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Securities and Exchange Commission: Action Needed to Improve Rating Agency Registration Program and Performance-Related Disclosures

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2006, Congress passed the Credit Rating Agency Reform Act (Act), which intended to improve credit ratings by fostering accountability, transparency, and competition. The Act established Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversight over Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (NRSRO), which are credit rating agencies that are registered with SEC. The Act requires GAO to review the… more
Date: September 22, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: The term Deepwater refers to a collection of more than a dozen Coast Guard acquisition programs for replacing and modernizing the service's aging fleet of deepwater-capable ships and aircraft. Currently, there are plans to increase and enhance the Coast Guard's fleet through the Deepwater acquisition program. This report details the Coast Guard's budget requests and explains how the Coast Guard has improved its organization and management over the past several years.
Date: October 22, 2010
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coast Guard: Condition of Some Aids-to-Navigation and Domestic Icebreaking Vessels Has Declined; Effect on Mission Performance Appears Mixed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The marine transportation system is a critical part of the nation's infrastructure. To facilitate the safety and efficiency of this system, the Coast Guard maintains aids-to-navigation (ATON), such as buoys and beacons, and conducts domestic icebreaking in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and northeast coast. To conduct these missions, the Coast Guard has a fleet of more than 200 vessels, ranging f… more
Date: September 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Logistics: Several Factors Limited the Production and Installation of Army Truck Armor during Current Wartime Operations

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In April 2005, GAO reported on factors affecting the timely production of up-armored high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWV) and add-on armor kits for HMMWVs, as well as other items critically needed by deployed forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Due to high interest by Congress and the public regarding vehicle armor, GAO initiated this subsequent engagement to examine issues affecting … more
Date: March 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: Key Unresolved Issues Justify Reevaluation of Border Surveillance Technology Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September 2004, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established America's Shield Initiative (ASI)--a program that included a system of sensors, cameras, and databases formerly known as the Integrated Surveillance Intelligence System (ISIS)--to detect, characterize, and deter illegal breaches to the northern and southern U.S. borders. The goals of the ASI program were to address ISIS capability … more
Date: February 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Research: Information on International Science and Technology Agreements

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 U.S. government's international science and technology (S&T) agreements that support and encourage international cooperation in research and development, focusing on the: (1) number of international S&T agreements active during fiscal year (FY) 1997; and (2) number of these agreements that resulted in research projects or other activities."
Date: April 22, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Park Service: Agency Is Not Meeting Its Structural Fire Safety Responsibilities

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Park Service's (NPS) structural fire safety efforts, focusing on: (1) whether national parks are effectively addressing their structural fire safety responsibilities and if not, what are the main reasons; and (2) what improvements, if any, are under way to address identified problems."
Date: May 22, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Embassy Construction: Better Long-term Planning Will Enhance Program Decision-making

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The State Department has determined that about 80 percent of overseas U.S. diplomatic facilities lack adequate security and may be vulnerable to terrorist attack. In September 1998, State expanded its capital construction program to accelerate replacing its most vulnerable embassies and consulates by acquiring sites and preparing plans at 10 priority locations. This report summarizes (1) the status of the 10 p… more
Date: January 22, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting 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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Military Personnel: Reporting Additional Servicemember Demographics Could Enhance Congressional Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The high pace of military operations, thousands of casualties in ongoing military operations, and the services' recruiting challenges have raised questions about who is serving in today's military and concern that certain subgroups of the U.S. population may be disproportionately represented among those fighting and dying in support of the war on terrorism. These challenges and concerns have increased t… more
Date: September 22, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Contract Management: Further Efforts Needed to Sustain VA's Progress in Purchasing Medical Products and Services

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides healthcare to millions of veterans at VA's medical centers and healthcare facilities across the country. To support veterans, VA manages a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program and a national contract program. Both use VA's sizeable buying power to provide VA and other federal agencies discounts on medical products and services. To cover its costs in running the… more
Date: June 22, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting 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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Border Security: State Department Should Plan for Potentially Significant Staffing and Facilities Shortfalls Caused by Changes in the Visa Waiver Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), citizens from 27 countries can travel to the United States visa free. Terrorism concerns involving VWP country citizens have led some to suggest eliminating or suspending the program, while the executive branch is considering adding countries to it. Legislation passed in 2007 led the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop its Electronic System for Travel Au… more
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Skilled Nursing Facilities: Services Excluded From Medicare's Daily Rate Need to be Reevaluated

