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Green Affordable Housing: HUD Has Made Progress in Promoting Green Building, but Expanding Efforts Could Help Reduce Energy Costs and Benefit Tenants

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Rising energy prices and concerns about the environment have fueled interest in "green building"--resource-efficient construction and maintenance practices that reduce adverse impacts on the natural environment. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), spends an estimated $5 billion on energy costs annually in its affordable housing programs and has recently taken steps to reduce its energ… more
Date: October 7, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Safety: Department of Energy Needs to Strengthen Its Independent Oversight of Nuclear Facilities and Operations

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Energy (DOE) oversees contractors that operate more than 200 "high-hazard" nuclear facilities, where an accident could have serious consequences for workers and the public. DOE is charged with regulating the safety of these facilities. A key part of DOE's self-regulation is the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS), which develops, oversees, and helps enforce nuclear safety polic… more
Date: October 23, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bureau of Land Management: Effective Long-Term Options Needed to Manage Unadoptable Wild Horses

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages about 33,100 wild horses and burros on 199 Herd Management Areas (HMA) in 10 western states. Under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as amended, BLM is to protect wild horses and burros, set appropriate management levels (AML), maintain current inventory counts, and remove excess animals to prevent overpopulation… more
Date: October 9, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Farm Programs: USDA Needs to Strengthen Controls to Prevent Payments to Individuals Who Exceed Income Eligibility Limits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Farmers receive about $16 billion annually in federal farm program payments. These payments go to about 2 million recipients, both individuals and entities. GAO previously has reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) did not consistently ensure that these payments went only to those who meet eligibility requirements. GAO was asked to evaluate (1) how effectively USDA implemented 2002 Farm… more
Date: October 24, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Public Health and Border Security: HHS and DHS Should Further Strengthen Their Ability to Respond to TB Incidents

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In spring 2007, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and state and local health officials worked together to interdict two individuals with drug-resistant infectious tuberculosis (TB) from crossing U.S. borders and direct them to treatment. Concerns arose that HHS's and DHS's responses to the incidents were delayed and ineffective. GAO was asked t… more
Date: October 14, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Energy Markets: Refinery Outages Can Impact Petroleum Product Prices, but No Federal Requirements to Report Outages Exist

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, global demand for petroleum products such as gasoline and diesel fuel has grown more quickly than the capacity to produce them, creating a tight market. U.S. refiners have been running near capacity, particularly during peak summer demand. In such conditions, unexpected refinery outages can result in price increases that adversely affect consumers. GAO was asked to evaluate (1) the tren… more
Date: October 7, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Flood Insurance: FEMA's Rate-Setting Process Warrants Attention

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Questions about the financial status of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) have increased since the 2005 hurricanes, which left the program with an unprecedented $17.4 billion deficit--a debt that resulted in GAO placing NFIP on its high-risk list in March 2006. Among the concerns are the subsidized rates NFIP must provide for about 25 percent of the policies, mostly for older buildings in high… more
Date: October 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Oil and Gas Leasing: Interior Could Do More to Encourage Diligent Development

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2007, the Department of the Interior (Interior) collected about $10.5 billion in revenues from companies that hold federal oil and gas leases. Interior's Minerals Management Service manages offshore leases, while its Bureau of Land Management manages onshore leases and leases in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. Acquiring a federal lease gives the lessee the rights to explore for and develop … more
Date: October 3, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Department of Agriculture: Recommendations and Options to Address Management Deficiencies in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For decades, numerous federal reports have described serious weaknesses in USDA's civil rights programs--in particular, in resolving discrimination complaints and providing minority farmers with access to programs. In 2002, Congress authorized the position of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) at USDA to provide leadership for resolving these long-standing problems. GAO was asked to assess USDA… more
Date: October 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Check 21 Act: Most Consumers Have Accepted and Banks Are Progressing Toward Full Adoption of Check Truncation

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Although check volume has declined, checks still represent a significant volume of payments that need to be processed, cleared, and settled. The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act of 2003 (Check 21) was intended to make check collection more efficient and less costly by facilitating wider use of electronic check processing. It authorized a new legal instrument--the substitute check--a paper copy of… more
Date: October 28, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Highway Safety: Foresight Issues Challenge DOT's Efforts to Assess and Respond to New Technology-Based Trends

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Fatalities on U.S. roads now total over 40,000 each year. Future reductions may require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to address new trends such as evolving crash-avoidance technologies and rapidly changing electronic devices that may distract drivers who use them on the road. (See figure.) GAO was asked to examine how DOT is addressing fast-moving trends such as these. This report examines how… more
Date: October 3, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Research: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Management and Oversight of Federally Funded Research and Development Centers

