The federal budget deficit totaled $1.3 trillion in the first half of fiscal year 2025, CBO estimates. That amount is $245 billion more than the deficit recorded during the same period last fiscal year.
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on March 12, 2025
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on March 27, 2025
Cost Estimate
April 7, 2025
As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on March 27, 2025
GAO
Regulatory Flexibility Act:
Improved Policies for Analysis and Training Could Enhance Compliance
GAO-25-106950Published: Apr 10, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2025 .
Concerns about how federal regulations affect small entities like businesses, governments, and nonprofits prompted the Regulatory Flexibility Act in 1980. It directs agencies to consider economic impacts to small entities—and ways to minimize them—when proposing rules. Agencies certified that 73% of the rules in our sample wouldn't significantly impact small entities in FYs 2022-23. Our review of the act's implementation also found: The 4 agencies...
Railway-Highway Crossings:
Improvements Needed to Federal Technical Assistance About Pedestrian Projects Related to Trespassing
GAO-25-107115Published: Apr 10, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2025 .
Railroad crossings, where train tracks intersect with roads or paths, pose risks for drivers and pedestrians. There are concerns with pedestrians trespassing at these crossings, with pedestrian deaths and injuries increasing. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides funding and technical assistance for states' projects to improve crossing safety, such as installing gates. But the agency's technical assistance doesn't include examples of trespassing-related pedestrian projects that...
GAO-25-107432
Published: Apr 10, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2025 .
DOD transferred the management of its medical facilities from the military departments to the Defense Health Agency to increase efficiency, lower costs, and improve the quality of medical care. To achieve these goals, DHA created 22 offices to manage over 700 medical facilities in 2022. But DHA didn't have the staff to meet its estimated needs for these offices. In response, DHA reduced the number...
GAO-25-106000
Published: Mar 11, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2025 .
Nearly 25% of college students in 2020 reported limited or uncertain access to food. Despite being potentially eligible, most didn't receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—formerly known as "food stamps"—which could help them pay for food. A recent law gave the Department of Education authority to share students' Free Application for Federal Student Aid data with federal and state SNAP agencies to identify and...
GAO-25-108400
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
We testified that many federal buildings are in poor condition and the problem is getting worse. Federal building repair backlogs more than doubled to $370 billion from FYs 2017 to 2024. This prompted us to add federal building condition to the "Managing Federal Real Property" area of our High Risk List in 2025. Unless this trend reverses, federal assets will continue to deteriorate and need...
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
Domestic terrorism threats have increased in recent years. In 2021, the White House issued the National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which tasked multiple federal agencies with actions to address these threats. Agencies have taken steps to implement 49 of the 58 activities we identified. We found ways the strategy could be more effective. For example, it doesn't clarify which federal agency is responsible for...
GAO-25-107110
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
Drug shortages are a serious public health problem affecting patient access to care, such as cancer treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened existing drug supply chain issues and shortages are lasting longer. The Food and Drug Administration aims to prevent and respond to drug shortages, but can't do it alone. Fully addressing shortages will require the Department of Health and Human Services to work across FDA...
GAO-25-107573
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
COVID-19 led to over a million deaths in the U.S. and disrupted travel. TSA is the primary federal agency responsible for securing our transportation systems. This Q&A looks at TSA's preparedness plan for another potential communicable disease outbreak. We found that TSA: Coordinated with other agencies to help ensure its plan aligned with existing federal plans Eventually distributed its plan to federal agencies, its workforce...
GAO-25-108401
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
In fiscal year 2024, GAO's work yielded $67.5 billion in financial benefits, a return of about $76 for every dollar invested in GAO. Our average return on investment for the past 6 years is $123 to $1. In this testimony before the House Subcommittee on Legislative Branch Appropriations, U.S. Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro discusses GAO's FY 2026 budget request. Our budget request will enable...
GAO-25-108412
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
The federal government loses $233 billion–$521 billion annually to fraud, based on data from 2018-2022. We testified about AI and other tools the government can use to combat fraud. Federal agencies have existing tools to combat fraud and other improper payments. Our prior work offered recommendations on improving and using these tools. AI-enabled tools could also help by sifting through large volumes of data to...
GAO-25-108408
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
The Environmental Protection Agency lists some of the nation's most seriously contaminated sites on its Superfund National Priorities List. As of March 5, 2025, the list included 1,340 active sites across the United States. We testified that appropriations to the Superfund program generally declined from fiscal years 1999 through 2024. The program also received supplemental appropriations in some years. Our prior work identified some factors...
