The Treasury Department had 28 priority recommendations still open as of June 2026 after implementing four since the Government Accountability Office's previous annual letter, the watchdog reported.
GAO uses the priority label for recommendations that could save substantial money, improve major decisions, reduce fraud or mismanagement, or address a government-wide high-risk or duplication problem.
In August 2025, auditors counted 32 priority recommendations for Treasury. Closing four reduced the backlog, but implementation is measured by verified action rather than an agency announcement or plan.
GAO grouped the remaining work into three areas: reducing fraud and improper payments; strengthening cybersecurity and information privacy; and improving federal financial management.
The letter specifically points to recovery of overpaid COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance funds, cyber-risk coordination involving Treasury and the financial sector, and more complete and reliable federal financial information.
The 28 items are not 28 findings issued in June. They are open recommendations accumulated through prior audits and elevated for department leadership because GAO judges them especially consequential.
Nor does an open recommendation mean Treasury has done nothing. Agencies can have work underway; GAO keeps an item open until it determines that completed steps address the underlying recommendation.
The report does not attach a single dollar estimate to the entire backlog. Potential benefits differ by item and may include avoided losses, better controls, faster recovery or more reliable decision-making rather than cash savings alone.
The next measurable change will be the number of recommendations GAO verifies as implemented and the evidence behind those closures, particularly in the three areas it identified for timely attention.