DOD's Delays on GAO Reports: A Growing Concern for Federal Oversight
The Government Accountability Office's (GAO) third semiannual report on the Department of Defense's (DOD) review processes reveals a concerning trend of growing delays in DOD replies to GAO reports. The study, which covers the period from November 12, 2023 to May 10, 2024, demonstrates that the DOD frequently misses the 30-day deadline for submitting agency comments, sensitivity reviews, and security reviews, often by substantial margins. These delays have far-reaching ramifications for federal monitoring, decision-making, and timely transmission of critical information.
According to the report, the DOD went over the 30-day deadline for submitting agency comments on 51% of the reports, sensitivity reviews on 65% of the reports, and security reviews on 50%. The DOD took an average of 36 days to submit agency opinions, 41 days to complete sensitivity reviews, and 44 days to complete security reviews. In the most extreme circumstances, delays might last up to 115 days for agency comments, 82 days for sensitivity reviews, and 132 days for security reviews. These figures reveal a systematic problem with the DOD's review systems that has worsened over time.
The effects of these delays are far-reaching. The GAO's findings are crucial for informing Congress and the public about key issues in the federal government, directing policy decisions, and ensuring accountability. When the DOD fails to meet its review deadlines, the GAO's capacity to provide timely reports suffers, affecting congressional and public conversation on critical issues. This delay in information flow can result in postponed decisions, incorrect policymaking, and a general loss of trust in the government's capacity to administer and oversee its operations effectively.
The GAO report also identifies a worrying trend: the DOD's promptness in releasing agency comments and sensitivity/security reviews has generally diminished over subsequent review periods. This pattern implies that the problem is not limited to a few incidents, but rather is indicative of a larger, ongoing issue with the DOD's review process. If this tendency continues, it may result in even longer delays in the future, aggravating the issues faced by federal oversight agencies such as the GAO.
Furthermore, the DOD's persistent failure to meet extended deadlines—granted in nearly half of the cases—shows the gravity of the problem. Even when the GAO granted extensions, the DOD failed to fulfill the revised deadlines in 45% of agency comment cases and 46% of sensitivity/security review cases. This failing to meet even extended deadlines reveals deep-seated inefficiencies and a lack of urgency in the DOD's review process, which could have major ramifications for federal accountability and openness.