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2006, the federal government spent $13 billion--14 percent of its research and development (R&D) expenditures--to enable 38 federally funded R&D centers (FFRDCs) to meet special research needs. FFRDCs--including laboratories, studies and analyses centers, and systems engineering centers--conduct research in military space programs, nanotechnology, microelectronics, nuclear warfare, and biodefense cou… more
Date: October 8, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of Defense: A Departmentwide Framework to Identify and Report Gaps in the Defense Supplier Base Is Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) relies on thousands of suppliers to provide weapons, equipment, and raw materials to meet U.S. national security objectives. Yet, increased globalization in the defense industry and consolidation of the defense supplier base into a few prime contractors has reduced competition and single-source suppliers have become more common for components and subsystems. For this repo… more
Date: October 7, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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VA Health Care: Improved Staffing Methods and Greater Availability of Alternate and Flexible Work Schedules Could Enhance the Recruitment and Retention of Inpatient Nurses

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Registered nurses (RNs) are the largest group of health care providers employed by VA's health care system. RNs are relied on to deliver inpatient care, but VA medical centers (VAMC) face RN recruitment and retention challenges. VAMCs use a patient classification system (PCS) to determine RN staffing on inpatient units by classifying inpatients according to severity of illness to determine the amount of… more
Date: October 24, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Critical Infrastructure: Developing Training Standards and an Awareness of Existing Expertise Would Help DOD Assure the Availability of Critical Infrastructure

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) relies on a global network of DOD and non-DOD infrastructure so critical that its unavailability could have a debilitating effect on DOD's ability to project, support, and sustain its forces and operations worldwide. DOD established the Defense Critical Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to assure the availability of mission-critical infrastructure. GAO was asked to evaluate t… more
Date: October 30, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Health Care: Additional Efforts Needed to Ensure Compliance with Personality Disorder Separation Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "At DOD, a personality disorder can render a servicemember unsuitable for service. GAO was required to report on personality disorder separations and examined (1) the extent that selected military installations complied with DOD's separation requirements and (2) how DOD ensures compliance with these requirements. GAO reviewed a sample of 312 servicemembers' records from four installations, representing t… more
Date: October 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Contingency Contracting: DOD, State, and USAID Contracts and Contractor Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Departments of Defense (DOD) and State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have relied extensively on contractors to carry out a range of services in Iraq and Afghanistan. While recognizing the benefits of using contractors, GAO and others have noted the challenges and risks associated with an increased reliance on contractors and the ability of agencies to manage thei… more
Date: October 1, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Plan Colombia: Drug Reduction Goals Were Not Fully Met, but Security Has Improved; U.S. Agencies Need More Detailed Plans for Reducing Assistance

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September 1999, the government of Colombia announced a strategy, known as "Plan Colombia," to (1) reduce the production of illicit drugs (primarily cocaine) by 50 percent in 6 years and (2) improve security in Colombia by re-claiming control of areas held by illegal armed groups. Since fiscal year 2000, the United States has provided over $6 billion to support Plan Colombia. The Departments of State,… more
Date: October 6, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: Management Improvements Needed on the Department of Homeland Security's Next Generation Information Sharing System

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating the federal government's homeland security communications with all levels of government. In support of this mission, DHS implemented, and has been enhancing, the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). It also has proposed a follow-on system, called Next Generation HSIN (HSIN Next Gen). GAO was asked to determine whether (1)… more
Date: October 8, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Management: DOD Can Establish More Guidance for Biometrics Collection and Explore Broader Data Sharing

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The events of September 11, 2001, and operations in Afghanistan and Iraq have made it critical for military units to identify individuals they encounter and share this information with other units and federal agencies. Biometrics are unique personal aspects such as fingerprints and iris images used to identify an unfamiliar person. Federal agencies with national security missions, such as the Department… more
Date: October 15, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Real Property: Government's Fiscal Exposure from Repair and Maintenance Backlogs Is Unclear

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, GAO designated federal real property as a high-risk area. In 2007, GAO reported that real-property-holding agencies and the administration had made progress toward managing their real property, but underlying problems, such as backlogs in repair and maintenance, still existed and six agencies reported having over $1 billion in repair and maintenance backlogs. Owning real property creates a fisc… more
Date: October 16, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. National Science Foundation: An Overview

Description: The majority of the research supported by the NSF is conducted at U.S. colleges and universities. Approximately 82.7% ($3,094.8 million) of NSF's FY2006 $3,740.6 million research and development (R&D) budget was awarded to U.S. colleges and universities. On September 30, 2008, the President signed into law the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L. 110-329, H.R. 2638). The act includes, among other things, three of the 12 regular appropriations… more
Date: October 24, 2008
Creator: Matthews, Christine M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-off") Programs

Description: The U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 affirmed the constitutionality of the so-called beef check-off program, one of the 18 generic promotion programs for agricultural products that are now active nationally. Supporters view check-offs as economically beneficial self-help activities that need minimal government involvement or taxpayer funding. Producers, handlers, and/or importers are required to pay an assessment, usually deducted from revenue at time of sale - thus the name check-off. However, some … more
Date: October 20, 2008
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Child Pornography: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

Description: This report discusses the constitutional status of child pornography and summarizes federal statutes banning and regulating child pornography as well as selected court cases that have ruled on their constitutionality or interpreted them.
Date: October 10, 2008
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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