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gao_GAO-18-406 | gao_GAO-18-406_0 | Background
Purpose and Structure of the Judicial Conference and AOUSC
The Judicial Conference of the United States is the national policy-making body of the federal courts. The Chief Justice of the United States is the presiding officer of the Judicial Conference. The Conference operates through a network of 20... | Why GAO Did This Study
Under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended, federal judges and certain judicial employees must file financial disclosure reports that can be made available to the public. Federal law accounts for the potential security risks of the judiciary and authorizes the redaction of informatio... |
gao_GAO-18-158 | gao_GAO-18-158_0 | Background
The U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent is spread among three legs, as depicted in figure 1.
DOD has continued to reinforce the high priority of the Columbia class program to the nation’s long-term defense. SSBNs are designed to maximize stealth to remain undetected while on patrol at sea. This survivabil... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Navy's Columbia class ballistic missile submarines will replace the 14 Ohio class that currently provide the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, slated to begin retiring in 2027. The first Columbia must begin patrols in 2031 to prevent a gap in deterrent capabilities; the class will ult... |
gao_GAO-18-137 | gao_GAO-18-137_0 | Background
VA comprises a Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) and over 1,000 facilities and offices throughout the nation, as well as the U.S. territories and the Philippines. As shown in figure 1, VA’s three major administrations are the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA provides services and benefits to veterans through hospitals and other facilities nationwide. Misconduct by VA employees can have serious consequences for some veterans, including poor quality of care. GAO was asked to review employee misconduct across VA. This report reviews the extent to wh... |
gao_GAO-19-46 | gao_GAO-19-46_0 | Background
Establishment, Mission, and Objectives of the Lab
In 2014, USAID established the Lab as a USAID bureau by merging and restructuring two offices—the Office of Science and Technology and the Office of Innovation and Development Alliances. According to USAID officials, the agency moved a number of the t... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Lab was created as a USAID bureau in April 2014. The Lab was intended to institutionalize and improve USAID's ability to harness and leverage science, technology, innovation, and partnerships in addressing development issues and goals worldwide. The Lab supports projects and activities and a... |
gao_GAO-18-627 | gao_GAO-18-627_0 | Background
The Services Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 required the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy to establish an acquisition advisory panel (referred to as the Panel) to review federal acquisition laws, regulations, and policies; and identify opportunities to enhance how agencies award and adminis... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2017, federal agencies obligated more than $500 billion to acquire products and services. These products and services included military aircraft, information technology software, and maintenance services.
Amid this large spending, the federal government has taken steps to reform f... |
gao_GAO-18-617 | gao_GAO-18-617_0 | Background
Countering the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) remains a U.S. national security priority. According to the 2017 National Security Strategy, terrorist groups continue to pursue WMD-related materials, which pose a grave danger to the United States. As also sta... | Why GAO Did This Study
Countering the proliferation of nuclear weapons is a national security priority that is challenged by weapons advances from existing nuclear states and other actors possessing or attempting to possess nuclear weapons. To help address these issues, Congress directed the Administration in 2015 and... |
gao_GAO-18-376 | gao_GAO-18-376_0 | Background
Placements for Children Entering and Exiting Foster Care
Children enter foster care when they have been removed from their parents or guardians and placed under the responsibility of a child welfare agency. Reasons for a child’s removal can vary, though 61 percent of nearly 275,000 removals during fi... | Why GAO Did This Study
Foster care caseloads have increased in recent years due, in part, to the national opioid epidemic. States have struggled to find foster families for children who can no longer live with their parents, including those who need TFC services. States may use private providers, such as non-profit an... |
gao_GAO-19-102 | gao_GAO-19-102_0 | Background
Composition of the MHS Total Workforce
The MHS has a dual mission of maintaining the skills of the medical force and providing health care and beneficiary medical care in its MTFs in the United States and overseas. It accomplishes this in part by providing (1) operational medical care via deployable ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The MHS includes more than 241,000 active duty, reserve, federal civilian, and contractor personnel who provide (1) operational medical care in support of war and other contingencies and (2) beneficiary medical care within DOD's hospitals and clinics.
The Senate Report 115-125 accompanying a bil... |
gao_GAO-18-70 | gao_GAO-18-70_0 | Background
CMS intends for the T-MSIS initiative to provide a national data repository that would support federal and state program management, financial management, and program integrity activities, among other functions. T- MSIS is also intended to benefit states by reducing the number of reports CMS requires th... | Why GAO Did This Study
GAO and others have identified insufficiencies in state-reported Medicaid data that affect CMS's ability to oversee the program effectively. Recent increases in improper payments—estimated at $36.7 billion in fiscal year 2017—exacerbate concerns about program oversight.
CMS officials identified ... |
gao_GAO-18-315 | gao_GAO-18-315_0 | Background
Definitions of and terms for recovery housing can vary, and recovery housing may differ in the types of services offered and resident requirements. Alcohol- and drug-free housing for individuals recovering from SUD may be referred to as “recovery residences,” “sober homes,” or other terms. NARR has def... | Why GAO Did This Study
Substance abuse and illicit drug use, including the use of heroin and the misuse of or dependence on alcohol and prescription opioids, is a growing problem in the United States. Individuals with SUD may face challenges in remaining drug- and alcohol-free. Recovery housing can offer safe, support... |
gao_GAO-18-530 | gao_GAO-18-530_0 | Background
The Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 established a preference within the federal government to procure commercial items rather than items developed exclusively for the government. Between fiscal years 2013 and 2018, Congress passed additional legislation to address various aspects of how DO... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD buys goods and services from the commercial market to take advantage of new innovations and save on acquisition costs. However, the department's process for determining whether an item can be purchased commercially—and, at a fair and reasonable price—can be long and challenging in certain si... |
gao_GAO-18-151SP | gao_GAO-18-151SP_0 | Section 1: Economic Analysis
For the purpose of this report, an economic analysis is defined as an analysis that is intended to inform decision-makers and stakeholders about the economic effects of an action. Economic effects (hereafter also called “effects”) commonly include costs, benefits, and/or economic tran... | Why GAO Did This Study
We prepared this report to answer the question: What are key methodological elements of an economic analysis that is intended to inform decision-makers and stakeholders?
