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Advanced Manufacturing: Innovation Institutes Report Technology Progress and Members Report Satisfaction with Their Involvement, Report to Congressional Committees
"In recent decades, the U.S. trade balance in advanced technology products declined, resulting in a $130 billion deficit as of 2018. The Manufacturing USA institutes seek to stimulate leadership in advanced manufacturing innovation. Members include companies, nonprofits, academic institutions, and state and local governments. Members receive benefits such as access to shared facilities, equipment, and intellectual property. As of August 2021, Commerce, DOD, and DOE [Department of Energy] have provided $1.7 billion to the institutes. The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act of 2014, as amended, includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess the Manufacturing USA program. This third report examines institutes' progress toward technology goals, smaller manufacturers' engagement with the institutes, and implementation of prior recommendations, among other things. GAO collected institute information via a questionnaire, surveyed a generalizable sample of institute members, and interviewed agency officials and institute representatives."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Bank Secrecy Act: Views on Proposals to Improve Banking Access for Entities Transferring Funds to High-Risk Countries, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Some money transmitters (a type of nonbank financial institution) and nonprofit charitable organizations transfer funds to foreign countries' populations in need, such as areas experiencing conflicts or humanitarian crises. These organizations need bank accounts and other bank services to make these fund transfers. However, banks may be reluctant to provide these services when recipients of funds are in countries at high risk for money laundering or terrorist financing. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to identify options to address this issue. This report discusses banking access challenges reported by U.S. money transmitters and nonprofits that transfer funds to recipients in high-risk countries and the drivers of these challenges, and stakeholder views on proposals for increasing banks' willingness to serve these customers, among other objectives. GAO reviewed academic, industry, international organization, and think tank literature, as well as documentation from federal banking regulators and Treasury. GAO also interviewed agency staff, industry associations, and experts and held five discussion groups with representatives of banks, money transmitters, and nonprofits, which were selected to reflect a range of sizes and geographic areas served."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Special Operations Forces: Additional Actions Needed to Effectively Manage the Preservation of the Force and Family Program, Report to the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "For nearly 2 decades, the Department of Defense has increased its reliance on SOF [Special Operations Forces], pushing some to the limits of their physical and mental well-being. To help these special forces and their families, SOCOM [U.S. Special Operations Command] established the POTFF [Preservation of the Force and Family] program in 2013. In fiscal year 2021, SOCOM expected to make about $80 million available for POTFF program activities and maintained over 800 POTFF service providers across 32 locations worldwide to care for SOF and their families. House Report 116-442 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review the POTFF program. GAO evaluated, among other things, the extent to which SOCOM has provided subordinate commands with guidance on POTFF implementation, made POTFF services available and accessible to SOF, and developed an overarching vision for effective data usage for the POTFF program. GAO reviewed SOCOM policies and guidance and analyzed information on POTFF services and service providers. GAO also held focus groups with SOF personnel and interviewed officials managing the program."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Federal Spending Transparency: Opportunities Exist for Treasury to Further Improve USAspending.gov's Use and Usefulness, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "In fiscal year 2020, the federal government spent $7.4 trillion. USAspending.gov, the Data Lab website, and PandemicOversight.gov provide key information on this spending. Congress included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review implementation of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, which requires federal reporting of spending data. This report examines (1) user perspectives on useful activities for, and challenges with, these websites; (2) the extent to which information on use and usability of the USAspending.gov and Data Lab websites informs updates of their design and operation; and (3) the extent to which Treasury has addressed challenges regarding the awareness of, and data limitation disclosures on, USAspending.gov. For this report, GAO collected user input from a nongeneralizable sample of 63 individuals and organizations using a snowball sampling technique. This allowed GAO to identify contacts through referrals, and additional information from a projectable sample of federal managers who were familiar with USAspending.gov. GAO also analyzed documents, compared Treasury actions with guidance and good practices, and interviewed agency officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Open Data: Additional Action Required for Full Public Access, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Federal agencies create and collect large amounts of data to fulfill their missions. Public access to open data-- data that are free to use, modify, and share--holds great promise for promoting government transparency and engendering public trust. The OPEN [Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary Government Data Act of 2018] Government Data Act includes provisions for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on federal agencies' comprehensive data inventories and on the value of the data made available to the public, among other requirements. This report examines, among other things, (1) the extent to which OMB [Office of Management and Budget] met its statutory requirements; (2) selected agencies' progress developing comprehensive data inventories; (3) the extent to which selected agencies engage with the public; and (4) how data users value and use information made publicly available. GAO reviewed four selected agencies' websites and related documentation, and interviewed OMB staff, General Services Administration and agency officials, and data users."