Federal Reports

During the course of the audit, we determined that FEMA provided hotel rooms to about 90,000 households (nearly 227,000 survivors) after the 2017 California wildfires and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. However, FEMA did not oversee and manage the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program to ensure it operated efficiently and effectively to meet all disaster survivors’ needs. Specifically, FEMA officials did not accurately validate taxes charged for hotel rooms and did not ensure that CLC maintained accurate records to ensure taxes charged were reasonable and allocable; paid for unoccupied rooms; and did not transition survivors from TSA hotels to interim or permanent housing timely. This occurred because FEMA officials did not establish a dedicated program office with staff and standard operating procedures for the TSA program. These deficiencies hindered FEMA from conducting appropriate reviews of the hotel costs and payments, and from adequately coordinating with the states to prepare pre-disaster housing strategies. As a result, FEMA paid more than $55.8 million in unverified taxes, disbursed indeterminate amounts for unoccupied rooms, and left over 146,000 disaster survivors in hotels for more than the recommended 30 days. We made two recommendations that when implemented, will improve FEMA’s oversight and pre-disaster planning of transitional sheltering. FEMA concurred with both recommendations and the recommendations are resolved and open.

This audit assessed the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) oversight of the issuance of prosthetic supplies and devices to veterans. VA’s Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) is the world’s largest provider of prosthetic devices and sensory aids. Prosthetics include not only artificial limbs, but any device that supports or replaces a body part or function such as wheelchairs and pacemakers. Sensory aids include hearing aids, optical prescriptions, low vision and mobility aids, or speech and communication aids. The cost of PSAS services increased from over $2.9 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2016 to nearly $3.5 billion in FY 2019.The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) found weaknesses in VHA oversight contributed to PSAS staff cloning (copying) consults improperly that also affected its ability to track fulfillment times. Consequently, VHA improperly issued an estimated $15.8 million in prosthetic supplies in 2017. However, 94 percent of transactions related to deceased veterans were proper. The remaining 6 percent were improper, but the OIG did not identify evidence of fraud with respect to these errors. VHA also maintained adequate oversight of duplicate supply issuance.The OIG made four recommendations with which VHA concurred to improve oversight of the clone consult function. Specifically, the OIG called on VHA to ensure PSAS business practice guidelines include requirements for conducting and documenting reviews of cloned and pending consults; staff develop a process to verify that consults include accessory and consumable supplies for prosthetic items before issuance; establishes field consistency requirements for program reviews and evaluations, and complies with existing policy for reviewing program assessments and evaluations, and communicate the results to the regional prosthetic representatives.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an inspection at the request of Representative Carol Miller in response to allegations related to timeliness and quality of care in the Emergency Department and scheduling concerns in the Oncology Clinic of a patient at the Beckley VA Medical Center (facility) in West Virginia.The OIG did not substantiate that the patient received untimely or poor-quality care in the facility’s Emergency Department. On six occasions over four months in 2019, the patient presented to the Emergency Department, was assessed, treated for the presenting complaints, and received coordinated care between the primary care provider and other providers. On two occasions, there was no documented evidence that the primary care provider communicated abnormal and critical laboratory test results with the patient. While it appears that the failure to document communication of test results did not negatively affect this patient’s care, the lack of timely follow-up of abnormal test results could contribute to poor patient outcomes.The OIG found deficits in an oncologist’s use of scheduling orders and adherence to the Primary Care and Oncology Service Agreement wait times. Although the oncologist agreed to see the patient earlier than a scheduled appointment, it was not until a second oncology e-consult was entered that an earlier appointment was scheduled. The OIG was unable to determine whether compliance with the return-to-clinic policy would have altered the patient’s course.The OIG found that facility leaders performed comprehensive reviews of the patient’s care. The OIG made two recommendations to the Facility Director related to primary care providers’ communication and documentation of laboratory results and the oncologist’s compliance with scheduling and ordering policies.

