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gao_GAO-18-107 | gao_GAO-18-107_0 | Background
SIV Overview
SIV holders become lawful permanent residents upon admission to the United States under one of three special visa programs. The first, created in 2006, is for certain Afghans and Iraqis who have worked directly with U.S. Armed Forces, or under chief of mission authority, for at least one... | Why GAO Did This Study
Certain Afghan or Iraqi nationals who worked for the U.S. government and may have experienced serious threats due to this work may qualify for an SIV. An SIV allows them and eligible family members to resettle in the United States, and since 2008 over 60,000 SIV holders (principal holder and fam... |
gao_GAO-18-643 | gao_GAO-18-643_0 | Background
WMATA operates the nation’s second largest heavy rail transit system (Metrorail) and fifth largest bus system (Metrobus), accounting for about 1.1 million passenger trips per weekday. Metrorail runs 6 train lines connecting the District of Columbia to various locations in Maryland and Virginia. A porti... | Why GAO Did This Study
WMATA transports more than 1 million rail and bus passengers each weekday in the nation's capital and surrounding areas. However, recent safety incidents and declines in ridership and revenues have focused public attention on how WMATA manages its workforce and associated costs.
GAO was asked to... |
gao_GAO-18-470 | gao_GAO-18-470_0 | Background
Executive Order Summaries
The President issued two executive orders addressing border security and immigration enforcement on January 25, 2017. These orders direct executive branch agencies to implement a series of reporting, policy, and programmatic provisions to carry out the administration’s borde... | Why GAO Did This Study
In January and March 2017, the President issued a series of executive orders related to border security and immigration. The orders direct federal agencies to take a broad range of actions with potential resource implications. For example, Executive Order 13767 instructs DHS to construct a wall ... |
gao_GAO-18-467 | gao_GAO-18-467_0 | Background
DOD’s contracting process—governed by laws and regulations—seeks to promote competition, be transparent in conducting business and ultimately satisfy DOD users in terms of cost, quality, and timeliness to protect taxpayers’ interests. DOD’s acquisition process begins at the point when agency needs are ... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD's contracting process is designed to protect taxpayers' interests, among other things, and can take time. DOD leadership and contractors have expressed concern about the length of time to award contracts and DOD has proposed reducing that time.
GAO was asked to evaluate the length of time to... |
gao_GAO-18-404T | gao_GAO-18-404T_0 | Background
Regulatory Flexibility Act
RFA requires that federal agencies, including financial regulators, engaged in substantive rulemaking analyze the impact of proposed and final regulations on small entities. If a rule might have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, regula... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal financial regulators must comply with various rulemaking and review requirements, including those in RFA and EGRPRA. These statutes require analyses relating to regulatory burden, small entities, or both. RFA requires analyses of a rule's impact on small entities and alternatives that ma... |
gao_GAO-18-575 | gao_GAO-18-575_0 | Background
North American Energy Trade
Energy markets across the United States, Canada, and Mexico are extensively integrated. For example, Canada and Mexico—respectively, the largest and fourth largest foreign suppliers of crude oil to the United States—together supply almost half of total U.S. petroleum impor... | Why GAO Did This Study
According to a U.S. government study, increased U.S. energy trade with Canada and Mexico—two of the United States' top energy trade partners—is viewed as a major contributor to U.S. economic prosperity and energy security. In recent years, North American energy production has experienced changes... |
gao_GAO-18-622 | gao_GAO-18-622_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-19-48 | gao_GAO-19-48_0 | Background
Overview of the U.S. Pipeline System
The national pipeline system consists of more than 2.7 million miles of networked pipelines transporting oil, natural gas, and other hazardous liquids. Hazardous liquid and natural gas pipelines—primarily buried underground in the continental United States—run und... | Why GAO Did This Study
More than 2.7 million miles of pipeline transport and distribute oil, natural gas, and other hazardous products throughout the United States. Interstate pipelines run through remote areas and highly populated urban areas, and are vulnerable to accidents, operating errors, and malicious physical ... |
gao_GAO-19-212 | gao_GAO-19-212_0 | Background
Federal acquisition regulations require certain contractors who do business with the government to maintain acceptable business systems that reduce risk to the government and taxpayer. Contractors may have up to six major business systems that require review. DOD’s acquisition regulation establishes cr... | Why GAO Did This Study
Contractor business systems produce critical data that contracting officers use to help negotiate and manage defense contracts. These systems and their related internal controls act as important safeguards against fraud, waste, and abuse of federal funding. Federal and defense acquisition regula... |
gao_GAO-19-76 | gao_GAO-19-76_0 | Background
State of the Airline Industry
In the U.S. commercial airline industry, passengers travel by air on network, low-cost, and regional airlines. With thousands of employees and hundreds of aircraft, network airlines support large, complex hub- and-spoke operations, which provide service at various fare le... | Why GAO Did This Study
Airlines recently came under scrutiny for their treatment of passengers—including a high-profile incident in which a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight. However, airlines maintain that service has improved, citing better on-time performance and lower airfares. DOT has the a... |
gao_GAO-19-124 | gao_GAO-19-124_0 | Background
Roles and Responsibilities
U.S. agencies perform a wide variety of activities that contribute to export promotion, and responsibility for these activities is widely dispersed. Some of the services these agencies provide are intended, at least in part, to assist U.S. companies in entering foreign mark... | Why GAO Did This Study
The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills over 7 million people each year, more than tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria combined. Since the 1990s, Congress has enacted restrictions regarding the use of certain appropriated funds to promote U.S. tobacco exports.