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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COVID-19: Agencies Are Taking Steps to Improve Future Use of Defense Production Act Authorities, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] put the U.S. health care system under severe strain, affecting federal agencies' ability to buy and maintain critical medical supplies to help treat patients and protect health care workers. The federal government's COVID-19 response included a significant use of DPA [Defense Production Act] authorities, as well as other actions focused on expanding domestic production of medical supplies to help stabilize the medical supply chain. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act] Act and other supplemental appropriations provided at least $11 billion for DPA purchases and other actions related to COVID-19 or other public health emergencies through September 2025. The CARES Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to monitor funds provided for the COVID-19 pandemic. This report summarizes federal agencies' use of the DPA to respond to COVID-19 and industry perspectives, as well as implementation challenges and steps agencies have taken to address these challenges. This report summarizes information contained in reports issued in June [hyperlink], September [hyperlink], and November [hyperlink] 2020, and January [hyperlink], March [hyperlink], April [hyperlink] and July [hyperlink] 2021, and provides data updates through September 2021."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Science & Tech Spotlight: Deep-Sea Mining
From Why it Matters: "The ocean floor contains vast quantities of critical minerals vital for many applications, such as aircraft components and rechargeable batteries. Increased demand for such minerals has driven technology development for exploration and extraction from deep-sea mining. However, the long-term environmental effects from deep-sea mining are as yet unknown."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-12
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Critical Infrastructure Protection: CISA Should Assess the Effectiveness of Its Actions to Support the Communications Sector, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "The Communications Sector, one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors, is vital to the United States. Its incapacitation or destruction could have a debilitating impact on the safety and security of our nation. The private sector owns and operates the majority of communications infrastructure, including broadcast, cable, satellite, wireless, and wireline systems and networks. DHS's CISA [Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] is the lead federal agency responsible for supporting the security and resilience of the sector. GAO [Government Accountability Office] examined (1) the security threats CISA has identified to the sector, (2) how CISA supports the sector, and (3) the extent to which CISA has assessed its support and emergency preparedness for the sector. GAO reviewed DHS reports, plans, and risk assessments on the sector and interviewed CISA officials and private sector stakeholders to identify and evaluate CISA's actions to support the security and resilience of the Communications Sector. [...] GAO is making three recommendations to CISA, including that CISA assess the effectiveness of its support to the Communications Sector, and revise its 'Communications Sector-Specific Plan.' The Department of Homeland Security concurred with the recommendations. The Department of Commerce and the Federal Communications Commission did not provide comments on the draft report."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11-23
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Digital Services: Considerations for a Federal Academy to Develop a Pipeline of Digital Staff
From the Document: "A talented and diverse cadre of digital-ready, tech-savvy federal employees is critical to a modern, efficient government that can help agencies carry out their missions and address challenges facing the United States. As the federal government continues its modernization efforts across agencies, it faces a severe shortage of digital expertise in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), data science, application development, cybersecurity, computational biology, and robotics process automation. Federal agencies have faced challenges in hiring, managing, and retaining staff with digital service skills because of a limited pipeline of candidates and slow bureaucratic processes. [...] You asked us to gather perspectives of federal technology leaders on establishing an academy that could provide a dedicated talent pool to help meet the federal government's needs for digital expertise. This report summarizes the perspectives that selected technology leaders shared on 1) federal workforce needs for digital services staff, 2) key characteristics of a digital service academy, and 3) considerations to help ensure agencies can absorb graduates of a digital service academy."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11-19
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VA Acquisition Management: Fundamental Challenges Could Hinder Supply Chain Modernization Efforts If Not Addressed, Statement of Shelby S. Oakley, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "GAO [Government Accountability Office]'s prior work shows that VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] has long faced challenges in achieving efficient acquisitions. Further, VA faced supply chain challenges during the early stages of the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic, as GAO testified in June 2020 [hyperlink], September 2020 [hyperlink], and March 2021 [hyperlink]. This statement discusses VA's supply chain and broader acquisition management challenges, its efforts to address them, and implications for improving VA's overall acquisition management. This statement is largely based on information from GAO reports and testimony statements issued from 2017-2021 and preliminary observations from ongoing work. The ongoing work includes reviews focused on VA's management of major acquisitions and its acquisition workforce, on which GAO plans to issue reports in summer 2022."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Oakley, Shelby S.
