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Depot Maintenance: Improved Strategic Planning Needed to Ensure That Navy Depots Can Meet Future Maintenance Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Navy's depots provide critical maintenance support to operations around the world. The Department of Defense's (DOD) increased reliance on the private sector for depot maintenance support coupled with downsizing led to a deterioration of depots' capabilities and cost increases. In 2007, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) directed each service to submit a depot maintenance strategic plan an… more
Date: June 11, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Propane and Heating Oil: Federal Oversight of the Propane Education and Research Council and National Oilheat Research Alliance Should Be Strengthened

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Millions of Americans use propane and oil heat for such purposes as heating and cooking. Congress authorized creation of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) in 1996 and the National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA) in 2000 to provide research and development, safety and training, and consumer education for propane and oil heat, as the highest priority activities. Congressional deliberation… more
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Army Working Capital Fund: Army Faces Challenges in Managing Working Capital Fund Cash Balance during Wartime Environment

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Army Working Capital Fund (AWCF) collected over $16 billion for goods and services provided to customers in fiscal year 2009. Cash generated from sales is used by AWCF to cover its expenses such as paying employees. In light of the Army's changing role in the Middle East, GAO was asked to determine whether (1) AWCF's monthly cash balances fell within the Department of Defense's (DOD) cash requiremen… more
Date: June 22, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Postal Service: Mail Processing Network Initiatives Progressing, and Guidance for Consolidating Area Mail Processing Operations Being Followed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Deteriorating financial conditions and declining mail volume have reinforced the need for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to increase operational efficiency and reduce expenses in its mail processing network. This network consists of interdependent functions in nearly 600 facilities. USPS developed several initiatives to reduce costs and increase efficiency; however, moving forward on some initiatives ha… more
Date: June 16, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program: Greater Fraud Prevention Controls Are Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federally funded at about $5 billion a year, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides financial assistance to low-income households for heating and cooling costs. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awards LIHEAP funds based on low-income populations and other factors. Grantees--states, the District of Columbia, territories, and Indian tribes and tribal organizations… more
Date: June 18, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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High Speed Rail: Learning From Service Start-ups, Prospects for Increased Industry Investment, and Federal Oversight Plans

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) and subsequent appropriations have dramatically increased federal funds available for high speed intercity passenger rail from $120 million in fiscal year 2008 and fiscal year 2009 combined to $10.5 billion available in fiscal year 2010. Other issues, such as developing industry capacity to supply rail equipment and fostering multiyear public sup… more
Date: June 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Legal Services Corporation: Improvements Needed in Controls over Grant Awards and Grantee Program Effectiveness

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) was created as a private, nonprofit corporation to support legal assistance for low-income individuals on civil legal matters, primarily through federal grants and is primarily funded through federal appropriations. Effective internal controls over grant awards and oversight of grantees' performance are critical to LSC's mission. GAO and the LSC Inspector General hav… more
Date: June 11, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Latin America and the Caribbean: Fact Sheet on Leaders and Elections

Description: This fact sheet tracks the current heads of government in Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It provides the dates of the last and next elections for the head of government and the national independence date for each country.
Date: June 2, 2010
Creator: Gomez-Granger, Julissa & Sullivan, Mark P.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Personnel Practices: Conversions of Employees from Political to Career Positions May 2005-May 2009

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Political appointees in the federal government sometimes seek appointments to career competitive and other positions which, unlike political appointments, do not terminate at the end of an administration. Federal agencies must use appropriate authorities and follow proper procedures in making these conversions. GAO was asked to determine for departments and selected agencies (1) the number and character… more
Date: June 28, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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American Samoa: Performing a Risk Assessment Would Better Inform U.S. Agencies of the Risks Related to Acceptance of Certificates of Identity

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "American Samoa is a U.S. insular area that operates its customs and immigration programs according to its own laws and independent of the United States. As such, U.S. agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have no roles in operating the customs or immigration programs in American Samoa. U.S. officials have raised questions about how American Samoa operates its customs and immigration prog… more
Date: June 11, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Elections: DOD Can Strengthen Evaluation of Its Absentee Voting Assistance Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), citizens covered are permitted to register and vote absentee. The Secretary of Defense has the primary responsibility for federal UOCAVA functions, and the Department of Defense's (DOD) Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) facilitates absentee voters' participation in federal elections. Since 2001, the DOD Office of Inspector Ge… more
Date: June 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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USDA Crop Disaster Programs: Lessons Learned Can Improve Implementation of New Crop Assistance Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) provides programs to help farmers recover financially from natural disasters. Congress has historically supplemented these programs with ad hoc programs that pay farmers who experienced crop losses. The 2008 farm bill established a program through 2011 to pay farmers who lose crops. To receive these payments, farmers must purchase cov… more
Date: June 4, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Transit Rail: Potential Rail Car Cost-Saving Strategies Exist