GAO was aske... |
gao_GAO-18-59 | gao_GAO-18-59_0 | Background
Electronic health records that are interoperable and contain all relevant patient information are crucial for optimizing the health care provided to patients. Historically, patient health information has been scattered across paper records kept by different caregivers in many different locations, makin... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2010, the Coast Guard initiated an effort—known as IHiS—to replace its aging EHR system with a suite of modernized systems that was to automate various health care services for its nearly 50,000 military members. However, in October 2015, the Coast Guard announced that the modernization proje... |
gao_GAO-18-303 | gao_GAO-18-303_0 | Background
FWS provides grants to a variety of recipients, including state agencies, tribal governments, and nongovernmental organizations. In fiscal year 2016, FWS awarded $1.5 billion in grants, which was about 50 percent of the agency’s total $2.9 billion budget authority. Within FWS, WSFR is responsible for a... | Why GAO Did This Study
FWS awarded $1.5 billion in grants in fiscal year 2016, which represented about half of the agency's budget. In general, FWS awards two types of grants: (1) formula grants, which are distributed to recipients based on a required formula, and (2) competitive grants, where potential recipients sub... |
gao_GAO-18-648 | gao_GAO-18-648_0 | Background
VA Contracting Organizational Structure
VA serves veterans of the U.S. armed forces and provides health, pension, burial, and other benefits. The department’s three operational administrations—VHA, Veterans Benefits Administration, and National Cemetery Administration—operate largely independently fr... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA spends billions every year to procure goods and services and is required to give preference to veteran-owned small businesses when awarding contracts—a program known as Veterans First. In turn, those firms must comply with limitations on the use of subcontracting. A 2006 statute established V... |
gao_GAO-18-610 | gao_GAO-18-610_0 | Background
The Great Lakes-Seaway system’s commercial shipping has traditionally been dominated by vessels carrying bulk commodities such as grain, coal, and iron ore, although there are differences between the shipping on the Great Lakes versus the St. Lawrence Seaway portions of the system. On the Great Lakes s... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Great Lakes-Seaway system extends 2,300 miles and serves more than 100 ports in the United States and Canada. Four of the 17 locks that enable navigation are managed by the Army Corps (within the Department of Defense) and U.S. Seaway Corporation (within the Department of Transportation). Th... |
gao_GAO-18-57 | gao_GAO-18-57_0 | Background
The Commercial Space Launch Act Amendments of 1988 established the foundation for the current U.S. policy to potentially provide federal payment for a portion of claims by third parties for injury, damage, or loss that results from a commercial launch or reentry accident. A stated goal of the act was t... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government shares liability risks with the commercial space launch industry for accidents that result in damages to third parties or federal property. This arrangement requires space launch companies to have a specific amount of insurance to cover these damages. The government is pot... |
gao_GAO-18-701T | gao_GAO-18-701T_0 | The Immigration Court Backlog Grew and EOIR Has Faced Long-Standing Management Challenges
The Immigration Courts’ Caseload and Case Backlog Grew As Immigration Courts Completed Fewer Cases
We reported in June 2017 that our analysis of EOIR’s annual immigration court system caseload—the number of open cases before... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of Justice's EOIR is responsible for conducting immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings to fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly administer and interpret U.S. immigration laws. The Department of Homeland Security's ICE manages the U.S. immigrat... |
gao_GAO-18-487 | gao_GAO-18-487_0 | Background
CBP’s Law Enforcement Positions
Within CBP’s three operational components—OFO, Border Patrol, and AMO—there are five categories of law enforcement officer positions, each with different job requirements and responsibilities. First, OFO’s CBP officers conduct immigration and customs inspections at por... | Why GAO Did This Study
CBP is responsible for securing U.S. borders and employs nearly 45,000 law enforcement officers across its three operational components at and between U.S. ports of entry, in the air and maritime environment, and at certain overseas locations. In recent years, CBP has not attained target staffin... |
gao_GAO-18-163 | gao_GAO-18-163_0 | Background
Direct Loan Program
Education administers federal student financial aid programs, including the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) program, through the Office of Federal Student Aid. Education issues several types of loans under the Direct Loan program, including subsidized and unsubs... | Why GAO Did This Study
As of September 2017, $149 billion of nearly $1.4 trillion in outstanding federal student loan debt was in default. GAO was asked to examine schools' strategies to prevent students from defaulting and Education's oversight of these efforts.
This report examines (1) how schools work with borrower... |
gao_GAO-18-52 | gao_GAO-18-52_0 | Background
FEHBP was established primarily to help the government compete with private-sector employers in attracting and retaining talented and qualified workers. As indicated by the legislative history of the original FEHBP statute, lawmakers wanted enrollees to exercise choice among various plan types and, by ... | Why GAO Did This Study
FEHBP provides health care coverage to about 8 million federal employees, retirees, and their dependents through carriers that contract with OPM. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Act of 1959 limited the types of plans OPM could offer. OPM has reported that the program needs more competition... |
gao_GAO-18-254 | gao_GAO-18-254_0 | Background
Fintech—originally short for financial technology—refers to the use of technology and innovation to provide financial products and services. For purposes of this report, fintech firms are nontraditional technology- enabled providers, such as start-ups or more established technology firms, such as Apple ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Advances in technology and the widespread use of the Internet and mobile communication devices have helped fuel the rise of traditional financial services provided by non-traditional technology-enabled providers, often referred to as fintech.
GAO was asked to provide information on various aspec... |
gao_GAO-18-116 | gao_GAO-18-116_0 | Background
The Kissell Amendment
The Kissell Amendment applies to contracts entered into by DHS as of August 16, 2009, and, according to the Congressional Record, would require DHS to purchase uniforms made in the United States. According to the Congressional Record, the amendment was intended to extend some o... | Why GAO Did This Study
The U.S. textile industry sustained significant losses when textile production fell from $71 billion in 2006 to $46 billion in 2009, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress passed the Kissell Amendment, which pl... |
gao_GAO-18-150 | gao_GAO-18-150_0 | Background
The MTW demonstration was authorized by the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996 (1996 Act). The demonstration’s ultimate goal is to identify successful approaches that can be applied to public housing agencies nationwide. As of November 2017, a total of 39 agencies were auth... | Why GAO Did This Study
The MTW demonstration gives 39 participating public housing agencies the flexibility to use funding for HUD-approved purposes other than housing assistance, such as developing affordable housing; change HUD's tenant rent calculation; and impose work requirements and time limits on tenants. In 20... |
gao_GAO-19-171 | gao_GAO-19-171_0 | Background
Effective communication is vital to first responders’ ability to respond to emergencies and to ensure their safety. For example, first responders use public-safety communications systems to gather information, coordinate a response, and request additional resources and assistance from neighboring juris... | Why GAO Did This Study
Public-safety communications systems are used by thousands of federal, state, and local jurisdictions. It is vital that first responders have communications systems that allow them to connect with their counterparts in other agencies and jurisdictions. OEC offers written guidance, governance pla... |
gao_GAO-18-287 | gao_GAO-18-287_0 | Background
RRB administers retirement, survivor, disability, unemployment, and sickness benefits for railroad workers and their families under the provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, as amended (RRA) and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act of 1938, as amended (RUIA). Individuals who work for ra... | Why GAO Did This Study
RRB is an independent agency that administers disability benefits for railroad workers. In fiscal year 2016, about 31,000 railroad workers with disabilities received $1.1 billion in disability benefits. RRB is generally required to periodically assess beneficiaries' medical condition or earnings... |
gao_GAO-18-676T | gao_GAO-18-676T_0 | Observations on Grants Management Challenges
Streamlined Grants Management is Critical to Effective Use of Federal Funds