2021-11-18
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DOD and VA Health Care: Suicide Prevention Efforts and Recommendations for Improvement, Statement of Alyssa M. Hundrup, Director, Health Care, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Committee on Oversight and Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "In its Annual Suicide Report, DOD reported that the suicide rate for active-duty servicemembers increased over the past 6 years, reaching 28.7 per 100,000 individuals in 2020. VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] has also reported rising rates of suicides among veterans, totaling 31.6 per 100,000 individuals in 2019. This rate of suicides was almost two times higher for veterans than non-veterans. DOD and VA have taken steps to help prevent suicides among servicemembers and veterans. For example, DOD and VA both established suicide prevention strategies and created offices to oversee their suicide prevention efforts. Additionally, VA has identified suicide prevention as its highest clinical priority in its strategic plan for fiscal years 2018 through 2024. This statement describes GAO [Government Accountability Office]'s recent work examining DOD and VA suicide prevention efforts, including recommendations GAO made on (1) DOD's efforts to assess its non-clinical suicide prevention efforts and report data on suicides; (2) VA's use of and staffing for suicide prevention teams; and (3) VA's collection and analysis of data on suicides that occur on its campuses."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Hundrup, Alyssa M.
2021-11-17
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Bureau of Land Management: Better Workforce Planning and Data Would Help Mitigate the Effects of Recent Staff Vacancies, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "BLM's [Bureau of Land Management's] workforce of about 8,800 permanent staff is responsible for a portfolio of public lands, which, according to BLM, encompasses more than 245 million surface acres, primarily in western states. BLM's mission includes managing these lands for a variety of uses while maintaining natural and cultural resources. BLM headquarters provides national policy direction to the rest of BLM, while state offices generally administer programs in the states. Since 2016, BLM's workforce has experienced hiring restrictions and a reorganization. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review recent changes to BLM's workforce and the agency's workforce planning efforts. This report examines, for the period since 2016, (1) changes in BLM's organizational structure, (2) changes in BLM's workforce composition, and (3) the extent to which BLM has had a strategic workforce plan that supports its mission and goals. GAO analyzed BLM workforce data, information on organizational changes, and workforce planning documents from 2016 to 2021, and interviewed 13 BLM staff members from offices affected by organizational and workforce changes. [...] GAO recommends that BLM (1) track data on vacancies and details for all offices, and (2) develop an agency-wide strategic workforce plan that aligns its human capital program with emerging mission goals and includes long-term staffing strategies. Interior agreed with GAO's recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11-16
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Federal Lands Snapshot: Hardrock Mining Systems
From the Document: "Federal lands, which comprise one-third of the lands in the U.S., are a major source of hardrock minerals, such as gold, silver, and copper. There were 748 authorized hardrock mining operations on federal lands, as of September 2018. Hardrock minerals play a major role in the U.S. and global economies and are widely used, including in smartphones and electric engines. However, mining hardrock minerals can create public health, safety, and environmental hazards. Questions have been raised about whether the systems used to manage hardrock mining on public lands adequately serve the nation's interests."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11-16
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Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Better Manage Shore Infrastructure, Statement of Heather MacLeod, Acting Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Why GAO [United States Government Accountability Office] Did This Study[:] The Coast Guard, within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), owns or leases more than 20,000 shore facilities--such as piers, boat stations, air stations, runways, and housing units--at more than 2,700 locations. This statement addresses (1) the condition of Coast Guard infrastructure, (2) Coast Guard actions to improve management of its shore infrastructure, and (3) challenges for the Coast Guard to address. This statement is based primarily on four GAO products issued from October 2017 through July 2020 and updates as of October 2021 on actions the Coast Guard has taken to address recommendations from these reports. GAO analyzed relevant Coast Guard documents and management processes, and interviewed Coast Guard officials. To conduct updates, GAO also reviewed Coast Guard budget information and other documentation, and interviewed officials on actions taken to implement prior GAO recommendations. What GAO Recommends: GAO has made recommendations in prior reports to improve the Coast Guard's asset management efforts, including reporting shore infrastructure needs more completely and accurately. DHS concurred with most of these recommendations and, in some cases, has taken steps toward addressing them."
