GAO-26-108488 Highlights, COVID-19: Federal Efforts and Stakeholder Views on Expediting the Transportation of Personal Protective Equipment (2026-09-14)
Summary
The highlights page of GAO-26-108488, COVID-19: Federal Efforts and Stakeholder Views on Expediting the Transportation of Personal Protective Equipment, dated September 2026, a report to congressional committees. GAO found that during the pandemic, which it dates March 2020 to May 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Transportation expedited the air transportation of PPE and helped mitigate supply chain challenges: from March through June 2020 FEMA ran Project Airbridge, paying for 437 flights that carried approximately 1.2 billion PPE items, while DOT used selected legal authorities to speed shipments. It notes that COVID-19 killed nearly 1.2 million people in the U.S. as of June 1, 2024.
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“GAO-26-108488 Highlights, COVID-19: Federal Efforts and Stakeholder Views on Expediting the Transportation of Personal Protective Equipment (2026-09-14).”
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COVID-19
Highlights Federal Efforts and Stakeholder Views on Expediting the
Transportation of Personal Protective Equipment
GAO-26-108488 September 2026
A report to congressional committees
Contact: Elizabeth Repko at RepkoE@gao.gov
What GAO Found Why GAO Did This Study
Personal protective equipment (PPE)—such as masks and gloves—helps During the COVID-19 pandemic,
minimize exposure to hazards, including illnesses. In response to the COVID-19 significant challenges, including global
pandemic (March 2020–May 2023), the Federal Emergency Management demand and supply chain issues, made
Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) expedited the it difficult to quickly access PPE. Delays
transportation of PPE by air and helped mitigate supply chain challenges. in the transportation of PPE may have
contributed to the spread of COVID-19,
• FEMA. From March through June 2020, FEMA conducted Project Airbridge, which killed nearly 1.2 million people in
in which FEMA paid for the air transportation of PPE from overseas to the the U.S. as of June 1, 2024.
U.S. to reduce shipment times. FEMA funded 437 flights to transport
Public Law 118-159 includes a
approximately 1.2 billion PPE items, primarily gloves, masks, and gowns.
provision for GAO to review the
• DOT. DOT used selected legal authorities to help expedite the transportation expedited transportation of PPE during
of PPE by air and to provide transportation industry stakeholders with the COVID-19 pandemic. This report
regulatory relief that could have expedited the transportation of PPE. For describes, among other things, (1) how
example, DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration issued exemptions from DOT and other relevant federal
certain regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic to allow certain agencies expedited the transportation of
PPE during the pandemic, including
passenger air carriers to transport cargo in the passenger cabins of aircraft.
using selected legal authorities to do so;
DOT and other federal agencies also coordinated with transportation industry and (2) selected industry stakeholder
stakeholders specifically to mitigate supply chain issues and keep goods moving perspectives on methods used to
during the pandemic, which may have expedited the transportation of PPE. expedite the transportation of PPE
during the COVID-19 pandemic,
Boxes of Personal Protective Equipment Transported in the Passenger Cabin of an including their views on whether an
Aircraft During the COVID-19 Pandemic increased federal role was needed.
GAO reviewed documentation and
interviewed officials from five federal
agencies that played a role in
expediting the transportation of PPE:
DOT, FEMA, Health and Human
Services (HHS), the Department of
Defense, and the Federal Maritime
Commission. GAO also reviewed
relevant statutes, regulations, and
executive orders and analyzed available
data from FEMA and HHS that
described the amount and type of PPE
that these agencies transported during
Stakeholders GAO interviewed shared perspectives on methods to expedite the the COVID-19 pandemic.
transportation of PPE used during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many said that
an increased federal role was unnecessary or could have had negative GAO interviewed a nongeneralizable
consequences. For example, two stakeholders cited the use of “peel piles” to sample of 21 stakeholders representing
designate areas at ports for containers from specific shippers as a method used three groups relevant to the
transportation of PPE: transportation
to expedite goods during the pandemic, including PPE. Many stakeholders said
industries, health care distributors, and
they did not think more federal involvement was needed in expediting the
port authorities. GAO selected these
transportation of PPE during the pandemic, or that increased federal involvement stakeholders based on factors including
could have had negative consequences. For example, stakeholders said that geographic diversity, involvement in
federal involvement in prioritizing a container on a ship could have caused delays federal efforts to expedite the
at ports. Furthermore, several of these stakeholders stated that the private sector transportation of PPE, or market share
and industry partners were better suited to take the lead in expediting the of their respective industry.
transportation of goods through the supply chain.
United States Government Accountability Office
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