id stringlengths 9 16 | pid stringlengths 11 18 | input stringlengths 5.27k 352k | output stringlengths 399 9.26k |
|---|---|---|---|
gao_GAO-18-178 | gao_GAO-18-178_0 | Background
DHS Responsibilities for Ensuring the Security of U.S.-Bound Flights from Foreign Countries
Shortly after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), which established TSA and gave the agency respons... | Why GAO Did This Study
Approximately 300 foreign airports offer last point of departure flights to the United States. TSA is the federal agency with primary responsibility for securing the nation's civil aviation system and assesses foreign airports and inspects air carriers to ensure they have in place effective secu... |
gao_GAO-19-64 | gao_GAO-19-64_0 | Background
The defense lab enterprise consists of 63 labs, warfare centers, and engineering centers across the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as shown in Figure 1 below. About 50,000 federally employed scientists and engineers work at these defense labs to support warfighter needs and develop trans... | Why GAO Did This Study
Congress created several authorities that provide DOD research labs with ways to increase efficiency and foster innovation.
Senate report 114-255 contained a provision for GAO to study governance models used by federal labs. This report evaluates DOD labs' use of authorities to foster innovation... |
gao_GAO-19-29 | gao_GAO-19-29_0 | Background
Oversight of 2014 Nuclear Enterprise Reviews’ Recommendations
In November 2014, the Secretary of Defense directed DOD to address the recommendations from the 2014 nuclear enterprise reviews and directed CAPE to track and assess these implementation efforts. The Joint Staff, the Navy, the Air Force, o... | 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 ... |
gao_GAO-19-135T | gao_GAO-19-135T_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 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. Of these, 29 passenger railroads collectively provide over 500 million passenger trips annually. Although the deadline for PTC imp... |
gao_GAO-18-84 | gao_GAO-18-84_0 | Background
This section provides a brief background into nutrient pollution, federal and state activities to address water pollution, and nutrient credit trading.
Nutrient Pollution
According to EPA, nutrient pollution is one of America’s most widespread, costly, and challenging environmental problems. Nutrient... | Why GAO Did This Study
Nutrient pollution—caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus entering water bodies—poses significant risks to the nation's water quality. Nutrients can enter water bodies from point sources and nonpoint sources. The Clean Water Act establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of poll... |
gao_GAO-18-593 | gao_GAO-18-593_0 | Background
This section describes agency responsibilities, the history of the federal timber export and substitution ban, and changes to the timber economy since restrictions on timber export and substitution were first implemented.
Federal Land Management Agency Responsibilities
Under the National Forest Mana... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year, the federal government sells millions of dollars of timber from federal forests. Federal law generally prohibits the export of unprocessed logs harvested from federal lands in the western United States. It also prohibits substitution of federal logs for privately sourced timber in dom... |
gao_GAO-18-466 | gao_GAO-18-466_0 | Background
Federal agencies and our nation’s critical infrastructures—such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services— are dependent on computerized (cyber) information systems and electronic data to carry out operations and to process, maintain, and report essential information. Th... | Why GAO Did This Study
A key component of mitigating and responding to cyber threats is having a qualified, well-trained cybersecurity workforce. The Federal Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2015 requires OPM and federal agencies to take several actions related to cybersecurity workforce planning.
GAO is to m... |
gao_GAO-18-383T | gao_GAO-18-383T_0 | Accelerated by E- Commerce, Changes in the Counterfeits Market Present Challenges to U.S. Agencies, Consumers, and the Private Sector
E-Commerce Has Contributed to a Shift in the Market for Counterfeit Goods
The rise of e-commerce has contributed to a fundamental change in the market for counterfeit goods, accord... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's January 2018 report, entitled Intellectual Property: Agencies Can Improve Efforts to Address Risks Posed by Changing Counterfeits Market , ( GAO-18-216 ).
What GAO Found
Changes in the market for counterfeit goods entering the United... |
gao_GAO-18-580 | gao_GAO-18-580_0 | Background
Indian Health Service
IHS was established within the Public Health Service in 1955 to provide health services to members of AI/AN tribes, primarily in rural areas on or near reservations. IHS provides these services directly through a network of hospitals, clinics and health stations, while also prov... | Why GAO Did This Study
IHS is charged with providing health care to AI/AN people who are members or descendants of 573 tribes. According to IHS, AI/AN people born today have a life expectancy that is 5.5 years less than all races in the United States, and they die at higher rates than other Americans from preventable ... |
gao_GAO-19-165 | gao_GAO-19-165_0 | DOD Has Made Limited Progress since June 2018 in Addressing Remaining Statutory Requirements and Is Reducing the Number of Cross-Functional Teams It Considers Responsive to Section 911
DOD Has Addressed One Statutory Requirement since June 2018, but Has Not Addressed Five Remaining Requirements
DOD has addressed o... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD continues to confront organizational challenges that hinder collaboration. To address these challenges, section 911 of the NDAA for FY 2017 directed the Secretary of Defense to issue an organizational strategy that identifies critical objectives that span multiple functional boundaries; esta... |
gao_GAO-18-623T | gao_GAO-18-623T_0 | Background
The attrition among VHA physicians has been of particular concern given that the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) anticipates that by 2025 the national demand for physician services will exceed supply. HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy reported, in 2017, that physician shortages w... | Why GAO Did This Study
As the demand for VHA's services grows—due, in part, to increasing demand from servicemembers returning from the United States' military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and the growing needs of an aging veteran population—attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent is critical to VHA's missi... |
gao_GAO-18-482 | gao_GAO-18-482_0 | Background
Job Corps Eligibility Criteria and Program Services
To be eligible for the Job Corps program, an individual must generally be 16 to 24 years old at the time of enrollment; be low income; and have an additional barrier to education and employment, such as being homeless, a high school dropout, or in f... | Why GAO Did This Study
Deficiencies identified in multiple DOL Inspector General audits since 2009 and two student deaths in 2015 have raised concerns regarding the safety and security of Job Corps students. GAO was asked to review safety and security of students in the Job Corps program. GAO's June 2017 testimony sum... |
gao_GAO-18-175 | gao_GAO-18-175_0 | Background
Federal agencies and our nation’s critical infrastructures—such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services— are dependent on computerized (cyber) information systems and electronic data to carry out operations and to process, maintain, and report essential information. The... | Why GAO Did This Study
DHS is the lead agency tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure from cyber threats. The Homeland Security Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2014 required DHS to identify, categorize, and assign employment codes to all of the department's cybersecurity workforce positio... |
gao_GAO-18-523 | gao_GAO-18-523_0 | Background
In 1961, the Navy commissioned the first and only Enterprise-class aircraft carrier, CVN 65, which was the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. CVN 65 served the Navy’s needs for 51 years, deploying 25 times and sailing more than 1 million miles during that time. The carrier, which was power... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Navy is planning to dismantle and dispose of CVN 65 after 51 years of service. In 2013, the estimated cost to complete the CVN 65 work as originally planned increased to well over $1 billion, leading the Navy to consider different dismantlement and disposal options.
