Government Accountability Office
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Security-related Reports

GAO Homeland Security Reports - Subcategories

September 11
Dept. of Homeland Security
Disaster Preparedness / Response
Combating Terrorism
Building Security
Nuclear/Chemical/Biological Terrorism
Aviation Security
Maritime Security
Critical Infrastructure Protection
Border Control
Coast Guard
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Financial/Counterfeiting
Information Security
Information Technology
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Coast Guard

• Coast Guard Shore Infrastructure: Applying Leading Practices Could Help Better Manage Project Backlogs of at Least $2.6 Billion, GAO-19-82, February 21, 2019
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Addressing Key Risks Is Important to Success of Polar Icebreaker Program, Statement of Marie Mak, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, GAO-19-255T, November 29, 2018
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Lessons Learned to Inform Coast Guard and NOAA Shipbuilding Efforts, Statement of Marie A. Mak, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, GAO-19-147T, October 11, 2018
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Polar Icebreaker Program Needs to Address Risks before Committing Resources, GAO-18-600, September 4, 2018
• Coast Guard: Improved Acquisition Portfolio Management Could Help Address Aging Assets and Capability Gaps, Statement of Marie Mak, Director, Contracting and National Security Acquisitions, GAO-18-629T, July 24, 2018
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Actions Needed to Address Longstanding Portfolio Management Challenges, GAO-18-454, July 24, 2018
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Status of Coast Guard's Heavy Polar Icebreaker Acquisition, GAO-18-385R, April 13, 2018
• Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Improve Data Quality and Transparency for Reporting on Mission Performance and Capital Planning, Statement of Nathan Anderson, Acting Director, Homeland Security and Justice, GAO-18-408T, March 7, 2018
• Coast Guard Health Records: Timely Acquisition of New System Is Critical to Overcoming Challenges with Paper Process, GAO-18-363T, January 30, 2018
• Coast Guard Health Records: Timely Acquisition of New System Is Critical to Overcoming Challenges with Paper Process, GAO-18-59, January 24, 2018
• Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Enhance Performance Information Transparency and Monitoring, GAO-18-13, October 27, 2017
• Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Close Stations Identified as Overlapping and Unnecessarily Duplicative, GAO-18-9, October 26, 2017
• Coast Guard: Status of Polar Icebreaking Fleet Capability and Recapitalization Plan, GAO-17-698R, September 25, 2017
• Coast Guard: Workforce Actions Under Way to Address Backlog in Recreational Vessel Documentation, GAO-17-629, September 12, 2017
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Limited Strategic Planning Efforts Pose Risk for Future Acquisitions, GAO-17-747T, July 25, 2017
• Coast Guard Recapitalization: Matching Needs and Resources Continue to Strain Acquisition Efforts, GAO-17-654T, June 7, 2017
• Coast Guard Cutters: Depot Maintenance Is Affecting Operational Availability and Cost Estimates Should Reflect Actual Expenditures, GAO-17-218, March 2, 2017
• Coast Guard: Agency Could Better Assess Its Impact on Arctic Capability Gaps and Is Exploring Icebreaker Acquisition Options, GAO-16-738T, July 12, 2016
• Coast Guard: Arctic Strategy Is Underway, but Agency Could Better Assess How Its Actions Mitigate Known Arctic Capability Gaps, GAO-16-453, June 15, 2016
• Coast Guard: Actions Underway to Develop Acquisition Plans that Reflect New Assets and Improve the Asset Allocation Process, GAO-16-633T, June 14, 2016
• Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Improve Strategic Allocation of Assets and Determine Workforce Requirements, GAO-16-379, May 24, 2016
• Navy and Coast Guard Shipbuilding: Navy Should Reconsider Approach to Warranties for Correcting Construction Defects, GAO-16-71, March 3, 2016
• DOD and Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Increase Oversight and Management Information on Hazing Incidents Involving Servicemembers, GAO-16-226, February 9, 2016
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: Enhanced Oversight of Testing Could Benefit National Security Cutter Program and Future DHS Acquisitions, GAO-16-314T, February 3, 2016
