Since FY 2003, federal agencies have made $2.8 trillion in improper payments—i.e., payments that shouldn't have been made or were made in incorrect amounts. The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 requires agencies to manage and report their improper payments. This Q&A looks at how Inspectors General and the Office of Management and Budget meet their responsibilities under the act. When an IG finds an...
Published: Jan 23, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 23, 2025 .
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation can protect uninsured deposits at a failed bank if the Treasury secretary determines that doing so would mitigate serious economic problems. This is known as the "systemic risk exception." The Treasury secretary invoked this exception for two banks that failed in March 2023. The secretary received recommendations from the FDIC and the Federal Reserve before making this decision, as required...
GAO-25-107613
Published: Jan 22, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 23, 2025 .
Federal oversight of food safety has been on our High Risk List since 2007. Yet, harmful bacteria in food sickens 1 in 6 Americans and kills thousands each year. Salmonella and Listeria are two bacteria commonly associated with foodborne illness. While some bacteria are normally found in meat and poultry, too much of it can make people sick. For example, in 2018 USDA designated Salmonella...
GAO-25-106931
Published: Jan 22, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2025 .
A "modular open systems approach" allows DOD to easily add or replace weapon parts over time—similar to plug-and-play computer parts. Deciding on this kind of approach early helps DOD save time and money on upgrades and maintenance later. DOD often cited short-term costs as a hurdle to this approach. But it didn't analyze whether those costs outweighed potential long-term benefits like faster upgrades. Also, DOD...
GAO-25-106839
Published: Jan 22, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2025 .
An Environmental Protection Agency program assesses the safety of new chemicals. Chemical manufacturers praised some aspects of the program but shared concerns about unclear requirements, review delays, and more. EPA may face challenges implementing the program because it doesn't follow some key management practices. For example, effectively involving stakeholders—such as chemical manufacturers—could help clarify program requirements. Similarly, identifying resource needs could help EPA set and...
GAO-25-107154
Published: Jan 22, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 22, 2025 .
The Department of Health and Human Services funds a program aimed at providing services for young people who are aging out of the foster care system. States have the flexibility to decide what services to offer, which can include things like housing and employment assistance. For many years, states have returned millions of dollars to HHS—despite young people still needing these services. HHS officials plan...
GAO-25-106954
Published: Dec 19, 2024 . Publicly Released: Jan 21, 2025 .
Community organizations can get Head Start grants to provide education and other early childhood services to children in poverty. If a community loses its grant recipient, another organization provides services temporarily. But parents have raised concerns about the quality of these interim services. We found that the Office of Head Start didn't always monitor programs to assess whether they met child safety and other standards...
GAO-25-106953
Published: Jan 21, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 21, 2025 .
The U.S. economy depends on the efficient flow of millions of tons of cargo each day throughout the global supply chain, most arriving by ship. The Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection monitor these vessels for potential national security risks, like smuggling. At the 8 ports we reviewed, the agencies generally followed selected leading collaboration practices such as "leveraging resources"—like helping each other...
GAO-25-105804
Published: Jan 21, 2025 . Publicly Released: Jan 21, 2025 .
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's civil rights office leads efforts to address workplace discrimination complaints for the department's nearly 100,000 employees. On average, formal complaints filed in FY 2015-2023 were most frequently allegations of retaliation. Employees who complain about workplace discrimination are protected from retaliation under federal law. The department takes steps to resolve disputes, but the civil rights office hasn't monitored this since its...
IASB
27 Jan 2025
24 Jan 2025
22 Jan 2025
SEC
2025-31
Washington D.C., Jan. 24, 2025 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda’s selections for several senior roles in acting capacities across the Commission to fill vacancies created by recent departures.
2025-30
Washington D.C., Jan. 21, 2025 — Today SEC Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda launched a crypto task force dedicated to developing a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets. Commissioner Hester Peirce will lead the task force. Richard Gabbert, Senior Advisor to the Acting Chairman, and Taylor Asher, Senior Policy Advisor to the Acting Chairman, will serve as the task force’s Chief of Staff and Chief Policy Advisor, respectively.
2025-29
Washington D.C., Jan. 21, 2025 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that President Donald J. Trump has designated Mark T. Uyeda as Acting Chairman of the agency.