Our work has shown that when grants management requirements are duplicative, unnecessarily burdensome, and conflicting, agencies must direct resources toward meeting them—which can make the ag... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal outlays for grants to state and local governments totaled more than $674 billion in fiscal year 2017, equivalent to 3.5 percent of the gross domestic product in that year. GAO's previous work has found that growth in both the number of grant programs and level of funding has increased th... |
gao_GAO-18-652 | gao_GAO-18-652_0 | Background
IHS Health Care System and Tribal Health Care
IHS was established within the Public Health Service in 1955 to provide certain health services to members of federally recognized AI/AN tribes, primarily in rural areas on or near reservations. IHS provides services directly through a network of hospital... | Why GAO Did This Study
IHS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), receives an annual appropriation from Congress to provide health care services to over 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) who are members of 573 tribes. IHS generally provides services through direct care... |
gao_GAO-18-399 | gao_GAO-18-399_0 | Background
Since 2001, DOD’s total workforce has changed in size and composition. DOD’s military, civilian, and contractor workforces peaked around 2011 and have since decreased in size, as shown in figure 1. Several factors have contributed to changes in the size of the workforces including varying levels of U.S... | Why GAO Did This Study
In addition to more than 2.2 million active duty and reserve personnel, DOD employs about 760,000 federal civilians and more than 560,000 contractors. In the Senate Report 114-49 accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 included a provision for DOD to i... |
gao_GAO-18-196 | gao_GAO-18-196_0 | Background
Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
CAPTA, originally enacted in 1974, provides formula grants to states to improve child protective service systems. ACF administers the CAPTA state grant program and provides guidance and oversight to states. In fiscal year 2017, Congress provided about $25 mill... | Why GAO Did This Study
Under CAPTA, states perform a range of prevention activities, including addressing the needs of infants born with prenatal drug exposure. The number of children under the age of 1 entering foster care increased by about 15 percent from fiscal years 2012 through 2015. Child welfare professionals ... |
gao_GAO-18-512T | gao_GAO-18-512T_0 | Background
Over the past decade, the federal government has expanded financial assistance to public and private stakeholders for preparedness activities through various grant programs administered by DHS through its component agency, FEMA. Through these grant programs, DHS has sought to enhance the capacity of st... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA, provides preparedness grants to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to improve the nation's readiness in preventing, protecting against, responding to, recovering from and mitigating terrorist attacks, major disasters and oth... |
gao_GAO-18-377 | gao_GAO-18-377_0 | Background
Estimation of Improper Payments
Executive branch agencies are required to take various steps regarding improper payments under IPIA, as amended by IPERA and IPERIA, and related OMB guidance. The steps include the following: 1. reviewing all programs and activities and identifying those that may be ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Improper payments—which include payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount—are a long-standing, significant problem in the federal government, estimated at almost $141 billion for fiscal year 2017. Executive branch agencies are required to annually estimate impro... |
gao_GAO-18-378 | gao_GAO-18-378_0 | Background
Adverse Medical Events
DHA requires the military services and NCR to categorize adverse medical events by severity, using seven categories defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), ranging from unsafe condition to death. (See table 1.)
MTF personnel must enter all adverse medi... | Why GAO Did This Study
Adverse medical events are unintended incidents that may harm a patient. Serious adverse medical events, called sentinel events, have specific follow-up requirements. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (NDAA 2017) requires DHA to assume the military services' administrat... |
gao_GAO-19-109 | gao_GAO-19-109_0 | Background
The National Guard’s Organizational Structure and Mission
The National Guard consists of the NGB—which includes the Office of the Chief, National Guard Bureau; the National Guard Joint Staff; the Office of the Director, Army National Guard; the Office of the Director, Air National Guard—and the Natio... | Why GAO Did This Study
Sexual assault incidents involving military service members can devastate victims and have far reaching impacts for DOD due to the potential for these crimes to undermine the department's core values, degrade mission readiness, and raise financial costs.
The National Defense Authorization Act fo... |
gao_GAO-18-281 | gao_GAO-18-281_0 | Background
Responsibilities of the Choice Program TPAs
In October 2014, VA modified its existing contracts with two TPAs that were administering another VA community care program to add certain administrative responsibilities associated with the Choice Program. For the Choice Program, each of the two TPAs—Healt... | Why GAO Did This Study
Congress created the Choice Program in 2014 to address longstanding challenges with veterans' access to care at VHA medical facilities. The Joint Explanatory Statement for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 included provisions for GAO to review veterans' access to care through the Choice ... |
gao_GAO-19-95 | gao_GAO-19-95_0 | Background
The federal government, states, colleges, students and their families all play important roles in financing higher education costs. Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, the federal government offers students at all types of colleges financial assistance to help pay for their ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Increasing evidence indicates that some college students are experiencing food insecurity, which can negatively impact their academic success. However, college students are only eligible for SNAP in certain cases. Given the substantial federal investment in higher education and the risk posed if... |
gao_GAO-19-121 | gao_GAO-19-121_0 | Background
History of the National Cemetery Administration
The National Cemeteries Act of 1973 created the modern veterans’ cemetery system. NCA, within VA, manages a majority of veterans’ cemeteries in the United States. In that role NCA maintains existing national cemeteries and builds new national cemeteries... | Why GAO Did This Study
The VA is responsible for ensuring that veterans have reasonable access to burial options in a national or state veterans' cemetery. In fiscal year 2018 VA estimated that about 92 percent of veterans had reasonable access to burial options, which was an increase from 90 percent in fiscal year 20... |
gao_GAO-18-459 | gao_GAO-18-459_0 | Background
The Department of Agriculture Administers the Animal Welfare Act
USDA’s APHIS is responsible for implementing the Animal Welfare Act. The act and its implementing regulations govern, among other things, how federal and nonfederal research facilities must treat particular species of warm-blooded anim... | Why GAO Did This Study
Research facilities, including those managed by federal agencies, use a wide range of animals in research and related activities each year. The Animal Welfare Act and the Health Research Extension Act have varying requirements for federal agencies and others to protect the welfare of and report ... |
gao_GAO-19-197 | gao_GAO-19-197_0 | Background
Patient Record Matching
Patient record matching is the process of comparing patient information in different health records to determine if the records refer to the same patient. This matching generally relies on the use of demographic information such as a patient’s name, date of birth (DOB), sex, S... | Why GAO Did This Study
Health care providers are increasingly sharing patients' health records electronically. When a patient's records are shared with another provider, it is important to accurately match them to the correct patient. GAO and others have reported that accurately matching patient health records is a ba... |
gao_GAO-18-672 | gao_GAO-18-672_0 | Background
Overview of the Scorecard Process
According to SBA, the purposes of the scorecard program are to monitor government-wide performance in meeting small business contracting goals and to provide accurate and transparent information through the public reporting of small business procurement data for indi... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year SBA produces a scorecard measuring federal contract spending allocated to small businesses. The 2016 NDAA included a provision for SBA to revise the scorecard's methodology and for GAO to evaluate the effects of those revisions for fiscal year 2017. This report discusses, among other t... |
gao_GAO-18-274T | gao_GAO-18-274T_0 | Background
MSPV-NG Program
For over a decade, each of VA’s 170 medical centers used VHA’s legacy MSPV program to order medical supplies, such as bandages and scalpels. Many of those items were purchased using the Federal Supply Schedules, which provided medical centers with a great deal of flexibility. However... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on medical supplies to meet the health care needs of about 7 million veterans. To provide a more efficient, cost-effective way for its medical centers to order supplies, the VA established the MSPV-NG program.