The OIG investigated an allegation of a financial conflict of interest involving a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) employee and a family member. The complaint alleged that the USGS employee assigned to a USGS unit at a State university submitted and managed multiple research work orders (RWOs) from the USGS from which the family member was paid as a co-principal. (RWOs are funding agreements between USGS and a cooperating university.)We substantiated that the USGS employee’s actions on the RWOs and the requisition regarding the family member constituted a financial conflict of interest. The employee submitted proposals for USGS RWOs at the State university where he was assigned, listing the family member as an employee in various roles under the agreements, and did so, in part, to ensure the family member’s salary of over $187,000. The family member also assisted the employee with the proposals, including developing budgets for payments.The U.S. Attorney’s office filed a civil false claims suit against the employee in lieu of criminal prosecution. The employee agreed to a settlement, which required the employee to pay $50,000. The employee’s family member is now employed at the State university with a salary paid by Federal and State grants.

In accordance with our Annual Performance Plan Fiscal Year 2020, dated October 2019, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a review of USCP security for Member district offices. Our objectives of our review were to determine (1) the types of support USCP provided for Member district offices, and (2) if any areas existed for which USCP could provide additional support to Member district offices. Our scope included Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 and FY 2020.

Every Postal Service-owned vehicle is assigned a Voyager credit card that is used to pay for its commercially purchased fuel, oil, and routine maintenance. U.S. Bank is responsible for operating the program, and Voyager provides a weekly electronic transaction detail file of all Voyager card transactions to the Postal Service’s Fuel Asset Management System (FAMS) eFleet application. Site managers are responsible for monitoring Voyager card transactions in the FAMS eFleet application. FAMS provides a monthly Reconciliation Exception Report, capturing only transactions that are categorized as high-risk, which may be the result of fraudulent activity. Each month, the Postal Service site manager is responsible for ensuring that their driver receipts are reconciled in FAMS. The review is critical since the Postal Service automatically pays U.S. Bank weekly for all Voyager card charges.

The Postal Service develops a range of financial projections as part of its financial planning. A financial projection is an estimate or forecast of a future situation or trend based on a study of present and historical trends. The main projection the Postal Service completes is the annual financial plan, which estimates revenue, volume, and expenses for each fiscal year. The fiscal year (FY) 2020 plan was approved by the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors in February 2020. On March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued the national emergency declaration concerning the COVID-19 pandemic (pandemic). During the ongoing pandemic, the Postal Service has provided essential services as part of the nation’s critical infrastructure by continuously processing and delivering mail and packages. The pandemic continues to have an unpredictable impact on the economy, the Postal Service, and Postal Service finances. Our objective was to evaluate the reasonableness of the Postal Service’s projected financial scenarios as a result of the impact of the pandemic.

Without a sufficient management-control system and other improvements, the SLN program will not effectively promote risk reduction and pollution prevention.

The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) evaluated allegations related to inappropriate language and conduct toward women veterans by a gynecological provider; a nurse chaperone’s failure to provide patient support; and three additional concerns related to compliance with patient complaint processes, facility leaders’ response to the gynecological provider’s misconduct, and deficiencies in reporting misconduct to state licensing board(s) and the National Practitioner Data Bank.The OIG substantiated that the gynecological provider’s conduct was unprofessional, unethical, and insensitive. The nurse chaperone did not provide support to, or advocate on behalf of, the patients. The OIG found the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has not incorporated key best practice strategies, such as trauma-informed care and sensitive examination policies, into training, policy, and practice. Further, VHA policies fall short in outlining expected chaperone responsibilities, duties, training, or competencies.Although facility patient advocates and quality management leaders tracked and trended patient complaints, the data was incomplete, limiting the accuracy and value of identified trends.Facility leaders had prior knowledge of the gynecological provider’s misconduct; however, leaders failed to effectively address misconduct for years by not timely performing informal or formal investigations and not reporting the provider to state licensing board(s) or the National Practitioner Data Bank despite evidence that the conduct may have met the reporting standards. The OIG made two recommendations to the Under Secretary for Health related to the role and training of providers and chaperones who conduct or provide support to patients during sensitive exams. The OIG made one recommendation to the Veterans Integrated Service Network Director related to facility processes for recording and tracking patient complaints.The OIG made three recommendations to the Facility Director regarding staff education on misconduct policies, administrative investigation policies, and review of the subject gynecologist’s conduct and quality of care provided.

