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Weapons Acquisition Reform: Actions Needed to Address Systems Engineering and Developmental Testing Challenges

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For the past 2 years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has been implementing the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act (Reform Act) requirements for systems engineering and developmental testing. These activities are important to DOD's ability to control acquisition costs, which increased by $135 billion over the past 2 years for 98 major defense acquisition programs. GAO was asked to determine (1) DOD's… more
Date: September 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International School Feeding: USDA's Oversight of the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program Needs Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (MGD Program) provides donations of U.S. agricultural products and financial and technical assistance for school feeding programs in the developing world. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with about $200 million in funding in fiscal year 2010, the MGD Program served about 5 million beneficiaries in 28 c… more
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Child Care: Overview of Relevant Employment Laws and Cases of Sex Offenders at Child Care Facilities

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Very little is known about sexual abuse among children that are regularly cared for by more than 1.3 million child care providers every week in the United States. In this context, GAO was asked to (1) provide an overview of federal and state laws related to the employment of sex offenders at child care facilities and (2) examine cases where individuals who were convicted of serious sexual offenses were … more
Date: August 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Space Research: Content and Coordination of Space Science and Technology Strategy Need to Be More Robust

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Each year, the United States spends billions of dollars on space-based systems to support national security activities. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 requires the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to develop and issue a space science and technology (S&T) strategy every 2 years addressing S&T goals and a process for achieving these g… more
Date: July 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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VA Community Living Centers: Actions Needed to Better Manage Risks to Veterans' Quality of Life and Care

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) annually provides care to more than 46,000 elderly and disabled veterans in 132 VA-operated nursing homes, called community living centers (CLC). After media reports of problems with the care delivered to veterans in CLCs, VA contracted with the Long Term Care Institute, Inc. (LTCI), a nonprofit organization that surveys nursing homes, to conduct in-depth reviews … more
Date: October 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Excess Facilities: DOD Needs More Complete Information and a Strategy to Guide Its Future Disposal Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO has designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) management of support infrastructure as a high risk area, in part because of challenges in reducing excess infrastructure. Operating and maintaining excess facilities consumes resources that could be eliminated from DOD's budget or used for other purposes. In response to direction in House Report 111-491, GAO reviewed DOD's (1) progress toward meeting… more
Date: September 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Banking Regulation: Enhanced Guidance on Commercial Real Estate Risks Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, commercial real estate (CRE) loan delinquencies have more than doubled. The federal banking regulators have issued statements and guidance encouraging banks to continue lending to creditworthy borrowers and explaining how banks can work with troubled borrowers. However, some banks have stated that examiners' treatment of CRE loans has hampered their abili… more
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Reporting: IRS Could Improve Cost Basis and Transaction Settlement Reporting Implementation

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Effective implementation of two 2008 laws by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) could increase taxpayers' voluntary compliance. Those laws require reporting to IRS and taxpayers of cost basis for sales of certain securities and of transaction settlement information (i.e., merchants' income from payment cards or third party networks). In response to a congressional request, GAO (1) assessed IRS's impleme… more
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Haiti Reconstruction: U.S. Efforts Have Begun, Expanded Oversight Still to Be Implemented

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On January 12, 2010, an earthquake in Haiti killed an estimated 230,000 people, displaced about 2 million more, and exacerbated longstanding challenges. In July 2010, Congress appropriated more than $1.14 billion in supplemental funds for reconstruction assistance, most of which was provided to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State (State). In April 2010, the … more
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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VA and DOD Health Care: First Federal Health Care Center Established, but Implementation Concerns Need to Be Addressed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010 authorized the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DOD) to establish a 5-year demonstration project to integrate VA and DOD medical care into a first-of-its- kind Federal Health Care Center (FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois. Expectations for the FHCC are outlined in an Executive Agreement signed by VA and DOD in April 2010.… more
Date: July 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bankruptcy: Complex Financial Institutions and International Coordination Pose Challenges

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) created the Orderly Liquidation Authority (OLA) that can be used to resolve failed systemically important financial institutions. However, questions continued to be raised about the effectiveness of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (Code) and current mechanisms for international coordination in bankruptcy cases. The Dodd-Frank Act r… more
Date: July 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Data Center Consolidation: Agencies Need to Complete Inventories and Plans to Achieve Expected Savings