The program's goals include involvi... |
gao_GAO-18-562 | gao_GAO-18-562_0 | Background
Chemical attacks have emerged as a prominent homeland security risk because of recent attacks abroad using chemical agents and the interest of ISIS in conducting and inspiring chemical attacks against the West. DHS’s OHA officials have stated that nationwide preparedness for a chemical attack is critic... | Why GAO Did This Study
Recent chemical attacks abroad and the threat of using chemical weapons against the West by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have raised concerns about the potential for chemical attacks occurring in the United States. DHS's chemical defense responsibilities include, among others, mana... |
gao_GAO-18-181 | gao_GAO-18-181_0 | Background
The Selected Reserve comprises over 811,000 full- and part-time members from the military services’ respective National Guard and reserve components, whom DOD can call to active duty to augment military forces in time of war or national emergency. DOD requires these reservists to maintain readiness by ... | Why GAO Did This Study
About 91 percent of DOD's 811,000 reservists are part-time, performing military service in addition to civilian employment and careers. These reservists may have to travel to perform required military training or other duties.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 contains ... |
gao_GAO-19-179 | gao_GAO-19-179_0 | Background
Over the last 3 decades employers have shifted away from sponsoring defined benefit (DB) plans and toward DC plans. This shift also transfers certain types of risk—such as investment risk—from employers to employee participants. DB plans generally offer a fixed level of monthly annuitized retirement in... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal law encourages individuals to save for retirement through tax incentives for 401(k) plans and IRAs—the predominant forms of retirement savings in the United States. In 2017, U.S. plans and IRAs reportedly held investments worth nearly $17 trillion dollars. Federal law also allows individ... |
gao_GAO-18-313 | gao_GAO-18-313_0 | Background
Remittance Transfer Methods
Remittances can be sent through money transmitters and depository institutions, among other organizations. A typical remittance sent through a bank may be in the thousands of dollars, while the typical remittance sent by money transmitters is usually in the hundreds of do... | Why GAO Did This Study
The United States is the largest source of remittances, with an estimated $67 billion sent globally in 2016, according to the World Bank. Many individuals send remittances through money transmitters, a type of business that facilitates global money transfers. Recent reports found that some money... |
gao_GAO-18-608 | gao_GAO-18-608_0 | Background
Roles and Responsibilities
Several U.S. agencies have roles and responsibilities related to the screening and vetting of NIV applicants, as shown in table 1.
Key Visa Adjudication Process Terms Validity period: The length of time during which a nonimmigrant visa (NIV) is valid for use by a foreign n... | Why GAO Did This Study
Previous attempted and successful terrorist attacks against the United States have raised questions about the security of the U.S. government's process for adjudicating NIVs, which are issued to foreign nationals, such as tourists, business visitors, and students, seeking temporary admission int... |
gao_GAO-18-656 | gao_GAO-18-656_0 | Background
This section provides information on translating research into new products or services, the federal government’s role in supporting research, and OSTP’s role in fostering collaboration among the various entities. It also provides information on the areas of quantum computing and synthetic biology.
... | Why GAO Did This Study
Scientific and technological innovation contributes to U.S. economic competitiveness and prosperity. Federal agencies support transformational technological advances—those that result in new or significantly enhanced technologies—by, for example, funding research (nearly $70 billion in obligatio... |
gao_GAO-18-502 | gao_GAO-18-502_0 | Background
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by WIOA, authorizes a number of grant programs to support employment and independent living for persons with disabilities, including the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program. This program is the primary federal government effor... | Why GAO Did This Study
WIOA requires states to reserve at least 15 percent of their total State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program funds to provide pre-employment transition services to help students with disabilities transition from school to work. GAO was asked to review how states were implementing these se... |
gao_GAO-19-15 | gao_GAO-19-15_0 | Background
Disability Compensation Claims Process
VA pays monthly disability compensation to veterans with service- connected disabilities (i.e., injuries or diseases incurred or aggravated while on active military duty) according to the severity of the disability. VBA’s Compensation Service sets policy and over... | Why GAO Did This Study
Each year, VBA processes more than 1 million disability compensation claims and provides about $65 billion in benefits to veterans. The Jeff Miller and Richard Blumenthal Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2016 includes a provision for GAO to review VBA's regional offices to he... |
gao_GAO-18-596T | gao_GAO-18-596T_0 | Background
Burn pits—shallow excavations or surface features with berms used to conduct open-air burning—were often chosen as a method of waste disposal during recent contingency operations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, which extends from the Middle East to Central Asia and includes Iraq and Afghanistan.... | Why GAO Did This Study
Burn pits help base commanders manage waste generated by U.S. forces overseas, but they also produce harmful emissions that military and other health professionals believe may result in chronic health effects for those exposed.