The Senate Report accompa... |
gao_GAO-18-536 | gao_GAO-18-536_0 | Background
Enacted in 1970, NEPA, along with subsequent CEQ implementing regulations, sets out an environmental review process that has two principal purposes: (1) to ensure that an agency carefully considers information concerning the potential environmental effects of proposed projects; and (2) to ensure that t... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since 2005, the federal government has enacted various statutes aimed at accelerating the environmental review process for highway and transit projects. In addition, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act may require three federal agencies—the Corps, FWS, and NMFS—to issue permits or... |
gao_GAO-19-34 | gao_GAO-19-34_0 | Background
Fraud Risk Management
Fraud and “fraud risk” are distinct concepts. Fraud—obtaining something of value through willful misrepresentation—is a determination to be made through the judicial or other adjudicative system, and that determination is beyond management’s professional responsibility. Fraud ri... | Why GAO Did This Study
Fraud poses a significant risk to the integrity of federal programs and erodes public trust in government. Implementing effective fraud risk management processes can help ensure that federal programs fulfill their intended purpose, spend their funding effectively, and safeguard assets.
FRDAA req... |
gao_GAO-18-311 | gao_GAO-18-311_0 | Background
In 2010 PPACA authorized the establishment of PCORI to improve CER quality and relevance. PPACA also established requirements for HHS to, among other things, disseminate findings from federally funded CER, including findings published by PCORI, and coordinate with relevant federal health programs to bu... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) authorized the establishment of PCORI to carry out CER and improve its quality and relevance. PPACA also established new requirements for HHS to, among other things, disseminate findings from federally funded CER, including findings... |
gao_GAO-18-81 | gao_GAO-18-81_0 | Background
The GRF EXORD generally establishes the GRF as a set, or “menu,” of forces from the military services—each of which possesses unique capabilities—that the Secretary of Defense can deploy rapidly anywhere in the world. According to Joint Staff officials, deployment is for a duration that can range from ... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD must be able to rapidly deploy forces to respond to a range of worldwide contingencies, and in 2007 it established the GRF to enhance that capability. The GRF is a set, or “menu,” of forces from the military services, each of which possesses unique capabilities, and which the Secretary of De... |
gao_GAO-18-271 | gao_GAO-18-271_0 | Background
CBP and Partner Agency Processing of Imported Goods
Imported goods flow into the U.S. market through a process that CBP facilitates and enforces, in collaboration with other federal agencies and with companies, including customs brokers, engaged in international trade. Imported goods enter the United... | Why GAO Did This Study
CBP began work on ACE in 1994 to update the agency's existing electronic trade processing system. In 2006, Congress broadened this effort by mandating creation of a “single portal” International Trade Data System to, among other things, efficiently regulate the flow of commerce and more effectiv... |
gao_GAO-18-169 | gao_GAO-18-169_0 | Background
CMS operates the FFM consistent with PPACA and relevant HHS regulations. In plan year 2015, 37 states relied on the FFM. The remaining 14 states, including the District of Columbia, operated their own state-based marketplaces. According to published HHS figures, the FFM accounted for about 76 percent, ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) offers subsidized health-care coverage for qualifying applicants. States may operate their own health-care marketplaces or rely on the FFM, maintained by CMS. In PY 2015, 37 states relied on the FFM and over 8 million plan selections were ma... |
gao_GAO-18-595 | gao_GAO-18-595_0 | Background
GSA spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on needed repairs to the more than 1,600 federally owned buildings under its custody and control, which are occupied by a wide variety of federal tenant agencies. The agency’s R&A program provides repairs and alterations for buildings to ensure that ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year, GSA spends hundreds of millions of dollars on R&A projects to address the repair, renovation, or modernization needs of the more than 1,600 federally owned buildings under the agency's custody and control—the average building's age is 47 years old. In fiscal year 2018, Congress approp... |
gao_GAO-18-357T | gao_GAO-18-357T_0 | Background
According to State, the OAS is the primary inter-American political forum through which the United States engages with other countries in the Western Hemisphere to promote democracy, human rights, security, and development. While PAHO, IICA, and PAIGH are independent organizations, the Charter of the O... | Why GAO Did This Study
The United States belongs to several inter-American organizations, including the OAS, PAHO, IICA, and PAIGH, which promote democracy, security, health care, agricultural development, and scientific exchange in the Western Hemisphere. The United States helps finance these organizations' operating... |
gao_GAO-18-327 | gao_GAO-18-327_0 | Background
This section outlines the legal framework under which agencies and federal labs license patents and general stages of the patent licensing process.
Legal Framework for Patent Licensing
Prior to 1980, federal agencies generally retained title to any inventions developed through federally funded resea... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government spends approximately $137 billion annually on research and development—mostly at DOD, DOE, NASA, and NIH—to further agencies' missions, including at federal labs. Multiple laws have directed agencies and labs to encourage commercial use of their inventions, in part by lice... |
gao_GAO-18-10 | gao_GAO-18-10_0 | Background
Major Drug-Producing and Drug-Transit Countries in the Western Hemisphere
The majority of illicit drugs consumed in the United States is produced in Mexico and South America and enters the United States across the southwest border or through the Caribbean. Among countries in the Western Hemisphere, C... | Why GAO Did This Study
Western Hemisphere nations such as Mexico and Colombia are major sources of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic drugs often originate in China but typically enter the U... |
gao_GAO-18-283 | gao_GAO-18-283_0 | Background
ARNG is one of two reserve components of the Department of the Army; it has units located in each of the 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. The Secretary of the Army is responsible for creating overarching policy and guidance for all of the components of the Army, including ARNG. The... | Why GAO Did This Study
ARNG provides trained and equipped units ready to defend life and property in the 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia. In 2011, the Army Audit Agency reported weaknesses in internal controls over soldier incentive payments in the California ARNG that led to some improper payment... |
gao_GAO-19-5 | gao_GAO-19-5_0 | Background
This section describes DOE’s M&O contracts, incentives in those contracts, general requirements for DOE’s M&O contractor performance evaluation processes, and contracting and performance challenges involving DOE’s M&O contracts that have been identified by previous reporting.
