Reports & Testimonies
GAO’s reports and testimonies give Congress, federal agencies, and the public timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can improve government operations and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
Most Recent Reports
1 - 20 of 1543 Reports
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Biometric Identification Technologies: Considerations to Address Information Gaps and Other Stakeholder Concerns
Biometric identification technologies—such as facial recognition and fingerprinting—can affect underserved communities, including low-income and minority communities. We interviewed academics, advocacy groups, and technology experts to find out how. They gave us examples of positive effects, e.g., improving communities' access to public services, and negative effects, e.g., subjecting communities to unnecessary surveillance. There's still a lot to learn about how these technologies perform in the real...
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Artificial Intelligence: Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the world and could improve government operations. For example, federal agencies can use AI to analyze drone photos and large datasets. But safeguards are needed to manage AI risks. Federal law and guidance have several requirements for agencies implementing AI, but they haven't all been met. For example, there's no government-wide guidance on how agencies should acquire and use AI...
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Steel and Aluminum Tariffs: Agencies Should Ensure Section 232 Exclusion Requests Are Needed and Duties Are Paid
In March 2018, the President placed tariffs on certain imported steel and aluminum products. Companies can apply to the Department of Commerce to be excluded from paying these tariffs. Commerce then tells Customs and Border Protection how to administer approved exclusions. Companies didn't use the majority of the exclusions, and CBP generally administered them as instructed. However, weaknesses in CBP's process allowed some exclusions to...
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Travel and Tourism: DOT Should Improve Strategic Planning and Data Collection
The Department of Transportation provides grants to state, local, and tribal governments to support travel and tourism—which is vital to the U.S. economy. In 2019, travel and tourism in the U.S. generated $2 trillion and supported 9.9 million jobs. Travel and tourism is a relatively new responsibility for Transportation, but it hasn't created a strategic plan with clearly defined goals and strategies to achieve them...
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Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Commerce
Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations. This letter to the Department of Commerce outlines 17 open recommendations that it should prioritize. Implementing these recommendations could yield improvements in the areas of cybersecurity, water quality, international trade, the decennial census and more. The Department of...
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Export Promotion: Commerce Should Improve Workforce Planning and Management of Its Global Markets Unit
The Global Markets unit in the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration helps small- and medium-sized U.S. businesses enter and expand into international markets. We found that the Global Markets unit hasn't developed a comprehensive strategic workforce plan that covers all of its employees. Doing so would help focus priorities across the domestic and overseas workforces. In addition, the unit's human capital office has had vacancies...
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Federal Spending: Information on U.S. Funding to Entities Located in China
U.S. agencies sometimes provide funding to recipients in foreign countries to advance U.S. interests. From 2017-2021, the U.S. provided at least $48 million to research institutions, companies, and other recipients located in China. For example, The Department of Health and Human Services funded a Chinese University to study diseases transmitted by insects, such as malaria. The State Department paid a company in China to obtain...
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Oversight of Agency Spending: Implementing GAO Recommendations Could Help Address Previously Identified Challenges at Commerce, DOE, and EPA
The U.S. Departments of Commerce and Energy and the EPA have received billions in funding in recent years for clean energy, water and infrastructure, and climate resilience programs and projects (among others). This testimony discusses these agencies' challenges with effectively managing such programs and projects, including keeping costs on track. For example, DOE spent $472 million on the definition and design of 4 carbon capture...
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2020 Census: A More Complete Lessons Learned Process for Cost and Schedule Would Help the Next Decennial
By the time work ends in 2024 on the 2020 Census, it will have cost $13.7 billion—which is below the Census Bureau's original estimate of $15.6 billion. This was partly due to increased productivity during data collection—such as by using laptops instead of paper and pen to collect census data. The Bureau has collected dozens of cost and schedule lessons from its 2020 Census experience...
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Supply Chain Resilience: Agencies Are Taking Steps to Expand Diplomatic Engagement and Coordinate with International Partners
The COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have disrupted global supply chains, which has resulted in numerous shortages—including for semiconductors used in automobile production. Federal agencies are working to strengthen global supply chains through diplomatic efforts. For instance, agencies have helped coordinate a U.S.-Mexico working group to collaborate on semiconductor and IT supply chains. However, companies may be reluctant to share data on their...