• National Security Cutter: Enhanced Oversight Needed to Ensure Problems Discovered during Testing and Operations Are Addressed, GAO-16-148, January 12, 2016
• U.S. Coast Guard National Pollution Funds Center: Improved Controls Needed for Oil Removal Disbursements and Action Needed for Sustainable Funding, GAO-15-682, September 15, 2015
• Coast Guard Acquisitions: As Major Assets are Fielded, Overall Portfolio Remains Unaffordable, by Michele Mackin, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, GAO-15-620T, May 14, 2015
• Coast Guard Aircraft: Transfer of Fixed-Wing C-27J Aircraft Is Complex and Further Fleet Purchases Should Coincide with Study Results, GAO-15-325, March 26, 2015
• Coast Guard: Timely Actions Needed to Address Risks in Using Rotational Crews, GAO-15-195, March 6, 2015
• Coast Guard: Observations on Progress Made and Challenges Faced in Developing and Implementing a Common Operational Picture, by Stephen L. Caldwell, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, GAO-13-784T, July 31, 2013
• Coast Guard: Clarifying the Application of Guidance for Common Operational Picture Development Would Strengthen Program, GAO-13-321, April 25, 2013
• Information on Former High-Ranking Coast Guard Officials' Employment with Major Contractors, GAO-13-153R, December 20, 2012
• Coast Guard: Mission Performance Challenged by the Declining Condition and Rising Costs of its Legacy Vessel Fleet, by Stephen L. Caldwell, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, GAO-12-934T, September 20, 2012
• Coast Guard: Portfolio Management Approach Needed to Improve Major Acquisition Outcomes, GAO-12-918, September 20, 2012
• Coast Guard: Legacy Vessels' Declining Conditions Reinforce Need for More Realistic Operational Targets, GAO-12-741, July 31, 2012
• Observations on the Coast Guard's and the Department of Homeland Security's Fleet Studies, GAO-12-751R, May 31, 2012
• Coast Guard: Continued Improvements Needed to Address Potential Barriers to Equal Employment Opportunity, GAO-12-135, December 6, 2012
• Coast Guard: Security Risk Model Meets DHS Criteria, but More Training Could Enhance its Use for Managing Programs and Operations, GAO-12-14, November 17, 2011
• Coast Guard: Communication of Post-Government Employment Restrictions Can Be Strengthened, GAO-12-174, December 15, 2011
• Coast Guard: Observations on Arctic Requirements, Icebreakers, and Coordination with Stakeholders, by Stephen Caldwell, HSJ, before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, GAO-12-254T, December 1, 2011
• Maritime Security: Coast Guard Should Conduct Required Inspections of Offshore Energy Infrastructure GAO-12-37, October 28, 2011
• Coast Guard: Action Needed as Approved Deepwater Program Remains Unachievable, by John P. Hutton, ASM, before House Transportation And Infrastructure Committee: Coast Guard And Maritime Transportation Subcommittee. GAO-12-101T, October 4, 2011
• Coast Guard: Action Needed As Approved Deepwater Program Remains Unachievable, GAO-11-743, Jul 28, 2011
• Coast Guard: Civil Rights Directorate Can Enhance Workforce Restructuring Efforts, GAO-11-718, Jul 18, 2011
• Coast Guard: Observations on Acquisition Management and Efforts to Reassess the Deepwater Program, GAO-11-535T, Apr 13, 2011
• Coast Guard: Opportunities Exist to Further Improve Acquisition Management Capabilities, GAO-11-480, Apr 13, 2011
• Coast Guard: Efforts to Identify Arctic Requirements Are Ongoing, but More Communication about Agency Planning Efforts Would Be Beneficial, GAO-10-870, Sep 15, 2010
• Coast Guard: Deepwater Requirements, Quantities, and Cost Require Revalidation to Reflect Knowledge Gained, GAO-10-790, Jul 27, 2010
• U.S. Tsunami Preparedness: NOAA Has Expanded Its Tsunami Programs, but Improved Planning Could Enhance Effectiveness, GAO-10-490, Apr 28, 2010
• Coast Guard: Civil Rights Directorate's Action Plans to Improve Its Operations Could Be Strengthened by Implementing Several Aspects of Project Planning and Implementation Practices, GAO-10-571T, Apr 27, 2010
• Coast Guard: Deployable Operations Group Achieving Organizational Benefits, but Challenges Remain, GAO-10-433R, Apr 7, 2010
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Requested Fiscal Year 2011 Budget, Past Performance, and Current Challenges, GAO-10-411T, Feb 25, 2010