This statement provides information on the extent to which DOD has a... |
gao_GAO-18-694T | gao_GAO-18-694T_0 | Background
Oversight of nursing homes is a shared federal-state responsibility, with CMS central and regional offices overseeing activities completed by state survey agencies. Specifically, CMS central office (1) oversees the federal quality standards nursing homes must meet to participate in the Medicare and Med... | Why GAO Did This Study
Approximately 15,600 nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs provide care to 1.4 million residents—a population of elderly and disabled individuals. To help ensure nursing home residents receive quality care, CMS defines quality standards that homes must meet to partici... |
gao_GAO-19-120T | gao_GAO-19-120T_0 | Background
DOD has reported that more than a decade of conflict, budget uncertainty, and reductions in force structure have degraded military readiness; in response, the department has made rebuilding the readiness of the military forces a priority. The 2018 National Defense Strategy emphasizes that restoring and... | Why GAO Did This Study
The 2018 National Defense Strategy emphasizes that restoring and retaining readiness across the entire spectrum of conflict is critical to success in the emerging security environment. Air Force readiness has steadily declined primarily due to the persistent demand on a fleet that has aged and d... |
gao_GAO-18-197T | gao_GAO-18-197T_0 | Select Agent Program Does Not Fully Meet Key Elements of Effective Oversight or Have Joint Strategic Planning Documents to Guide Its Efforts
The Select Agent Program does not fully meet key elements of effective oversight. In particular, the program has oversight shortcomings related to each of our five key element... | Why GAO Did This Study
Safety lapses have occurred at 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. This statement summariz... |
gao_GAO-19-77 | gao_GAO-19-77_0 | Background
Human trafficking exploits individuals and often involves transnational criminal organizations, violations of labor and immigration codes, and government corruption. Many forms of trafficking—including sex trafficking and labor trafficking—can take place anywhere in the world and occur without crossing... | Why GAO Did This Study
Human trafficking is a pervasive problem throughout the world. Victims are often held against their will in slave-like conditions.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 includes a provision for GAO to report on the programs conducted by specific agencies, including State, D... |
gao_GAO-18-678 | gao_GAO-18-678_0 | Background
Information on Selected Air Force and Navy Fixed- Wing Aircraft
The inventories of the selected Air Force and Navy fixed-wing aircraft in our review totaled 2,823 aircraft and required approximately $20 billion to operate and support in fiscal year 2016. The inventory, aircraft status, initial operat... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD spends billions of dollars annually to sustain its weapon systems to support current and future operations. The Air Force and Navy are operating many of their fixed-wing aircraft well beyond their original designed service lives and therefore are confronted with sustainment challenges.
House... |
gao_GAO-18-33 | gao_GAO-18-33_0 | Background
DOD Definitions of Unwanted Sexual Behaviors
DOD has defined various types of unwanted sexual behaviors, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and domestic violence.
Sexual assault: DOD defines sexual assault as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, a... | Why GAO Did This Study
Unwanted sexual behaviors in the military—including sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic violence involving sexual assault—undermine core values, unit cohesion, combat readiness, and public goodwill. Recent studies suggest that these behaviors are part of a “continuum of harm,” which ... |
gao_GAO-18-263 | gao_GAO-18-263_0 | Background
The BSA established reporting, recordkeeping, and other AML requirements for financial institutions. By complying with BSA/AML requirements, U.S. financial institutions assist government agencies in the detection and prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing by, among other things, maintai... | Why GAO Did This Study
Some Southwest border residents and businesses have reported difficulties accessing banking services in the region. GAO was asked to review if Southwest border residents and businesses were losing access to banking services because of derisking and branch closures.
This report (1) describes the ... |
gao_GAO-18-558 | gao_GAO-18-558_0 | Background
Utilities Privatization Authorities and Intent
Congress provided statutory authority in 1997 for the privatization of utility systems on military installations to address DOD’s need to supply reliable, safe, and efficient utility services to its installations. In defining a utility system, the author... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since Congress provided statutory authority in 1997 for the privatization of utility systems at military installations, the military departments have privatized nearly 600 utility systems. According to DOD officials, utilities privatization enables military installations to obtain safe, reliable... |
gao_GAO-18-515 | gao_GAO-18-515_0 | Background
USPS undertakes capital-spending projects for a number of reasons and more than one reason may apply to a single project. According to USPS documentation on its capital spending processes, these reasons include: to support USPS’s organizational objectives and strategic plan, to help sustain existing op... | Why GAO Did This Study
USPS faces significant financial challenges as it continues to experience declining mail volumes and revenues. Capital spending is needed to support USPS's operations, but can be affected by various uncertainties and risks, such as those related to future business activities and revenues. In the... |
gao_GAO-18-115 | gao_GAO-18-115_0 | Background
Stakeholders Involved in the Federal Restitution Process
Victims of federal crimes may be compensated for their losses through criminal proceedings when a federal court orders restitution pursuant to statute. Restitution is part of the sentencing process for federal offenders and there are four key g... | Why GAO Did This Study
Victims of federal crimes may be compensated for their losses through criminal proceedings when federal courts order restitution during a defendant's sentencing. Federal law dictates the crimes for which restitution is mandatory versus discretionary and what types of losses may be compensated. F... |
gao_GAO-18-234T | gao_GAO-18-234T_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. However, as we have previously reported, investments in federal IT too often result in failed projects that incur cost overruns and schedule slippages, w... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government plans to invest almost $96 billion on IT in fiscal year 2018. Historically, these investments have too often failed, incurred cost overruns and schedule slippages, or contributed little to mission-related outcomes. Accordingly, in December 2014, Congress enacted FITARA, ai... |
gao_GAO-18-418 | gao_GAO-18-418_0 | Background
Authentication Provides IRS Reasonable Assurance That It Is Interacting with Legitimate Taxpayers
IRS authenticates taxpayers to provide the agency with reasonable assurance that it is interacting with the legitimate taxpayer. IRS verifies that it is interacting with the legitimate taxpayer through id... | Why GAO Did This Study
Strong preventive controls can help IRS defend itself against identity theft refund fraud. These controls include taxpayer authentication—the process by which IRS verifies identities before allowing people access to a resource; sensitive data; or, in some cases, a tax refund. The risk of fraud h... |
gao_GAO-18-27 | gao_GAO-18-27_0 | Background
The federal government began preparing and we began auditing the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. government in fiscal year 1997. However, we have been unable to render an opinion on them in part because of serious financial management problems at DOD that have prevented its financial stat... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of Defense (DOD) remains on GAO's High-Risk List in part because of its long-standing financial management deficiencies, which have prevented it from having auditable financial statements. One of the contributing factors is the billions of dollars of unsupported JVs within DOD's a... |
gao_GAO-18-387 | gao_GAO-18-387_0 | Background
Application of Federal Laws in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico, which has approximately 3.3 million residents according to U.S. Census Bureau (Census) estimates, is the largest and most populous territory of the United States. As a territory, Puerto Rico is subject to congressional authority, though Congress... | Why GAO Did This Study
Puerto Rico has roughly $70 billion in outstanding debt and $50 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and since August 2015 has defaulted on over $1.5 billion in debt. The effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria will further affect Puerto Rico's ability to repay its debt, as well as its economic ... |
gao_GAO-18-9 | gao_GAO-18-9_0 | Background
The Coast Guard is required to develop, establish, maintain, and operate rescue facilities for the promotion of safety and may aid distressed persons, and protect and save property in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. To carry out its responsibilities, the Coast Guard maintains a... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Coast Guard, within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is charged with preventing loss of life, injury, and property damage in the maritime environment through its SAR mission. It maintains over 200 stations with various assets, such as boats and helicopters (depending on the station... |
gao_GAO-18-609SP | gao_GAO-18-609SP_0 | Background
Use of Performance Information in the Federal Government
Concerned that the federal government was more focused on program activities and processes than the results to be achieved, Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). GPRA sought to focus federal agencies on perf... | Why GAO Did This Study
To reform the federal government and make it more efficient and effective, agencies need to use data about program performance. The benefit of collecting performance information is only fully realized when it is used by managers to make decisions aimed at improving results.
