Federal Reports

What We Looked At The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for fostering and promoting uniform time observance—including Daylight Saving Time (DST)—as well as evaluating requests to change time zones. Since 2015, at least 45 States have proposed legislation either to change their observance of DST or to establish permanent standard time. Recent Federal interest, such as the March 2022 U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on DST and the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, highlights the importance of DST and time zone changes to impacted communities. Given the recent interest and potential impact of time zone changes on transportation, we initiated this audit with a limited scope to assess DOT’s processes for evaluating and responding to requests from States and localities for time zone changes and DST exemptions. What We Found While DOT is responsible for evaluating and processing time zone change petitions from States and localities, it does not have written guidance in place specifically addressing how the petitions should be evaluated and validated. Instead, if it were to receive a petition, the Department would process the petition according to the general rulemaking procedures and DOT Order already in place. However, it has been roughly 12 years since the Department last processed a petition and officials currently responsible for this area were not involved in the process the last time it took place. In addition, although DOT does not have the authority to grant exemptions from DST, it is responsible for fostering and promoting uniform time observance. Yet, it does not have processes for monitoring localities that are not observing DST or their assigned time zone and may not be aware of possible instances of non-uniform time observance. In addition, the Department does not provide sufficiently detailed information for the public to promptly and accurately identify non-compliant localities. Our Recommendations The Office of the Secretary of Transportation concurred with all five of our recommendations to improve DOT’s evaluation of time zone changes and promotion of uniform time observance and provided appropriate actions and completion dates. We consider these recommendations resolved but open, pending completion of planned actions. 

Our reviews of 94 CSP grant recipients’ FPRs, APRs, and data collection forms disclosed discrepancies between the number of schools that CSP grant recipients reported as opened or expanded using CSP funds. Our reviews also disclosed that CSP grant recipients did not always submit or did not timely submit their FPRs, APRs, and data collection forms. Finally, our reviews disclosed that FPRs or APRs did not always clearly disclose the number of charter schools opened or expanded using CSP funds.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this audit to determine whether VA complied with the law governing geospatial data and to follow up on recommendations from its inaugural report. VA uses geospatial data to support budget, strategic planning, and policy decisions for benefits and services it provides.The OIG found VA met nine of the 12 applicable covered agency requirements of the law. According to VA officials, VA does not collect, hold, manage, or consume declassified geospatial data, and the OIG team did not find evidence to the contrary, making the related requirement not applicable.In its inaugural audit, the OIG found VA was not compliant with three covered agency requirements: (1) VA was unable to comply with requirement 1 due to the absence of an approved strategic plan from the Federal Geographic Data Committee, (2) VA had not established mandatory department-wide policies and responsibilities to promote the integration of geospatial data for requirement 3, and (3) VA had not ensured geospatial data and activities are included on VA record schedules that have been approved by the National Archives and Records Administration for requirement 4.Although VA has taken steps toward compliance with the requirements, all necessary actions have not been completed for requirements 1 and 3. In addition, although VA was previously compliant with requirement 9, it has not met additional recommended criteria to protect personal privacy and maintain confidentiality.The OIG recognizes the complexity of integrating multiple geographic information systems across the agency. In light of the significant progress VA has made to comply with the act’s requirements, the OIG is making no recommendations for improvement. The OIG encourages VA to complete its planned actions to ensure compliance.