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Border Security: Additional Steps Needed to Ensure That Officers Are Fully Trained

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "CBP revised its training program for newly hired CBP officers in accordance with its own training development standards. Consistent with these standards, CBP convened a team of subject-matter experts to identify and rank the tasks that new CBP officers are expected to perform. As a result, the new curriculum was designed to produce a professional law enforcement officer capable of protecting the homelan… more
Date: December 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigration Benefits: Consistent Adherence to DHS's Acquisition Policy Could Help Improve Transformation Program Outcomes

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Each year, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes millions of applications for immigration benefits using a paper-based process. In 2005, USCIS embarked on a major, multiyear program to transform its process to a system that is to incorporate electronic application filing, adjudication, and case management. In 2007, GAO reported that USCIS… more
Date: November 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Debt Limit: Delays Create Debt Management Challenges and Increase Uncertainty in the Treasury Market

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO has prepared this report to assist Congress in identifying and addressing debt management challenges. Since 1995, the statutory debt limit has been increased 12 times to its current level of $14.294 trillion. The Department of the Treasury (Treasury) recently notified Congress that the current debt limit could be reached as early as April 5, 2011, and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projects t… more
Date: February 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Davis-Bacon Act: Methodological Changes Needed to Improve Wage Survey

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Procedures for determining Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates, which must be paid to workers on certain federally funded construction projects, and their vulnerability to the use of inaccurate data have long been an issue for Congress, employers, and workers. In this report, GAO examined (1) the extent to which the Department of Labor (Labor) has addressed concerns regarding the quality of the Davis-Baco… more
Date: March 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Horse Welfare: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since fiscal year 2006, Congress has annually prohibited the use of federal funds to inspect horses destined for food, effectively prohibiting domestic slaughter. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for overseeing the welfare of horses transported for slaughter. Congress directed GAO to examine horse welfare since cessation of domestic slaughter in 2007. GAO examined (1) the effect … more
Date: June 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Incapacitated Adults: Oversight of Federal Fiduciaries and Court-Appointed Guardians Needs Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "If Social Security (SSA), Veterans Affairs (VA), and state courts find that adults are incapacitated, they appoint federal fiduciaries and court-appointed guardians to make decisions on their behalf. Incapacity is often associated with old age, so if these arrangements are not overseen, older adults could be vulnerable to financial exploitation. This report assesses (1) SSA, VA, and state court procedur… more
Date: July 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Prescription Pain Reliever Abuse: Agencies Have Begun Coordinating Education Efforts, but Need to Assess Effectiveness

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Key measures of prescription pain reliever abuse and misuse increased from 2003 to 2009. The largest increases were in measures of adverse health consequences such as emergency department visits, substance abuse treatment admissions, and unintentional overdose deaths, though increases were not consistent across all measures. Federal officials suggested that increasing availability of prescription pain r… more
Date: December 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Emergency Preparedness: Agencies Need Coordinated Guidance on Incorporating Telework into Emergency and Continuity Planning

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "When historic snowstorms forced lengthy closings of federal offices in the National Capital Region in 2010, thousands of employees continued to work from their homes, making clear the potential of telework in mitigating the effects of emergencies. GAO was asked to (1) describe the guidance lead agencies have issued pertaining to the use of telework during emergencies; (2) describe Office of Personnel Ma… more
Date: July 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Justice: Oversight and Better Collaboration Needed for Sexual Assault Investigations and Adjudications

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The crime of sexual assault has serious consequences for both the aggrieved and the accused. The severity of these consequences underscores the importance of impartially administering justice in order to promote accountability and confidence that such allegations are taken seriously. GAO was asked to address the extent to which (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) conducts oversight of the military servi… more
Date: June 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Recovery Act Education Programs: Funding Retained Teachers, but Education Could More Consistently Communicate Stabilization Monitoring Issues

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) provided $70.3 billion for three education programs--the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF); Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Title I); and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B. One goal of the Recovery Act was to save and create jobs, and SFSF also requires states to report informat… more
Date: September 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Hazardous Waste: Early Goals Have Been Met in EPA's Corrective Action Program, but Resource and Technical Challenges Will Constrain Future Progress

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Years of industrial development generated hazardous waste that, when improperly disposed of, poses risks to human health and the environment. To mitigate these risks, Congress passed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA). Subtitle C of RCRA, as amended, requires owners or operators to take corrective actions to clean up contamination at facilities that treat, store, or dispose of haz… more
Date: July 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Internal Revenue Service: Status of GAO Financial Audit and Related Financial Management Report Recommendations