What GAO Found
GAO identifies five key methodological elements to the baseline structure of an economic analysis: Objective ... |
gao_GAO-18-363T | gao_GAO-18-363T_0 | The Coast Guard Attributed IHiS Termination to Financial and Other Risks, after Spending Approximately $60 Million on the Project
According to the Director of HSWL, who was appointed to the position in August 2015, financial, technical, schedule, and personnel risks led the Coast Guard’s Executive Oversight Council... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2010, the Coast Guard initiated an effort—known as IHiS—to replace its aging EHR system with a new system that was to modernize various health care services for its nearly 50,000 military members. However, in October 2015, the Coast Guard announced that the modernization project would be canc... |
gao_GAO-18-366 | gao_GAO-18-366_0 | Background
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), as amended, establishes the process for states or tribal entities to request a presidential disaster declaration. The act also generally defines the federal government’s role during the response and recovery after a dis... | Why GAO Did This Study
FEMA's IA program provides help to individuals to meet their immediate needs after a disaster, such as shelter and medical expenses. When a state, U.S. territory, or tribe requests IA assistance through a federal disaster declaration, FEMA evaluates the request against regulatory factors, such a... |
gao_GAO-18-143 | gao_GAO-18-143_0 | Background
FEMA’s Public Assistance Process
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), as amended, defines FEMA’s role during disaster response and recovery. One of the principal programs that FEMA operates to fulfill its role is the PA program. PA is a complex and multi... | Why GAO Did This Study
In both 2016 and 2017, 15 separate U.S. disasters resulted in losses exceeding $1 billion each. FEMA provides PA grants to state and local governments to help communities recover from such disasters. If applicants disagree with FEMA's decision on their PA grant application, they have two chances... |
gao_GAO-19-105 | gao_GAO-19-105_0 | Background
Cybersecurity incidents continue to impact federal entities and the information they maintain. According to OMB’s 2018 annual FISMA report to Congress, agencies reported 35,277 information security incidents to DHS’s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) in fiscal year 2017. As shown in figu... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal agencies are dependent on information systems to carry out operations. The risks to these systems are increasing as security threats evolve and become more sophisticated. To reduce the risk of a successful cyberattack, agencies can deploy intrusion detection and prevention capabilities o... |
gao_GAO-18-162 | gao_GAO-18-162_0 | Background
Unmanned Systems
Unmanned systems provide DOD with capabilities for conducting a range of military operations, including environmental sensing and battlespace awareness; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection; counter-improvised explosive device capabilities; port security; precisi... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of the Navy has committed to rapidly grow its unmanned systems portfolio. It currently has at least 24 types of systems and has budgeted nearly $10 billion for their development and procurement for fiscal years 2018-2022. Personnel who launch, navigate, and recover the systems are... |
gao_GAO-19-110 | gao_GAO-19-110_0 | Background
Reclamation and the Title XVI Program
As Interior’s primary water management agency, Reclamation’s mission has been to manage, develop, and protect water and water-related resources in 17 western states since 1902. Reclamation has led or provided assistance in the construction of most of the large da... | Why GAO Did This Study
Population growth and drought are among the factors that have placed increasing demands on the U.S. water supply, particularly in the arid West. The reuse of wastewater can help address water management challenges by treating water that is typically unusable and then reusing it for beneficial pu... |
gao_GAO-17-783T | gao_GAO-17-783T_0 | Prior GSA and FBI Assessments Showed That FBI Headquarters Facilities Did Not Fully Support the FBI’s Long-Term Requirements
In November 2011, we reported that over the previous decade, the FBI and GSA conducted a number of studies to assess the Hoover Building and its other headquarters facilities’ strategic and m... | Why GAO Did This Study
GSA, which manages federal real property on behalf of other federal agencies, faces challenges in funding new construction projects due to budget constraints—including obtaining upfront funding—among other reasons. One type of transaction, called a swap exchange, enables GSA to apply the value o... |
gao_GAO-18-273 | gao_GAO-18-273_0 | Background
JWST is envisioned to be a large deployable space telescope, optimized for infrared observations, and the scientific successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. JWST is being designed for a 5-year mission to find the first stars, study planets in other solar systems to search for the building blocks... | Why GAO Did This Study
JWST, a large, deployable telescope intended to be the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, is one of NASA's most complex and expensive projects, at an anticipated cost of $8.8 billion. Congress set an $8 billion JWST development cost cap in 2011, and the remaining $837 million is for its op... |
gao_GAO-18-611T | gao_GAO-18-611T_0 | The Number of SFSP Meals Served Generally Increased from 2007 through 2016, but Estimates of Children Participating Were Unreliable
The total number of SFSP meals served nationwide during the summer— one indicator of program participation—increased from 113 million meals in fiscal year 2007 to 149 million meals in f... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes information contained in GAO's May 2018 report entitled Summer Meals: Actions Needed to Improve Participation Estimates and Address Program Challenges , GAO-18-369 . It addresses (1) what is known about SFSP participation, (2) other programs that help feed low-income ch... |
gao_GAO-18-114 | gao_GAO-18-114_0 | Background
Forty-five states and the District of Columbia levy sales taxes on the sale of goods and services. Of these, thirty-seven states also have local sales taxes at the county or municipal level. Five states do not have statewide sales taxes: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Tax policy ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Over the past two decades, e-commerce sales have grown rapidly, greatly expanding a category of sales known as remote sales. Under current law, states cannot require all businesses to collect taxes on remote sales. Congress has been considering proposals to change this. Little current, nationwid... |
gao_GAO-18-226 | gao_GAO-18-226_0 | Background
The Military Selective Service Act established the Selective Service System whose mission is to be prepared to provide trained and untrained manpower to DOD in the event of a national emergency when directed by the President and the Congress. Additionally, the Selective Service System is to be prepared... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Military Selective Service Act established the Selective Service System whose mission, among other things, is to be prepared to provide trained and untrained manpower to DOD in the event of a national emergency when directed by the President and the Congress. In the NDAA for FY 2017, Congres... |
gao_GAO-18-102 | gao_GAO-18-102_0 | Background
The section presents information on (1) water utilities and water operators, (2) federal and state roles in overseeing and assisting water utilities, and (3) federal and state roles in workforce development.
Water Utilities and Water Operators
Water utilities provide drinking water and wastewater ser... | Why GAO Did This Study
Safe operation of the nation's water utilities depends on access to a qualified workforce, particularly certified water operators. Industry reports have cited high rates of retirement eligibility and raised concerns about the water industry's ability to fill job openings.
GAO was asked to review... |
gao_GAO-18-592 | gao_GAO-18-592_0 | Background
DOD’s 19 defense agencies and 8 DOD field activities are defense organizations separate from the military departments. They are intended to provide a common supply or service across more than one DOD organization. The services and supplies provided by the DAFAs are broad; they range from intelligence t... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD spends billions of dollars annually to maintain business functions that support the warfighter. Many of these functions are performed by the DAFAs—DOD's 19 defense agencies and 8 field activities intended to provide department-wide consolidated support functions. GAO has previously identifie... |
gao_GAO-18-585T | gao_GAO-18-585T_0 | CMS Delegated Monitoring of Beneficiaries who Receive Opioid Prescriptions to Plan Sponsors, but Did Not Have Sufficient Information on Those Most at Risk for Harm
CMS Delegated Monitoring of Individual Beneficiaries’ Opioid Prescriptions to Plan Sponsors
Our October 2017 report found that CMS provided guidance to... | Why GAO Did This Study
Misuse of prescription opioids can lead to overdose and death. Medicare and Medicaid, two of the nation's largest health care programs, provide prescription drug coverage that can include opioids. GAO and others have reported on inappropriate activities and risks associated with these prescripti... |
gao_GAO-18-660T | gao_GAO-18-660T_0 | Background
Medicare is one of four principal health-insurance programs administered by CMS; it provides health insurance for persons aged 65 and over, certain individuals with disabilities, and individuals with end-stage renal disease. See table 1 for information about Medicare’s component programs.
