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Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The Air Force F-22 fighter, also known as the Raptor, is the world's most capable air-to-air combat aircraft. The administration wants to end F-22 procurement at 187 aircraft, and the administration's proposed FY2010 budget does not request funding for the procurement of additional F-22s in FY2010. The administration argues, among other things, that 187 F-22s will be sufficient in conjunction with other U.S. tactical aircraft. The issue of F-22 procurement has emerged as one of the highest-prof… more
Date: July 16, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Peacekeeping/Stabilization and Conflict Transitions: Background and Congressional Action on the Civilian Response/Reserve Corps and other Civilian Stabilization and Reconstruction Capabilities

Description: This report provides background information relating to the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS) in the Office of the Secretary of State. This office was created in mid-2004 as part of the Bush Administration's efforts to develop adequate civilian organizational structures, procedures, and personnel to respond effectively to post-conflict, "stabilization and reconstruction" situations, most especially in Afghanistan and Iran. This report also discusses proposal… more
Date: June 16, 2009
Creator: Serafino, Nina M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Guinea's 2008 Military Coup and Relations with the United States

Description: This report analyzes developments in the Francophone West African country of Guinea since the military's seizure of power in December 2008, Guinea's relations with the United States, and U.S. policy in the wake of the coup. It also provides background on Guinean history and politics.
Date: July 16, 2009
Creator: Arieff, Alexis & Cook, Nicolas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Embassy Construction: Additional Actions Are Needed to Address Contractor Participation

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To provide safe and secure workplaces for overseas posts, the Department of State (State) has built 64 new embassy compounds (NEC) and other facilities since 1999, has 31 ongoing projects, and plans to build at least 90 more. In 2007, State reported the U.S. contractor pool for building NECs had reached its limit and proposed legislation to amend the criteria to qualify for NEC awards. GAO was asked to … more
Date: January 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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National Emergency Grants: Labor Is Instituting Changes to Improve Award Process, but Further Actions Are Required to Expedite Grant Awards and Improve Data

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Labor (Labor) awards national emergency grants to states and local areas to provide assistance to workers who lose their jobs because of major economic dislocations or disasters. Most grants awarded are regular grants to assist workers affected by plant closings or mass layoffs. Questions have been raised about whether grant funds are getting to states and local areas quickly enough. GAO was … more
Date: April 16, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Best Practices: Using Spend Analysis to Help Agencies Take a More Strategic Approach to Procurement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins ""Spend analysis" is a tool that provides knowledge about who are the buyers, who are the suppliers, how much is being spent for what goods and services, and where are the opportunities to leverage buying power. Private sector companies are using spend analysis as a foundation for employing a strategic approach to procurement. Recognizing the potential in government purchasing, GAO examined if the depart… more
Date: September 16, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Project SAFECOM: Key Cross-Agency Emergency Communications Effort Requires Stronger Collaboration

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "One of the five priorities in the President's Management Agenda is the expansion of electronic government (e-government)--the use of Internet applications to enhance access to and delivery of government information and services. Project SAFECOM is one of the 25 initiatives sponsored by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to implement this agenda. Managed by the Department of Homeland Security, the projec… more
Date: April 16, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defined Benefit Plans: Proposed Plan Buyouts by Financial Firms Pose Potential Risks and Benefits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Some U.S. financial and pension consulting firms have recently proposed alternatives to terminating a defined benefit (DB) pension plan and contracting with insurance companies to pay promised benefits. In their proposals, a plan sponsor would typically transfer the assets and liabilities of a hard-frozen DB plan--one in which all participant benefit accruals have ceased--along with additional money, to… more
Date: March 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Security: Efforts to Strengthen International Passenger Prescreening are Under Way, but Planning and Implementation Issues Remain

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Passenger prescreening--a process that includes matching passengers' identifying information against records extracted from the U.S. government terrorist watch list--is one of several security measures in place to help ensure the safety of commercial flights traveling to or from the United States. DHS has several efforts underway to strengthen international aviation passenger prescreening. This report f… more
Date: May 16, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Security: Better Oversight Needed to Ensure That Security Improvements at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Are Fully Implemented and Sustained

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In April 2008, the Department of Energy's (DOE) security inspection at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) found significant weaknesses, particularly in LLNL's protective force's ability to assure the protection of weapons-grade (special) nuclear material. LLNL is overseen by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a separately organized agency within DOE, and managed by a contrac… more
Date: March 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Aviation: Federal Efforts Help Address Safety Challenges in Africa, but Could Benefit from Reassessment and Better Coordination

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The African continent is important to U.S. economic, strategic, and foreign policy interests, and efforts have been made to improve commerce and connectivity to benefit the two regions. However, the continent has the highest aviation accident rate in the world, which has hindered progress. Recognizing the importance of improving aviation safety in Africa, the United States and the international aviation… more
Date: June 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Credit Reporting Literacy: Consumers Understood the Basics but Could Benefit from Targeted Educational Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report responds to a mandate in the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) of 2003 requiring GAO to assess consumers' understanding of credit reporting. The FACT Act, among other things, extended provisions governing the credit reporting system and addressed ongoing concerns about inaccuracies in credit reports. For example, the act expanded access to credit information by entitling c… more
Date: March 16, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Security: Securities and Exchange Commission Needs to Consistently Implement Effective Controls

