Episodes
After the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a new worldwide health emergency--a global outbreak of Mpox, which may be better known as monkeypox. That outbreak once again highlighted the need for a strong federal response to public health emergencies. But…
Published 04/18/24
The F-35 Lightning II aircraft is the military's most advanced stealth fighter. It's the Department of Defense's most ambitious and costly weapons system. The military currently has about 600 of these jets with plans to buy nearly…
Published 04/15/24
We expect our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines to be combat ready. But sleep deprivation and fatigue can dramatically reduce readiness, and fatigue has been connected to accidents that have resulted in deaths, as well as hundreds of millions of…
Published 03/26/24
At-home testing tools may aid early detection of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and be more cost effective for patients. In a new report, a Science & Tech Spotlight, we looked at the status of this at-home…
Published 03/25/24
U.S. commercial airline traffic dropped 96% during peak pandemic times. In response, the federal government (the taxpayers) provided $132 billion in financial assistance to the industry and related businesses. Today, the industry has largely…
Published 03/18/24
Congress has approved $113 billion dollars in aid for Ukraine. Today, GAO is issuing the first in a series of reports--requested by Congress--about the use and oversight of this assistance. Today’s report specifically looks at defense and security…
Published 03/13/24
We're seeing more deepfakes on social media and in the news. These are videos, audio or images that have been manipulated using artificial intelligence. What's being done to combat these fakes? We find out from GAO's Brian Bothwell.
Published 03/11/24
Head Start is an important program that supports early learning and development in young children (from birth to 5), who live in poverty. Nearly 800,000 young children were enrolled in Head Start programs during the 2021-2022 school year. But many…
Published 02/27/24
Serving in the military, especially combat, may carry a psychological cost for active-duty service members. If left untreated, behavioral health conditions--such as mental health and substance use disorders-- can worsen with consequences for the…
Published 02/06/24
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…
Published 01/29/24
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…
Published 01/11/24
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…
Published 01/11/24
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…
Published 12/14/23
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…
Published 12/14/23
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…
Published 12/04/23
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…
Published 12/04/23
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…
Published 11/30/23
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…
Published 11/07/23
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…
Published 10/05/23
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…
Published 10/03/23
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…
Published 09/07/23
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…
Published 08/03/23
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…
Published 07/27/23
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…
Published 07/24/23