Skip to content
TeamCOG
TeamCOG
Citizens Observing Government
Try
Reports Agencies Topics Broadcasts Newsroom About Subscribe
Legislation

Topic: Legislation

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

FEMA: Billions in Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Subgrants Remain Unawarded

What GAO Found As of March 2025, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded 1,245 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) subgrants to communities over its first four grant cycles in fiscal years 2020 through 2023. These subgrants were for mitigation activities to address hazards, such as floods. FEMA allocated about $2.5 billion for these subgrants, half the $4.8 billion available. FEMA reimbursed $62 million, and 37 subgrants had completed work and initiated the closeout process. From April 2025 to March 2026, FEMA did not award subgrants nor obligate funds. GAO found the median time for FEMA to finalize its review of su.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Funding Status: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs and Inflation Reduction Acts at the Departments of Agriculture and Energy

What GAO Found The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided federal funding to agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Energy (DOE), for a wide range of efforts. These efforts included projects to reduce wildfire risk, improve rural power production, and develop clean energy technologies. Of the $37 billion provided to USDA that was not later rescinded by Public Law 119-21, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, USDA obligated $32.2 billion for fiscal years 2022 through 2025. Of the $78 billion provided to DOE that was not later rescinded, DOE obligated $51 billion for fiscal years 2022 through 202.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

K-12 Education: Actions to Improve Oversight of Key Federal Programs and Address High Chronic Absenteeism

What GAO Found All states that receive funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA) are required to develop statewide accountability systems. Thirty-six states have chosen to include indicators related to chronic absenteeism in their statewide accountability systems. ESEA also has certain chronic absenteeism reporting requirements for all states, regardless of whether a state includes chronic absenteeism in its accountability system. In 2026, the Department of Education discontinued its most comprehensive monitoring of ESEA’s programmatic and fiscal requirements. The ESEA provision intended to improve oversight of funds does not explicitly d.

CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Drug Scheduling: While DEA Decisions Have Aligned with Recent HHS Recommendations, Both Need Comprehensive Policies

What GAO Found Under the Controlled Substances Act, substances that pose a risk of abuse and dependence are placed in categories—referred to as schedules. To carry out certain scheduling actions, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is required to obtain a scheduling recommendation from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) based on a scientific and medical evaluation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Evaluations and recommendations from HHS or DEA are not required for substances scheduled through legislation. Of the 208 substances for which DEA took scheduling actions from 2020 through 2025, DEA considered HHS evaluations and recommendations for all 95 substance.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

National Nuclear Security Administration: Use of Line Items in Management and Operating Contracts Could Be Improved

What GAO Found The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has traditionally used a single, all-encompassing management and operating (M&O) contract at each of its sites to acquire work performed, including to subcontract for construction services. Beginning in 2014, NNSA introduced individual contract line item numbers (line items) to some contracts to increase the visibility of specific efforts. Line items capture information about separately identifiable goods and services that the government seeks to acquire within the scope of the overall contract. Since introducing individual contract line items in 2014, NNSA has minimally used line items to separate contract deliverables, esp.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Telecommunications: Better Information Sharing Needed to Ensure Compliance with Foreign-Sourced Equipment Prohibitions

What GAO Found Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 prohibits federal agencies from procuring covered telecommunications and surveillance equipment and services from five specific Chinese companies (and their affiliates or subsidiaries) or awarding contracts to companies that use such equipment and services. Following implementation in fiscal year 2019, agencies reduced spending with the five companies through fiscal year 2025 with no spending in three of those fiscal years. As of March 2026, GAO found that nearly 90 percent of companies with active government contracts in fiscal year 2025 represented publicly that they do not use equipme.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Federal Real Property: GSA Should Publicize Accessibility Complaint Process for Its Office Buildings

What GAO Found The General Services Administration (GSA) owns and leases thousands of office buildings, which are used by federal employees and the public. The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA) requires that certain GSA office buildings be accessible to individuals with physical disabilities. According to GSA officials and documentation, GSA reviews alteration, leasing, and construction projects throughout the design process for compliance with its ABA Accessibility Standard. The U.S. Access Board (Board), an independent federal agency, enforces the ABA by addressing complaints of potential violations of applicable ABA standards. The Board generally relies on complaints rather than i.

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Global Aging: Key Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy and Federal Agencies

What GAO Found Many countries, including the U.S., are experiencing an increase in both the number and the proportion of older adults in their populations. According to the World Health Organization, the share of the global population aged 60 and over is expected to more than double from one billion in 2020 to 2.1 billion by 2050. As countries experiencing population aging take steps to address the domestic effects, experts told GAO that global population aging may also affect the U.S. GAO identified three broad U.S. foreign policy interests that may be affected by aging abroad: national security, economic competitiveness, and global health and humanitarian assistance (see figure). Effects..

FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Federal Real Property: Funding and Other Challenges Have Hindered Progress Under a Temporary Disposal Process

What GAO Found The Federal Assets Sale and Transfer Act of 2016 (FASTA) established a temporary process to reduce the inventory of federal civilian real property and the time it takes to dispose of such property. FASTA created the Public Buildings Reform Board (Board) to recommend properties for disposal for approval in each of several rounds. Once approved, the General Services Administration (GSA) takes a primary role in implementation. FASTA also established a fund to help with disposal costs. The last year of FASTA implementation is underway, with two approved rounds—2019 and 2025—and a final round expected to be released before the Board ceases operations in December 2026. As of August.

CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Medical Devices: FDA Should Strengthen Policies Guiding Audits of Third Party Review Organizations

What GAO Found The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) administers the Third Party Review Program, a voluntary alternative review process for selected low-to-moderate risk medical devices, such as diagnostic ultrasound systems and surgical lasers. Under this program, which is intended to facilitate faster reviews, device sponsors can contract with FDA-accredited entities. These entities, known as Third Party Review Organizations (third parties), conduct the initial review of certain premarket applications, known as 510(k) submissions. These third party reviews occur prior to agency officials making the final decision about whether the devic.

FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits

Adoption of Categorical Exclusion Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation | Notice | The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) is notifying the public and documenting its adoption of the Department of the Interior (DOI) categorical exclusion (CE) for policies, directives, regulations, and guidelines, under section 109 of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This notice identifies the types of actions to which the ACHP will apply the CE, the considerations that the ACHP will use in determining the applicability of the CE, and the consultation between the agencies on the use of the CE, including application of extraordinary circumstance.

CABI U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits

Coast Guard: Actions to Address Sexual Misconduct Underway but Incomplete

Sexual misconduct in the U.S. Coast Guard is a longstanding problem. Implementing our recommendations can help the Coast Guard instill a culture intolerant of sexual misconduct and communicate progress to Congress and the public. The Big Picture Sexual misconduct has been a challenge within the U.S. Coast Guard for decades. For example, in a 2020 internal investigation called “Operation Fouled Anchor,” the Coast Guard examined more than 100 allegations of sexual assault from 1990 to 2006 at the Coast Guard Academy. The investigation concluded that the academy often mishandled these cases and failed to take sufficient action to ensure a safe environment for cadets. Sexual misconduct negative.