Medicare is t... | Why GAO Did This Study
Medicare covered over 58 million people in 2017 and has wide-ranging impact on the health-care sector and the overall U.S. economy. However, the billions of dollars in Medicare outlays as well as program complexity make it susceptible to improper payments, including fraud. Although there are no ... |
gao_GAO-19-14 | gao_GAO-19-14_0 | Background
In November 2002, Congress passed and the President signed the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA), which was later amended by IPERA and the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012 (IPERIA). The amended legislation requires executive branch agencies to (1) review... | Why GAO Did This Study
Government-wide estimated improper payments totaled almost $1.4 trillion from fiscal year 2003 through fiscal year 2017. IPERA requires IGs to annually assess and report on whether executive branch agencies complied with the six criteria to (1) publish an agency financial report or performance a... |
gao_GAO-18-212T | gao_GAO-18-212T_0 | Background
An amphibious force is comprised of an (1) amphibious task force and a (2) landing force together with other forces that are trained, organized, and equipped for amphibious operations. The amphibious task force is a group of Navy amphibious ships, most frequently deployed as an Amphibious Ready Group (... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's September 2017 report, entitled Navy and Marine Corps Training: Further Planning Needed for Amphibious Operations Training ( GAO-17-789 ).
What GAO Found
Navy and Marine Corps units that are deploying as part of an Amphibious Ready G... |
gao_GAO-18-15 | gao_GAO-18-15_0 | Background
Opioids, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, and methadone, can be prescribed to treat both acute and chronic pain. Because many opioids have a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence, many of them are classified as Schedule II drugs under the Controll... | Why GAO Did This Study
Misuse of prescription opioids can lead to overdose and death. In 2016, over 14 million Medicare Part D beneficiaries received opioid prescriptions, and spending for opioids was almost $4.1 billion. GAO and others have reported on inappropriate activities and risks associated with these prescrip... |
gao_GAO-18-310 | gao_GAO-18-310_0 | Background
In the United States, both FRA and FTA regulate rail transportation safety. FRA oversees safety of railroads operating on what is known as the general system, a network of standard gage track over which goods may be transported and passengers may travel. This system includes freight railroads, which ty... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2012 and 2015, DOT was provided with additional authority to oversee the safety of rail transit. Within DOT, FTA is now implementing this authority. The DOT's Office of Inspector General has reported, though, that FTA faces challenges in carrying out its enhanced safety oversight. FRA, also i... |
gao_GAO-18-443 | gao_GAO-18-443_0 | Background
Federally Recognized Indian Tribes
The federal government has consistently recognized Indian tribes as distinct, independent political communities with inherent powers of limited sovereignty. The 2013 amendments in SRIA allow tribes to decide how to request federal disaster assistance, thereby allowi... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act (SRIA) of 2013, federally recognized Indian tribes affected by major disasters have had the option to make disaster declaration requests directly to the President of the United States or join a state's request for federal disaster assistance. Prior to thi... |
gao_GAO-18-96 | gao_GAO-18-96_0 | Background
In 1984, the Commercial Space Launch Act gave DOT the authority, among other things, to license and monitor the safety of commercial space launches and to promote the industry. Executive Order 12465 designated DOT as the lead federal agency for enabling private-sector launch capability. The Office of C... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Office of Commercial Space Transportation, which regulates and promotes the U.S. commercial space launch industry, was established in 1984 within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and transferred to FAA in 1995. In 2015, GAO reported that the Office of Commercial Space Transporta... |
gao_GAO-18-24 | gao_GAO-18-24_0 | Background
ATF is one of several DOJ law-enforcement components, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), responsible for fighting violent crime. ATF is the lead agency charged with enforcing federal firearms laws and regulating the firearms industry. ATF ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The current federal legal framework governing buying and selling of firearms does not specifically address the use of the Internet to facilitate these transactions. Additionally, private transactions involving the most-common types of firearms between individuals who are not licensed to commerci... |
gao_GAO-18-612 | gao_GAO-18-612_0 | Background
Since 1993, USAID has obligated more than $5 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, primarily using funds appropriated through the ESF. According to State officials, through the ESF, USAID provides project assistance and debt relief payments to PA creditors. USAI... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since 1993, the U.S. government has committed more than $5 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. According to the Department of State, this assistance to the Palestinians promotes U.S. economic and political foreign policy interests by supporting Middle E... |
gao_GAO-18-600 | gao_GAO-18-600_0 | Background
History of the Polar Icebreakers and Icebreaking Capability Gap
The Coast Guard has been responsible for carrying out the nation’s polar icebreaking missions since 1965—when it assumed primary responsibility for the nation’s polar icebreaking fleet. The Coast Guard’s responsibilities are outlined in ... | Why GAO Did This Study
To maintain heavy polar icebreaking capability, the Coast Guard and the Navy are collaborating to acquire up to three new heavy polar icebreakers through an integrated program office. The Navy plans to award a contract in 2019. GAO has found that before committing resources, successful acquisiti... |
gao_GAO-19-155 | gao_GAO-19-155_0 | Background
Air Force RPA Aircrews
RPA aircrews consist of a pilot and a sensor operator. The Air Force in most cases assigns officers to fly its RPAs. The Air Force relied solely on manned aircraft pilots to fly remotely piloted aircraft until 2010 when it established a RPA pilot career field (designated as Air... | Why GAO Did This Study
An increasing number of Air Force missions use unmanned aerial systems, or RPAs, to provide their specialized capabilities in support of combat operations. The demand for crew members for these systems has grown rapidly. For example, RPA pilot requirements increased by 76 percent since fiscal ye... |
gao_GAO-18-325 | gao_GAO-18-325_0 | Background
Just after World War II, VA developed affiliations with medical schools to improve acute care and physical and mental rehabilitation for veterans. As part of the relationship, VA medical centers have contributed to the education of medical students and residents. Besides medical students and residents,... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA manages a $1.9 billion research program that has produced numerous healthcare inventions, such as the pacemaker. In 2000, VA created a program to help transfer VA inventions to the private sector so that they can be commercialized and used by veterans and the public, while VA retains ownershi... |
gao_GAO-18-667T | gao_GAO-18-667T_0 | Background
The design and development of information systems can be complex undertakings, consisting of a multitude of pieces of equipment and software products, and service providers. Each of the components of an information system may rely on one or more supply chains—that is, the set of organizations, people, ... | Why GAO Did This Study
IT systems are essential to the operations of the federal government. The supply chain—the set of organizations, people, activities, and resources that create and move a product from suppliers to end users—for IT systems is complex and global in scope. The exploitation of vulnerabilities in the ... |
gao_GAO-18-89 | gao_GAO-18-89_0 | Background
This section discusses the purpose, types, and locations of natural gas storage sites; leaks from such sites; safety enforcement prior to 2017; and the PIPES Act.