We investigated allegations of improper conduct and actions by a GS-15 National Park Service (NPS) employee toward another NPS employee.The NPS employee said she felt uncomfortable when the GS-15 employee placed his hand on her lower back on multiple occasions, made inappropriate comments, and reached for her cell phone when it was in her lap during a taxi ride. The NPS employee said she did not express her discomfort to the GS-15 employee until he reached for her cell phone. The GS-15 employee said he did not specifically recall placing his hand on the NPS employee’s lower back to guide her through a door, although he said he had done that with both men and women in the past. The GS-15 employee told us he could not recall taking the cell phone from the junior employee’s lap in the taxi but that he may have in order to check the time because they were running late.We determined that the GS-15 employee’s conduct violated U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and NPS policies on preventing and eliminating harassing conduct (Personnel Bulletin No. 18-01 and NPS Director’s Order 16E, respectively) in that it was unwelcome, was based on sex, and could reasonably be considered to have adversely affected the work environment.

What We Looked AtThe Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides grants to public and private entities to enhance safety and security, maintain infrastructure, increase capacity, and mitigate airport noise. According to FAA, between 2019 and 2023, U.S. airports will need approximately $35.1 billion for these types of projects. Under the State Block Grant Program (SBGP), FAA provides AIP funds directly to Block Grant States (BGS), which then take on certain responsibilities for administering the AIP. Given the need to ensure that Federal funds are spent appropriately, as well as Congress’ recent expansion of the SBGP, we initiated this audit with the following objectives: to assess FAA’s oversight of (1) State project selection and (2) grantee and subgrantee compliance with Federal laws and regulations on the use of funds. What We FoundFAA performs few oversight activities during the project selection process. For example, while entitlement funds represent the majority of SBGP awards, FAA policy directs Agency officials to focus on projects seeking discretionary funds. We estimate that, as a result, FAA did not evaluate projects awarded $87.9 million in Federal funds. FAA did not provide BGS with consolidated guidance for almost 3 decades; consequently, BGS still do not fully understand their responsibilities. FAA also has never performed an assessment to ensure compliance with Federal requirements or required BGS to document their decisions. Thus, FAA may be funding airport projects that do not meet national priorities. Furthermore, FAA’s oversight does not prevent compliance gaps or resolve persistent programmatic issues. Finally, the Agency’s own reviews of the program have been inconsistent and do not assign responsibility for corrective actions or track grantee compliance. As a result, staff are unsure where to direct their oversight. Our RecommendationsWe made 13 recommendations to improve FAA’s oversight of SBGP project selection and grantee compliance with Federal financial laws and regulations. The Agency concurred with 11 of our recommendations and partially concurred with 2, proposing alternative actions. We consider all 13 recommendations to be resolved but open pending completion of planned actions.

What We Looked AtWe queried and downloaded 52 single audit reports prepared by non-Federal auditors and submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse between October 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, to identify significant findings related to programs directly funded by the Department of Transportation (DOT). What We FoundWe found that reports contained a range of findings that impacted DOT programs. The auditors reported significant noncompliance with Federal guidelines related to eight grantees that require prompt action from DOT’s Operating Administrations (OA). The auditors also identified questioned costs totaling $5,130,999 for three grantees. RecommendationsWe recommend that DOT coordinate with the impacted OAs to develop a corrective action plan to resolve and close the findings identified in this report. We also recommend that DOT determine the allowability of the questioned transactions and recover $5,130,999, if applicable.

The unclassified version of the SAR covers the period from April 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020, and reflects what the NSA OIG could release publicly about its work for that Front Cover of the SARreporting period. The OIG issued 11 oversight products during the period, making 221 recommendations to assist the Agency in addressing the findings and deficiencies identified. NSA's management agreed with all but one OIG recommendation that was made during the reporting period (and has subsequently indicated that it intends to take action sufficient to meet the intent of that recommendation as well). The Director of the NSA and Congress received the classified version of the SAR in accordance with the IG Act.

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) OIG conducted this self-initiated audit to assess the NCUA’s consumer complaint program. The objectives of our audit were to determine whether the NCUA processes consumer complaints: (1) efficiently and effectively; (2) in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies and procedures, and other requirements; and (3) uses consumer complaint information and trends data in its operations.

