Open Recommendations

We recommend CBP’s Border Security Deployment Program Project Management Office, in collaboration with CBP’s OFO Directors of Field Operations, take immediate action to ensure all land ports of entry have the required privacy protections for hold rooms with lavatory facilities.

We recommend CBP’s Border Security Deployment Program Project Management Office, in collaboration with CBP’s OFO Directors of Field Operations, survey Centralized Area Video Surveillance System operators annually to obtain feedback related to video and audio equipment.

We recommend that CBP’s Office of Field Operations assign responsibility for ensuring STOP Act implementation, including: a. monitoring and resolving advance electronic data quality and quantity issues; b. documenting justifications for advance electronic data waivers; c. providing lists of advance electronic data waivers to International Mail Facilities and implementing routine, alternate screening for mail from countries with advance electronic data waivers; and d. enforcing penalties when the U.S. Postal Service accepts mail without advance electronic data.

We recommend that CBP’s Office of Field Operations establish and implement a process for: a. developing advance electronic data waivers using CBP data to assess a country’s risk eligibility; b. documenting justifications for waiver countries; and c. reporting advance electronic data waivers and justifications to Congress.

We recommend the TSA Assistant Administrator for Policy, Plans, and Engagement, in consultation with interagency partners, such as the Department of Transportation, complete rulemaking that will permanently codify critical cybersecurity requirements for pipelines.

We recommend the TSA Assistant Administrator for Surface Operations develop standard operating procedures and a formal tracking system to ensure consistent tracking and follow-up of the implementation of security directives and eventual regulations.

We recommend the TSA Assistant Administrator for Surface Operations include in TSA’s standard operating procedures developed in response to recommendation 2, a requirement to conduct follow-up inspections that ensure pipeline operators have completed mitigation activities to address cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Develop and implement DOT's zero trust architecture plan for network traffic that cannot be routed through traditional Trusted-Internet Connections (TIC) access points as required by OMB M-19-26, Update to the TIC Initiative.

In coordination with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), complete the pilot and testing of TIC 3.0 use cases and revise FAA policies to reflect requirements in OMB M-19-26, Update to TIC Initiative.

The DCSE should update the Processing Returns and Accounts of the President and Vice President internal guidelines to accurately reflect the process followed from receipt of a Presidential return through assignment and performance of the mandatory examination.

The DCSE should update guidelines to establish time frames for the expeditious handling of the Presidential returns at all phases of the process.

The DCSE should conduct an analysis to determine whether there are opportunities to reduce delays in requesting and getting access to restricted Presidential tax accounts, and implement any corrective actions based on this analysis.

The DCSE should formalize in internal guidelines (1) the criteria to restrict the accounts of the President and Vice President and (2) the process for requesting and gaining access to restricted Presidential accounts.

Ensure the Office of Integrated Veteran Care strengthens controls to monitor the third-party administrators to ensure non-VA providers’ completion of the VA Opioid Safety Initiative training module.

The Under Secretary for Health collaborates with the region 2 third-party administrator to ensure that community care providers submit documentation of care to the Veterans Health Administration including treatments provided specific to opioid risk mitigation (urine drug screening, prescription drug monitoring program checks) and all prescriptions, to include urgently/emergently prescribed opioids and utine/maintenance opioid prescriptions.

The Under Secretary for Health develops and implements action requiring community care network providers to document evidence of application of Opioid Safety Initiative risk mitigation strategies when treating a veteran to whom they have rescribed opioids, and monitor compliance as part of their Community Provider Opioid Prescribing Practice reviews.

The Under Secretary for Health develops and implements action requiring community care network providers to conduct and document completion of state prescription drug monitoring program queries consistent with VHA policy, prior to prescribing controlled substances, regardless of whether the prescriptions are urgent, emergent, routine or maintenance prescriptions and monitor compliance as part of their Community Provider Opioid Prescribing Practice reviews.

The Under Secretary for Health develops and implements a process to oversee compliance of VHA’s medication reconciliation process for patients receiving care in the community who are prescribed opioids to include recording of the prescriptions in the non-VA medication section of the medication profile.

In coordination with the BOP and USMS: (a) evaluate what use-of-force requirements and restrictions should apply to custodial situations, and (b) ensure these requirements are incorporated into DOJ, BOP, and USMS policies.

Evaluate components' determination on the applicability of DOJ's 2021 Restraint and "No Knock" Guidance and 2022 Use-of-Force Policy to task force officers and contractors acting in a law enforcement capacity to ensure that legal and operational risks are adequately mitigated.

Amend policies to clearly instruct employees to delete self-employment income (SEI), rather than transfer it to the Earnings Suspense File (ESF), when the numberholder under whose personal information the earnings were reported disclaims the earnings.

Take appropriate action (for example, conduct additional training, update policy and user guides, send emergency messages) to ensure employees process earnings adjustments in accordance with policy.

Delete all disclaimed SEI for Tax Years 2012 through 2019 that remain in the ESF unless the earnings were reported with a name that clearly differs from that on the earnings record to which they were originally posted.

CMS should pursue one or more payment changes that could further realize savings from biosimilars for Part B and enrollees.

Develop policies and procedures to implement the District of Columbia OIG's expanded law enforcement authority and ensure that Unit investigators receive training on the new authorities.