Search Results

Let's Do

Description: In the nine stories of Let’s Do, various calamities strike ordinary Midwesterners, who cope with a mixture of good intentions and ineptitude. Balancing humor with painful clarity, author Rebecca Meacham pulls readers into the lives of characters who struggle with—and more often against—change. “Rebecca Meacham has one of the freshest voices I've encountered in a long time. Blatantly wise, she creates stories that are deliciously subversive, brave and outrageous, reminiscent of a young Alice Ho… more
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Date: December 15, 2004
Creator: Meacham, Rebecca
Partner: UNT Press
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American Samoa: Accountability for Key Federal Grants Needs Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "American Samoa, a U.S. territory, relies on federal funding to support government operations and deliver critical services. The Secretary of the Interior has administrative responsibility for coordinating federal policy in the territory. Under the Single Audit Act of 1996, American Samoa is required to perform a yearly single audit of federal grants and other awards to ensure accountability. To better u… more
Date: December 17, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: CMS Needs a Plan for Updating Practice Expense Component

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicare's payments for the costs physicians incur in operating their practices are based on two sets of estimates: total practice expenses and resource estimates for individual services. Total practice expense estimates were derived from American Medical Association (AMA) physician surveys, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) refines with supplemental data submitted by medical spec… more
Date: December 13, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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L.A. Federal Courthouse Project: Current Proposal Addresses Space Needs, but Some Security and Operational Concerns Would Remain

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since the early 1990s, the General Services Administration (GSA) and the federal judiciary have been carrying out a multibillion dollar courthouse construction initiative to address the judiciary's growing space needs. To plan for and make funding decisions on projects, Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and GSA have relied on a rolling 5-year plan prepared annually by the judiciary that pri… more
Date: December 20, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Electronic Government: Federal Agencies Have Made Progress Implementing the E-Government Act of 2002

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The E-Government Act (E-Gov Act) of 2002 was enacted with the general purpose of promoting better use of the Internet and other information technologies to improve government services for citizens, internal government operations, and opportunities for citizen participation in government. Among other things, the act specifically requires the establishment of the Office of Electronic Government within the… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Workforce Investment Act: Labor Has Taken Several Actions to Facilitate Access to One-Stops for Persons with Disabilities, but These Efforts May Not Be Sufficient

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 includes provisions intended to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs and activities offered through one-stop career centers (one-stops). But little is known, and questions have been raised, about how well this system is working for persons with disabilities. This report examines (1) what the… more
Date: December 14, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Brownfield Redevelopment: Stakeholders Report That EPA's Program Helps to Redevelop Sites, but Additional Measures Could Complement Agency Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Brownfields are properties whose use may be hindered by the threat of contamination. Cleaning up and redeveloping these properties can protect human health and the environment and provide economic benefits. Under the Brownfields Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides grants to state and local governments and others for site assessments, job training, revolving loans, and cleanups and to… more
Date: December 2, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Earned Income Tax Credit: Implementation of Three New Tests Proceeded Smoothly, But Tests and Evaluation Plans Were Not Fully Documented

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Research has shown that the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has helped lift millions of individuals out of poverty. In recent years, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has paid approximately $30 billion annually to about 20 million EITC recipients. However, the program also has experienced a high rate of noncompliance. IRS estimated that EITC overclaim rates for tax year 1999, the most recent data avail… more
Date: December 30, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Dairy Industry: Information on Milk Prices, Factors Affecting Prices, and Dairy Policy Options

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, U.S. dairy farmers marketed nearly 19.7 billion gallons of raw milk, one-third of which were used in fluid milk products. Farmers, cooperatives, processors, and retailers receive a portion of the retail price of milk for their part in providing milk to consumers. During 2002 and 2003, farm prices fell while retail prices did not similarly decline. This pattern raised concerns about a growing sp… more
Date: December 29, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Transformation: Clear Leadership, Accountability, and Management Tools Are Needed to Enhance DOD's Efforts to Transform Military Capabilities

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Because future threats the nation may face are uncertain, and with many competing demands on its resources, the Department of Defense (DOD) has begun to transform its military capabilities, which will involve not only the acquisition of new weapon systems but also how the armed forces think, train, and fight. In 2003, DOD estimated $263 billion would be allocated from fiscal year 2004 through 2009 for t… more
Date: December 17, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Port Security: Better Planning Needed to Develop and Operate Maritime Worker Identification Card Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As part of a multilayered effort to strengthen port security, the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002 calls for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to issue a worker identification card that uses biological metrics, such as fingerprints, to control access to secure areas of ports or ships. Charged with the responsibility for developing this card, the Transportation Security Adminis… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare: Accuracy of Responses from the 1-800-MEDICARE Help Line Should Be Improved