• Coast Guard: Service Has Taken Steps to Address Historic Personnel Problems, but It Is too Soon to Assess the Impact of These Efforts, GAO-10-268R, Jan 29, 2010
• Coast Guard: Better Logistics Planning Needed to Aid Operational Decisions Related to the Deployment of the National Security Cutter and Its Support Assets, GAO-09-497, Jul 17, 2009
• Coast Guard Retiree Health Care: Coast Guard Contributions to and Payments from the DOD Medicare-Eligible Retiree Health Care Fund (MERHCF), GAO-09-857R, Jul 15, 2009
• Coast Guard: As Deepwater Systems Integrator, Coast Guard Is Reassessing Costs and Capabilities but Lags in Applying Its Disciplined Acquisition Approach, GAO-09-682, Jul 14, 2009
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget and Related Performance and Management Challenges, GAO-09-810T, Jul 7, 2009
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Genesis and Progress of the Service's Modernization Program, GAO-09-530R, Jun 24, 2009
• Coast Guard: Administrative Law Judge Program Contains Elements Designed to Foster Judges' Independence and Mariner Protections Assessed Are Being Followed, GAO-09-489, Jun 12, 2009
• Coast Guard: Update on Deepwater Program Management, Cost, and Acquisition Workforce, GAO-09-620T, Apr 22, 2009
• Coast Guard: Observations on Changes to Management and Oversight of the Deepwater Program, GAO-09-462T, Mar 24, 2009
• Coast Guard: Change in Course Improves Deepwater Management and Oversight, but Outcome Still Uncertain, GAO-08-745, Jun 24, 2008
• Coast Guard: Strategies for Mitigating the Loss of Patrol Boats Are Achieving Results in the Near Term, but They Come at a Cost and Longer Term Sustainability Is Unknown, GAO-08-660, Jun 23, 2008
• Status of Selected Aspects of the Coast Guard's Deepwater Program GAO-08-270R March 11, 2008
• Coast Guard: Deepwater Program Management Initiatives and Key Homeland Security Missions GAO-08-531T March 5, 2008
• Maritime Security: Coast Guard Inspections Identify and Correct Facility Deficiencies, but More Analysis Needed of Program's Staffing, Practices, and Data GAO-08-12 February 14, 2008
• Coast Guard: Challenges Affecting Deepwater Asset Deployment and Management and Efforts to Address Them GAO-07-874 June 18, 2007 [4.9 Mb]
• Maritime Security: Opportunities Exist to Further Clarify the Consequences of a Liquefied Natural Gas Tanker Spill GAO-07-840T, May 7, 2007
• Maritime Security: Opportunities Exist to Further Clarify the Consequences of a Liquefied Natural Gas Tanker Spill GAO-07-840T, May 7, 2007 [PDF 2.40MB]
• Maritime Security: Observations on Selected Aspects of the SAFE Port Act GAO-07-754T, April 26, 2007
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget, Performance, Reorganization, and Related Challenges GAO-07-489T, April 18, 2007 [PDF 2.66MB]
• Maritime Security: Public Safety Consequences of a Liquefied Natural Gas Spill Need Clarification GAO-07-633T, March 21, 2007
• Coast Guard: Status of Efforts to Improve Deepwater Program Management and Address Operational Challenges GAO-07-575T, March 8, 2007
• Maritime Security: Public Safety Consequences of a Terrorist Attack on a Tanker Carrying Liquefied Natural Gas Need Clarification GAO-07-316, February 22, 2007 [PDF 2.20MB]
• Coast Guard: Preliminary Observations on Deepwater Program Assets and Management Challenges GAO-07-446T, February 15, 2007
• Coast Guard: Coast Guard Efforts to Improve Management and Address Operational Challenges in the Deepwater Program GAO-07-460T, February 14, 2007
• Homeland Security: Observations on the Department of Homeland Security's Acquisition Organization and on the Coast Guard's Deepwater Program GAO-07-453T, February 8, 2007
• Coast Guard: Condition of Some Aids-to-Navigation and Domestic Icebreaking Vessels Has Declined; Effect on Mission Performance Appears Mixed GAO-06-979, September 22, 2006 [PDF 3.29MB]
• Coast Guard: Non-Homeland Security Performance Measures Are Generally Sound, but Opportunities for Improvement Exist GAO-06-816, August 16, 2006
• Coast Guard: Observations on the Preparation, Response, and Recovery Missions Related to Hurricane Katrina GAO-06-903, July 31, 2006 [PDF 2.27MB]
• Maritime Security: Information-Sharing Efforts Are Improving GAO-06-933T, July 10, 2006
• United States Coast Guard: Improvements Needed in Management and Oversight of Rescue System Acquisition GAO-06-623, May 31, 2006
• Coast Guard: Progress Being Made on Addressing Deepwater Legacy Condition Issues and Program Management, but Acquisition Challenges Remain. GAO-05-757, July 22, 2005.
