Federal Reports

Our objective was to evaluate the Postal Service’s performance during the FY 2023 peak mailing season and the implementation of its peak season preparedness plan. We also conducted fieldwork at the Athens S&DC and the Brooklyn PDC to determine if the new facilities had an impact on peak season operations.

We investigated allegations that a retired USPP Sergeant violated ethics regulations by seeking employment with a company while overseeing its work.

Keith Kovaleski, a former Amtrak Assistant Foreman, based in New York, was sentenced to 10 months’ home confinement in U.S District Court, District of New Jersey, on July 12, 2023, for marketing and distributing over $3 million worth of misbranded and unapproved new drugs. On July 11, 2023, his spouse, Sylvia Kovaleski, was also sentenced for her involvement in the scheme to 3 years’ probation. The couple was ordered to forfeit over $3 million as restitution. They pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2022.

What We Looked AtWe performed a quality control review (QCR) on the single audit that Eide Bailly LLP performed for the Riverside County Transportation Commission’s (RCTC) fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021. During this period, RCTC expended approximately $626.8 million from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs. Eide Bailly determined that DOT’s major programs were the Federal Transit Administration’s Federal Transit Cluster and the Federal Highway Administration’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Program. Our QCR objectives were to determine whether (1) the audit work complied with the Single Audit Act of 1984, as amended, the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance, and the extent to which we could rely on the auditor’s work on DOT’s major programs and (2) RCTC’s reporting package complied with the reporting requirements of the Uniform Guidance. What We FoundEide Bailly complied with the requirements of the Single Audit Act, the Uniform Guidance, and DOT’s major programs. We found nothing to indicate that Eide Bailly’s opinion on DOT’s major programs was inappropriate or unreliable. In addition, we did not identify deficiencies in RCTC’s reporting package that required correction and resubmission.

NASA’s Deep Space Network transmits scientific and communications data between dozens of spacecraft and Earth. However, the network is oversubscribed with demand exceeding supply by 40 percent at times. While NASA is upgrading this critical infrastructure, the effort is costing more and taking longer than planned—challenges that could intensify as more “big data” missions like Artemis come online.

What We Looked AtOn March 24, 2015, Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed in the Alps, killing all 150 people on board. The crash was due to deliberate actions by the copilot. According to the final accident report, the copilot started to suffer from severe depression in 2008. In July 2009, and each year thereafter, the aeromedical center continued to renew the copilot's medical certificate. On March 10, 2015, a private physician recommended the copilot receive psychiatric hospital treatment due to a possible psychosis, but no aviation authority was informed. Concerned with issues regarding the impact of pilot mental health on passenger safety, Senator Dianne Feinstein requested that we review procedures and methods the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employs to evaluate the psychological health of airline pilots. Our objectives were to assess FAA's procedures for (1) evaluating the psychological health of airline pilots and (2) mitigating potential threats to aviation safety from pilots with psychological health issues.What We FoundFAA has comprehensive procedures to evaluate pilots' psychological health, which include a framework of policies, guidelines, and collaboration with airlines. FAA's adherence to the procedures resulted in an extensive and structured process to evaluate pilots' psychological health--a key component to help mitigate potential safety risks. However, FAA's ability to mitigate safety risks is limited by pilots' reluctance to disclose mental health conditions. According to FAA and aviation industry organization officials, primary factors that discourage pilots from reporting their mental health conditions are the stigma associated with mental health, potential impact on their careers, and fear of financial hardship. Addressing these barriers is critical for FAA to mitigate potential aviation safety risks.Our RecommendationsFAA concurred with our two recommendations to address FAA's need to encourage pilots with mental health issues to disclose and seek treatment for their conditions. We consider the recommendations resolved but open pending completion of planned actions.