The CSB has not consistently implemented its information security program’s policies, procedures, and strategies.

The CSB has not consistently implemented its information security program’s policies, procedures, and strategies.

We investigated allegations that U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) or National Park Service (NPS) officials may have improperly influenced two hiring actions. The first hiring action resulted in the promotion of an NPS employee from a GS-9 to a GS-11 supervisory position in 2018, and the second action resulted in the promotion of the same employee to a GS-12 supervisory position in 2020. We also investigated an allegation that an NPS official who was related to the employee may have influenced both hiring actions.We did not find evidence substantiating the allegations of impropriety related to the 2018 hiring action. We also did not find evidence substantiating the allegation that the employee’s relative influenced either hiring action. Further, we did not find evidence that any other DOI or NPS management officials improperly influenced the promotion of the employee or that management instructed the human resources (HR) officials to grant an advantage to the employee. We did not investigate the employee’s actual eligibility or qualifications for a promotion.We did find, however, that NPS HR officials involved in the 2020 hiring action intentionally recommended a hiring process that granted an improper preference or advantage to the employee in violation of 5 U.S.C. § 2302(b)(6) and that the HR officials’ actions did not follow merit system principles and the NPS Merit Promotion Plan. Specifically, HR officials advertised the position competitively but intentionally restricted it in a way that granted an advantage to the employee because doing so was perceived as easier and faster than promoting the employee noncompetitively based on an accretion-of-duties promotion, which was themethod that NPS management originally proposed.

We determined that U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) training approach and execution do not fully support the canine teams’ mission to detect smuggling of illegal narcotics, agriculture products, and humans at and between ports of entry. In fiscal year 2019, CBP decided to realign its Canine Academy, which contributed to a decrease in canine teams trained in the first two quarters of FY 2020. Office of Field Operations (OFO) canine teams used pseudo narcotic training aids past the recommended replacement cycle. Both Border Patrol and OFO canine teams used outdated actual narcotic training aids during proficiency training in the field. Additionally, OFO canine team files did not have required documentation for proficiency training. Furthermore, CBP’s inadequate governance of canine team operations led to outdated Canine Program policies and procedures, inconsistent retention periods for training documents, and an absence of Canine Tracking System policies and procedures. We recommended that the Office of Training and Development (OTD) Assistant Commissioner develop a comprehensive assessment of the Canine Program realignment to ensure implementation according to OTD training standards. Furthermore, we recommended the Border Patrol Chief and OFO Executive Assistant Commissioner ensure their Canine Programs have enough certified canine instructors and adequate training aids to provide proficiency training for canines after they are deployed. In total, we made four recommendations that, if implemented, should help CBP improve oversight of its Canine Program, formalize and implement a realignment plan for the training academy, provide proper training capabilities, and update and standardize program guidance. CBP concurred with all our recommendations.

By implementing stronger internal controls, the EPA can decrease the risk of issuing a pesticide registration that does not comply with regulatory requirements.

This memo was issued to clarify statements made on pages 2 and 20 regarding OCC providing whistleblower complaints to Treasury OIG Office of Investigations (OI), in OIG-20-046, FINANCIAL REGULATION AND OVERSIGHT: Prior to 2015, OCC Missed Opportunities to Analyze and Address Inappropriate Sales Practices at Wells Fargo Bank. Please read this memo in conjunction with OIG-20-046.

Las mejoras en la capacidad de los sistemas de agua y la preparación para emergencias para la respuesta de las islas podría proteger mejor la salud de las comunidades afectadas por los huracanes y otros desastres.

A Senior Engineer was terminated on February 5, 2021, for violating company policies by downloading and viewing pornographic material from various websites and viewing videos that were stored on a USB storage device connected to his company-owned computer. In addition, the employee repeatedly used this computer for personal shopping, communicating via a personal email account, streaming sporting events, and other activities that were not work-related—both during the workday and in the evening outside of work hours.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, LLC, audited $7.9 million in funds received by the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Office: 1) used funds for authorized purposes in accordance with Section 101 of HAVA, and other applicable requirements; 2) properly accounted for and controlled property purchased with HAVA payments; and 3) used the funds in a manner consistent with the budget plan provided to EAC.