• Coast Guard: Preliminary Observations on the Condition of Deepwater Legacy Assets and Acquisition Management Challenges, by Margaret T. Wrightson, director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Fisheries and the Coast Guard, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-05-651T, June 21, 2005.
• Maritime Security: Enhancements Made, But Implementation and Sustainability Remain Key Challenges, by Margaret T. Wrightson, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation. GAO-05-448T, May 17, 2005.
• Coast Guard: Preliminary Observations on the Condition of Deepwater Legacy Assets and Acquisition Management Issues, by Margaret T. Wrightson, director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Cost Guard and Maritime Transportation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-05-307T, April 20, 2005.
• Maritime Security: New Structures Have Improved Information Sharing but Security Clearance Processing Requires Further Attention. GAO-05-394, April 15, 2005.
• Coast Guard: Observations on Agency Priorities in Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Request, by Margaret Wrightson, Director of Homeland Security and Justice Issues, before the Subcommittee on Fisheries and Coast Guard, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-05-364T, March 17, 2005.
• Maritime Administration: Improved Program Management Needed to Address Timely Disposal of Obsolete Ships. GAO-05-264, March 7, 2005. [PDF 2.2MB]
• Coast Guard: Station Readiness Improving but Resource Challenges and Management Concerns Remain. GAO-05-161, January 31, 2005.
• Homeland Security: Process for Reporting Lessons Learned from Seaport Exercises Needs Further Attention. GAO-05-170, January 14, 2005. [PDF 2.8MB]
• MARITIME SECURITY Better Planning Needed to Help Ensure an Effective Port Security Assessment Program GAO-04-1062, September 2004
• MARITIME SECURITY Substantial Work Remains to Translate New Planning Requirements into Effective Port Security GAO-04-838, June 2004
• Maritime Security: Partnering Could Reduce Federal Costs and Facilitate Implementation of Automatic Vessel Identification System. GAO-04-868, July 23, 2004.
• Coast Guard: Deepwater Program Acquisition Schedule Update Needed. GAO-04-695, June 14, 2004.
• Coast Guard: Key Management and Budget Challenges for Fiscal Year 2005 and Beyond by Margaret T. Wrightson, director, homelands security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (GAO-04-636T), April 7, 2004 [PDF 253 Kb]
• Coast Guard: Replacement of HH-65 Helicopter Engine. (GAO-04-595), March 24, 2004 [PDF 279 KB]
• Coast Guard: Relationship Between Resources Used and Results Achieved Needs to Be Clearer. (GAO-04-432), March 22, 2004 [PDF 804 KB]
• HOMELAND SECURITY Summary of Challenges Faced in Targeting Oceangoing Cargo Containers for Inspection (GAO-04-557T), March 21, 2004 [PDF 274 Kb]
• Coast Guard: New Communication System to Search and Rescue Faces Challenges, (GAO-03-1111), September 30, 2003 [PDF 753 Kb]
• Coast Guard: Challenges During the Transition to the Department of Homeland Security, by Jay Etta Z. Hecker, director, physical infrastructure, before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, April 1, 2003 (GAO-03-594T) [PDF 318 Kb]
• HOMELAND SECURITY: Challenges Facing the Coast Guard as it Transitions to the New Department, Statement of Jay Etta Z. Hecker, Director Physical Infrastructure, February 12, 2003 (GAO-03-467T) [217 Kb]
• COAST GUARD: Vessel Identification System Development Needs to Be Reassessed, May 2002 (GAO-02-477) [PDF 229 Kb]
• COAST GUARD: Strategy Needed for Setting and Monitoring Levels of Effort for All Missions, November 2002, (GAO-03-155) [PDF 1.08 Mb]
• United States Coast Guard: Implementation of the Inflation Adjustment Act, November 1, 2002 (GAO-03-221R) [PDF 49 Kb]
• Coast Guard: Progress Being Made on Deepwater Project, but Risks Remain, (02-MAY-01, GAO-01-564). [PDF 460 Kb]
• Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Mitigate Deepwater Project Risks, (03-MAY-01, GAO-01-659T). [PDF 163 Kb]
• Information Technology Management: Coast Guard Practices Can Be Improved (Letter Report, 12/12/2000, GAO/GAO-01-190).