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Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program: Improvements Needed in Controls over Reporting Deposits and Expenditures

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To help combat fraud and abuse in health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, Congress enacted the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) program as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). HIPAA requires that the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Justice (DOJ) issue a joint annual report to Congress on amounts deposited to and app… more
Date: May 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Whistleblowers: Incomplete Data Hinders IRS's Ability to Manage Claim Processing Time and Enhance External Communication

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 expanded the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) whistleblower program, increasing rewards for submitting information on others' tax underpayments to up to 30 percent of collected proceeds. The expanded program targets tax underpayments over $2 million and could reduce the gap between taxes owed and taxes paid. IRS's Whistleblower Office has received over 1,300 su… more
Date: August 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicaid: Prototype Formula Would Provide Automatic, Targeted Assistance to States during Economic Downturns

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In response to the recession of 2007, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). Recovery Act funds provided states with fiscal relief and helped to maintain state Medicaid programs through a temporary increase to the federal share of Medicaid funding-the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)-from October 2008 through December 2010. In March 2011, GAO repor… more
Date: November 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Tax Collection: Potential for Using Passport Issuance to Increase Collection of Unpaid Taxes

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as of the end of fiscal year 2010, the balance of reported unpaid federal taxes was about $330 billion. Given the many challenges that IRS faces, the enforcement of the tax laws and the tax code is on GAO's list of high-risk areas. GAO was asked to (1) determine, to the extent possible, the magnitude of known unpaid federal taxes for individuals who were … more
Date: March 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: IRS's Fiscal Years 2011 and 2010 Financial Statements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In accordance with authority granted by the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, GAO annually audits the financial statements of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to determine whether (1) the financial statements are fairly presented and (2) IRS management maintained effective internal control over financial reporting. GAO also tests IRS's compliance with selected provisions of significant laws and re… more
Date: November 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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401(K) Plans: Certain Investment Options and Practices That May Restrict Withdrawals Not Widely Understood

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "401(k) plan sponsors are responsible for offering an array of appropriate investment options, and participants are responsible for directing their investments among those options. While participants expect to be able to switch investment options or withdraw money from their accounts, during the recent economic downturn, some 401(k) plan sponsors and participants found that they were restricted from doin… more
Date: March 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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National Institutes of Health: Employment and Other Impacts Reported by NIH Recovery Act Grantees

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 $8.2 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to be used to support additional scientific research-including extramural grants at universities and other research institutions. In 2009, the Acting Director of NIH testified that each extramural grant awarded with Recovery Act funding had the potential of suppo… more
Date: November 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Waste: DOE Needs a Comprehensive Strategy and Guidance on Computer Models that Support Environmental Cleanup Decisions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) is responsible for one of the world's largest cleanup programs: treatment and disposal of radioactive and hazardous waste created as a by-product of nuclear weapons production and energy research at sites across the country, such as EM's Hanford Site in Washington State and the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina. Computer … more
Date: February 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of Education: Improved Oversight and Controls Could Help Education Better Respond to Evolving Priorities

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Department of Education (Education) manages one of the largest discretionary appropriations of any federal agency, and plays a key role in supporting efforts to meet the nation's education goals. While Education managed a discretionary appropriation of over $160 billion in fiscal year 2009 and was responsible for administering about 200 grant programs, it has the smallest workforce of any cabin… more
Date: February 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance: Retirement Benefit and Retained Asset Account Disclosures Could Be Improved

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance program (FEGLI), administered by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), insures over 4 million federal employees and annuitants in the event of an enrollee's death. As a result, it is important that the program is clearly explained and properly overseen. However, some aspects of FEGLI, such as program disclosures and the use of retained asset accounts (RAA)… more
Date: November 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Personnel: DOD Addressing Challenges in Iraq and Afghanistan but Opportunities Exist to Enhance the Planning Process for Army Medical Personnel Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, military medical personnel are among the first to arrive and the last to leave. Sustained U.S. involvement in these operations has placed stresses on the Department of Defense's (DOD) medical personnel. As the U.S. military role in Iraq and Afghanistan changes, the Army must adapt the number and mix of medical personnel it deploys. In response to Congress'… more
Date: February 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Transportation Worker Identification Credential: Internal Control Weaknesses Need to Be Corrected to Help Achieve Security Objectives

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard manage the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, which requires maritime workers to complete background checks and obtain a biometric identification card to gain unescorted access to secure areas of regulated maritime facilities. As requested, GAO evaluate… more
Date: May 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Intercity Passenger Rail: Recording Clearer Reasons for Awards Decisions Would Improve Otherwise Good Grantmaking Practices