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In March 1999, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented a telephone help line--1-800-MEDICARE--to provide information about program eligibility, enrollment, and benefits. The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) directed GAO to examine several issues related to this 24-hour help line and the customer service representatives (CSRs) who staff i… more
Date: December 8, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare Chemotherapy Payments: New Drug and Administration Fees Are Closer to Providers' Costs

Description: Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) required the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to change the payment rates for chemotherapy-related drugs and chemotherapy administration services. These changes followed reports that Medicare payments for chemotherapy-related drugs were much higher than physicians' costs to acquire them, and oncologis… more
Date: December 1, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Capital Financing: Partnerships and Energy Savings Performance Contracts Raise Budgeting and Monitoring Concerns

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "ESPCs finance energy-saving capital improvements, such as lighting retrofits for federal facilities, without the government incurring the full cost up front. Partnerships tap the capital and expertise of the private sector to develop real property. This report describes (1) what specific attributes of ESPCs and partnerships contributed to budget scoring decisions, (2) the costs of financing through ESPC… more
Date: December 16, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Rural Housing: Changing the Definition of Rural Could Improve Eligibility Determinations

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Rural America has become more diverse: technology and the spread of suburbia have linked rural areas to urban areas, resulting in diminished distinctions between the two. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) applies statutory requirements for eligibility that may not reflect changes in rural areas or best determine which areas qualify for its housing programs. GAO's objectives included assessments of how eli… more
Date: December 3, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Communications Commission: Federal Advisory Committees Follow Requirements, but FCC Should Improve Its Process for Appointing Committee Members

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "FCC has regulatory authority over many complex telecommunications issues. To obtain expert advice on these issues, FCC often calls upon its federal advisory committees, comprised mostly of members from industry, private consulting, advocacy groups, and government. These committees must follow the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which sets requirements on the formation and operation of such commit… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Inventory: Improvements Needed in DOD's Implementation of Its Long-Term Strategy for Total Asset Visibility of Its Inventory

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For more than 30 years, the Department of Defense (DOD) has worked to achieve full visibility over and accessibility to its spare parts inventory. This initiative, called total asset visibility (TAV), aims to provide timely, accurate information on the location, movement, status, and identity of units, personnel, equipment, and supplies. In 1999, GAO examined DOD's TAV implementation approach and recomm… more
Date: December 6, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: Further Action Needed to Promote Successful Use of Special DHS Acquisition Authority

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Homeland Security Act of 2002 authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a pilot program for the use of acquisition agreements known as "other transactions." Because they are exempt from many of the requirements that apply to government contracts, other transactions can be useful in acquiring cutting-edge technologies from entities that traditionally have declined to do busine… more
Date: December 15, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicaid Managed Care: Access and Quality Requirements Specific to Low-Income and Other Special Needs Enrollees

Description: Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The use of managed care within Medicaid, a joint federal-state program that finances health insurance for certain low-income families with children and individuals who are aged or disabled, increased significantly during the 1990s. By 2003, 59 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries were enrolled in managed care, compared with less than 10 percent in 1991. Medicaid managed care, under which states make prospec… more
Date: December 8, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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SSA's Disability Programs: Improvements Could Increase the Usefulness of Electronic Data for Program Oversight

Description: Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, we added the federal government's disability programs to our high-risk list in part because of difficulties agencies faced in managing these programs and the expected growth in the rolls as baby boomers reach their disability-prone years. The Social Security Administration (SSA) manages the federal government's two largest disability programs, the Disability Insurance (DI) program and the Supple… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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No Child Left Behind Act: Education Needs to Provide Additional Technical Assistance and Conduct Implementation Studies for School Choice Provision

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The school choice provision of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) of 2001 applies to schools that receive Title I funds and that have not met state performance goals for 2 consecutive years, including goals set before the enactment of NCLBA. Students in such schools must be offered the choice to transfer to another school in the district. GAO undertook this review to provide the Congress a report on t… more
Date: December 10, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare: Advisory Opinions as a Means of Clarifying Program Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Health care providers are concerned about the quality of Medicare guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Specifically, they have reported that (1) they receive unclear guidance on program requirements and (2) because policies and procedures change frequently, they may rely on obsolete guidance, resulting … more
Date: December 8, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Inventory: DOD and Prime Contractors Adhered to Requirements in Selected Contracts for Overseeing Spare Parts Quality

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the 2004 Defense Appropriations Act, Congress mandated that GAO examine and report on the oversight of prime contractors by the Department of Defense (DOD) and the oversight of subcontractors by the prime contractors. Contract quality assurance oversight is intended to assess whether contractors are capable of and are providing supplies or services that meet contract quality and technical requirement… more
Date: December 20, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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