The OIG investigated allegations that two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) officials inappropriately released BLM records without going through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) review process. The complaint also separately alleged that certain other BLM records could not be found and appeared to have been destroyed.We did not substantiate the allegations. We found that the records the BLM released were public and did not require a FOIA review. Moreover, following our request to the BLM for the allegedly missing records, BLM officials located and provided us copies of all relevant documents. Accordingly, we found no support for the claim that documents had been improperly destroyed.

This Office of Inspector General (OIG) Comprehensive Healthcare Inspection Program report provides a focused evaluation of the quality of care delivered in the inpatient and outpatient settings of the Dayton VA Medical Center and multiple outpatient clinics in Ohio and Indiana. The inspection covers key clinical and administrative processes that are associated with promoting quality care. This inspection focused on Leadership and Organizational Risks; COVID-19 Pandemic Readiness and Response; Quality, Safety, and Value; Medical Staff Privileging; Medication Management: Long-Term Opioid Therapy for Pain; Mental Health: Suicide Prevention Program; Care Coordination: Life-Sustaining Treatment Decisions; Women’s Health: Comprehensive Care; and High-Risk Processes: Reusable Medical Equipment.The executive leadership team had worked together for five weeks at the time of the OIG’s inspection. The team faced multiple challenges, including responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and beginning the electronic health record modernization. Although leaders have opportunities to improve veteran experiences, most survey results for women veterans were generally better than those for female patients nationally. Review of accreditation findings, sentinel events, and disclosures did not identify any substantial risks, although the OIG noted a repeat finding from the previous comprehensive healthcare inspection visit related to completion of all required focused professional practice elements. Leaders were able to speak knowledgeably about selected data used in Strategic Analytics for Improvement and Learning models and actions taken to maintain or improve performance.The OIG issued 10 recommendations for improvement in five areas:(1) Medical Staff Privileging• Professional practice evaluations• Provider exit reviews(2) Medication Management• Committee oversight(3) Mental Health• Follow-up visits• Patient safety plans(4) Care Coordination• Treatment plan referral and review(5) Women’s Health• Collateral duties

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock & Associates, audited West Virginia's use of Help America Vote Act funds for the period June 29, 2018, through September 30, 2019.

OIG data analytics identified Washington, D.C., MOW permit postage refunds totaling about $978,640 for fiscal year (FY) 2020, which is 98 percent of the district total and the highest in the nation. The office issued more BRM refunds compared to other post offices because companies located in other states purchased their BRM permits with a Washington, D.C., address. The refund total for this account is 46 percent of the unit’s year-end total revenue of about $2 million for Washington, D.C. MOW. In addition, we identified several months with little or no refund activity. The objective of this audit was to determine whether postage affixed BRM refunds were properly issued, supported, and processed at the Washington, D.C., MOW.

The Postal Service is required to maintain a safe and healthy environment for both employees and customers in accordance with its internal policies and procedures and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety laws. Our objective was to determine if Postal Service management is adhering to building maintenance, security and safety standards, and employee working condition requirements at post offices.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has appropriated over $3.5 trillion to address the public health and economic crises. Given the changing nature of the pandemic and the federal government’s response, we re-visited our original top management challenges to ensure that the PRAC is providing timely information to Congress and the new Administration about the response efforts. The following four challenges have been added: Preventing and Detecting Fraud against Government Programs; Informing and Protecting the Public from Pandemic-Related Fraud; Data Transparency and Completeness; and Federal Workforce SafetyProject Type: Management Challenges

A previous Office of Inspector General (OIG) audit found that a State Medicaid agency had improperly paid capitation payments on behalf of beneficiaries with concurrent eligibility in another State. We conducted a similar audit of Illinois' Medicaid program.Our objective was to determine whether Illinois made capitation payments on behalf of Medicaid beneficiaries who were residing and enrolled in Medicaid in another State.

During our Integrity of the U.S. Postal Service’s Social Media Presence audit, we found indications of availability issues associated with the National Change of Address (NCOA) database and its related applications. We identified several social media complaints and reports in national news concerning issues submitting and processing change of address requests. Although these issues were outside the scope of the audit, they could potentially affect millions of customers and, therefore, require immediate attention. The purpose of this alert is to bring this issue to your attention and make recommendations for corrective action.

