FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Personnel Management Office | Rule | The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a direct final rule making technical revisions to OPM's Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations to incorporate various statutory amendments. The rule reflects statutory changes making virtually all Federal civilian service and certain honorable active military service qualify for determining FMLA eligibility, making clear that annual and sick leave provided under an authority outside of title 5, United States Code, may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave, and excluding certain Veterans Health Administration (VHA) employees from title 5 FMLA coverage.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Rural Health Transformation program provides funding for states to conduct rural health activities, such as recruiting clinicians to rural areas and providing training and technology to improve care delivery in rural hospitals. In the latter half of 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) completed a number of early key actions to implement the Rural Health Transformation program. These actions included the release of the notice of funding opportunity—which provided details on program goals and requirements—and initial funding awards to all 50 states totaling $10 billion. The initial allotment of state funding ranged from $147 million for New Jersey to $2.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded its authority to oversee all tobacco products, including millions of e-cigarettes that were already on the market. In response, it received a surge of applications from manufacturers in 2020 for products seeking authorization to remain on the market legally. Specifically, it received over 25 million applications in 2020 and 2021, compared to just over 1 thousand applications in 2018 and 2019. This led to a backlog of applications. While FDA has since reviewed most of the applications submitted during this period, almost 132 thousand remained without a completed review as of December 31, 2025. (See figure.) Figure: FDA T.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sold 1,316 pieces of unneeded laboratory equipment in fiscal years 2022 through 2025. Of that 1,316, GAO identified nine pieces of equipment–freeze dryers and mass spectrometers–that were on the Commerce Control List and sold to individuals and companies in the U.S. and Canada, some of which appeared to be resellers. These items are subject to export controls because they could be used by certain countries of concern to develop biological weapons or to gain a military advantage. Examples of Laboratory Equipment on the Commerce Control List GAO found that HHS and USDA, in selling th.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found According to a 2023 RAND report, an average of 1.4 million veterans faced food insecurity each year from 2015 to 2020, meaning their households did not have enough food for an active and healthy life. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides benefits to low-income households to buy food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers SNAP in partnership with states. The share of veterans receiving benefits varies by state, according to GAO’s analysis of Census Bureau data. Estimated Percentage of Veterans Who Lived in Households Receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits by State in 2024 States have the option to conduct outreach..
CABI Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Health and Human Services Department, Food and Drug Administration | Rule | The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the flushing and storage solution for vascular autografts at room temperature into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for classification of the flushing and storage solution for vascular autografts at room temperature. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II will provide a reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' acces.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a policy to end harassment-related behaviors—including harassment of a non-sexual nature, sexual harassment, and sexual assault—at its VA medical centers. The policy gives certain VA medical center staff responsibility for managing reported incidents of these behaviors involving veterans. GAO’s analysis of VA data found there were over 31,000 reported incidents from fiscal years 2020 through 2025. Most involved veterans (or other patients) who engaged in these behaviors against staff. Number of Reported Incidents of Harassment-Related Behaviors Involving Veterans at VA Medical Centers, Fiscal Years 2020-2025 However, the data on rep.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found Within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is responsible for providing enrolled veterans access to reproductive health care, including fertility care. From fiscal years 2022 through 2025, VHA data show that approximately 8 million veterans used some type of VHA health care. Around 30,000 veterans had an infertility diagnosis in fiscal year 2025, an increase from the approximately 19,000 veterans with an infertility diagnosis in fiscal year 2022. VHA officials said there may be several reasons for the increase, such as expansions VHA made to eligibility for fertility care in 2024. Number of Veterans with an Infertility Diagnosis,..
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found GAO found that veterans face multiple challenges in accessing health care in the Freely Associated States (FAS), according to VA assessments and interviews with VA and FAS officials. These challenges include limited availability of specialty services, such as mental health and cardiology, and the inability to utilize telehealth services with VA health providers. FAS veterans must travel to VA health facilities in U.S. states or territories to utilize their health benefits, but do not receive beneficiary travel reimbursement for travel to the U.S. Map of Health Care Facilities Providing Veteran Care in Pacific Region VA completed a variety of assessments from March 2024 to Mar.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found In 2024, about 82 percent of women of reproductive age reported using some form of contraception in the past 12 months, according to research from KFF. Most private health plans are generally required to cover the full range of contraceptives for women. The Department of Labor (DOL), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)—an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services—and states each have responsibilities for overseeing private health plans, including plans' coverage of contraception. See table for descriptions of their general oversight responsibilities and activities. DOL, CMS, and States’ General Responsibilities for Overseeing Private Health Plan.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found Remote and isolated military installations are often away from population centers or located in austere environments, making the delivery of critical support services, such as health care or housing, challenging. GAO found that while remote and isolated installations consistently faced challenges in areas such as recruiting and retaining civilian personnel, the causes and severity of those challenges differed by location. For example, in Alaska, Eielson Air Force Base had the most vacant positions (428) while Fort Greely and Clear Space Force Station had no vacant critical support services positions. In 2024, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued guidance for designating ins.
CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The U.S. faces a maternal mortality crisis, with mortality rates that exceed every other high-income country. More than 600 women die during pregnancy or from causes aggravated by pregnancy each year in the U.S.; over 80 percent of these deaths are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To help prevent these kinds of deaths, CDC provides funding for Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs). These committees, typically supported and maintained by state and local health agencies, identify factors contributing to pregnancy-related deaths and make recommendations to patients and their families, providers, hospitals, or state policymake.
