Here at GAO, we recognize economic trends can change quickly and have major impacts on Americans. We publish reports and provide technical assistance to Congress to help members understand these emerging issues and their potential policy options. On…

Many pregnant people take prenatal vitamins to promote healthy pregnancies and babies. But these widely used supplements are not subject to the same scrutiny for safety and labeling as prescription drugs. For a new report, we looked at whether some…

The U.S. and its allies face growing cyber threats from adversaries and individuals looking to undermine our democracies, institutions, and economies. These include threats from nations like China and Russia. In a new report, we looked at recent…

Medicaid is the government's program that helps low income, medically needy, populations receive health care services. Within Medicaid, managed care allows beneficiaries to receive these services from a network of approved providers. Spending…

As weather-related events--like hurricanes and wildfires--become more frequent and severe, meteorologists and others are looking for new ways to forecast these events. GAO's Brian Bothwell joins us to share his new report on the role artificial…

GAO publishes reports and provides technical assistance to Congress to help members understand the emerging technology and science issues and potential policy options. We recently named a new chief scientist to help lead this work. Met our new Chief…

Cyber-based attacks on federal systems have become more damaging and disruptive. Federal agencies are required to secure their IT systems from these attacks. GAO's Jennifer Franks joins us to look at our new report on the federal government…

Radioactive materials are commonly used for medical, industrial and research purposes. But after use, what's being done to ensure radioactive materials are disposed of safely. In a new report, we look at these concerns. GAO's Allison…

At the beginning of the pandemic, we heard a lot about shortages of hospital beds, ventilators, testing supplies, as well as doctors and nurses. GAO has reported heavily on the impacts of not being prepared for a pandemic. But in a new report, we…

Parents know that the first few years of a child's life include so many critical milestones. During those first few years, it's critical to identify any developmental delays a child might have and provide early intervention services. The…

Some foreign governments have harassed, abducted, threatened, or even assassinated U.S.-based individuals in an effort to silence their criticism. Prominent examples of transnational repression like this include the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal…

Some foreign governments have harassed, abducted, threatened, or even assassinated U.S.-based individuals in an effort to silence their criticism. Prominent examples of transnational repression like this include the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal…

When NASA launched Artemis I last November, it used the world's most powerful rocket. The same rocket design, or Space Launch System, will be used in the Artemis II and III missions, with the goal of returning Americans to the moon for the…

Greenhouse gas emissions are a major contributor to climate change. The largest source of emissions in the U.S. is transportation occurring on our nation’s roadways, which are owned and run by state and local governments. We learn more about the…

Businesses are increasingly shifting their legal structures from corporations-- that are subject to corporate income taxes--to partnerships. This shift has made it more difficult for the IRS to identify taxable income and catch potential tax cheats…

Unemployment Insurance programs saw unprecedented increases in demand during the pandemic. But despite this increase, many Americans were extremely frustrated when they tried to apply facing delays and other issues in accessing this essential safety…

The federal government has 500 million square feet of office space, which costs billions of dollars each year to lease, operate and maintain. But many of these buildings are under-occupied. This is a long standing problem, but one that increased…

Every year, GAO sends letters to federal agencies highlighting our recommendations from past reports that we think should be prioritized because they would have an immediate high impact on the most pressing challenges facing their agencies and…

Artificial intelligence could transform national defense and security. The Department of Defense has designated it a top priority in its modernization efforts. What are DOD's plans to gain AI technology and capabilities? We'll learn more…

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to acquire 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters to help continue its mission--patrolling for homeland security, law enforcement, and search and rescue operations. But construction of these ships faces delays, increasing costs and…

Nuclear weapons, along with other military weapon systems, are increasingly relying on software and other information technology to operate. But this increased reliance may make nuclear weapons and the systems they rely on more vulnerable to…

Social Security makes up a substantial percentage of the retirement income for many older Americans. But significant financial challenges threaten the government's ability to continue paying benefits in full. GAO's Kris Nguyen discusses…

Funding to support small businesses and their employees, who were impacted by the pandemic, totaled over $1 trillion. While this assisted more than 10 million businesses, some of it went to those who sought to defraud the government. We'll…

Widespread cancellations and delays seemed commonplace during the last holiday travel season. But while airlines are taking actions to address the causes of these disruptions, larger obstacles may lie ahead, including concerns about major shortages…

Noncompete agreements have historically been applied to highly skilled workers and executives with access to company secrets and other proprietary information. But recently these contracts used more broadly, with as many as 38% of workers saying…

The Department of Defense's budget makes up about half of all federal discretionary spending. But the DOD's financial statements have long been the source of scrutiny. For example, DOD is the only major federal agency that has never…

To combat child trafficking, the U.S. partners with other countries through Child Protection Compacts. We'll find out more from GAO's Chelsa Kenney, who looked at what is known about how well these partnerships work.

U.S. agencies sometimes provide funding to foreign businesses and other entities when it helps support U.S. trade and other goals. This financial support includes entities located in China. GAO's Kim Gianopoulos tells us more on this podcast.

Fusion energy has long promised to be a potentially transformative source of energy that avoids some of the risks and environmental impacts that other energy sources produce. But the advancement of this technology still faces fundamental challenges…

Food prices generally increase by about 2 percent each year. But from 2021 to 2022, food prices rose by 11 percent, the largest annual increase in over 40 years. What caused this major increase, and what can be done about it? We'll find out…

Regenerative medicine is an emerging field of health care that has the potential to cure previously untreatable diseases, repair or replace human cells, tissue or organs, and save lives. While the promise is vast, the workforce needed at all levels…

The United States and its global partners are experiencing a massive wave of cybercrimes. Here in the U.S., federal law enforcement have received record numbers of complaints in recent years, which include a wide array of Internet based scams…

American farmers, ranchers and other agricultural producers are increasingly facing the impacts of climate change. Federal insurance programs can help offset some of these financial impacts. But as extreme weather events increase, so does the…

The IRS relies heavily on outdated computer software and hardware to perform its day-to-day operations. This includes things that would impact taxpayers, such as processing tax returns and refunds, and collecting taxes. We find out about IRS's…

COVID-19 has underscored the importance of being able to rapidly develop, manufacture, and distribute medical countermeasures--such as drugs, vaccines and testing supplies. But in the early days of the pandemic, the Department of Health and Human…

Who owns a nursing home is often an important factor impacting the quality of care residents living in that home receive. For nursing homes that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs, ownership information is shared with the public so that…

Pediatric cancer is among the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States. But there have been relatively few new drugs approved for treatments. What are the efforts to expand research for developing new treatments? We find…

The U.S. Navy plays a critical role in U.S. national defense, as well as world commerce and keeping the seas open to trade. It faces a number of obstacles in maintaining and operating its fleet of ships. We recently looked at these issues and found…