangements. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should require the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment to implement a systematic, proactive approach—that considers the six essential elements of GAO's tailored framework—for managing its challenges with acquisition-related international arrangements. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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