United States. Government Accountability Office
MacLeod, Heather
2021-11-16
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Oil and Gas Leasing BLM Should Update Its Guidance and Review Its Fees, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "BLM [Bureau of Land Management] leases federal lands for oil and gas development through a process largely established with the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987. Through this process, the public can suggest which federal lands should be made available for leasing by nominating them. BLM state offices review nominations, including to assess potential environmental impacts. BLM then offers leases at competitive auctions. While no fee is required to submit nominations, BLM charges an application fee for any leases that parties acquire. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review oil and gas leasing on federal lands. This report examines: (1) changes to BLM's policies for oil and gas leasing since 1987, (2) outcomes for lands nominated for oil and gas leasing, and (3) the extent to which BLM reviews its oil and gas leasing fees in response to changing conditions. GAO analyzed BLM policies and guidance as well as data on nominations, leasing, costs, and fees collected. GAO also interviewed BLM headquarters and state office officials as well as representatives of two stakeholder groups."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11-06
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Defense Acquisitions: DOD Should Take Additional Actions to Improve How it Approaches Intellectual Property, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Letter to Congressional Committees: "The Department of Defense (DOD) acquires and licenses intellectual property (IP)--including technical data, computer software, and user manuals--from companies to operate and maintain its cutting-edge weapon systems and other equipment it purchases. Acquiring and licensing IP is critical for ensuring these systems and equipment remain functional, sustainable, upgradable, and affordable. Additionally, we [Government Accountability Office] previously reported that companies told us intellectual property is essential to their survival, calling it the life-blood of their enterprise. As such, transactions that affect the ownership, control, or transfer of IP can have enormous implications for parties on both sides. [...] In the Fiscal Year 2021 NDAA [National Defense Authorization Act], Congress included a provision for us to review DOD's efforts to improve IP acquisitions and licensing. This report (1) examines issues addressed in DOD's IP Instruction, (2) examines the extent to which DOD has implemented the IP Instruction, (3) assesses DAU [Defense Acquisition University]'s efforts to improve IP training, and (4) describes DOD's efforts to develop a capability to track the IP the department has acquired and licensed."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Combating Illegal Fishing: Clear Authority Could Enhance U.S. Efforts to Partner with Other Nations at Sea, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "IUU [illegal, unreported, and unregulated] fishing undermines the economic and environmental sustainability of the fishing industry in the U.S. and globally. IUU fishing encompasses many illicit activities, including underreporting the number of fish caught and using prohibited fishing gear. While the illicit nature of IUU fishing means its consequences can only be estimated, a recent study estimates catches from IUU fishing could cause global economic losses up to $50 billion annually. A variety of federal agencies coordinate with one another, as well as internationally, to address IUU fishing at sea. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review federal efforts to combat IUU fishing outside of U.S. waters. This report examines how the U.S. (1) works with other nations to address IUU fishing at sea, (2) identifies potential incidents of IUU fishing at sea, and (3) coordinates its interagency efforts to combat IUU fishing at sea and the extent to which selected efforts are consistent with leading collaboration practices."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Homelessness: HUD Should Help Communities Better Leverage Data to Estimate Homelessness, Report to the Chair, Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "HUD's [Department of Housing and Urban Development] PIT [Point-in-Time] count is a key tool for estimating the size of the U.S. homeless population. However, developing an accurate understanding of the extent of homelessness is challenging due to the hidden nature of the population. Further, some members of Congress and others have raised questions about the reliability of HUD's estimates. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review the PIT count and alternative methods for estimating the size of homeless populations. This report (1) examines communities' approaches for counting people experiencing homelessness and HUD's guidance for using these approaches, (2) describes approaches used by selected foreign countries to estimate their homeless populations, and (3) describes what is known about funding sources and resources expended by selected communities in conducing the PIT count."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Drug Development: Pathway for Approving Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs for Patients with Limited Treatment Options is Infrequently Used, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "It is estimated that at least 2.8 million antibacterial and antifungal-resistant infections occur each year in the United States, and more than 35,000 people die as a result, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The development of new antibacterial and antifungal treatments is one strategy to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance. The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in 2016, established LPAD [limited population pathway for antibacterial and antifungal drugs] to help facilitate the approval of certain antibacterial and antifungal drugs. FDA [Food and Drug Administration] oversees the approval of such drugs. The 21st Century Cures Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to review and report on FDA's LPAD activities. This report describes (1) the extent to which LPAD changes FDA's drug approval process, (2) the extent to which drug developers have sought to use LPAD for drugs under development, and (3) stakeholders' and FDA's views on the effectiveness of LPAD in benefiting the development and approval of antibacterial and antifungal drugs."