Purpose, Types, and Locations of Natural Gas Storage Sites
Natural gas storage sites—geologic formations where natural gas is stored deep... | Why GAO Did This Study
Natural gas storage is important for ensuring that natural gas is available when demand increases. There are 415 storage sites—including underground caverns and depleted aquifers and oil and gas reservoirs—located in 31 states, often near population centers (see fig.). Leaks from these sites, su... |
gao_GAO-18-561 | gao_GAO-18-561_0 | Background
Columbia River Basin
The Columbia River Basin is the fourth largest river basin in the United States and covers parts of seven states and British Columbia, Canada. It provides drainage for hundreds of rivers, creeks, and streams. More than 6 million acres of the Basin are irrigated agricultural land,... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Basin is one of the nation's largest watersheds and extends mainly through four Western states and into Canada. Activities such as power generation and agricultural practices have impaired water quality in some areas, so that human health is at risk and certain species, such as salmon, are t... |
gao_GAO-18-528 | gao_GAO-18-528_0 | Background
Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal government and the states, with the federal government reimbursing states for a share of their expenditures for Medicaid covered services provided to eligible beneficiaries. The federal share of spending is based on a statutory formula that determines a feder... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal spending on services paid for under Medicaid managed care was $171 billion in 2017, almost half of the total federal Medicaid expenditures for that year. Federal and state program integrity efforts have largely focused on Medicaid fee-for-service delivery where the state pays providers d... |
gao_GAO-19-217 | gao_GAO-19-217_0 | Background
OPM administers two defined-benefit retirement plans that provide retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to federal employees. The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) provides retirement benefits for most federal employees hired before 1984. The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) cove... | Why GAO Did This Study
According to OPM, it receives more than 100,000 retirement applications each fiscal year. Between 2014 to 2017, OPM did not meet its goal of processing most retirement applications within 60 days. GAO was asked to review potential improvements in federal retirement processing at OPM. This report... |
gao_GAO-18-88 | gao_GAO-18-88_0 | Background
CMS has four principal programs: Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the health-insurance marketplaces. See table 1 for information about the four programs.
As discussed earlier, Medicare and Medicaid are CMS’s largest programs and have been growing steadily (see fig. 1). CBO projects that, in 2026, under cu... | Why GAO Did This Study
CMS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health coverage for over 145 million Americans through its four principal programs, with annual outlays of about $1.1 trillion. GAO has designated the two largest programs, Medicare and Medicaid, as high risk partl... |
gao_GAO-18-338 | gao_GAO-18-338_0 | Background
BEP produces notes at the request of the Federal Reserve. Each year, the Federal Reserve determines how many currency notes are needed to meet the demand for currency. Federal Reserve and BEP officials then agree on a payment amount for note production, including costs associated with maintaining BEP’s... | Why GAO Did This Study
BEP, within Treasury, designs and produces U.S. currency notes at BEP's facilities in Washington, D.C., and Fort Worth, Texas. The Federal Reserve pays for BEP's operational expenses, including currency production. BEP is requesting legal authority to purchase land and construct a new production... |
gao_GAO-18-675T | gao_GAO-18-675T_0 | Unlike the United States, Most IEA Members Rely on Private Reserves to Meet Reserve Obligations and Hold Significant Proportions of Their Reserves as Petroleum Products
As we found in our May 2018 report, in terms of how they meet their IEA 90-day reserve obligations, most other IEA members differ from the United S... | Why GAO Did This Study
Over 4 decades ago, Congress authorized the SPR—the world's largest government-owned stockpile of emergency crude oil—to reduce the impact of disruptions in supplies of petroleum products. Since 2015, Congress has also mandated sales of SPR oil to fund the modernization of SPR facilities and oth... |
gao_GAO-18-267T | gao_GAO-18-267T_0 | Background
VA’s mission is to promote the health, welfare, and dignity of all veterans in recognition of their service to the nation by ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, social support, and lasting memorials. In carrying out this mission, the department operates one of the largest health care del... | Why GAO Did This Study
The use of IT is crucial to helping VA effectively serve the nation's veterans and, each year, the department spends billions of dollars on its information systems and assets. However, VA has faced challenges spanning a number of critical initiatives related to modernizing its major systems. To ... |
gao_GAO-18-414 | gao_GAO-18-414_0 | Background
The Bureau’s address canvassing operation updates its address list and maps, which are the foundation of the decennial census. An accurate address list both identifies all households that are to receive a notice by mail requesting participation in the census (by Internet, phone, or mailed- in questionna... | Why GAO Did This Study
The success of the decennial census depends in large part on the Bureau's ability to locate every household in the United States. To accomplish this monumental task, the Bureau must maintain accurate address and map information for every location where a person could reside. For the 2018 End-to-... |
gao_GAO-19-83 | gao_GAO-19-83_0 | Background
Drug manufacturers seeking to develop and receive approval to market an orphan drug go through two separate FDA processes. The drug manufacturer may first apply for orphan designation, where FDA determines if the drug is eligible and meets the criteria for designation.
The manufacturer may then apply to... | Why GAO Did This Study
The ODA provides incentives, including tax credits and exclusive marketing rights, for manufacturers to develop drugs to treat rare diseases, which are typically defined as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Approximately 7,000 rare diseases affect an estimated 30 million ... |
gao_GAO-18-397T | gao_GAO-18-397T_0 | CBP Has Made Progress Deploying Surveillance Technology along the Southwest Border, but Has Not Fully Assessed Effectiveness
On multiple occasions since 2011, we have reported on the progress the Border Patrol has made deploying technologies along the southwest border. Figure 1 shows the land-based surveillance tec... | Why GAO Did This Study
DHS has employed a variety of technology, tactical infrastructure, and personnel assets to help secure the nearly 2,000 mile long southwest border. Since 2009, GAO has issued over 35 products on the progress and challenges DHS has faced in using technology, infrastructure, and other resources to... |