DOE Uses M&O Contracts
... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal years 2006 through 2016, the federal government spent almost $193 billion on DOE's M&O contracts—a form of contract that traces its origins to the Manhattan Project. Six DOE offices use M&O contracts to manage and operate federally owned sites that perform work to fulfill DOE's diverse... |
gao_GAO-18-638 | gao_GAO-18-638_0 | Background
USPS has a wide range of domestic competitive products that are a growing sector of its business. The volume of USPS’s competitive products increased from approximately 750 million pieces in fiscal year 2008 to 4.9 billion pieces in fiscal year 2017. Revenue from these products increased from about 10 ... | Why GAO Did This Study
USPS's competitive products have become increasingly important, comprising about 28 percent of USPS's total revenue. USPS scans these packages at various points throughout the postal network. When scans are inaccurate or missing, questions are raised about the veracity of USPS's data on scanning... |
gao_GAO-18-319 | gao_GAO-18-319_0 | Background
Federal Requirements for Implementing Telework and Reducing Space
Implementing Telework: The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the Act) establishes telework implementation requirements for agencies, including, for example, that each agency designate a Telework Managing Officer and that each agency in... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal agencies are exploring ways to use telework as a tool to reduce the federal footprint and use space more efficiently. GAO was asked to examine the effects of telework on agencies' space-planning efforts. In this report, GAO reviewed: (1) how the 23 civilian CFO Act agencies reported usin... |
gao_GAO-18-401 | gao_GAO-18-401_0 | Background
FMS Program Size and Benefits
The FMS program provides support to over 150 foreign partners, with sales totaling $416 billion between fiscal years 2007 and 2017. Annual sales were over $30 billion in each of these years except two, and grew 80 percent over the period to $42 billion in fiscal year 201... | Why GAO Did This Study
The FMS program is one of the primary ways the U.S. government supports its foreign partners, by providing them with defense equipment and services. The program charges FMS customers overhead fees to cover the U.S. government's operating costs. They include the administrative fee for costs such ... |
gao_GAO-18-388 | gao_GAO-18-388_0 | Background
The LDA requires lobbyists to register with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House and to file quarterly reports disclosing their respective lobbying activities. Lobbyists are required to file their registrations and reports electronically with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The LDA, as amended, requires lobbyists to file quarterly disclosure reports and semiannual reports on certain political contributions. The law also includes a provision for GAO to annually audit lobbyists' compliance with the LDA. GAO's objectives were to (1) determine the extent to which lobby... |
gao_GAO-18-302 | gao_GAO-18-302_0 | Background
Requirements for Innovation Center Models Implemented under Section 1115A
Section 1115A establishes certain requirements for the Innovation Center that relate to the selection of models, use of resources, and evaluation of models. These requirements include: consulting with representatives of relevan... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act created the Innovation Center within CMS to test new approaches to health care delivery and payment—known as models—for use in Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP. The Innovation Center became operational in November 2010. In 2012, GAO reported on the early... |
gao_GAO-18-344 | gao_GAO-18-344_0 | Background
DHS Budget Structure and Reporting
After the 2002 consolidation of 22 agencies into a single department, DHS had, until recently, different appropriation structures and budget management practices based on agencies’ enacted appropriations prior to DHS consolidation. DHS reported that, with over 70 di... | Why GAO Did This Study
O&S costs—the costs used to operate and sustain a program—can account for up to 70 percent of a program's total cost. End users rely on O&S funds for maintenance, spares, and personnel. DHS programs initially identify O&S costs in their life-cycle cost estimate at the outset of the acquisition. ... |
gao_GAO-18-160 | gao_GAO-18-160_0 | Background
Public Debt and Revenue
Territorial governments issue debt securities and receive loans for a variety of purposes, including to finance long-term investments, such as infrastructure projects, and to fund government operating costs. For the purposes of this report, total public debt outstanding refers... | Why GAO Did This Study
The United States has five territories: Puerto Rico, American Samoa, CNMI, Guam, and USVI. The territories, like U.S. states in some cases, borrow through financial markets. Puerto Rico in particular has amassed large amounts of debt, and defaulted on billions of dollars of debt payments. In res... |
gao_GAO-18-320 | gao_GAO-18-320_0 | Background
This section provides an overview of patenting in the United States, patent infringement litigation, and administrative proceedings for patent validity challenges. It also includes a brief history of court decisions that clarified eligibility requirements for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board’s CBM pro... | Why GAO Did This Study
Patents can promote innovation by giving inventors exclusive rights to their inventions, and patent owners can bring infringement lawsuits against anyone who uses, makes, sells, offers to sell, or imports a patented invention without authorization. As GAO previously reported, such lawsuits can t... |
gao_GAO-18-218 | gao_GAO-18-218_0 | Background
DOD Goals, Roles, and Responsibilities for the Privatized Housing Program
DOD’s policy is to ensure that eligible personnel and their families have access to affordable, quality housing facilities and services consistent with grade and dependent status, and that the housing should generally reflect c... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 1996 Congress provided DOD with authorities enabling it to obtain private-sector financing and management to repair, renovate, construct, and operate military housing. DOD has since privatized 99 percent of its domestic housing.
The Senate Report accompanying a bill for the National Defense A... |
gao_GAO-19-112 | gao_GAO-19-112_0 | Background
Improper Payment Requirements
IPIA defines an improper payment as any payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount (including overpayments and underpayments) under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. It includes duplicat... | Why GAO Did This Study
Improper payments are a long-standing problem in the federal government, estimated at almost $141 billion for fiscal year 2017. Agencies are required to perform risk assessments to identify programs that may be susceptible to significant improper payments.
GAO was asked to review federal agencie... |
gao_GAO-18-411 | gao_GAO-18-411_0 | Background
This section provides information on oil and gas leasing and development on federally managed lands, lease revenues, lease suspensions, and BLM’s LR2000 database.
Oil and Gas Leasing and Development on Federally Managed Lands
BLM is responsible for managing approximately 700 million acres of subsurf... | Why GAO Did This Study
Oil and gas leases on federal lands generate billions of dollars in rents and royalty payments for the federal government each year, but these revenues can be reduced if leases are suspended (i.e., placed on hold). Questions have been raised about whether some suspensions, particularly those in ... |
gao_GAO-19-62 | gao_GAO-19-62_0 | Background
The rapid increase of UAC apprehended by DHS in 2014 led to USAID’s assistance for reception and reintegration efforts in Central America’s Northern Triangle. USAID’s efforts, carried out by its implementing partner IOM, have focused on children and family units, as they are considered the most vulnera... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2014, instability driven by insecurity, lack of economic opportunity, and weak governance led to a rapid increase of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras arriving at the U.S. border. In fiscal year 2017, the Department of Homeland Security reported (DHS... |
gao_GAO-17-798T | gao_GAO-17-798T_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-19-7 | gao_GAO-19-7_0 | Background
This section provides information on BLM’s mission and organizational structure, the process for overseeing the development of federal and Indian oil and gas resources, and key aspects of the Inspection and Enforcement program.