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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VA Community Living Centers: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Oversight of Quality of Care, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "VA [Department of Veterans Affairs] is responsible for overseeing the quality of care provided in its CLCs [community living centers], such as through unannounced inspections that identify deficiencies when CLCs do not meet quality standards. However, recent reports have raised questions about substandard treatment and conditions at certain CLCs, as well as about the transparency of VA data on CLC quality. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine VA data on CLC quality and how the data are used to oversee CLCs. In this report, GAO describes what VA data reveal about quality at the CLCs and assesses VA's oversight of CLCs and how, if at all, it could be strengthened, among other issues."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Vaccine Development: Capabilities and Challenges for Addressing Infectious Diseases, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. This report discusses technologies, approaches, and associated challenges for vaccine (1) research and development, (2) testing, and (3) manufacturing, as well as (4) the economic factors that affect vaccine investment."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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K-12 Education: Students' Experiences with Bullying, Hate Speech, Hate Crimes, and Victimization in Schools, Report to the Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives
From the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Highlights: "Hostile behaviors, including bullying, harassment, hate speech and hate crimes, or other types of victimization like sexual assault and rape, in schools can negatively affect K-12 [kindergarten through twelfth grade] students' short- and long-term mental health, education, income, and overall well-being. According to Education's guidance, incidents of harassment or hate, when motivated by race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or disability status can impede access to an equal education. In certain circumstances, these kinds of incidents may violate certain federal civil rights laws, which Education's OCR [Office for Civil Rights] is tasked with enforcing in K-12 schools. GAO was asked to review hostile behaviors in K-12 schools. This report examines (1) the prevalence and nature of hostile behaviors in K-12 public schools; (2) the presence of K-12 school programs and practices to address hostile behaviors; and (3) how Education has addressed complaints related to these issues in school years 2010-11 through 2019-20."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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USDA Market Facilitation Program: Stronger Adherence to Quality Guidelines Would Improve Future Economic Analyses, Report to the Chairwoman, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "In 2018, the President, citing national security concerns in one action and unfair foreign trade practices in another, increased tariffs on certain imported products. Affected trade partners retaliated with tariffs targeting U.S. exports. USDA's 2018 MFP [Market Facilitation Programs] and 2019 MFP provided a total of $23 billion to address the effect of foreign trade actions on U.S. agricultural producers. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review USDA's methods for estimating trade damages and providing payments to producers. This report examines (1) the extent to which the methodologies USDA used to estimate trade-related damages for the 2018 MFP and 2019 MFP addressed key elements of an economic analysis, and how those methodologies affected the estimates, and (2) strengths and limitations of the methodologies USDA used to calculate payments for the 2018 MFP and 2019 MFP and how the methodologies affected the payments."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Disaster Recovery: Better Data Are Needed to Ensure HUD Block Grant Funds Reach Vulnerable Populations, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Large-scale disasters, such as the 2017 hurricanes, have resulted in catastrophic damage and particularly have challenged vulnerable populations. Since 1993, Congress has provided over $90 billion in supplemental appropriations through HUD's [Department of Housing and Urban Development's] CDBG-DR [ Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery] funds to help affected areas recover. GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] was asked to evaluate the delivery of CDBG-DR assistance to vulnerable populations. This report examines (1) HUD's approach to assisting vulnerable populations, (2) grantees' actions to assist vulnerable populations, and (3) challenges grantees and vulnerable populations face in implementing and using CDBGDR. GAO reviewed documentation from HUD and a nongeneralizable sample of six grantees (the four largest 2017 CDBG-DR grantees--Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands--and Louisiana and New Jersey, which are further along in implementation). GAO also interviewed HUD officials, grantees, and organizations representing vulnerable populations. [...] GAO recommends that HUD collect, analyze, and publish demographic data from CDBG-DR grantees on vulnerable populations who apply for and receive assistance. HUD did not agree or disagree with the recommendation but identified potential ways to collect data to assess how vulnerable populations are being served and the associated challenges. GAO continues to believe the recommendation would assist in assessing outcomes."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Countering Illicit Finance and Trade: Better Information Sharing and Collaboration Needed to Combat Tradebased Money Laundering, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Criminal organizations and other malign actors exploit vulnerabilities in the U.S. financial and trade systems to obscure the source and destination of ill-gotten proceeds and further their illicit activity. TBML [trade-based money laundering] is one of the most challenging forms of money laundering to investigate because of the complexities of trade transactions and the large volume of international trade. U.S. agencies report there has been an increase in TBML activity, in part because criminals are using more sophisticated schemes to avoid detection. GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] was asked to provide information on U.S. efforts to combat TBML. This report examines, among other things, (1) vulnerabilities in the U.S. financial and trade systems that are exploited to facilitate TBML, (2) the data U.S. agencies use to detect and combat TBML, and (3) the extent to which U.S. agencies collaborate to share information to combat TBML. GAO reviewed U.S. agency reports, data, and other documentation. GAO also interviewed U.S. agency officials and representatives of private-sector entities, including from the financial, trade, and technology sectors."