gao_GAO-18-21 | gao_GAO-18-21_0 | Background
Duty-Free Stores in the United States
19 U.S.C. § 1555(b)(8)(D). portion was then being smuggled back into the United States without payment of U.S. taxes.
Congress legislated on duty-free stores through the Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, which required duty-free stores locate... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the 1970s, U.S. agencies have recognized that high-volume cigarette sales at duty-free stores near the U.S.–Mexico land border, although lawful, could be related to illicit activity. In 1988, U.S. law limited the quantity of duty-free tobacco products an individual can purchase at stores l... |
gao_GAO-19-167 | gao_GAO-19-167_0 | Background
SNAP is intended to help low-income households obtain a more nutritious diet by providing them with benefits to purchase food from authorized retailers nationwide. SNAP is jointly administered by FNS and the states. FNS pays the full cost of SNAP benefits and shares the costs of administering the progr... | Why GAO Did This Study
SNAP is the largest federally funded nutrition assistance program, providing about $64 billion in benefits to over 20 million households in fiscal year 2017. FNS oversees SNAP at the federal level and is responsible for authorizing and overseeing retailers. While most benefits are used as intend... |
gao_GAO-18-256 | gao_GAO-18-256_0 | Background
Financial Regulators
Regulators for the Banking Industry
All depository institutions that have federal deposit insurance have a federal prudential regulator, which generally may issue regulations and take enforcement actions against institutions within its jurisdiction (see table 1).
The securiti... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the 2007–2009 financial crisis, federal financial regulators have issued hundreds of rules to implement reforms intended to strengthen the financial services industry. Financial regulators must comply with rulemaking requirements such as RFA when drafting and implementing regulations. Cong... |
gao_GAO-18-605 | gao_GAO-18-605_0 | Background
HH-60G Pave Hawk Inventory
According to Air Force officials, the Air Force has 82 HH-60G helicopters designated to meet its personnel recovery mission requirements. The remaining 14 HH-60Gs are designated for training and, development and testing. Figure 1 shows the Air Force’s inventory of HH-60G Pa... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the 1980s, the Air Force has used its HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters to conduct life-saving missions, including for personnel recovery and medical evacuations. The aging HH-60G inventory has shrunk over the years as a result of mishaps. As the inventory was declining, the Air Force began eff... |
gao_GAO-18-607 | gao_GAO-18-607_0 | Background
In fiscal year 2016, Medicaid covered an estimated 72.2 million low- income and medically needy individuals in the United States, and Medicaid estimated expenditures totaled over $575.9 billion. The federal government matches most state expenditures for Medicaid services on the basis of a statutory form... | Why GAO Did This Study
Under PPACA, states could choose to expand Medicaid coverage to certain uninsured, low-income adults. As of December 2017, 31 states and the District of Columbia chose to expand Medicaid to cover these adults, and 19 states did not.
GAO was asked to provide information about the demographic char... |
gao_GAO-18-60 | gao_GAO-18-60_0 | Background
This section includes information about seismic surveys, oil and gas activities in the four OCS regions, and the potential effects of seismic activities on the environment and marine mammals as well as related requirements.
Seismic Surveys
Seismic surveys use mechanically generated sound waves from ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Offshore seismic surveys provide federal agencies and other entities with a wide range of data, from research on fault zones to geology that may indicate the presence of oil and gas. Companies seeking to conduct such surveys to find oil and gas resources in the OCS must obtain a permit from BOEM... |
gao_GAO-18-289 | gao_GAO-18-289_0 | Background
Navy’s Real Property Audit Assertions
DOD has defined audit readiness as having the capabilities in place that allow an auditor to plan and perform a full financial statement audit that results in actionable feedback to DOD. In DOD’s May 2016 FIAR Plan Status Report, the DON initially asserted that i... | Why GAO Did This Study
This engagement was initiated in connection with the statutory requirement for GAO to audit the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements. The 2018 National Defense Authorization Act requires that the Secretary of Defense ensure that a full audit is performed on the financial statement... |
gao_GAO-18-635 | gao_GAO-18-635_0 | Background
A high-quality, reliable cost estimate is a key tool for budgeting, planning, and managing the 2020 Census. According to OMB, programs must maintain current and well-documented estimates of program costs, and these estimates must encompass the full life-cycle of the program. Among other things, OMB sta... | Why GAO Did This Study
In October 2017, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced that the projected life-cycle cost of the 2020 Census had climbed to $15.6 billion, a more than $3 billion (27 percent) increase over its 2015 estimate. A high-quality, reliable cost estimate is a key tool for budgeting, planning, ... |
gao_GAO-18-698 | gao_GAO-18-698_0 | Background
Since 1867, the internal revenue laws have allowed the government to pay awards to individuals who provided information that aided in detecting and punishing those guilty of violating tax laws. In 1996, Congress increased the scope of the program to also provide awards for detecting underpayments of ta... | Why GAO Did This Study
Tax whistleblowers who report on the underpayment of taxes by others have helped IRS collect $3.6 billion since 2007, according to IRS. IRS pays qualifying whistleblowers between 15 and 30 percent of the proceeds it collects as a result of their information. However, until February 9, 2018, IRS ... |
gao_GAO-18-538 | gao_GAO-18-538_0 | Background
DHS’s National Protection and Programs Directorate leads the country’s effort to protect and enhance the resilience of the nation’s physical and cyber infrastructure. The directorate includes the Office of Infrastructure Protection, which leads the coordinated national effort to reduce risk to U.S. cri... | Why GAO Did This Study
Facilities that produce, use, or store hazardous chemicals could be targeted or used by terrorists to inflict mass casualties, damage, and fear. DHS established the CFATS program to assess the risk posed by these facilities and inspect them to ensure compliance with DHS standards. DHS places hig... |
gao_GAO-18-85 | gao_GAO-18-85_0 | Background
This section provides an overview of the produce rule and describes how FDA is partnering with states to implement the rule.
Overview of the Produce Rule and Compliance Dates
Produce is an important part of a healthy diet but is susceptible to contamination from numerous sources, including agricultur... | Why GAO Did This Study
Although the United States has one of the safest food supplies in the world, foodborne illness is a common public health problem; some of this illness can be linked to produce. For example, in 2017, a Salmonella outbreak linked to imported papayas sickened more than 200 people in 23 states and k... |
gao_GAO-18-365 | gao_GAO-18-365_0 | Background
The Freedom of Information Act establishes a legal right of access to government information on the basis of the principles of openness and accountability in government. Before FOIA’s enactment in 1966, an individual seeking access to federal records faced the burden of establishing a “need to know” bef... | Why GAO Did This Study
FOIA requires federal agencies to provide the public with access to government records and information based on the principles of openness and accountability in government. Each year, individuals and entities file hundreds of thousands of FOIA requests. In the last 9 fiscal years, federal agenci... |
gao_GAO-18-339SP | gao_GAO-18-339SP_0 | Background
To help manage its multi-billion dollar acquisition investments, DHS has established policies and processes for acquisition management, requirements development, test and evaluation, and resource allocation. The department uses these policies and processes to deliver systems that are intended to close ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year, the DHS invests billions of dollars in a diverse portfolio of major acquisition programs to help execute its many critical missions. DHS's acquisition activities are on GAO's High Risk List, in part, because of management and funding issues.