BLM Mission and Organizational Structure
BLM’s mission is to maintain th... | Why GAO Did This Study
BLM has primary responsibility for managing oil and gas development on federal and Indian lands. To help ensure operator compliance with laws and regulations, BLM administers the Inspection and Enforcement program. Under the program, BLM inspects operators' drilling, production, and plugging act... |
gao_GAO-18-455 | gao_GAO-18-455_0 | Background
HBCU Capital Financing Program
The Capital Financing Program provides loans to eligible HBCUs for the repair, renovation, construction, or acquisition of capital projects or to refinance existing capital debt. Several offices at Education are involved in administering the program, including the Offic... | Why GAO Did This Study
HBCUs play a prominent role in our nation's higher education system. For example, about one-third of African-Americans receiving a doctorate in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics received undergraduate degrees from HBCUs. To help HBCUs facing challenges accessing funding for capita... |
gao_GAO-18-78 | gao_GAO-18-78_0 | Background
DOD Public Water Systems
DOD has two types of public water systems that provide drinking water to people that live and work on military installations. The first type provides drinking water that has been treated by DOD. The second type provides water treated by a private company or a local utility, w... | Why GAO Did This Study
According to DOD, about 3 million people in the United States receive drinking water from DOD public water systems, which are to comply with EPA and state health-based regulations. EPA and DOD have detected elevated levels of two unregulated, DOD-identified emerging contaminants found in firefig... |
gao_GAO-18-615 | gao_GAO-18-615_0 | Background
U.S. Law Requires State to Convene an ARB after Certain Types of Incidents
Federal law generally requires the Secretary of State to convene an ARB not later than 60 days after the occurrence of an incident that resulted in serious injury, loss of life, or significant destruction of property at, or re... | Why GAO Did This Study
U.S. diplomats and their families in Havana, Cuba, were affected by incidents that were associated with injuries, including hearing loss and brain damage. Over State has reported that over 20 U.S. diplomats and family members in Havana have suffered from medical conditions believed to be connect... |
gao_GAO-18-420 | gao_GAO-18-420_0 | Background
The federal government is the largest real property owner in the United States with a vast inventory costing billions of dollars annually to operate and maintain. Federally owned buildings include courthouses, offices, warehouses, schools, hospitals, housing, data centers, and laboratories, among other... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since 1994, GSA has spent more than $8 billion to construct 78 new federal buildings through its Design Excellence program. Some design choices can affect a building's O&M costs and functionality.
GAO was asked to review GSA's ability to manage O&M costs under the Design Excellence program. This... |
gao_GAO-17-781T | gao_GAO-17-781T_0 | Law Enforcement Agencies Reported Various Uses and Benefits from the Transfer of the DOD Excess Controlled Property
Federal law enforcement agencies and state coordinators in our survey— as well as officials we interviewed from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies—reported various uses of DOD excess co... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's July 2017 report, entitled DOD Excess Property: Enhanced Controls Needed for Access to Excess Controlled Property ( GAO-17-532 ).
merrittz@gao.gov or Wayne A. McElrath at (202) 512-2905 or mcelrathw@gao.gov .
What GAO Found
The Defen... |
gao_GAO-18-552 | gao_GAO-18-552_0 | Background
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress passed and the President signed the Aviation and Transportation Security Act into law on November 19, 2001, with the primary goal of strengthening the security of the nation’s civil aviation system. The act established TSA as the agency with r... | Why GAO Did This Study
TSA is responsible for ensuring that all airline passengers and their property are screened for items that could pose a threat to airplanes and passengers at 440 airports across the United States. Since 2016, TSO Basic Training—initial training for newly hired TSOs, including both TSA-employed a... |
gao_GAO-18-42 | gao_GAO-18-42_0 | Background
While IT investments have the potential to improve lives and organizations, federally funded IT projects can—and, too often, have— become risky, costly, and unproductive mistakes. We have previously reported that the federal government has spent billions of dollars on failed or troubled IT investments, ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government invested more than $90 billion on IT in fiscal year 2016. However, prior IT expenditures have produced failed projects. Recognizing the severity of issues, in December 2014 Congress enacted IT acquisition reform legislation (referred to as the Federal Information Technolog... |
gao_GAO-17-795T | gao_GAO-17-795T_0 | SSA Lacks a Formal and Systematic Approach for Identifying CAL Conditions
SSA has in recent years relied on advocates for individuals with certain diseases and disorders to bring potential CAL conditions to its attention. However, SSA has not clearly communicated this or provided guidance on how to make suggestion... | Why GAO Did This Study
SSA in October 2008 implemented CAL to fast track individuals with certain conditions through the disability determination process by prioritizing their disability benefit claims. Since then, SSA has expanded its list of CAL conditions from 50 to 225.
This testimony summarizes the information co... |
gao_GAO-17-794 | gao_GAO-17-794_0 | Background
Enacted in November 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) established TSA as the primary federal agency responsible for implementing and overseeing the security of the nation’s civil aviation system. In accordance with ATSA, TSA is to ensure that all passengers and property transpor... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, TSA has spent billions of dollars on aviation security programs. However, recent attacks involving aircraft and airports in other countries underscore the continued threat to aviation and the need for an effective aviation security program.
GAO was asked ... |
gao_GAO-19-42 | gao_GAO-19-42_0 | Background
Scientific research on and projections of the changes taking place in the Arctic vary, but there is a general consensus that the Arctic is warming and that its sea ice is diminishing. For example, scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported that for 2018 the minimum amount of sea ice c... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Navy is responsible for providing ready forces for current operations and contingency response in the Arctic Ocean. According to data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the coverage of sea ice in the Arctic has diminished significantly since 1981. This could potentially increase mar... |
gao_GAO-18-566T | gao_GAO-18-566T_0 | Background
According to the President’s budget, the federal government plans to invest more than $96 billion for IT in fiscal year 2018—the largest amount ever budgeted. Despite such large IT expenditures, we have previously reported that investments in federal IT too often result in failed projects that incur co... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government plans to invest almost $96 billion in IT in fiscal year 2018. Historically, IT investments have too often failed or contributed little to mission-related outcomes. Further, increasingly sophisticated threats and frequent cyber incidents underscore the need for effective in... |
gao_GAO-18-309 | gao_GAO-18-309_0 | Background
This section provides information on water infrastructure in Indian country, federal programs that provide drinking water and wastewater infrastructure assistance to Indian tribes, and our prior work on interagency collaboration.