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Antidumping and Countervailing Duties: Process Design Helps Ensure Proceedings Are Based on Accurate and Complete Information
Foreign companies selling unfairly priced, i.e. "dumped," or government-subsidized goods make it hard for U.S. companies to compete in domestic markets. Affected companies can petition U.S. agencies to investigate and impose duties to level the playing field. In 2021, over $30 billion in imported goods were subject to these duties. While some claim that U.S. companies may file baseless petitions to block domestic competition, parts...
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Commerce Working Capital Fund: Policy and Performance Measure Enhancements Could Help Strengthen Management
Federal agencies need services like payroll and IT to support their work, and they can save money by sharing those services with other agencies. The Department of Commerce's Working Capital Fund finances some of these shared services. Since our last review in 2011, Commerce has taken many steps to more effectively manage the Fund. For example, it established performance standards for service providers. But it...
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National Security Space: Overview of Contracts for Commercial Satellite Imagery
Commercial satellite imagery and data can play a key role in national security. For example, the war in Ukraine has drawn attention to how governments are using commercial satellites to track troop movement and the impact of attacks. The commercial space industry is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, and therefore may be able to address more of the federal government's imagery needs...
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Tracking the Funds: Specific Fiscal Year 2022 Provisions for Department of Commerce
As part of FY22 appropriations, Members of Congress could request to designate a certain amount of federal funding for specific projects in their communities. While agencies often have discretion over how they award funds, Congress has directed them to distribute these funds to designated recipients. We're tracking the funds to help ensure transparency. The Department of Commerce's FY22 appropriations included $247.5 million for 107 of...
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Privacy: Dedicated Leadership Can Improve Programs and Address Challenges
Federal agencies that collect personally identifiable information—such as birthplaces and Social Security numbers—are required to establish programs to protect it. The 24 agencies we examined had designated a senior agency official for privacy, as required. However, these officials may have numerous other duties and may not bring a needed focus on privacy. They generally delegated many aspects of privacy programs to less-senior officials. We recommended...
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Science & Tech Spotlight: Brain-Computer Interfaces
Brain-computer interfaces allow people to control machines using their thoughts. The technology is still largely experimental, but its possibilities are vast. For example, it could help people with paralysis regain control of their limbs and enable servicemembers to operate a drone hands-free on the battlefield. Yet, creating a direct connection between brain and machine may raise concerns. For example, it could give users unfair advantages...
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Tribal Economic Development: Action is Needed to Better Understand the Extent of Federal Support
Historically, tribal communities have had higher rates of unemployment and poverty than other communities. The federal government administers multiple programs that can support economic development in these communities. We identified 22 programs at 7 agencies that provide economic development assistance—e.g., grants or loans—to tribal governments and businesses. But these programs might be hard to identify or access, leaving tribal entities to miss out on valuable...
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Federal Fisheries Management: Opportunities Exist to Enhance Climate Resilience
Many coastal communities rely on fishing and related industries for jobs and income, but fisheries are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change on ocean ecosystems. Most fisheries managers aren't factoring climate change into their management plans, but some are leading climate-related initiatives. Managers could benefit from learning about the actions others are taking, but the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)—which leads science and...
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Priority Open Recommendations: Department of Commerce
Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help improve the federal government. We alert department heads to where they can save the most money, address issues on our High Risk List, or significantly improve government operations. This report outlines our 16 priority open recommendations for the Department of Commerce as of July 2022. These recommendations cover topics including ensuring the nation's cybersecurity, managing...
Tribal Broadband: National Strategy and Coordination Framework Needed to Increase Access
Broadband is critical to modern life. Despite federal efforts, broadband access on tribal lands has lagged behind the rest of the country. In 2020, 18% of people living on tribal lands couldn't access broadband service, compared to 4% of people in non-tribal areas. Numerous federal programs are working to increase broadband access on tribal lands. However, tribes have struggled to identify which federal program meets...