Government Accountability Office
Telecommunications Workforce: Additional Workers Will Be Needed to Deploy Broadband, but Concerns Exist About Availability
Recent legislation included big increases in federal funding for the deployment of broadband, which is increasingly critical to daily life, but unavailable in some areas. Our analysis found that thousands more skilled workers will be needed to deploy broadband and 5G funded by recent federal programs. If this work is spread over 10 years, the funding would support about 23,000 additional workers at its peak. A shorter timespan could require even more of them. We found mixed evidence on whether there's a shortage of these workers.
The VA used supplemental COVID funding from three different bills to support expanded telehealth services and remote operations during the worst of the pandemic.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) received approximately $36.70 billion in supplemental funding outside of its annual appropriation from three COVID-19 relief laws between 2020 and 2021: the CARES Act; the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA); and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). As of August 23, 2022, VA had obligated approximately 99 percent of its funds from the CARES Act and FFCRA and 56.9 percent of funds from ARPA.
USDA Should Set ReConnect Program Performance Goals and Improve Fraud Risk Management
Since 2019, the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) ReConnect program has awarded millions of dollars in grants and loans to broadband providers for expanding service in rural areas. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) makes three recommendations to USDA on how to improve the ReConnect Program:
Additional Federal Coordination Is Needed to Enhance K-12 Cybersecurity (Government Accountability Office)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Mon, 10/24/2022 - 12:35Tracking the Funds: Specific Fiscal Year 2022 Provisions for U.S. Department of Agriculture (Government Accountability Office)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Tue, 10/04/2022 - 13:20Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program (Government Accountability Office)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Thu, 09/29/2022 - 13:36Public Health Emergencies: Data Management Challenges Impact National Response (Government Accountability Office)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Mon, 09/26/2022 - 17:13Report: Actions Needed to Strengthen Oversight and Help Providers Educate Patients on Privacy and Security Risks (Government Accountability Office)
Submitted by dclay@benton.org on Mon, 09/26/2022 - 14:38Broadband Needs of Rural Small Businesses and Federal Programs to Support Them
In a 2021 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that some small businesses lack access to broadband, but may benefit from federal programs that fund deployment in rural areas. Small businesses can likely reap the benefits of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) and the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) funding to expand broadband deployment.