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VA Health Care: Improved Oversight and Compliance Needed for Physician Credentialing and Privileging Processes

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "VA has policies to ensure that physicians have appropriate qualifications and clinical abilities through the processes of credentialing, privileging, and continuous monitoring of performance. Results of a VA investigatory report in 2008 cited deficiencies in the Marion, Illinois, VA medical center's (VAMC) credentialing and privileging processes and oversight of its surgical program. This report examine… more
Date: January 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tanzania: Background and Current Conditions

Description: This report discusses the current political climate in Tanzania, an important U.S. ally in Africa. The report also provides some general background information.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act: Overview and Issues

Description: This report discusses the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), under which members of the uniformed services and U.S. citizens who live abroad are eligible to register and vote absentee in federal elections. The report discusses recent improvements to UOCAVA, necessary as teh result of controversy surrounding ballots received in Florida from absentee voters in the 2000 presidential election. The report also discusses related legislation, such as the National Defense Aut… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Troubled Asset Relief Program: Automaker Pension Funding and Multiple Federal Roles Pose Challenges for the Future

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over $81 billion has been committed under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to improve the domestic auto industry's competitiveness and long-term viability. The bulk of this assistance has gone to General Motors (GM) and Chrysler, who sponsor some of the largest defined benefit pension plans insured by the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). As part of GAO's statutorily mandated … more
Date: April 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Kenya: Current Conditions and the Challenges Ahead

Description: This report discusses the current political conditions of Kenya, which has long been an important ally of the United States. The report focuses particularly on the December 2007 elections, which many international observers have declared as rigged and deeply flawed. The report also discusses violence that erupted once election results were announced, as well as U.S. efforts to urge Kenya toward election reforms.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military and Veterans Disability System: Pilot Has Achieved Some Goals, but Further Planning and Monitoring Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2007, the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) have been testing a new disability evaluation system designed to integrate their separate processes and thereby expedite veterans' benefits for wounded, ill, and injured servicemembers. Having piloted the integrated disability evaluation system (IDES) at 27 military facilities, they are now planning for its expansion military-wide. P… more
Date: December 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Uganda: Current Conditions and the Crisis in North Uganda

Description: This report discusses the current political conditions of Uganda, which have long been ravaged by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), an armed rebel group backed by the government of Sudan. In particular, the report focuses on largely unsuccessful Ugandan efforts to resolve the conflict with the LRA, as well as talks with the U.S. under the Bush Administration and the recent suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, in July 2010.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Africa: U.S. Foreign Assistance Issues

Description: The United States provides assistance to 47 African countries, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has 23 missions in Africa. In recent years, U.S. assistance to Africa saw a major increase, especially in health-related programs. This report provides an overview of U.S. aid to Africa, including the strategic objectives that shape U.S. aid to Africa, information about specific aid programs and initiatives, and the Obama Administration's FY2011 foreign aid budget re… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Dagne, Ted
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legal Protections for Subcontractors on Federal Prime Contracts

Description: This report provides an overview of the payment and other protections for subcontractors on certain federal prime contracts under the Miller Act, the 1988 amendments to the Prompt Payment Act, and the Small Business Act. Congress enacted these statutes to give subcontractors rights and remedies they would not otherwise have because of legal doctrines relating to sovereign immunity, privity of contract, and freedom to contract. The report also discusses legislation introduced in the 111th Congre… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Burma's 2010 Election Campaign: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the November 7, 2010 parliamentary elections in Burma, which have long been controversial, mainly due to election fraud concerns. The report discusses debates about U.S. policy toward Burma, which has been sparked by the elections and the issues surrounding them.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The 2007-2009 Recession: Similarities to and Differences from the Past

Description: According to the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the U.S. economy was in a recession for 18 months from December 2007 to June 2009. It was the longest and deepest recession of the post-World War II era. This report provides information on the patterns found across past recessions since World War II to gauge whether and how this recession might be different.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Labonte, Marc
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cyberspace Policy: Executive Branch Is Making Progress Implementing 2009 Policy Review Recommendations, but Sustained Leadership Is Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To address pervasive computer-based (cyber) attacks against the United States that posed potentially devastating impacts to systems and operations, the federal government has developed policies and strategies intended to combat these threats. A recent key development was in February 2009, when President Obama initiated a review of the government's overall strategy and supporting activities with the aim … more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Inapplicability of Limitations on Subcontracting to "Preference Contracts" for Small Businesses: Washington-Harris Group