The Explanatory Statement accompanying the ... |
gao_GAO-18-262 | gao_GAO-18-262_0 | Background
and individuals made by an employee who believes he or she has witnessed certain wrongdoing, such as gross mismanagement Reprisal Complaint: Following a disclosure, a complaint that an employee has experienced reprisal as a result of the disclosure, such as demotion or discharge.
For contractor and g... | Why GAO Did This Study
NASA obligated over $18 billion in contracts and more than $1 billion in grants in fiscal year 2016, and it relies on a significant number of contractor and grantee employees to accomplish its work. These employees are legally protected from reprisal—such as demotion or firing—for whistleblowing... |
gao_GAO-18-692T | gao_GAO-18-692T_0 | Background
PTC systems are required by law to prevent certain types of accidents or incidents. In particular, a PTC system must be designed to prevent train- to-train collisions, derailments due to excessive speed, incursions into work zone limits, and the movement of a train through a switch left in the wrong pos... | Why GAO Did This Study
Forty railroads including Amtrak, commuter, and freight railroads are currently required by statute to implement PTC, a communications-based system designed to slow or stop a train that is not being operated safely. PTC must be interoperable, meaning trains can operate seamlessly on the same PTC... |
gao_GAO-18-140 | gao_GAO-18-140_0 | Background
FDA Medical Device Review Process
FDA classifies each medical device type intended for human use into one of three classes based on the level of risk it poses to the patient or the user and the controls necessary to reasonably ensure its safety and effectiveness. Examples of types of devices in each ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Determining that a new medical device is safe and effective is a substantial investment of time and resources for the sponsor and FDA, the agency that regulates medical devices. FDA relies on the device sponsor to provide supporting data at the time of its original submission, and the agency can... |
gao_GAO-19-106 | gao_GAO-19-106_0 | Background
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine and also continues to be a source of heroin and marijuana. After declining most years since 2000, coca cultivation and cocaine production increased again in Colombia beginning in 2013, hitting record highs in 2017 (see fig. 1). Much of the cocaine pro... | Why GAO Did This Study
Colombia is the world's leading producer of cocaine, with production levels more than tripling from 2013 through 2017 (see figure). The U.S. and Colombian governments have been longstanding partners in the fight against drug trafficking. Since the launch of Plan Colombia in 1999, the U.S. govern... |
gao_GAO-19-176 | gao_GAO-19-176_0 | Background
The mission of IRS’s HCO includes providing “human capital strategies and tools for recruiting, hiring, developing, retaining, and transitioning a highly-skilled and high-performing workforce to support IRS mission accomplishments,” and developing and implementing “technology- enabled systems and proces... | Why GAO Did This Study
IRS faces a number of challenges that pose risks to meeting its mission if not managed effectively. Key to addressing IRS's challenges is its workforce. Cultivating a well-equipped, diverse, flexible, and engaged workforce requires strategic human capital management.
GAO was asked to review IRS'... |
gao_GAO-18-471 | gao_GAO-18-471_0 | Background
IRS Budget
IRS’s budget declined by about $658 million (5.5 percent) between fiscal years 2013 and 2018 (see fig. 1). Furthermore, full-time equivalents funded with annual appropriations declined by 10,876 (12.7 percent) between fiscal years 2013 and 2018. The President’s fiscal year 2019 budget req... | Why GAO Did This Study
During the tax filing season, generally from January to mid-April, IRS processes over 100 million individual tax returns and provides telephone, correspondence, online, and in-person service to tens of millions of taxpayers. In 2018, IRS had to begin taking steps to implement major tax law chang... |
gao_GAO-19-145 | gao_GAO-19-145_0 | Background
According to NOAA documentation on domestic aquaculture production, shellfish aquaculture represents a large and growing segment of seafood production in the United States, with aquaculture operations present in all coastal regions of the United States (see table 1). The economic value of shellfish var... | Why GAO Did This Study
Entities undertaking shellfish aquaculture activities (i.e., the breeding and harvesting of oysters, clams, and mussels) may need to submit an application to the Corps in certain circumstances for authorization to conduct these activities. The Corps authorizes such activities using various permi... |
gao_GAO-18-40 | gao_GAO-18-40_0 | Background
The drug industry encompasses a variety of companies involved in the research, development, distribution, and payment for chemically synthesized and biologic drugs. For the purpose of our review, the drug industry includes pharmaceutical companies that traditionally concentrate on developing or manufac... | Why GAO Did This Study
Retail prescription drug expenditures were estimated to account for about 12 percent of total personal health care service spending in the United States in 2015, up from about 7 percent through the 1990s. Much of this growth was driven by use of expensive brand-name drugs, but price increases ha... |
gao_GAO-18-220 | gao_GAO-18-220_0 | Background
Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstrations
Nearly three-quarters of states (37 as of November 2016) have CMS- approved Medicaid section 1115 demonstrations, which allow states to test new approaches to coverage and to improve quality and access or generate savings or efficiencies. CMS has approved demonstra... | Why GAO Did This Study
Demonstrations—which represented roughly a third of the more than $300 billion in federal Medicaid spending in 2015—are a powerful tool to test new approaches to providing coverage and delivering Medicaid services that could reduce costs and improve beneficiaries' outcomes. Evaluations are essen... |
gao_GAO-18-427 | gao_GAO-18-427_0 | Background
Prior to the President’s March 2017 executive order for comprehensive government reorganization, in January 2017, the President ordered a federal hiring freeze—providing exemptions for federal employees with national security or public safety responsibilities. The January 2017 presidential memo also di... | Why GAO Did This Study
On March 13, 2017, the President issued an executive order requiring a comprehensive reorganization of executive branch agencies. In April 2017, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provided guidance to federal agencies for developing their reform and workforce reduction proposals. Past pro... |
gao_GAO-18-527 | gao_GAO-18-527_0 | Background
When DCTAG was created, there was no income eligibility requirement. However, in 2007, federal law limited eligibility to students from families with annual taxable incomes less than $1,000,000. In 2015, federal law further limited eligibility to students from families with annual taxable incomes less ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Congress funds DCTAG through an annual appropriation, which was $40 million in fiscal year 2018. DCTAG provides D.C. residents up to $10,000 per year to attend college.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, included a provision for GAO to review DCTAG. This report examines, among other thin... |
gao_GAO-18-242 | gao_GAO-18-242_0 | Background
The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 gives the President authority to sell defense articles and services to eligible foreign governments and international organizations. This Act is the basis of the FMS program, which the U.S. government considers to be an integral component of U.S. national security an... | Why GAO Did This Study
Under the Arms Export Control Act and its implementing regulations, DOD is required to recover nonrecurring costs—unique one-time program-wide expenditures—for certain major defense equipment sold under the FMS program. These costs include research, development, and one-time production costs, su... |
gao_GAO-18-105 | gao_GAO-18-105_0 | Background
CSPF is a defined benefit multiemployer pension plan. Multiemployer plans are often created and maintained through collective bargaining agreements between labor unions and two or more employers, so that workers who move from job to job and employer to employer within an industry can continue to accrue... | Why GAO Did This Study
Multiemployer plans are collectively bargained pension agreements often between labor unions and two or more employers. CSPF is one of the nation's largest multiemployer defined benefit pension plans, covering about 385,000 participants. Since 1982, the plan has operated under a court-enforceabl... |