GAO was asked to revi... |
gao_GAO-18-215T | gao_GAO-18-215T_0 | Background
The cost of the census has been escalating over the last several decennials. The 2010 decennial was the costliest U.S. Census in history at about $12.3 billion, and was about 31 percent more costly than the $9.4 billion 2000 Census (in 2020 dollars). The average cost for counting a housing unit increas... | Why GAO Did This Study
One of the Bureau's most important functions is to conduct a complete and accurate decennial census of the U.S. population. The decennial census is mandated by the Constitution and provides vital data for the nation. A complete count of the nation's population is an enormous undertaking as the B... |
gao_GAO-18-213 | gao_GAO-18-213_0 | Background
While no commonly accepted definition of a community bank exists, they are generally smaller banks that provide banking services to the local community and have management and board members who reside in the local community. In some of our past reports, we often defined community banks as those with un... | Why GAO Did This Study
In recent decades, many new regulations intended to strengthen financial soundness, improve consumer protections, and aid anti-money laundering efforts were implemented for financial institutions. Smaller community banks and credit unions must comply with some of the regulations, but compliance ... |
gao_GAO-18-112 | gao_GAO-18-112_0 | Background
In fiscal year 2016, USPS handled over 1 billion pieces of international mail, which included over 976 million pieces of letter mail. According to USPS statistics, about 371 million pieces of letter mail (38 percent) was sent to other countries or “outbound” mail, while the majority of international le... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2016, USPS handled over 1 billion pieces of international mail—both inbound (received from other countries) and outbound (sent to other countries). International mail is governed by the UPU, which is comprised of over 190 member countries, including the United States. The UPU establishes remu... |
gao_GAO-19-208SP | gao_GAO-19-208SP_0 | State and Local Governments Will Need to Make Policy Changes to Maintain Long-Term Fiscal Balance
Our simulations suggest that the sector will likely continue to face a difference between revenue and spending during the next 50 years. This long-term outlook is measured by the operating balance—a measure of the sec... | Why GAO Did This Study
Fiscal sustainability presents a national challenge shared by all levels of government. Since 2007, GAO has published simulations of long-term fiscal trends in the state and local government sector, which have consistently shown that the sector faces long-term fiscal pressures. While most states... |
gao_GAO-19-223 | gao_GAO-19-223_0 | Background
EM’s cleanup sites and areas of cleanup work,
EM’s status as a program, the history of EM’s requirements for operations activities, and key EM offices and DOE oversight bodies for EM’s cleanup work.
EM Cleanup Sites and Areas of Cleanup Work
EM has a headquarters office and 16 sites at which the agen... | Why GAO Did This Study
EM's mission is to complete the cleanup of nuclear waste at 16 DOE sites and to work to reduce risks and costs within its established regulatory framework. In December 2018, DOE reported that it faced an estimated $494 billion in future environmental cleanup costs—a liability that roughly triple... |
gao_GAO-18-139 | gao_GAO-18-139_0 | Background
The FAR establishes several types of source selection procedures, which include the tradeoff procedure on one end of the best value continuum and LPTA procedures on the other end. (see fig. 1).
DOD may elect to use the LPTA procedure where the requirement is clearly defined and the risk of unsuccessful ... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD obligated about $300 billion through contracts for goods and services in fiscal year 2016. When awarding a contract competitively, DOD may use the LPTA source selection process to select the lowest-priced offer that is technically acceptable. In contrast, DOD may use the trade-off source sel... |
gao_GAO-18-130 | gao_GAO-18-130_0 | Background
DOD is the largest U.S. federal department and one of the most complex organizations in the world. In support of its military operations, the department manages many interdependent business functions, including logistics management, procurement, health care management, and financial management. DOD rel... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD spends billions of dollars each year on systems that support its key business areas, such as personnel and logistics. For fiscal year 2018, DOD reported that these business system investments are expected to cost about $8.7 billion. The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2016 requires DOD to perform activ... |
gao_GAO-18-270 | gao_GAO-18-270_0 | Background
The IG Act establishes OIGs both at select major federal agencies, called establishments, and at some smaller agencies, called designated federal entities (DFE), to conduct oversight of their programs and operations. The IG Act also sets out, among other things, (1) the duties and responsibilities of e... | Why GAO Did This Study
The IG Act established OIGs to conduct and supervise audits and investigations; recommend policies to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness; and prevent and detect fraud and abuse. The Inspector General Empowerment Act of 2016 included a provision for GAO to review prolonged IG vacancie... |
gao_GAO-18-182 | gao_GAO-18-182_0 | Background
BOP’s Roles and Responsibilities in Providing Mental Health Care to Incarcerated Inmates
To identity inmates with mental illness, BOP screens inmates prior to designation to a facility by reviewing an inmate’s pre-sentence report and assigning preliminary medical and mental health screening levels. On... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2016, SAMHSA estimated that about 10.4 million adults in the United States suffered from a serious mental illness, which generally includes conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As of May 27, 2017, BOP was responsible for overseeing 187,910 inmates and 7,831 of these inmates ... |
gao_GAO-19-189 | gao_GAO-19-189_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, is one of NASA's most complex projects and top priorities. The project has delayed its planned launch three times since September 2017 due to problems discovered in testing. In June 2018, NASA approved new cost and schedule estimates for JWST. Since the proje... |
gao_GAO-18-653 | gao_GAO-18-653_0 | Background
Following terrorist attacks against the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983, State began an embassy construction program—known as the Inman program—to protect U.S. personnel. However, as we’ve previously reported, State completed only 24 of the 57 planned construction projects, in part due to poor... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 1998, terrorists bombed two U.S. embassies in East Africa, killing over 220 people and injuring more than 4,000 others. In 1999, State launched the CSCP with the primary goal of providing secure, safe, and functional workplaces, and OBO adopted a streamlined, standard design for all new embas... |
gao_GAO-18-296 | gao_GAO-18-296_0 | Background
The livelihood of cattle producers, such as cow-calf operators and feeders, depends fundamentally on the price they receive for their cattle and the cost to produce these cattle. Numerous supply and demand factors can affect this. For example, the long production cycle for cattle means that producers m... | Why GAO Did This Study
The U.S. cattle industry accounted for about $64 billion in receipts in 2016, according to USDA. The price of fed cattle has fluctuated widely from 2013 through 2016 and experienced a sharp downturn beginning in late 2015, raising concerns about the market and questions about USDA's oversight.