Water Infrastructure in Indian Country
The 573 federally recognized In... | Why GAO Did This Study
Tens of thousands of American Indians and Alaska Natives do not have safe drinking water or wastewater disposal in their home—referred to as needs arising from a sanitation deficiency—at a higher percentage than the general population, according to IHS. Among other things, IHS assesses homes, ei... |
gao_GAO-18-188 | gao_GAO-18-188_0 | Background
Overview of SEC
SEC’s mission is to protect investors; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and facilitate capital formation. As part of SEC’s strategic plan, SEC strives to promote a securities market that is worthy of the public’s trust and is characterized by, among other things, transpa... | Why GAO Did This Study
Impacts from a changing climate can pose serious risks to the global economy and affect many economic sectors, according to reports. Public companies are generally required to disclose certain risks in their SEC filings. In 2010, SEC issued guidance to clarify how existing disclosure requirement... |
gao_GAO-18-351 | gao_GAO-18-351_0 | Background
Black lung benefits include both cash assistance and medical benefits. Maximum cash assistance payments generally ranged from about $650 to $1,300 per month in fiscal year 2017, depending on the number of dependents the miner has. Miners receiving cash assistance are also eligible for medical benefits ... | Why GAO Did This Study
With revenue of about $450 million in fiscal year 2017, the Trust Fund paid about $184 million in benefits to more than 25,000 coal miners and eligible dependents. However, the Trust Fund also borrowed about $1.3 billion from the Treasury's general fund in fiscal year 2017 to cover its debt repa... |
gao_GAO-18-145 | gao_GAO-18-145_0 | Background
This section provides information on select agent regulations and program roles, responsibilities, and requirements; and the history of the Select Agent Program.
Select Agent Regulations and Program Roles, Responsibilities, and Requirements
The Select Agent Program is fragmented because oversight res... | Why GAO Did This Study
Safety lapses continue to occur at some of the 276 laboratories in the United States that conduct research on select agents—such as Ebola virus or anthrax bacteria—that may cause serious or lethal infection in humans, animals, or plants, raising concerns about whether oversight is effective.
GAO... |
gao_GAO-19-173 | gao_GAO-19-173_0 | Background
Overview of Software Sustainment Activities
DOD defines software maintenance and software sustainment synonymously, to comprise any activities or actions that change the software baseline, as well as modifications or upgrades that add capability or functionality. For example, software sustainment act... | Why GAO Did This Study
Software is integral to the operation and functionality of DOD equipment, platforms, and weapon systems, including tactical and combat vehicles, aircraft, ships, submarines, and strategic missiles. DOD estimates that software sustainment funding will total at least $15 billion over the next 5 fi... |
gao_GAO-18-633 | gao_GAO-18-633_0 | Background
Enacted in July 2014, WIOA emphasizes the alignment and integration of workforce programs, primarily administered by the departments of Labor and Education, that provide education and training services to help job seekers obtain employment and advance in the labor market. WIOA also provides for state w... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2017, the UI program provided about $30 billion in temporary income support to 5.7 million claimants who became unemployed through no fault of their own. The federal government provides various resources states can use to help UI claimants achieve reemployment. GAO was asked to review how sta... |
gao_GAO-18-337 | gao_GAO-18-337_0 | Background
NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth. The NASA Administrator is responsible for leading the agency and is accountable for all aspects of its mission, includ... | Why GAO Did This Study
NASA depends heavily upon IT to conduct its work. The agency spends at least $1.5 billion annually on IT investments that support its missions, including ground control systems for the International Space Station and space exploration programs.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration T... |
gao_GAO-18-424 | gao_GAO-18-424_0 | Background
DOD’s MWR Program Categories and Funding Sources
DOD Instruction 1015.10, Military Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Programs, establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures for operating and managing programs for military MWR programs. Specifically, the policy states tha... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD's MWR programs provide servicemembers and their families with three categories of programs: Category A (e.g., fitness and libraries), Category B (e.g., camping and performing arts), and Category C (e.g., golf). DOD oversees the percentage of appropriated funding allocated to MWR programs by ... |
gao_GAO-18-285 | gao_GAO-18-285_0 | Background
Mortgages under RHS’s program can be used to build, acquire, and rehabilitate rental housing in rural areas and are generally 30-year loans with 50-year amortization periods and include subsidized interest rates as low as 1 percent. To help finance housing projects and keep rents affordable to low-inco... | Why GAO Did This Study
Under its rural housing program, RHS provides mortgages and rental assistance to support affordable rental units for low-income tenants (see figure). When these mortgages reach the end of their terms (mature), property owners may exit the program; current law does not allow RHS to continue provi... |
gao_GAO-19-3 | gao_GAO-19-3_0 | Background
VA provides education benefits to eligible veterans and their beneficiaries enrolled in approved programs of education and training to help them afford postsecondary education. VA staff conduct oversight of schools receiving these benefits. In addition, each year, VA contracts with state agencies to he... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2017, VA provided about $11 billion in education benefits to about 14,460 schools to help eligible veterans and their beneficiaries pay for postsecondary education and training. VA typically contracts with state agencies to help it provide oversight of schools participating in thi... |
gao_GAO-18-275T | gao_GAO-18-275T_0 | Background
Key Stakeholders in the Federal Criminal Justice Process
Various DOJ and federal judiciary stakeholders play key roles in the federal criminal justice process, and as such, they can also have key roles in considering whether to use incarceration alternatives for a given offender or inmate. For exampl... | Why GAO Did This Study
BOP's rising costs and offender recidivism present incarceration challenges to both DOJ and the nation. For example, BOP's operating costs have generally increased over time, and in fiscal year 2017 amounted to more than $6.9 billion, or 24 percent of DOJ's total discretionary budget. In additio... |
gao_GAO-18-72 | gao_GAO-18-72_0 | Background
Risk management, as applied to security of federal facilities, entails a continuous process of applying a series of mitigating actions—assessing risk through the evaluation of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences; responding to risks with appropriate countermeasures; and monitoring risks using qu... | Why GAO Did This Study
Protecting federal employees and facilities from security threats is of critical importance. Most federal agencies are generally responsible for their facilities and have physical security programs to do so.
