Coast Guard Lacks Clear Guidance for Notifying Congress of Internal Investigations, GAO Finds

A newly released government audit has concluded that the U.S. Coast Guard lacks consistent, documented guidance for proactively informing Congress about internal investigations, particularly when not required by law. The findings come in the wake of the Coast Guard’s failure to notify lawmakers about a series of sexual assault investigations at its academy—dubbed “Operation Fouled Anchor”—until media coverage was imminent in 2023.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, published April 17, 2025, notes that while the Coast Guard has sometimes voluntarily notified Congress of administrative, criminal, or regulatory investigations, these notifications have been made inconsistently and without clear internal standards. Although current Coast Guard policy advises senior leaders to consult with congressional oversight committees on matters deemed “controversial, emergent, and complex national issues,” it fails to define those terms. Furthermore, relevant policies are dispersed across several documents, making them difficult to apply uniformly.

DHS and Coast Guard officials interviewed for the report acknowledged that proactive notifications—those not required by statute—are often handled on a case-by-case basis, relying heavily on personal judgment. While factors such as congressional interest and investigation status are considered, these are not formally documented, leaving room for inconsistent communication with lawmakers. GAO analysts argue that codifying these considerations would help ensure Congress receives timely and relevant updates needed for effective oversight.

The issue came to the forefront following the Coast Guard’s internal probe into over 100 sexual assault allegations from 1990 to 2006 at the Coast Guard Academy. Despite the gravity of the findings, Coast Guard leadership did not inform Congress until June 2023, just before the information became public. This delay raised concerns among lawmakers and led to GAO’s examination of the Coast Guard’s notification practices between 2019 and 2024.

As a result of its review, GAO has recommended that the Coast Guard formally document its internal criteria for notifying Congress of investigations that are not otherwise required by law. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Coast Guard, concurred with the recommendation and confirmed plans to update its guidance accordingly.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report GAO-25-107481, issued April 17, 2025

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