G... |
gao_GAO-18-7 | gao_GAO-18-7_0 | Background
The National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and Reducing Demand
The 2014 National Strategy defines wildlife trafficking as including all aspects of the trade, from poaching and transit through consumer use. The National Strategy outlines the guiding principles and strategic priorities fo... | Why GAO Did This Study
Wildlife trafficking—illegal trade in wildlife—is estimated to be worth $7 billion to $23 billion annually and, according to State, continues to push some protected and endangered animal species to the brink of extinction. In 2013, President Obama issued an executive order that established an in... |
gao_GAO-18-403 | gao_GAO-18-403_0 | Background
Civil aviation in the United States can be generally divided into two broad categories—general aviation and commercial aviation. All civilian pilot students undergo their initial pilot training in the general aviation sector, which comprises all aviation activities other than military and commercial ai... | Why GAO Did This Study
Collegiate aviation schools are one pathway for initial civilian pilot training in the United States and are a key source of airline pilots. Over the past 5 years, aviation stakeholders have voiced concerns that there is an insufficient supply of qualified airline pilots, citing increased airlin... |
gao_GAO-18-353 | gao_GAO-18-353_0 | Background
In February 2011, Boeing won the competition to develop the Air Force’s next generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft, the KC-46. The KC-46 will allow for two types of refueling to be employed in the same mission—a refueling boom that is integrated with a computer assisted control system and a perma... | Why GAO Did This Study
The KC-46 tanker modernization program, valued at about $44 billion, is among the Air Force's highest acquisition priorities. Aerial refueling—the transfer of fuel from airborne tankers to combat and airlift forces—is critical to the U.S. military's ability to effectively operate globally. The A... |
gao_GAO-18-117 | gao_GAO-18-117_0 | Background
Overview of Personnel Security Clearance Process
ODNI estimates that, as of October 1, 2015, approximately 4.2 million government and contractor employees were eligible to hold a security clearance. Personnel security clearances are required for access to certain national security information. Nation... | Why GAO Did This Study
Continuous evaluation is a key executive branch initiative to more frequently identify and assess security-relevant information, such as criminal activity. Implementing a continuous evaluation program has been a long-standing goal, with implementation milestones as early as 2010 and DOD pilots d... |
gao_GAO-18-450 | gao_GAO-18-450_0 | Background
Mental health disorders affect millions of adults and children in the United States and can range in severity. In 2016, an estimated 4.2 percent of the adult population—more than 10.4 million individuals—were considered to have a serious mental illness based on federal survey data. Individuals with men... | Why GAO Did This Study
PAIMI grant awards, established by Congress in 1986 and totaling $36 million in 2016, are administered by SAMHSA to support state protection and advocacy programs. PAIMI programs protect and advocate for the rights of individuals with significant mental illness by investigating reports of incide... |
gao_GAO-18-556T | gao_GAO-18-556T_0 | Background
The 340B Program was created following the enactment of the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and gives 340B covered entities discounts on outpatient drugs comparable to those made available to state Medicaid agencies. HRSA is responsible for administering and overseeing the 340B Program.
Program Partici... | Why GAO Did This Study
According to HRSA, the purpose of the 340B Program, which was created in 1992, is to enable covered entities to stretch scarce federal resources to reach more eligible patients, and provide more comprehensive services. Covered entities can provide 340B drugs to eligible patients regardless of in... |
gao_GAO-18-499 | gao_GAO-18-499_0 | Background
U.S. agencies implementing foreign assistance have individually and jointly developed strategies to guide their efforts. While State’s, USAID’s, and MCC’s strategies focus exclusively on foreign affairs or foreign assistance, DOD’s, HHS’s, and USDA’s strategies—as well as those of other agencies—addres... | Why GAO Did This Study
More than 20 federal agencies spend billions of dollars on U.S. foreign assistance each year. Six agencies—the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, and State; the Millennium Challenge Corporation; and the U.S. Agency for International Development—implement most of this... |
gao_GAO-19-158 | gao_GAO-19-158_0 | Background
CFPB’s Research, Markets, and Regulations Division has primary responsibility for CFPB’s efforts to monitor market developments and risks to consumers and to retrospectively assess rules. As shown in figure 1, the division is composed of the Office of Research, the Office of Regulations, and the follow... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Dodd-Frank Act created CFPB to regulate the provision of consumer financial products and services. Congress included a provision in statute for GAO to study financial services regulations annually, including CFPB’s related activities. This eighth annual report examines steps CFPB has taken t... |
gao_GAO-18-462 | gao_GAO-18-462_0 | Background
The primary source of federal funding for new fixed-guideway projects or extensions to existing fixed-guideway systems is FTA’s Capital Investment Grants program, which is a discretionary and competitive grant program funded through annual appropriations. The program is governed by statutory provisions... | Why GAO Did This Study
FTA's Capital Investment Grants program is the primary source of federal financial assistance to support transit projects that are locally planned, implemented, and operated. FTA evaluates and rates projects seeking funding through this program according to statutory criteria and recommends to C... |
gao_GAO-19-225T | gao_GAO-19-225T_0 | Background
We testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services in September 2017 after four significant mishaps at sea resulted in the loss of 17 sailors’ lives and serious damage to Navy ships. We reported on some of the Navy’s challenges, including the degraded condition and expired training certificatio... | Why GAO Did This Study
The 2018 National Defense Strategy emphasizes that restoring and retaining readiness is critical to success in the emerging security environment. The Navy and Marine Corps are working to rebuild the readiness of their forces while growing and modernizing their aging fleet of ships and aircraft. ... |
gao_GAO-18-268 | gao_GAO-18-268_0 | Background
CBP Staffing and Infrastructure
In fiscal year 2017, approximately 24,000 CBP officers performed a variety of functions at over 300 air, land, and sea POEs, including inspecting travelers and cargo containers, among other activities. According to CBP, increases in passenger and cargo volumes are out... | Why GAO Did This Study
International trade and travel to the United States is increasing. On a typical day in fiscal year 2016, CBP officers inspected nearly 1.1 million passengers and pedestrians and over 74,000 truck, rail, and sea containers at 328 U.S. land, sea, and air ports of entry, according to CBP. To help m... |
gao_GAO-18-590 | gao_GAO-18-590_0 | Background
PLCY Organizational Structure and Vacancies
With the passage of the NDAA in December 2016, PLCY is to be led by an Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, who is appointed by the President with advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Secretary is to report directly to the Secretary of Ho... | Why GAO Did This Study
