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Open Recommendations

Law Enforcement: DHS Could Better Address Bias Risk and Enhance Privacy Protections for Technologies Used in Public

GAO-25-107302
Dec 03, 2024
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Homeland Security The Secretary of Homeland Security should ensure that the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties develop policies and procedures to assess and address bias risks for DHS law enforcement agencies' detection, observation, and monitoring technologies prior to their use. (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 Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties apply the policies and procedures to assess and address bias risks to DHS law enforcement agencies' detection, observation, and monitoring technologies currently in use. (Recommendation 2)
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 Commissioner of CBP require each detection, observation, and monitoring technology policy to address the privacy protections in the Fair Information Practice Principles. (Recommendation 3)
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 ICE require each detection, observation, and monitoring technology policy to address the privacy protections in the Fair Information Practice Principles. (Recommendation 4)
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 the Secret Service require each detection, observation, and monitoring technology policy to address the privacy protections in the Fair Information Practice Principles. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Courthouse Construction: New Design Standards Will Result in Significant Size and Cost Increases

GAO-25-106724
Nov 15, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Administrative Office of the United States Courts The Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts should clearly define, or provide specific examples of, variations from the Design Guide that constitute exceptions subject to additional oversight. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Administrative Office of the United States Courts The Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts should develop and document a process to better ensure effective collaboration when updating the Design Guide, including by engaging in two-way communication with, and soliciting input from, all relevant stakeholders. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Administrative Office of the United States Courts The Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, in collaboration with GSA, should reassess the need for increased circulation requirements in the 2021 Design Guide, using relevant information. Such an assessment should consider the space and cost modeling of recently constructed courthouses discussed in this report, the perspectives of project stakeholders and building occupants in these courthouses, the cost implications for future rent obligations paid to GSA, and operations and maintenance costs of judiciary space and overall building space in future courthouses. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Whistleblower Protection: Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Needs to Improve Awareness of FBI Employee Rights

GAO-25-107794
Nov 12, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
DOJ Office of Inspector General The Inspector General, in consultation with the Counsel for the Office of Professional Responsibility, should identify and address issues with meeting regulatory notification requirements to contact the complainant within 15 days of receiving the complaint. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
DOJ Office of Inspector General The Inspector General, in consultation with the Director of the FBI, should update mandatory training to communicate that FBI complainants may seek additional review by the Office of the Inspector General if they believe a retaliatory security clearance or access determination has been taken in retaliation for a protected disclosure. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Whistleblower Protection: DOJ and FBI Need to Improve Employees' Awareness of Rights

GAO-25-106547
Nov 12, 2024
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider amending 5 U.S.C. § 2303(d) to clarify when FBI whistleblower retaliation complainants should be able to exercise their rights to seek corrective action from the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board, including when determinations and corrective action orders are considered final under (d)(1) and when 180 days begins for the purposes of establishing U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board jurisdiction under (d)(2). (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice The Deputy Attorney General should direct that the Counsel for Office of Professional Responsibility, in consultation with the Inspector General, identify and address issues with meeting regulatory notification requirements to contact the complainant within 15 days of receiving the complaint. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice The Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy should ensure that DOJ guidance for developing regulations requires that an office is identified as primarily responsible for each rulemaking, particularly when regulations involve multiple components. (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 Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy should ensure that DOJ guidance for developing future regulations requires that each rulemaking process establishes anticipated time frames for each stage of the process. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice The Director of the FBI, in consultation with the Inspector General, should update mandatory training to communicate that FBI complainants may seek additional review by the Office of the Inspector General if they believe a retaliatory security clearance or access determination has been taken in retaliation for a protected disclosure. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Justice The Assistant Attorney General for Administration should update DOJ's policy on security clearance or access determinations to align with statute regarding when corrective action must be taken. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

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