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Rail transit offers society a number of benefits, including reduced congestion and pollution and increased mobility. However, rail systems and cars are costly: Transit agencies can pay more than $3 million per car, often using federal funds. As requested, this report describes (1) characteristics of the U.S. market for transit rail cars, (2) the federal government's role in funding and setting standards… more
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: Improvements in the Department of State's Development Process Could Increase the Security of Passport Cards and Border Crossing Cards

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In July 2008, the Department of State (State) began issuing passport cards as a lower-cost alternative to passports for U.S. citizens to meet Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requirements. In October 2008, State began issuing the second generation border crossing card (BCC) based on the architecture of the passport card. GAO was asked to examine the effectiveness of the physical and electronic secur… more
Date: June 1, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Older Americans: Continuing Care Retirement Communities Can Provide Benefits, but Not Without Some Risk

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A growing number of older Americans are choosing continuing care retirement communities (CCRC) to help ensure that their finances in retirement will cover the cost of housing and care they may require. However, recent economic conditions have placed financial stress on some CCRCs. GAO was asked to (1) describe how CCRCs operate and the risks they face, (2) describe how state laws address these risks, (3… more
Date: June 21, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Former Federal Trade Officials: Laws on Post-Employment Activities, Foreign Representation, and Lobbying

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress has enacted laws to safeguard against former federal employees, including former trade officials, from using their access to influence government officials. These former officials' post-employment activities are restricted by a federal conflict of interest law, known as the "Revolving Door" law. Two other laws--the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and the Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA)--ar… more
Date: June 23, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Passport Issuance: Current Situation Results in Thousands of Passports Issued to Registered Sex Offenders

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A U.S. passport allows the owner to travel freely both in and out of the country. Although passport recipients typically travel internationally for business or leisure, some passport recipients are using their passports to commit nefarious illegal activities outside this country. Specifically, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has documented cases of U.S. passport holders engaging in sex acts with childre… more
Date: June 15, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Troubled Asset Relief Program: Treasury's Framework for Deciding to Extend TARP Was Sufficient, but Could be Strengthened for Future Decisions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of the Treasury's (Treasury) authority to purchase, commit to purchase, or commit to guarantee troubled assets was set to expire on December 31, 2009. This important authority has allowed Treasury to undertake a number of programs to help stabilize the financial system. In December 2009, the Secretary of the Treasury extended the authority to October 3, 2010. In our October 2009 report on… more
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Infrastructure: Army Needs to Improve Its Facility Planning Systems to Better Support Installations Experiencing Significant Growth

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Army is concurrently implementing several major force structure and basing initiatives, including Base Realignment and Closure, Grow the Force, and Army Modularity. The resulting large increase in personnel associated with these initiatives at many installations has required and will continue to require significant facility planning and construction to meet needs. GAO was asked to (1) describe the A… more
Date: June 24, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Coal Power Plants: Opportunities Exist for DOE to Provide Better Information on the Maturity of Key Technologies to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Coal power plants generate about half of the United States' electricity and are expected to remain a key energy source. Coal power plants also account for about one-third of the nation's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2 ), the primary greenhouse gas that experts believe contributes to climate change. Current regulatory efforts and proposed legislation that seek to reduce CO2 emissions could affect coal … more
Date: June 16, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cybersecurity: Key Challenges Need to Be Addressed to Improve Research and Development

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Computer networks and infrastructures, on which the United States and much of the world rely to communicate and conduct business, contain vulnerabilities that can leave them susceptible to unauthorized access, disruption, or attack. Investing in research and development (R&D) is essential to protect critical systems and to enhance the cybersecurity of both the government and the private sector. Federal … more
Date: June 3, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Electronic Records Archive: Status Update on the National Archives and Records Administration's Fiscal Year 2010 Expenditure Plan

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2001, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has been working to develop an electronic records archive (ERA) to preserve and provide access to massive volumes and all types of electronic records. NARA certified initial operating capability of the first two phases of ERA in June 2008 and December 2008 and plans to achieve full operating capability for the system by 2012. As require… more
Date: June 11, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Courthouse Construction: Better Planning, Oversight, and Courtroom Sharing Needed to Address Future Costs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal judiciary and the General Services Administration (GSA) are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar courthouse construction initiative, which has since faced rising construction costs. As requested, for 33 federal courthouses completed since 2000, GAO examined (1) whether they contain extra space and any costs related to it; (2) how their actual size compares with the congressionally authorize… more
Date: June 21, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wastewater Infrastructure Financing: Stakeholder Views on a National Infrastructure Bank and Public-Private Partnerships

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Communities will need hundreds of billions of dollars in coming years to construct and upgrade wastewater infrastructure. Policymakers have proposed a variety of approaches to finance this infrastructure, including the creation of a national infrastructure bank (NIB) and the increased use of privately financed public-private partnerships (PPP). In this context, GAO was asked to identify (1) stakeholder … more
Date: June 30, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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