GAO was asked to examine how federal agencies assess facilities' security risks. This re... |
gao_GAO-19-181 | gao_GAO-19-181_0 | Background
We and others have identified challenges facing the federal human capital system’s ability to recruit, retain, develop, and engage workers, both today and in the future. For example:
Classification system. The General Schedule classification system—which defines and organizes federal positions, primaril... | Why GAO Did This Study
Much has changed since the federal government's employment policies were designed generations ago. Without careful attention to strategic human capital management, the federal government may continue to struggle to compete for workers with the skills needed to address the nation's social, econom... |
gao_GAO-19-202 | gao_GAO-19-202_0 | Background
WMATA was created in 1967 through an interstate compact—matching legislation passed by the District of Columbia, state of Maryland, and Commonwealth of Virginia, and then ratified by Congress—to plan, develop, finance, and operate a regional transportation system in the National Capital area. A board o... | Why GAO Did This Study
Safety incidents in recent years on WMATA's rail system have raised questions about its processes for performing critical maintenance and replacing capital assets. WMATA initiated a new preventive maintenance program for its rail track in 2017, and is currently implementing a new capital plannin... |
gao_GAO-18-216 | gao_GAO-18-216_0 | Background
Recent Legislation Related to IPR Enforcement
The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (TFTEA) includes provisions related to IPR enforcement, among other things. According to CBP, the act codified existing CBP activities and supports CBP’s efforts to protect U.S. economic security th... | Why GAO Did This Study
Infringement of IPR through the illegal importation and distribution of counterfeit goods harms the U.S. economy and can threaten the health and safety of U.S. consumers. CBP leads IPR enforcement at U.S. ports of entry by detecting and seizing counterfeit goods that enter the United States. CBP... |
gao_GAO-18-253 | gao_GAO-18-253_0 | Background
Perstempo and Operational Tempo
DOD uses two related but distinct terms to differentiate between individual service members’ time away from home versus unit deployments:
Perstempo: The amount of time individual service members serve on official duty at a location or under circumstances that make it ... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 1999, Congress required DOD to monitor the time that individual service members spend away from home and set a threshold to limit excessive time away. At the time, the threshold was no more than 220 days served away from home in a 365-day period. In the interest of national security, in 2001 ... |
gao_GAO-18-491 | gao_GAO-18-491_0 | Background
Training Is Important for Effective Grants Management
In fiscal year 2017, the federal government awarded approximately $675 billion in grants to state and local governments. As shown in figure 1, approximately 80 percent of the grant dollars awarded by the federal government in fiscal year 2017 came... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2017, the federal government awarded approximately $675 billion in grants to state and local governments. GAO was asked to review the federal grants workforce training. GAO reviewed (1) OPM's, OMB's, and the CFOC's actions to address the grants workforce's training needs; (2) the ... |
gao_GAO-19-68 | gao_GAO-19-68_0 | Background
Cobra Dane and other radar systems can provide capabilities that contribute to a range of missions, such as ballistic missile defense, space surveillance, and intelligence-gathering missions. DOD uses Cobra Dane and other radar systems to provide information over a short period of time to ground-based ... | Why GAO Did This Study
First fielded in 1976 on Shemya Island in Alaska, the Cobra Dane radar faces growing sustainment challenges that DOD plans to address through modernization projects. Anticipating future needs, DOD began investing in new radar systems that share capabilities with Cobra Dane to support ballistic m... |
gao_GAO-18-155 | gao_GAO-18-155_0 | Background
Biodefense Doctrine
Several presidential directives and national strategies establish biodefense policy for the federal government. These directives establish overall goals and policies as well as assign specific responsibilities to federal agencies. See table 1 for relevant directives and strategies... | Why GAO Did This Study
Biological threats come from a variety of sources and can pose a catastrophic danger to public health, animal and plant health, and national security. Threat awareness, which consists of activities such as collecting and analyzing intelligence, developing risk assessments, and anticipating futur... |
gao_GAO-18-294 | gao_GAO-18-294_0 | Background
Overview of Election Administration
In the United States, election authority is shared by federal, state, and local officials, and election administration is highly decentralized and varies among state and local jurisdictions. Congressional authority to regulate elections derives from various constit... | Why GAO Did This Study
Much of the voting equipment acquired with federal funds after the enactment of the Help America Vote Act in 2002 may now be reaching the end of its life span, and some states and local election jurisdictions—which number about 10,300 and generally have responsibility for conducting federal elec... |
gao_GAO-19-36 | gao_GAO-19-36_0 | Background
Spending Authority and Permanent Appropriations
“Backdoor Authority” or “Backdoor Spending” These are similar but not identical terms for spending authority and permanent appropriations. Backdoor authority and backdoor spending are colloquial phrases for budget authority that Congress has provided... | Why GAO Did This Study
Congress can provide budget authority to federal agencies and programs through the annual appropriations process. It can also provide budget authority through laws other than annual appropriations acts, or through permanent appropriations that permit the agency to obligate budget authority witho... |
gao_GAO-18-201 | gao_GAO-18-201_0 | Background
VA has faced a growing demand by veterans for its health care services, due in part to both service members returning from military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and to the growing needs of an aging veteran population. As part of providing care to millions of veterans, VA is expected to provide a ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA is responsible for providing a safe and secure, yet welcoming environment for staff, patients, and visitors at nearly 170 medical centers. These facilities have been the target of violence, threats, and other security-related incidents. Assessing and manag... |
gao_GAO-18-642T | gao_GAO-18-642T_0 | Background
BSA/AML Regulation and Enforcement for Banks and Money Transmitters
The BSA established reporting, recordkeeping, and other AML requirements for financial institutions. Regulation under and enforcement of BSA involves several federal agencies. FinCEN is responsible for administering the BSA and has a... | Why GAO Did This Study
In recent years, some Southwest border residents and businesses reported difficulty accessing banking services, including experiencing bank account terminations and bank branch closings in the region. In addition, the World Bank and others have reported that some money transmitters have been los... |
gao_GAO-17-785 | gao_GAO-17-785_0 | Background
Set-top boxes provide a variety of functions, including enabling consumers to access their video subscriptions. They also secure the video provider’s content to ensure that the subscriber can access only the channels subscribed to, and prevent unauthorized use, such as recording of content that subscri... | Why GAO Did This Study
Millions of households subscribe to cable, satellite, and telephone companies—known as MVPDs—for television, which is generally delivered via a set-top box attached to a television. Congress directed FCC to adopt regulations to assure a commercial market for devices to access MVPDs, and in Febru... |
gao_GAO-18-493 | gao_GAO-18-493_0 | Background
Commercially Hosted Payloads
DOD defines a hosted payload as an instrument or package of equipment—a sensor or communications package, for example— integrated onto a host satellite, which operates on orbit making use of the host satellite’s available resources, including size, weight, power, or commu... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year, DOD spends billions of dollars to develop, produce, and field large, complex satellites. For such satellite systems, a single adversary attack or on-orbit failure can result in the loss of billions of dollars of investment and significant loss of vital capabilities. As DOD plans new s... |
gao_GAO-19-52 | gao_GAO-19-52_0 | Background
Internet Industry and Consumer Privacy
To varying extents, Internet content providers—also called “edge providers”—and Internet service providers collect, use, and share information from their customers to enable their services, support advertising, and for other purposes. Many companies describe the... | Why GAO Did This Study
In April 2018, Facebook disclosed that a Cambridge University researcher may have improperly shared the data of up to 87 million of its users with a political consulting firm. This disclosure followed other recent incidents involving the misuse of consumers' personal information from the Interne... |
gao_GAO-18-446 | gao_GAO-18-446_0 | Background
How Reverse Auctions Work
In a traditional auction, the intent is for multiple buyers to bid against one another by submitting bids to purchase a good or service that is for sale. Generally speaking, the bidder offering the highest price receives the item for sale and the seller benefits from receivi... | Why GAO Did This Study
Reverse auctions are intended to result in enhanced competition, lower prices, and reduced acquisition costs. GAO has previously found that agencies did not maximize these benefits.