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) appropriated $8 billion for high and conventional speed passenger rail. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), within the Department of Transportation (the department), was responsible for soliciting applications, evaluating them to determine program eligibility and technical merits, and selecting awards, which were announced in Janua… more
Date: March 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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TARP: Treasury's Exit from GM and Chrysler Highlights Competing Goals, and Results of Support to Auto Communities Are Unclear

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since December 2008, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) has committed $62 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funding to General Motors (GM) and Chrysler. Under GAO's mandate to oversee TARP, this report addresses (1) how restructuring with federal assistance has affected GM's and Chrysler's financial condition, (2) what Treasury has done to ensure that it disinvests in GM and Chrysle… more
Date: May 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dodd-Frank Act Regulations: Implementation Could Benefit from Additional Analyses and Coordination

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) requires or authorizes various federal financial regulators to issue hundreds of rules to implement reforms intended to strengthen the financial services industry. GAO is required to annually study financial services regulations. This report examines (1) the regulatory analyses, including cost-benefit analyses, financial regu… more
Date: November 10, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement

Description: This report discusses the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), a free trade agreement that includes nations on both sides of the Pacific. Original members of the TPP were Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore. The United States, Australia, Peru, and Vietnam have committed themselves to joining and expanding this group. This report discusses similar trade partnerships, the importance of Asia to U.S. trade and security interests, and U.S. participation in the TPP.
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Vaughn, Bruce
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The National Intelligence Council: Issues and Options for Congress

Description: The National Intelligence Council (NIC), composed of some 18 senior analysts and national security policy experts, provides the U.S. intelligence community's best judgments on crucial international issues. It is the purpose of this report to describe the statutory provisions that authorize the NIC, provide a brief history of its work, and review its role within the federal government. The report will focus on congressional interaction with the NIC and describe various options for modifying cong… more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Best, Richard A., Jr.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Competition in Federal Contracting: An Overview of the Legal Requirements

Description: This report describes the competition requirements currently governing the procurement activities of federal agencies. It addresses several issues, including what contracts are subject to competition requirements, what constitutes full and open competition for government contracts, and the circumstances permitting agencies to award contracts on the basis of other than full and open competition. It also briefly describes the benefits and drawbacks of competition, situates recent reform efforts w… more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Expenditures

Description: In 1986, the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) was enacted to fund U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE or the Corps) activities related to the routine operation and maintenance (O&M) of harbors, namely the dredging of harbor channels to their authorized depths and widths. Economic and equity issues related to HMT expenditures and collections are the main focus of this report. Before analyzing these issues, the report reviews the legislative history of the tax and legal challenges to it, discusses t… more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Frittelli, John
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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F-35 Alternate Engine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The administration's proposal to terminate the alternate engine program for the F-35 Lightning II fighter is a significant issue for Congress in FY2012, with implications for the defense budget, military capability in the future, and the division of power between Congress and the executive branch. This report discusses these issues.
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Geoengineering: Governance and Technology Policy

Description: This report is intended as a primer on the policy issues, science, and governance of geoengineering technologies. The report will first set the policy parameters under which geoengineering technologies may be considered. It will then describe selected technologies in detail and discuss their status. The third section provides a discussion of possible approaches to governmental involvement in, and oversight of, geoengineering, including a summary of domestic and international instruments and ins… more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Bracmort, Kelsi; Lattanzio, Richard K. & Barbour, Emily C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Criminal Prohibitions on the Publication of Classified Defense Information

Description: The recent online publication of classified defense documents by the organization WikiLeaks and subsequent reporting by the New York Times and other news media have focused attention on whether such publication violates U.S. criminal law. The Justice Department and Department of Defense are investigating the circumstances to determine whether any prosecutions will be undertaken in connection with the disclosure. This report discusses the statutory prohibitions that may be implicated, including … more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Future of the Eurozone and U.S. Interests

Description: Seventeen of the European Union's 27 member states share an economic and monetary union (EMU) with the euro as a single currency. These countries are effectively referred to as the Eurozone. What has become known as the Eurozone crisis began in early 2010 when financial markets were shaken by heightened concerns that the fiscal positions of a number of Eurozone countries, beginning with Greece, were unsustainable. This report provides background information and analysis on the future of the Eur… more
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Ahearn, Raymond J.; Jackson, James K.; Nelson, Rebecca M. & Weiss, Martin A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Obama Administration's Feed the Future Initiative

Description: The primary objectives of this report are to (1) provide a context for the state of food insecurity in the world; (2) provide an overview of the Obama Administration's global hunger and food security initiative, called Feed the Future; and (3) provide an overview of issues that the 112th Congress may consider in relation to agricultural development and global food security.
Date: January 10, 2011
Creator: Ho, Melissa D. & Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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