Based on our review of 45 judgmentally sampled awards (15 non-competitive grants and 30 other than full and open competition [OTFOC] contracts), we found DHS complied with applicable laws and regulations. DHS officials supported award decisions with the required planning, market research, justification, and approval documentation to ensure effective stewardship of taxpayer dollars. However, we determined the Department’s report was inaccurate because DHS did not sufficiently identify, review, and validate award information. Although we worked with DHS officials to ensure we had an accurate population for our testing purposes, inaccurate data in the report could hinder our ability to assess DHS’ compliance with applicable laws and regulations in future reporting submissions. We made two recommendations to help improve DHS’ procedures and ensure future reporting submissions are accurate. The Department concurred with the two recommendations.

The Postal Service operates about 1,200 elevators at over 500 facilities, which includes passenger and freight elevators of various types and sizes. In November 2015, the Postal Service established the Elevator Modernization Program (EMP) to refurbish, upgrade, and modernize elevators at its facilities. The intent of the program was to improve elevator reliability for mail processing operations and ensure passenger elevators meet industry standards in terms of safety, reliability, performance, and aesthetics. Since January 2016, the EMP modernized 121 elevators at 53 facilities and expended about $146 million in capital commitments. Our objective was to determine whether the U.S. Postal Service is managing its elevator modernization program to minimize equipment downtime and the cost of repairs.

In August 2020, U.S. Representative Bobby Rush, 1st Congressional District of Illinois, requested that we conduct an investigation after he received over 600 complaints regarding inadequate mail delivery for customers serviced by four stations in the Chicago District. The Postal Service stations included Auburn Park, Henry McGee, Ashburn, and James E. Worsham. Congressman Rush stated that constituents reported they had not received their mail for up to four weeks and received unsatisfactory service at the retail counter. Our objective was to evaluate mail delivery and customer service issues at the Auburn Park, Henry McGee, Ashburn, and James E. Worsham Stations.

EAC OIG, through the independent public accounting firm of McBride, Lock, & Associates, LLC, audited $4.5 million in funds received by the Arkansas Secretary of State under the Help America Vote Act. The objectives of the audit were to determine whether the Office: 1) used funds for authorized purposes in accordance with Section 101 of HAVA and other applicable requirements; 2) properly accounted for and controlled property purchased with HAVA payments; and 3) used the funds in a manner consistent with the budget plan provided to EAC.

What We Looked AtThis report presents the results of our quality control review (QCR) of Allmond & Company, LLC’s management letter regarding the audit it conducted, under contract with us, of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) financial statements for fiscal years 2020 and 2019. In addition to its audit report on NTSB’s financial statements, Allmond issued a management letter that discusses internal control matters that it was not required to include in its audit report. What We FoundOur QCR of the management letter disclosed no instances in which Allmond did not comply, in all material respects, with generally accepted Government auditing standards. RecommendationsAllmond made eight recommendations in its management letter. NTSB concurred with all eight recommendations.

We reviewed the Forest Service’s Performance Summary for fiscal year 2020 to be submitted to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to determine whether the alternative report met the criteria established in the ONDCP Circular.

This report offers DHS OIG’s initial observations on the PACR and HARP programs based on our March 2020 visit to the El Paso, Texas area and analysis of data and information provided by CBP and USCIS headquarters. We determined that CBP rapidly implemented the pilot programs and expanded them without a full evaluation of the pilots’ effectiveness. Additionally, we determined there are potential challenges with the PACR and HARP programs related to how aliens are held and provided access to counsel and representation, and how CBP and USCIS assign staff to program duties and track aliens in the various agency systems. We made six recommendations to improve PACR and HARP program implementation. DHS did not concur with five of the six recommendations, stating that lawsuits and the COVID-19 pandemic had, in effect, ended the programs. We reviewed evidence provided by CBP and concluded the lawsuits themselves did not terminate the PACR and HARP pilot programs. Therefore, the recommendations remain open and unresolved. If the programs resume, we plan to resume actual or virtual site visits and issue a report detailing DHS’ full implementation of the PACR and HARP pilot programs.