GAO was asked to review federal agencies' use of reverse auctions. This report examines (1) the use of reverse auc... |
gao_GAO-19-130 | gao_GAO-19-130_0 | Background
The Pell Grant Program
First authorized in 1972, the Pell Grant Program awards federally-funded grants to low-income undergraduate and certain post-baccalaureate students who are enrolled in a degree or certificate program (which can include vocational programs) and have federally-defined financial n... | Why GAO Did This Study
Incarcerated students are generally prohibited from receiving Pell grants, which provide need-based federal financial aid to low-income undergraduate students. However, Education has the authority to waive specific statutory or regulatory requirements for providing federal student aid at schools... |
gao_GAO-18-703T | gao_GAO-18-703T_0 | Background
SSA’s mission is to deliver Social Security services that meet the changing needs of the public. The Social Security Act and amendments established three programs that the agency administers:
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance provides monthly retirement and survivors benefits to retired and disabled worke... | Why GAO Did This Study
SSA delivers services that touch the lives of almost every American, and relies heavily on IT resources to do so. Its systems support a range of activities, such as processing Disability Insurance payments, to calculating and withholding Medicare premiums, and issuing Social Security numbers and... |
gao_GAO-19-72 | gao_GAO-19-72_0 | Background
Federal Open Data Policy
Recognizing the federal government’s role as a major supplier of data, the 2018 President’s Management Agenda announced the creation of a Federal Data Strategy. According to the agenda, this strategy promises to leverage data as a strategic asset to grow the economy, increase... | Why GAO Did This Study
Open data can foster accountability and public trust by providing citizens with information on government activities and their outcomes. It can also promote private sector innovation. The DATA Act requires that the federal government collect and present open data on roughly $4 trillion in annual... |
gao_GAO-19-71 | gao_GAO-19-71_0 | Background
Categories of Document Services
Document services at DOD are generally encompassed by three broad categories, shown in figure 1.
Printing and reproduction includes the high-speed, high-volume reproduction of printed documents, as well as the distribution of those products. Documents are printed inter... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD has reported printing costs that totaled about $608 million, on average, during fiscal years 2010 through 2015. DLA Document Services has key DOD-wide responsibilities for (1) printing and reproduction, (2) print device procurement, and (3) electronic content management (e.g., digital docume... |
gao_GAO-19-138 | gao_GAO-19-138_0 | Background
Personal Identity Verification Cards
Developed in response to HSPD-12, Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards are a common authentication mechanism used across the federal government, and are a component of physical access control systems. PIV cards are used to securely identify federal governmen... | Why GAO Did This Study
A 2004 federal directive and the related standard set forth a vision for using information technology to verify the identity of individuals accessing federal buildings. The vision calls for secure and reliable forms of identification that work in conjunction with access control systems. Interope... |
gao_GAO-18-147 | gao_GAO-18-147_0 | Background
BOP’s Organization and Workforce
Justice Management Division (JMD) JMD provides the Federal Bureau of Prisons senior management with guidance as it relates to Department of Justice (DOJ) policy for all matters pertaining to organization, management, and administration, including the use of human c... | Why GAO Did This Study
BOP is the largest employer within DOJ and is responsible for the care and custody of an inmate population of about 186,000. BOP has faced challenges retaining staff at correctional facilities, although it has used retention incentives, along with other human capital flexibilities. GAO was asked... |
gao_GAO-19-107 | gao_GAO-19-107_0 | Background
This section discusses DOE’s use of management and operating (M&O) and non-M&O contracts, DOE’s contracting structure, and federal and DOE requirements for oversight of contractors’ subcontract management.
DOE’s Use of M&O and Non-M&O Contracts
Since World War II, DOE and its predecessor agencies hav... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOE, including NNSA, is the largest federal civilian contracting agency, spending about 90 percent of its appropriations on contracts with companies, universities, and others for federal research and development, engineering, and production. DOE headquarters and local offices oversee contractors... |
gao_GAO-19-198 | gao_GAO-19-198_0 | Background
DOD Personnel Misconduct
The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, provides that the IG may receive and investigate complaints or information from an employee concerning the possible existence of an activity constituting a violation of law, rules or regulations; gross mismanagement; gross waste ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Safeguarding confidentiality to the maximum extent possible is essential for encouraging whistleblowers to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal. In fiscal year 2018, DODIG received over 12,000 contacts from potential whistleblowers related to fraud, waste, abuse, employee misconduct, or ot... |
gao_GAO-18-243 | gao_GAO-18-243_0 | Background
Overview of UN Peacekeeping Operations since 1948
As of June 30, 2017, the UN had carried out 71 peacekeeping operations since 1948, and had 16 active UN peacekeeping operations worldwide. Eight of these UN peacekeeping operations were in sub-Saharan Africa (see fig. 1).