gao_GAO-18-361 | gao_GAO-18-361_0 | Background
Composition of TRICARE’s Nonenrolled Beneficiary Population
In fiscal year 2016, DOD identified about 2.2 million nonenrolled TRICARE beneficiaries who fell into four categories: (1) retired servicemembers and their dependents, (2) inactive guard/reserve servicemembers and their dependents, (3) depen... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD provides health care, including mental health care, to eligible beneficiaries through TRICARE. Beneficiaries who use TRICARE Prime, a managed care option, must enroll to receive care. Prior to Jan. 1, 2018, beneficiaries did not need to enroll for TRICARE Standard, a fee-for-service option, ... |
gao_GAO-18-103 | gao_GAO-18-103_0 | Background
Medicaid is jointly financed by the federal government and the states. States administer their Medicaid programs within broad federal rules and according to a state plan approved for each state by CMS. CMS issues program requirements in the form of regulations and guidance, approves changes to states’ ... | Why GAO Did This Study
With approval from CMS, the federal agency responsible for overseeing state Medicaid programs, states can provide long-term care services and supports for disabled and aged individuals under one or more types of HCBS programs. State and federal Medicaid HCBS spending was about $87 billion in 201... |
gao_GAO-19-224 | gao_GAO-19-224_0 | Background
Overview of Peacekeeping Operations
In accordance with the UN Charter, peacekeeping operations aim to maintain international peace and security, among other things. The UN has deployed 71 peacekeeping operations since 1948. As of December 2018, the UN had 14 active peacekeeping operations worldwide (... | Why GAO Did This Study
As of December 2018, the UN had 14 ongoing peacekeeping operations with approximately 103,000 personnel. The United States is the single largest financial contributor to these operations, assessed by the UN to contribute an estimated $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2018, according to State. It is al... |
gao_GAO-19-53 | gao_GAO-19-53_0 | Background
History of Military Health System Reforms
For over a decade, Congress and DOD have led a series of efforts to address the governance structure of the Military Health System, including recommending and implementing significant organizational realignments. DOD undertook a significant organizational rea... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2017, DOD provided health care to 9.4 million beneficiaries, including servicemembers, retirees, and their families at a cost of $43 billion. For more than a decade, partially in response to congressional mandates, DOD has worked to address inefficiencies in the Military Health Sy... |
gao_GAO-19-148 | gao_GAO-19-148_0 | Background
VA administers its services and programs through three distinct administrations—Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. VHA is the largest property holder within VA and is responsible for overseeing health care delivery to enroll... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA is one of the largest federal property-holding agencies, and its inventory of vacant buildings has generally increased over the last 6 years. Disposing of its excess properties has been a long-standing challenge.
GAO was asked to review how VA manages its real property disposals. This report ... |
gao_GAO-18-192 | gao_GAO-18-192_0 | Background
DOD Strategies Inform Combatant Command Plans
DOD, through the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, develops department-wide strategic guidance based on direction from the President and issues this guidance through strategy documents. According to joint doctrine and Cha... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2011, President Obama announced that the United States would turn its attention to the Asia-Pacific region and make the U.S. presence there a top priority. Rebalancing to the Pacific became strategic guidance that informed military planning. By the end of 2015, DOD published strategy document... |
gao_GAO-18-347 | gao_GAO-18-347_0 | Background
The Ticketing Marketplace
The marketplace for primary and secondary ticketing services consists of several types of participants, including primary market ticketing companies, professional ticket brokers, secondary market ticket exchanges, and ticket aggregators (see table 1). Other parties that play... | Why GAO Did This Study
Tickets for concerts, theater, and sporting events can be purchased—typically online—from the original seller (primary market) or a reseller (secondary market). Some state and federal officials and others have raised issues about ticketing fees, the effect of the secondary market on ticket price... |
gao_GAO-18-645T | gao_GAO-18-645T_0 | Background
IT systems supporting federal agencies and our nation’s critical infrastructures are inherently at risk. These systems are highly complex and dynamic, technologically diverse, and often geographically dispersed. This complexity increases the difficulty in identifying, managing, and protecting the numer... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal agencies and the nation's critical infrastructures—such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services—are dependent on information technology systems to carry out operations. The security of these systems and the data they use is vital to public confidence and... |
gao_GAO-17-805T | gao_GAO-17-805T_0 | FCC Has Not Evaluated Lifeline’s Performance in Meeting Program Goals but Has Taken Recent Steps toward Evaluation
FCC has not evaluated Lifeline’s performance in meeting program goals but, as we found in May 2017, has taken recent steps toward evaluation. According to GAO’s Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide, to... | Why GAO Did This Study
Created in the mid-1980s, FCC's Lifeline program provides discounts to eligible low-income households for home or wireless telephone and, as of December 2016, broadband service. Lifeline reimburses telephone companies that offer discounts through the USF, which in turn is generally supported by ... |
gao_GAO-17-784T | gao_GAO-17-784T_0 | Background
Overview of IRS Administration of LIHTC Program
IRS administration of the LIHTC program involves overseeing compliance on the part of allocating agencies and taxpayers and developing and publishing regulations and guidance. IRS is responsible for reviewing LIHTC information on three IRS forms that ar... | Why GAO Did This Study
The LIHTC program, established under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, is the largest source of federal assistance for developing affordable rental housing and will represent an estimated $8.5 billion in forgone revenue in 2017. LIHTC encourages private-equity investment in low-income rental housing t... |
gao_GAO-18-341 | gao_GAO-18-341_0 | Background
Since September 2012, CMS has subjected selected items and services to prior authorization and pre-claim reviews—a process similar to prior authorization where review takes place after services have begun— through four fixed-length demonstrations and a permanent program. The prior authorization demonstr... | Why GAO Did This Study
CMS required prior authorization as a demonstration in 2012 for certain power mobility devices, such as power wheelchairs, in seven states. Under the prior authorization process, MACs review prior authorization requests and make determinations to approve or deny them based on Medicare coverage a... |
gao_GAO-17-809T | gao_GAO-17-809T_0 | Background
Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that have resulted in serious damage to Navy ships and the loss of 17 sailors (see figure 1). Three of the four at sea mishaps that have occurred—two collisions and one grounding—have involved ships homeported overseas in Yokosuk... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that resulted in serious damage to its ships and the loss of 17 sailors. Three of these incidents involved ships homeported in Japan. In response to these incidents, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered an operational pau... |
gao_GAO-17-796T | gao_GAO-17-796T_0 | CBP Seizes a Variety of Inbound Items That May Pose Threats to U.S. Safety and Security
In our report, we found that, according to data from CBP’s Seized Asset and Case Tracking System (SEACATS), during fiscal years 2012 through 2016 CBP conducted about 308,000 seizures of inbound international items that may pose... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes information contained in GAO's August 2017 report, entitled International Mail Security: Costs and Benefits of Using Electronic Data to Screen Mail Need to Be Assessed ( GAO-17-606 ).