Description: This report discusses Washington-Harris Group, a protest filed with the Government Accountability Office (GAO) alleging, among other things, that an agency improperly awarded a "preference contract" to a service-disabled veteran-owned small business that proposed to subcontract a greater percentage of work on the contract than allowed under the Small Business Administration's limitations on subcontracting.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The TANF Emergency Contingency Fund

Description: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 created an Emergency Contingency Fund (ECF) within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant. The fund expired on September 30, 2010. It helped states, Indian tribes, and territories pay for additional costs of providing economic aid to families during the current economic downturn for FY2009 and FY2010. This report describes the TANF ECF as well as proposals offered in 2010 to extend and modify TANF emergency funding.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Falk, Gene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: Strong Leadership Is Key to Planning and Executing Stable Weapon Programs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For several decades, Congress and the Department of Defense (DOD) have explored ways to improve the acquisition of major weapon systems, yet program outcomes and their underlying causes have proven resistant to change. Last year, we reported that the cumulative cost growth in DOD's portfolio of major programs was $296 billion. The opportunity to achieve meaningful improvements may now be at hand with th… more
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Safety: Improved Data Quality and Analysis Capabilities Are Needed as FAA Plans a Risk-Based Approach to Safety Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To improve aviation safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to have in place the initial capabilities of a risk-based approach to safety oversight, known as a safety management system (SMS), by the end of fiscal year 2010. FAA is also implementing new procedures and technologies to enhance the safety, capacity, and efficiency of the national airspace system. Data are central to SMS and F… more
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Next Generation Air Transportation System: FAA and NASA Have Improved Human Factors Research Coordination, but Stronger Leadership Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To address challenges to the aviation industry's economic health and safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is collaborating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other federal partners to plan and implement the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). NextGen will transform the current radar-based air traffic control system into a satellite-based syste… more
Date: August 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: Opportunities Exist to Improve Management of DOD's Electronic Health Record Initiative

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) provides medical care to 9.6 million active duty service members, their families, and other eligible beneficiaries worldwide. DOD's Military Health System has long been engaged in efforts to acquire and deploy an electronic health record system. The latest version of this initiative--the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA)--was expected to give… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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National Institutes of Health: Awarding Process, Awarding Criteria, and Characteristics of Extramural Grants Made with Recovery Act Funding

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) included $10.4 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Of the NIH Recovery Act funding, $8.2 billion was to be used to support additional scientific research and $400 million for comparative effectiveness research, including extramural research at univ… more
Date: August 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Superfund: EPA's Estimated Costs to Remediate Existing Sites Exceed Current Funding Levels, and More Sites Are Expected to Be Added to the National Priorities List

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "At the end of fiscal year 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) included 1,111 of the most seriously contaminated nonfederal hazardous waste sites. Of these sites, EPA had identified 75 with unacceptable human exposure, 164 with unknown exposure, and 872 with controlled exposure that may need additional cleanup work. EPA may fund remedial actions--long-term cle… more
Date: May 6, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Biomass Feedstocks for Biopower: Background and Selected Issues

Description: The production of bioenergy - renewable energy derived from biomass - could potentially increase national energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to rural economic growth. This report provides analyses of commonly discussed biomass feedstocks and their relative potential for power generation. Additional biopower issues - feedstock accessibility, the biomass power plant carbon-neutrality debate, and unintended consequences of legislative activities to promote bioenergy -… more
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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History and Authority of the Joint Economic Committee

Description: This report briefly discusses joint committees, which are composed of members from both the House and the Senate. The work of these committees generally involves conducting studies and overseeing aspects of congressional operations.
Date: December 6, 2010
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Surplus Equipment Disposal: Background Information

Description: This report discusses the Department of Defense (DOD) policy via the Defense Utilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for disposing of government equipment and supplies considered surplus or deemed unnecessary to the agency's currently designated mission. The report focuses on DRMS background, as well as the most recent DRMS policy modifications.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Japan-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the relationship between the United States and Japan, including Japanese efforts to support the U.S. in the wake of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks and the two countries' economic ties, especially with regards to the recent economic downturn. This report also discusses the general political atmosphere of Japan, including the recent and ongoing political turmoil in Tokyo.
Date: October 6, 2010
Creator: Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Cooper, William H. & Manyin, Mark E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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