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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COVID-19: State Carried Out Historic Repatriation Effort but Should Strengthen Its Preparedness for Future Crises, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "State [Department of State] provides repatriation assistance to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents abroad during crises such as the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. State's Office of Crisis Management and Strategy and Bureau of Consular Affairs were primarily responsible for State's COVID-19 repatriation effort. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act includes a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing COVID-19 monitoring and oversight efforts. In addition, GAO was asked to examine State's COVID-19 repatriation effort. This report examines, among other things, (1) the results of State's repatriation effort, including lessons State reported learning from challenges it faced; (2) the consistency of selected aspects of State's repatriation effort with its policies and procedures; and (3) State's oversight of its overseas posts' crisis preparedness."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Evidence-Based Policymaking: Survey Results Suggest Increased Use of Performance Information Across the Federal Government, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "The GPRA [Government Performance and Results Act of 1993] Modernization Act of 2010 and the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 included requirements to enhance federal efforts to develop and use performance information and other evidence in decision-making. Both acts include provisions for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to periodically report on their implementation. This report assesses the extent to which (1) federal managers' reported use of performance information changed in 2020, and (2) selected leading practices and data-driven reviews were associated with greater reported use of performance information."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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COVID-19: HHS Agencies' Planned Reviews of Vaccine Distribution and Communication Efforts Should Include Stakeholder Perspectives, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Vaccination remains critical in the federal response to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Vaccine implementation-- prioritizing, allocating, distributing, and administering doses--requires coordination among federal, state, and local levels and other stakeholders. HHS agencies--including CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and HRSA [Health Resources and Services Administration]--set up federal vaccine distribution programs, such as CDC's retail pharmacy program that sends doses directly to pharmacies. The federal government also sends vaccine doses to states for further distribution. The CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security] Act includes a provision for GAO [U.S. Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report examines (1) stakeholder perspectives on federal programs to distribute and administer COVID-19 vaccines, (2) efforts to inform health officials, providers, and the public about vaccination, and (3) actions HHS [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] agencies are taking to evaluate their vaccine implementation efforts. GAO reviewed data and documents from HHS, CDC, and HRSA, and reviewed information from and interviewed state and local health officials in four states and one city selected, in part, for geographic variation. GAO also interviewed other stakeholders, including 12 national associations representing health care providers and others."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Election Assistance Commission: Assessment of Lessons Learned Could Improve Grants Administration, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "During the 2020 federal elections, the EAC [U.S. Election Assistance Commission] administered $400 million in grant funds provided by the CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Act to help states prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. The CARES Act included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on its ongoing monitoring and oversight efforts related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This report (1) describes information that the EAC provided to state and local election officials for conducting elections during the pandemic, (2) describes how the EAC administered CARES Act grant funding, and (3) examines the extent to which the EAC assessed its CARES Act grants administration."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
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Missile Defense: Recent Acquisition Policy Changes Balance Risk and Flexibility, but Actions Needed to Refine Requirements Process, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "Since MDA [Missile Defense Agency] was established in 2002, DOD has invested over $174 billion developing and fielding missile defense capabilities. MDA has used its acquisition flexibilities to quickly develop and field capabilities, but has also had setbacks. In 2020, DOD determined that modifications to MDA's acquisition flexibilities were needed to better balance risk. Congress recently prohibited DOD from changing certain missile defense acquisition processes and responsibilities unless certain requirements were met. Congress also required DOD to enter into a contract for an independent study of MDA's acquisition process and organizational placement within DOD. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 included a provision for GAO [Government Accountability Office] to assess whether DOD complied with these requirements. This report assesses the effects of recent changes DOD made to missile defense nonstandard acquisition processes and responsibilities and whether, in doing so, it met the statutory requirements."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2021-11