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In its role as the nation's tax collector, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a demanding responsibility to annually collect trillions of dollars in taxes, process hundreds of millions of tax and information returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. Since its first audit of IRS's financial statements in fiscal year 1992, GAO has identified a number of weaknesses in IRS's financial management opera… more
Date: June 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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User Fees: Additional Guidance and Documentation Could Further Strengthen IRS's Biennial Review of Fees

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The President's fiscal year 2012 budget proposal requests $13.6 billion to fund the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), including $204 million in spending funded through user fee collections. Well-designed and well-implemented user fees can reduce taxpayer burden by funding portions of IRS services that provide special benefits to users beyond what is normally provided to the public. As such, GAO was asked … more
Date: November 22, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Algeria: Current Issues

Description: This report examines the current state of Algeria, including the country's associations with terrorism, despite steady decreases of domestic terrorism; the lessening in power of the Algerian military; and growing oil revenues.
Date: February 22, 2011
Creator: Arieff, Alexis
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Duration of Continuing Resolutions in Recent Years

Description: This report provides information on congressional practices with respect to the duration of continuing resolutions, including the use of full-year measures, and focuses particularly on the period covering FY1998-FY2010.
Date: March 22, 2011
Creator: Tollestrup, Jessica
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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United States Fire Administration: An Overview

Description: The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) - which includes the National Fire Academy (NFA) - is currently an entity within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The objective of the USFA is to significantly reduce the nation's loss of life from fire, while also achieving a reduction in property loss and non-fatal injury due to fire. In the 112th Congress, debate over the USFA budget focuses on whether the USFA is receiving sufficient funding to a… more
Date: February 22, 2011
Creator: Kruger, Lennard G.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Japan 2011 Earthquake: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Response

Description: This report discusses the United States' Department of Defense's (DOD) Japan 2011 Earthquake relief efforts, designated "Operation Tomodachi," which is Japanese for "friend." The report includes an overview of the situation, funding for DOD efforts, naval activities, air activities, and a historical overview of U.S. military presence in Japan.
Date: March 22, 2011
Creator: Feickert, Andrew & Chanlett-Avery, Emma
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer

Description: This report discusses section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act (AEA), the specific requirements of which must be met in order for the United States to engage in civilian nuclear cooperation with other states. The AEA also provides for exemptions to these requirements, export control licensing procedures, and criteria for terminating cooperation.
Date: April 22, 2011
Creator: Kerr, Paul K. & Nikitin, Mary Beth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities-Background and Issues for Congress

Description: The report discusses the question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, that has emerged as a key issue in U.S. defense planning. Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, stated in June 2010 that "I have moved from being curious to being genuinely concerned" about China's military programs. The question of how the United States should respond to China's military modernization effort … more
Date: April 22, 2011
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Assistance Programs in China

Description: This report examines U.S. foreign assistance activities in the People's Republic of China (PRC), including U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programming, foreign operations appropriations, policy history, and legislative background. International programs supported by U.S. departments and agencies other than the Department of State and USAID are not covered in this report.
Date: April 22, 2011
Creator: Lum, Thomas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overview of the Federal Debt

Description: The size of current and projected federal deficits and the accumulation of federal debt are central to current congressional deliberations regarding fiscal reforms. This report provides a broad overview of the federal debt, annual budget deficits, and debt service costs. Federal debt is the accumulated sum of unrepaid borrowing by the federal government over time. The total federal debt consists of debt held by the public and intragovernmental debt. Debt owed to the public represents borrowing … more
Date: May 22, 2011
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Panama: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations

Description: This report discusses the current political and economic conditions in the country of Panama, which has made notable political and economic progress since the 1989 U.S. military intervention that ousted the regime of General Manuel Noriega from power. The United States has close relations with Panama, stemming in large part from the extensive linkages developed when the canal was under U.S. control. This report describes the U.S.-Panama relationship at length, including trade relations.
Date: April 22, 2011
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 2003-2010

Description: This report is prepared annually to provide Congress with official, unclassified, quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years for use in its policy oversight functions. All agreement and delivery data in this report for the United States are government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) transactions. Similar data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers by all suppli… more
Date: September 22, 2011
Creator: Grimmett, Richard F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Budget Control Act: Potential Impact of Automatic Spending Reduction Procedures on Health Reform Spending

Description: This report discusses the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25), which established new budget enforcement mechanisms for reducing the federal deficit by at least $2.1 trillion over the 10-year period FY2012-FY2021. The BCA places statutory limits, or caps, on discretionary spending for each of those 10 fiscal years, which will save an estimated $0.9 trillion during that period. In addition, it creates a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Joint Committee), which is instructed t… more
Date: November 22, 2011
Creator: Redhead, C. Stephen
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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