New Audit Announcements

Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) received $25 billion to help the Nation’s public transit agencies mitigate the impacts of COVID-19. As of January 2023, FTA obligated over $5 billion in CARES Act funds to its Region 9 recipients. FTA has an immense responsibility to ensure these funds are expended as intended and as effectively as possible.

 

Though FTA has made enhancements to expand oversight reviews of their COVID-19 relief funding recipients, the Agency and our office have found risks associated with these activities. Further, our past reports and correspondence to the Secretary identified FTA’s oversight of contract and grant expenditures—including CARES Act funds—as a major challenge. Given our previous findings and the magnitude of taxpayer funds at risk, we are initiating this audit. Our objective will be to assess FTA’s oversight of its Region 9 recipients’ compliance with CARES Act funding requirements.