What GAO Found
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the primary federal agenc... |
gao_GAO-18-374T | gao_GAO-18-374T_0 | Misalignment between NNSA’s Modernization Budget Estimates and Plans Raises Affordability Concerns
In April 2017, we issued our latest report on NNSA’s 25-year plans to modernize the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and its supporting infrastructure. In that report, we identified two areas of misalignment betwee... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOE's NNSA is responsible for managing the nuclear weapons stockpile and supporting nuclear nonproliferation efforts. DOE's Office of Environmental Management's mission includes decontaminating and decommissioning facilities that are contaminated from decades of nuclear weapons production.
Over ... |
gao_GAO-18-258 | gao_GAO-18-258_0 | Background
Research on Student Behavior and School Discipline
The issue of who gets disciplined and why is complex. Studies we reviewed suggest that implicit bias—stereotypes or unconscious associations about people—on the part of teachers and staff may cause them to judge students’ behaviors differently based ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Research has shown that students who experience discipline that removes them from the classroom are more likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school, and become involved in the juvenile justice system. Studies have shown this can result in decreased earning potential and added costs to society,... |
gao_GAO-19-27 | gao_GAO-19-27_0 | Background
National Guard Counterdrug Program
The National Guard counterdrug program is part of DOD’s broader counterdrug mission, which focuses on supporting local, state, federal, and foreign government agencies in addressing the illegal drug trade and narcotics-related terrorism. The program was originally c... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since 1989, DOD has received billions of dollars to fund the National Guard's participation in a counterdrug program focused on domestic drug interdiction activities. DOD received $261 million for this program in fiscal year 2018. This program provides military support to assist state, local, an... |
gao_GAO-19-100 | gao_GAO-19-100_0 | Background
Treasury established HHF in February 2010 to help stabilize the housing market and assist homeowners facing foreclosure in the states hardest hit by the housing crisis. The HHF program is implemented by Treasury’s Office of Financial Stability. Treasury obligated funds to 18 states and the District of ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Treasury established the HHF program in 2010 to help stabilize the housing market and assist homeowners facing foreclosure in the states hardest hit by the housing crisis. Through HHF, Treasury has obligated a total of $9.6 billion in Trouble Asset Relief Program funds to 19 state HFAs. HFAs use... |
gao_GAO-18-317T | gao_GAO-18-317T_0 | Background
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is a multi-phased effort that began in 2010. Across the five phases, NASA has engaged several companies using both agreements and contract vehicles to develop and demonstrate crew transportation capabilities. As the program has passed through these phases, NASA has genera... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the Space Shuttle was retired in 2011, the United States has been relying on Russia to carry astronauts to and from the space station. NASA's Commercial Crew Program is facilitating private development of a domestic system to meet that need safely, reliably, and cost-effectively before the... |
gao_GAO-19-13 | gao_GAO-19-13_0 | Background
VBA Disability Benefits Process
VA pays monthly disability compensation to veterans with service- connected disabilities according to the severity of the disability. VA’s disability compensation claims process starts when a veteran submits a claim to VA (see fig. 1). A claims processor then reviews th... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2016, VBA awarded 12 contracts to five private firms for up to $6.8 billion lasting up to 5 years to conduct veterans' disability medical exams. Both VBA contracted medical examiners and medical providers from the Veterans Health Administration perform these exams, with a growing number of ex... |
gao_GAO-18-402 | gao_GAO-18-402_0 | Background
This section describes (1) electricity grid functions, operations, and planning; (2) energy storage operational characteristics, technologies, and deployment; and (3) the electricity regulatory framework.
Electricity Grid Functions, Operations, and Planning
The electricity grid involves four distinct... | Why GAO Did This Study
Power plants' electricity output must be matched continuously with demand, which varies depending on the time of day and year. To maintain a reliable supply of electricity, operators of the electricity grid—a complex network of power plants and power lines managed by utility companies and other ... |
gao_GAO-17-799 | gao_GAO-17-799_0 | Background
Since DHS’s creation in 2003, significant internal control and financial management system deficiencies have hampered its ability to reasonably assure effective financial management and to manage operations. These deficiencies contributed to our decision to designate DHS’s management functions, includi... | Why GAO Did This Study
To help address long-standing financial management system deficiencies, DHS initiated its TRIO project, which has focused on migrating three of its components to a modernized financial management system provided by IBC, an OMB-designated, federal SSP. House Report Number 3128 included a provisio... |
gao_GAO-18-94 | gao_GAO-18-94_0 | Background
States operate and administer several types of private school choice programs. This report focuses exclusively on vouchers and ESAs.
Vouchers: These programs generally provide interested parents with funds for tuition at a participating private school. The first voucher program began in 1990.
ESAs: Thes... | Why GAO Did This Study
Growth of voucher and ESA programs has drawn attention to the ways states ensure accountability and transparency to the public and prospective parents. With over half of voucher and ESA programs specifically designed for students with disabilities, there is interest in the information parents re... |
gao_GAO-18-25 | gao_GAO-18-25_0 | Background
The DEA, within the Department of Justice, is responsible for ensuring the availability of controlled substances for legitimate uses while preventing their diversion through its administration and enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations. Under the Controlled Substa... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2015, 3.8 million Americans reported misusing prescription drugs within the last month, and deaths from prescription opioids have more than quadrupled since 1999. About half of the people who reported misusing prescription drugs in 2015 received them from a friend or relative.
One way to help... |
gao_GAO-18-144 | gao_GAO-18-144_0 | Background
Oversight of 2014 Nuclear Enterprise Reviews’ Recommendations
In November 2014, the Secretary of Defense directed DOD to address the 2014 nuclear enterprise reviews’ recommendations and directed CAPE to track and assess these implementation efforts. The Joint Staff, Navy, Air Force, offices within th... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2014, the Secretary of Defense directed two reviews of DOD's nuclear enterprise. These reviews identified problems with leadership, organization, investment, morale, policy, and procedures, as well as other shortcomings that adversely affected the nuclear deterrence mission. The reviews also ... |
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