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In carrying out its mission to ensure that securities markets are fair, orderly, and efficiently maintained, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) relies extensively on computerized systems. Effective information security controls are essential to ensure that SEC's financial and sensitive information is protected from inadvertent or deliberate misuse, disclosure, or destruction. As part of its au… more
Date: March 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Disability: Additional Outreach and Collaboration on Sharing Medical Records Would Improve Wounded Warrior's Access to Benefits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Disability benefits available through the Social Security Administration (SSA) can be an important source of financial support for some wounded warriors, and Congress has mandated that the Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) help them learn about and apply for such benefits. GAO was asked to determine: (1) how many wounded warriors have applied and been approved for SSA benefits and t… more
Date: September 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: Securities and Exchange Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2009 and 2008

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Established in 1934 to enforce the securities laws and protect investors, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the U.S. securities markets. Pursuant to the Accountability of Tax Dollars Act of 2002, SEC is required to prepare and submit to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget audited financial statements. GAO agree… more
Date: November 16, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Security: Risk, Experience, and Customer Concerns Drive Changes to Airline Passenger Screening Procedures, but Evaluation and Documentation of Proposed Changes Could Be Improved

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) most visible layer of commercial aviation security is the screening of airline passengers at airport checkpoints, where travelers and their carry-on items are screened for explosives and other dangerous items by transportation security officers (TSO). Several revisions made to checkpoint screening procedures have been scrutinized and questioned by the t… more
Date: April 16, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: Numerous Federal Networks Used to Support Homeland Security Need to Be Better Coordinated with Key State and Local Information-Sharing Initiatives

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A key challenge in securing our homeland is ensuring that critical information collected by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) is shared in a timely manner with federal, state, and local governments and the private sector. It is important that federal networks and associated systems, applications, and data facilitate this vital information sharing. GAO was aske… more
Date: April 16, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Affairs: Information on U.S. Agencies' Efforts to Address Islamic Extremism

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. government and other experts have reported that Islamic extremism is on the rise and that the spread of Islamic extremism is the pre-eminent threat facing the United States. In addition, various sources alleged that Saudi Arabia is one source that has supported and funded the spread of Islamic extremism globally. GAO was asked to determine (1) what efforts U.S. government agencies are implementing … more
Date: September 16, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Farmer Mac: Some Progress Made, but Greater Attention to Risk Management, Mission, and Corporate Governance Is Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the late 1990s, GAO found that the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac), a federal government-sponsored enterprise, had significant assets in nonmission investments and analyzed its long-term viability. Recently, Congress asked GAO to report on Farmer Mac's (1) financial condition, (2) mission, (3) corporate governance, and (4) oversight provided by the Farm Credit Administration (FCA)."
Date: October 16, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Water Infrastructure: Information on Financing, Capital Planning, and Privatization

Description: A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and water utility industry groups, communities will need as much as $1 trillion during the next 20 years to repair, replace, or upgrade aging drinking water and wastewater facilities; accommodate a growing population; and meet new water quality standards. GAO found that the amount of funds obtained from user charges and other local sources of revenue was … more
Date: August 16, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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IRS' 2000 Tax Filing Season: IRS Measures Show Tax Processing Systems Performed Slightly Better Than in 1999

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the performance of the information systems that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses to process tax returns for individual taxpayers, focusing on: (1) IRS' tax processing systems performance in the 2000 filing season as reported by IRS compared to the 1999 filing season; and (2) whether IRS had taken actions to address problems affecting individual taxpayers… more
Date: June 16, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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EPA Paperwork: Burden Estimate Increasing Despite Reduction Claims

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) paperwork burden, focusing on: (1) the general dimensions of EPA's paperwork requirements and the agency's progress toward reducing the burden that those requirements impose; (2) the process that EPA used to develop paperwork burden-hour estimates for its largest information collections as of September … more
Date: March 16, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Equal Employment Opportunity: SSA Region X's Changes to Its EEO Process Illustrate Need for Agencywide Procedures

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Employees at the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Region X--which covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington--expressed concern about the Region's equal employment opportunity (EEO) process for employment discrimination complaints. GAO was asked to (1) provide information for fiscal years 1997 through 2001 on the composition of the Region X workforce and for personnel actions such as promotions, awards… more
Date: July 16, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans' Benefits: Quality Assurance for Disability Claims and Appeals Processing Can Be Further Improved

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "For fiscal year 2002, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will pay $25 billion in cash disability benefits to 3.3 million disabled veterans and their families. Veterans who are dissatisfied with VA's 57 regional offices' decisions may file appeals with VA's Board of Veteran's Appeals. In about half of such appeals, the Board has either granted the benefits denied or returned the cases to regional offices f… more
Date: August 16, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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