GAO has designated DHS management as high risk because of challenges in building a cohesive department. PLCY supports cohesiveness by, among other things, coordinating departmentwide policy and strategy. In the past, however, questions have been raised about PLCY's efficacy. In December 2016, th... |
gao_GAO-18-179 | gao_GAO-18-179_0 | Background
Federal and state Medicaid spending on long-term care continues to increase; for example it increased from $146 billion in 2013 to $158 billion in 2015. Individuals seeking long-term care generally need care that is, by definition, longer term in nature and more costly than other types of care. Spendin... | Why GAO Did This Study
The number of individuals receiving long term care services from Medicaid in community residential settings is expected to grow. These settings, which include assisted living facilities, provide a range of services that allow aged and disabled beneficiaries, who might otherwise require nursing h... |
gao_GAO-18-245 | gao_GAO-18-245_0 | Background
Federal Banking Supervision
The purpose of federal banking supervision is to help ensure that banks throughout the financial system are operating in a safe and sound manner and are complying with banking laws and regulations in the provision of financial services. Banks in the United States are super... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2006, federal banking regulators jointly issued guidance that described their expectations for sound risk management practices for banks with CRE concentrations. The guidance includes two CRE thresholds that regulators use to identify banks that are potentially exposed to significant CRE conc... |
gao_GAO-19-180 | gao_GAO-19-180_0 | Background
The United States has many international agreements that require treaty partners to provide certain information to IRS, which can help prevent the use of foreign bank accounts to facilitate tax evasion. FATCA goes much further, requiring FFIs to report more detailed information to IRS about their U.S. ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Concerns over efforts by U.S. taxpayers to use offshore accounts to hide income or evade taxes contributed to the passage of FATCA in 2010, which sought to create greater transparency and accountability over offshore assets held by U.S. taxpayers.
House Report 114-624 included a provision for GA... |
gao_GAO-18-419 | gao_GAO-18-419_0 | Background
Authorization of Secret Service Protection during Presidential Campaigns
During the 2016 presidential campaign, a Secret Service detail was to be activated once a candidate for the Office of the President or Vice President requested protection, met the requirements for major candidate status (e.g., e... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Secret Service incurs millions of dollars in travel expenses to provide security during the fast-paced operational tempo of a presidential campaign. In connection with the 2016 presidential campaign, the Secret Service provided protection for four presidential candidates, two vice presidenti... |
gao_GAO-19-35 | gao_GAO-19-35_0 | Background
Performance management systems can be powerful tools in helping an agency achieve its mission and ensuring employees at every level of the organization are working toward common ends. According to OPM regulations, performance management is a systematic process by which an agency involves its employees,... | Why GAO Did This Study
Managing employee performance has been a long-standing government-wide issue and the subject of numerous reforms since the beginning of the modern civil service. Without effective performance management, agencies risk not only losing the skills of top talent, they also risk missing the opportuni... |
gao_GAO-18-217 | gao_GAO-18-217_0 | Background
GAO’s Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government state that federal agencies—such as DOD—must demonstrate a commitment to training, mentoring, retaining, and selecting competent individuals, which would include program managers. These standards explain that federal agencies like DOD shoul... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of Defense's (DOD) major acquisition programs continue to experience cost and schedule overruns. GAO previously found that selecting skilled program managers is a key factor to achieving successful program outcomes. DOD relies on military and civilian program managers to deliver i... |
gao_GAO-18-451T | gao_GAO-18-451T_0 | More Than 350 Patents Have Been Challenged under the CBM Program, and About One-Third of These Patents Were Ruled Unpatentable
We found in our March 2018 report that, from September 2012 through September 2017, parties accused of patent infringement filed 524 petitions with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board challen... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's March 2018 report, entitled U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Assessment of the Covered Business Method Patent Review Program ( GAO-18-320 ).
What GAO Found
From September 2012 through September 2017, entities facing patent infringem... |
gao_GAO-19-122 | gao_GAO-19-122_0 | Background
While its core mission of protecting federal facilities has remained constant as FPS moved from one agency to another, its responsibilities have changed. While in GSA’s PBS, FPS was responsible for protecting GSA held-or–leased facilities, providing both physical security and law enforcement services. ... | Why GAO Did This Study
FPS, within DHS's NPPD, conducts physical security and law enforcement activities for about 9,000 federal facilities and the millions of employees or visitors who work in or visit these facilities. FPS moved from GSA to DHS's ICE in 2003 and to NPPD in 2009. GAO has reported that FPS faced chall... |
gao_GAO-18-599 | gao_GAO-18-599_0 | Background
Hard-to-Count Groups
Although the Bureau goes to great lengths to conduct an accurate count of the nation’s population, some degree of inaccuracy is inevitable. When the census misses a person who should have been included, it results in an undercount. An overcount occurs when an individual is counte... | Why GAO Did This Study
A goal for the 2020 Census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place. Achieving a complete and accurate census is becoming an increasingly complex task, in part because the nation's population is growing larger, more diverse, and more reluctant to participate. When the census ... |
gao_GAO-18-336T | gao_GAO-18-336T_0 | CMS Delegates Monitoring of Beneficiaries who Receive Opioid Prescriptions to Plan Sponsors, but Does Not Have Sufficient Information on Those Most at Risk for Harm
CMS Delegates Monitoring of Individual Beneficiaries’ Opioid Prescriptions to Plan Sponsors
Our October 2017 report found that CMS provides guidance t... | 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-18-436T | gao_GAO-18-436T_0 | Agencies Can Better Ensure Effectiveness of Guidance through Consistent Adherence with OMB Requirements and Internal Controls
First, I will discuss our 2015 report on guidance processes at USDA, Education, HHS, and DOL, specifically (1) how these agencies decide whether to issue regulations or guidance and (2) the ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Congress has often asked GAO to evaluate the implementation of procedural and analytical requirements that apply to agencies' rulemaking and guidance processes. The importance of improving the transparency of those processes, including providing public participation and sufficient oversight, is ... |
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