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress and the Health Care Financing Administration recognized that certain services needed to be excluded from the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) rate to help ensure beneficiary access to appropriate care and to financially protect the SNFs that take care of high-cost patients. The criteria used to identify services--high cost, infrequently provided during a SNF stay and lik… more
Date: August 22, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Security: Registered Traveler Program Policy and Implementation Issues

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The aviation industry and business traveler groups have proposed the registered traveler concept as a way to reduce long waits in airport security lines caused by heightened security screening measures implemented after the September 11 terrorist attacks. In addition, aviation security experts have advocated this concept as a way to better target security resources to those travelers who might pose greater sec… more
Date: November 22, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community Program: Improvements Occurred in Communities, but the Effect of the Program Is Unclear

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) program is one of the most recent large-scale federal effort intended to revitalize impoverished urban and rural communities. There have been three rounds of EZs and two rounds of ECs, all of which are scheduled to end no later than December 2009. The Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 mandated that GAO audit and report in 2004, 2007, and 2010 on t… more
Date: September 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High-Risk Series: An Update

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government is the world's largest and most complex entity, with about $3 trillion in outlays in fiscal year 2008 funding a broad array of programs and operations. GAO's biennial reports on high-risk areas, done since 1990, are meant to bring focus to specific areas needing added attention. Areas are identified, in some cases, as high risk due to their greater vulnerabilities to fraud, waste,… more
Date: January 22, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wildlife Refuges: Changes in Funding, Staffing, and Other Factors Create Concerns about Future Sustainability

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Wildlife Refuge System, which is administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Department of the Interior, comprises 585 refuges on more than 96 million acres of land and water that preserve habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and other wildlife. Refuges also provide wildlife-related activities such as hunting and fishing to nearly 40 m… more
Date: September 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOD Business Systems Modernization: Long-Standing Weaknesses in Enterprise Architecture Development Need to Be Addressed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to develop, by September 2005, a well-defined business enterprise architecture (BEA) and a transition plan. GAO has made numerous recommendations to assist the department in successfully doing so. As part of ongoing monitoring of the architecture, GAO assessed whether the department had … more
Date: July 22, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Management: Improvements Needed in National Flood Insurance Program's Financial Controls and Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Due to the federal government's role as guarantor, floods impose an enormous potential financial burden on the federal government. Consequently, decision makers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Congress need accurate and timely financial information to assess the effectiveness of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This report… more
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Contract Management: Service Contract Approach to Aircraft Simulator Training Has Room for Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Air Force has turned to service contracts for the F-15C, F-16, Airborne Warning and Control System, and F-15E, and the Army has done the same for helicopter simulator training at its Flight School XXI. The contractors own, operate, and maintain the simulator hardware and software. The military services rely on industry to capitalize the required up-front investment, with the understanding that the c… more
Date: September 22, 2006
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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Homeland Security First Responder Grants: Cash Management Improvement Act Exemption and Cash Advance Funding Require Additional DHS Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A key provision of the Cash Management Improvement Act (CMIA) of 1990 (P.L. 101-453), as amended, requires the federal government and the states to minimize the time between transfer of federal funds and payments made by states for federal grant program purposes. Concerns were expressed by representatives of local government subgrantees that more flexibility was needed in the receipt of federal funding … more
Date: December 22, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Regulation: Clearer Goals and Reporting Requirements Could Enhance Efforts by CFTC and SEC to Harmonize Their Regulatory Approaches

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The conference report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2010 directed GAO to assess the joint report of the (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on harmonization of their regulatory approaches. In October 2009, CFTC and SEC issued this report in response to the Department of the Treasury's recommendation that the two agencies assess conflicts in their rules and sta… more
Date: April 22, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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