In their earliest days, UN pe... | Why GAO Did This Study
To promote international peace and security, the UN had 16 ongoing peacekeeping operations worldwide as of June 30, 2017, with a total budget of almost $8 billion in UN fiscal year 2017 and contributions of over 100,000 military, police, and civilian personnel from more than 120 countries. The U... |
gao_GAO-18-343 | gao_GAO-18-343_0 | Background
Federal Budget Process and Relevant ICE Entities
The federal budget process provides the means for the President and Congress to make informed decisions between competing national needs and policies, to allocate resources among federal agencies, and ensure laws are executed according to established p... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2017, ICE operated on a budget of nearly $3 billion to manage the U.S. immigration detention system, which houses foreign nationals whose immigration cases are pending or who have been ordered removed from the country. In recent years, ICE has consistently had to reprogram and tra... |
gao_GAO-18-233 | gao_GAO-18-233_0 | Background
Colleges are a unique and diverse sector, varying from small, private schools in rural environments to large public schools in major cities. As of the 2015-2016 school year (the most recent available data), there were approximately 4,000 degree-granting colleges in the United States. In addition to edu... | Why GAO Did This Study
Colleges and other postsecondary schools must plan for various potential emergencies, ranging from natural disasters to violence. A number of federal agencies, including DHS, DOJ, and Education, offer resources to support these efforts. GAO was asked to review colleges' awareness of these resour... |
gao_GAO-18-318 | gao_GAO-18-318_0 | Background
NRC is an independent agency established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to license and regulate civilian uses of nuclear materials in the United States for commercial, industrial, medical, and academic purposes. Under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, NRC is responsible for issuing l... | Why GAO Did This Study
NRC is responsible for regulating the commercial nuclear industry, including nuclear power plants. NRC provides services, such as inspections, for regulated entities that hold licenses—that is, licensees. NRC recovers the costs for these services by assessing fees and billing licensees quarterly... |
gao_GAO-19-168 | gao_GAO-19-168_0 | Background
Federal agencies conduct a variety of procurements that are reserved for small business participation through small business set-asides. The set- asides can be for small businesses in general, or they can be specific to small businesses that meet additional eligibility requirements in the Service-Disabl... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2000, Congress authorized the WOSB program, allowing contracting officers to set aside procurements to women-owned small businesses in industries in which they are substantially underrepresented. To be eligible to participate in the WOSB program, firms have the option to self-certify or be ce... |
gao_GAO-18-440 | gao_GAO-18-440_0 | Background
Roles and Responsibilities
Under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 (referred to hereafter as the “Brady Act”) and implementing regulations, the FBI and designated state and local criminal justice agencies use NICS to conduct background checks on individuals seeking to purchase firearm... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2017, approximately 25.6 million firearm-related background checks were processed through NICS, and about 181,000 of the attempted purchases at the federal and state levels combined were denied because the individual was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal or state law. Individ... |
gao_GAO-19-134T | gao_GAO-19-134T_0 | FCC’s Data Overstate Broadband Access on Tribal Lands
In our September 2018 report on broadband access on tribal lands, we found that FCC collects broadband availability data from broadband providers, but its method for collecting the data does not accurately or completely capture broadband access—the ability to o... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in two GAO reports: Broadband Internet: FCC’s Data Overstate Access on Tribal Lands , ( GAO-18-630 ) and Tribal Broadband: Few Partnerships Exist and the Rural Utilities Service Needs to Identify and Address Any Funding Barriers Tribes Face ( G... |
gao_GAO-19-58 | gao_GAO-19-58_0 | Background
Investments in federal IT have the potential to make agencies more efficient in fulfilling their missions by reducing costs and improving operational efficiencies. Each year, the federal government invests approximately $90 billion in IT, with about 75 percent reportedly spent on operating and maintain... | Why GAO Did This Study
Cloud computing enables on-demand access to shared computing resources providing services more quickly and at a lower cost than having agencies maintain these resources themselves. In 2012, OMB began requiring agencies to assess all IT investments for cloud services.
GAO was asked to review agen... |
gao_GAO-18-430T | gao_GAO-18-430T_0 | Background
DHS leads the federal government’s efforts to secure our nation’s public and private critical infrastructure information systems against cyber threats. As part of these efforts, cybersecurity professionals can help to prevent or mitigate the vulnerabilities that could allow malicious individuals and gr... | Why GAO Did This Study
DHS is the lead agency tasked with protecting the nation's critical infrastructure from cyber threats. The Homeland Security Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2014 required DHS to identify, categorize, and assign employment codes to all of the department's cybersecurity workforce positio... |
gao_GAO-18-571T | gao_GAO-18-571T_0 | Congress and Executive Branch Agencies Continue to Address Actions That Span the Federal Government
We monitor the progress that Congress and executive branch agencies have made in addressing the issues we identified in each of our last seven annual reports. As shown in table 4, Congress and executive branch agenc... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government faces a long- term, unsustainable fiscal path based on an imbalance between federal revenues and spending. While addressing this imbalance will require fiscal policy changes, in the near term opportunities exist in a number of areas to improve this situation, including whe... |
gao_GAO-19-166 | gao_GAO-19-166_0 | Background
Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Migration
According to international and U.S. government sources, climate change poses serious risks to many of the physical and ecological systems upon which society depends, although the exact details of these impacts are uncertain. Climate change may intensif... | Why GAO Did This Study
The effects of climate change, combined with other factors, may alter human migration trends across the globe, according to the International Organization for Migration. For example, climate change can increase the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, causing populations to move from an... |
gao_GAO-19-141 | gao_GAO-19-141_0 | Background
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries are complex, lifelong injuries that typically result from acute traumatic damage to the spinal cord or nerves within the spinal column. In spinal cord injury patients, certain nervous system functions may be impaired temporarily or permanently lost, depending o... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services pays LTCHs for care provided to Medicare beneficiaries. There were about 400 LTCHs across the nation in 2016.
The 21st Century Cures Act included a provision for GAO to examine certain issues pertaining to LTCHs. This report examines (1) the health ca... |
gao_GAO-18-277T | gao_GAO-18-277T_0 | Background
NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration, and contribute to education, innovation, our country’s economic vitality, and the stewardship of the Earth. To accomplish this mission, NASA establishes programs and projects that rely on complex instruments... | Why GAO Did This Study
Acquisition management has been a long-standing challenge at NASA, although GAO has reported on improvements the agency has made in recent years. Three space telescope projects are the key enablers for NASA to achieve its astrophysics' science goals, which include seeking to understand the unive... |
gao_GAO-18-249 | gao_GAO-18-249_0 | Background
CFIUS Overview
In 1975, an executive order established CFIUS to monitor the impact of and coordinate U.S. policy on foreign investment in the United States. In 1988, Congress enacted the Exon-Florio amendment adding section 721 to the Defense Production Act of 1950. The amendment authorized the Pres... | Why GAO Did This Study
The United States economy has historically been the largest recipient of foreign direct investment in the world—receiving $373 billion in 2016, according to U.S. government statistics. Ensuring that these foreign investments do not harm national security can be a challenge. CFIUS is an interagen... |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.