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over time, the federal government's demand for information technology has led to a dramatic rise in the number of federal data centers and an increase in operational costs. Recognizing this increase, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has launched a governmentwide initiative to consolidate data centers. GAO was asked to (1) assess whether agency consolidation documents include adequate detail for… more
Date: July 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Why Certain Trade Agreements Are Approved as Congressional-Executive Agreements Rather Than as Treaties

Description: U.S. trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), World Trade Organization agreements, and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) have been approved by majority vote of each house rather than by two-thirds vote of the Senate - that is, they have been treated as congressional-executive agreements rather than as treaties. The congressional-executive agreement has been the vehicle for implementing Congress's long-standing policy of seeking trade benefits for the United… more
Date: January 19, 2011
Creator: Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Reserve Bank Governance: Opportunities Exist to Broaden Director Recruitment Efforts and Increase Transparency

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Events surrounding the 2007 financial crisis raised questions about the governance of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks (Reserve Banks), particularly the boards of directors' roles in activities related to supervision and regulation. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act required GAO to review the governance of the Reserve Banks. This report (1) analyzes the level of diversity on the … more
Date: October 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: Actions Needed to Improve Response to Potential Terrorist Attacks and Natural Disasters Affecting Food and Agriculture

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) -9 in 2004 to establish a national policy to defend the food and agriculture systems against terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergencies. HSPD-9 assigns various emergency response and recovery responsibilities to the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Health and Human Services (HHS), Homeland Security (DHS), and others. I… more
Date: August 19, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Workforce: Characteristics and Trends

Description: This report describes the characteristics and trends of the United States federal government workforce, which many consider to reflect the gender, racial, and ethnic diversity of the country as a whole.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Copeland, Curtis W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Kuwait: Security, Reform, and U.S. Policy

Description: Kuwait, which has been pivotal to nearly two decades of U.S. involvement in Iraq, has advanced its democratic development since the fall of Saddam Hussein. However, it remains mired in internal wrangling over economic issues and the political dominance of the ruling family, and it is showing signs of Sunni-Shiite tensions previously absent. This report, prepared with the assistance of Kim Klarman, will be updated.
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights

Description: Iraq's political transition from the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein to a plural polity that encompasses varying sects and ideological and political factions has been accomplished through a series of elections that began in 2005. However, disputes regarding various communities' claims on power and economic resources has contributed to popular frustration and continued political unrest. This report discusses these issues.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Congressional Oversight Manual

Description: Throughout its history, Congress has engaged in oversight of the executive branch - the review, monitoring, and supervision of the implementation of public policy. The first several Congresses inaugurated such important oversight techniques as special investigations, reporting requirements, resolutions of inquiry, and use of the appropriations process to review executive activity. Contemporary developments, moreover, have increased the legislature's capacity and capabilities to check on and ch… more
Date: May 19, 2011
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.; Oleszek, Walter J. & Tatelman, Todd B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and Its Role in U.S. Trade Policy

Description: This report looks at the background of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which was created by Congress. It then discusses how the 112th Congress is considering legislative action to extend the TAA - including two issues: how necessary or appropriate the extension is, and whether or not three proposed bills should be voted upon separately.
Date: July 19, 2011
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F. & Rover, Laine Elise
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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International Monetary Fund: Background and Issues for Congress

Description: This report evaluates the purpose, membership, financing, and focus of the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) activities. It also discusses the role of Congress in shaping U.S. policy at the IMF and concludes by addressing key issues, both legislative and oversight-related, that Congress may wish to consider, including: the role of the IMF as a lender of last resort; the adequacy of IMF resources; and the effectiveness of IMF surveillance.
Date: September 19, 2011
Creator: Weiss, Martin A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Corps of Engineers Water Resource Projects: Authorization and Appropriations

Description: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers attracts congressional attention because its projects can have significant local and regional economic benefits and environmental effects, in addition to their water resource development purposes. This report provides an overview of the Corps civil works program. It covers the congressional authorization and appropriation process, the standard project development process, and other Corps activities and authorities. It also includes an Appendix on the evolution o… more
Date: August 19, 2011
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Davis v. United States: Retroactivity and the Good-Faith Exception to the Exclusionary Rule

Description: This report covers the legal causes and implications of Davis v. United States. The Supreme Court will consider whether evidence that was seized in violation of the defendant’s Fourth Amendment rights is admissible at trial because the police seized the evidence in good-faith reliance on then-controlling case law.
Date: April 19, 2011
Creator: Barbour, Emily C.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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