GAO-25-107746
Published: Apr 9, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 9, 2025 .
Hundreds of billions of dollars were likely lost to fraud during the pandemic. As of December 2024, the Department of Justice has charged more than 3,000 people, companies, and other entities with fraud-related crimes. Defendants were typically sentenced to prison, usually 1–5 years. Most were also ordered to pay restitution in varying amounts, with the highest over $71 million. It’s crucial for agencies to learn...
Defense Command and Control:
Further Progress Hinges on Establishing a Comprehensive Framework
GAO-25-106454 Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .The Department of Defense is working to help military commanders better analyze and share information in real time. This complex effort is not a singular system and depends on contributions by all military services. Six years in, the military services are pursuing projects largely in isolation and without clear goals. This approach will likely result in delivering capability much more slowly and inefficiently, if at...
Federal Real Property:
Reducing the Government's Holdings Could Generate Substantial Savings
GAO-25-108159Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .
The federal government struggles to manage a vast real estate portfolio. Problems identifying and letting go of unneeded property, keeping up maintenance and security, and more has put this issue on our High Risk List since 2003. We testified before the House Oversight's Subcommittee on Delivering Government Efficiency on findings from our recent work. For example: Maintenance and repair backlogs have more than doubled to...
Consumer Protection:
Actions Needed to Improve Complaint Reporting, Consumer Education, and Federal Coordination to Counter Scams
GAO-25-107088Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .
Scammers manipulate victims into sending them money. These scams may be costing Americans billions of dollars annually. For example, based on banking data filed in 2021, Treasury estimated $200 billion in impersonation-related suspicious activity. That's when a scammer impersonates someone else—like a potential romantic partner or employer, or a customer service representative—to get money. There is no government-wide estimate of the money lost to scams...
GAO-25-107467
Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .
This Q&A looks at how states use federal funds to address child abuse and neglect. In FY 2015-2022, states spent $23.5 billion on child welfare from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a grant that helps families with lower incomes. During that time, states also spent $68.6 billion from Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which funds foster care and other family services. This is...
GAO-25-107666
Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .
While serving their country, military service members make decisions that affect their financial security. Some choices—like whether to pay down debt—can affect them now. Others—like saving for retirement—can affect them in the future. The Department of Defense and the military services provide training and resources to help service members understand these and other financial topics. DOD and the military services don't know how many service...
GAO-25-108205
Published: Apr 8, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 8, 2025 .
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant provides money and services such as job training to people in financial need. We testified about recommendations from our prior reports to improve how the Department of Health and Human Services oversees TANF. For example, HHS could: Find ways to improve states' reporting on TANF expenditures Find ways to help states resolve problems found in TANF audits...
GAO-25-107548
Published: Apr 7, 2025 . Publicly Released: Apr 7, 2025 .
U.S. Border Patrol's Missing Migrant Program helps rescue migrants in distress and recover and identify human remains along U.S. borders. Border Patrol collects data on program activities, such as migrant rescues and deaths, and submits it in annual reports to Congress. However, Border Patrol hasn't developed an approach for evaluating the program that includes research questions and methods. So, it may not be collecting all...
IASB
11 Apr 2025
IRS
IR-2025-46, April 11, 2025 ― The Internal Revenue Service today reminded the 1.1 million people who didn’t file their tax year 2021 federal tax returns that they may be eligible for a refund if they file by the April 15 deadline.
First quarter estimated tax payment deadline is April 15
IR-2025-45, April 10, 2025 — The Internal Revenue Service reminds self-employed individuals, retirees, investors, businesses and corporations that April 15 is the deadline for first quarter estimated tax payments for tax year 2025.
IR-2025-44, April 10, 2025 — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded last-minute tax filers that the April 15 tax deadline is right around the corner, and there are a variety of free tools to help, including the Let Us Help You page on IRS.gov.
IR-2025-43, April 9, 2025 — The Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that it’s not too late to access or create an individual IRS Online Account. An IRS Online Account makes it easy for people to quickly get the tax planning information they need.
IR-2025-42, April 8, 2025 — With the April 15 tax deadline fast approaching, Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers there is still time to file their federal income tax return electronically and request direct deposit of any refund.
NYC
Preliminary Recommendations of the Lien Sale Task Force
April 9, 2025
NYS
PCAOB
Apr. 10, 2025
SEC
Washington D.C., April 7, 2025 — The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force has announced the agenda and panelists for its April 11 roundtable, “Between a Block and a Hard Place: Tailoring Regulation for Crypto Trading.”