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Information Security: Improving Oversight of Access to Federal Systems and Data by Contractors Can Reduce Risk

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government increasingly relies on information technology (IT) systems to provide essential services affecting the health, economy, and defense of the nation. To assist in providing these important services, the federal government relies extensively on contractors to provide IT services and systems. In addition to contractors that provide systems and services to the federal government, other … more
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Smithsonian Institution: Facilities Management Reorganization Is Progressing, but Funding Remains a Challenge

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Smithsonian is the world's largest museum complex and research organization, with 18 museums and galleries, 10 science centers, and a zoological park. The age of the structures, past inattention to maintenance needs, and high visitation have left its facilities in need of revitalization and repair. Currently, the Smithsonian estimates $2.3 billion in costs for revitalization, construction, and maint… more
Date: April 25, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Equal Employment Opportunity: The Policy Framework in the Federal Workplace and the Roles of EEOC and OPM

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government has created a framework to provide for EEO by prohibiting unlawful discrimination based on such factors as race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, and disability, and offers redress when discrimination and retaliation have occurred. To further EEO and help bring about a diverse workforce, federal agencies are required to carry out affirmative employment and minority r… more
Date: April 29, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agent Orange: Limited Information Is Available on the Number of Civilians Exposed in Vietnam and Their Workers' Compensation Claims

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Concerns about difficulties civilian employees of the U.S. government may have in obtaining workers' compensation benefits for medical conditions they developed as a result of their exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam led to GAO being asked to determine (1) what is known about the number of civilians who served in Vietnam, both those employed directly by the U.S. government and those employed by compani… more
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Immigrant Investors: Small Number of Participants Attributed to Pending Regulations and Other Factors

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1990, Congress established an investor visa category, referred to as EB-5, whereby immigrants are granted conditional residence and after 2 years, permanent residence status in the United States if they invest in a commercial enterprise that will benefit the U.S. economy and create at least 10 full-time jobs. The Basic Pilot Program Extension and Expansion Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-156) mandates that GAO… more
Date: April 1, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Indian Child Welfare Act: Existing Information on Implementation Issues Could Be Used to Target Guidance and Assistance to States

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the 1960s and 1970s, American Indian children were about six times more likely to be placed in foster care than other children and many were placed in non-American Indian homes or institutions. In 1978, the Congress enacted the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) to protect American Indian families and to give tribes a role in making child welfare decisions for children subject to ICWA. ICWA requires tha… more
Date: April 4, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOD Business Systems Modernization: Billions Being Invested without Adequate Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Despite its significant investment in business systems, the Department of Defense (DOD) continues to have long-standing financial and business management problems that preclude the department from producing reliable and timely information for making decisions and for accurately reporting on its billions of dollars of assets. GAO was asked to (1) identify DOD's fiscal year 2005 estimated funding for its … more
Date: April 29, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Container Security: A Flexible Staffing Model and Minimum Equipment Requirements Would Improve Overseas Targeting and Inspection Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In January 2002, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiated the Container Security Initiative (CSI) to address the threat that terrorists might use maritime cargo containers to ship weapons of mass destruction. Under CSI, CBP is to target and inspect high-risk cargo shipments at foreign seaports before they leave for destinations in the United States. In July 2003, GAO reported that CSI had mana… more
Date: April 26, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Personnel: DOD's Tools for Curbing the Use and Effects of Predatory Lending Not Fully Utilized

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) has expressed concerns about servicemembers' use of predatory consumer loans as well as their overall financial conditions. "Predatory lending" has no precise definition but describes cases where a lender takes unfair advantage of a borrower, sometimes through deception, fraud, or terms such as very high interest or fees. Serious financial problems can adversely affect un… more
Date: April 26, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Maritime Security: New Structures Have Improved Information Sharing, but Security Clearance Processing Requires Further Attention

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Sharing information with nonfederal officials is an important tool in federal efforts to secure the nation's ports against a potential terrorist attack. The Coast Guard has lead responsibility in coordinating maritime information sharing efforts. The Coast Guard has established area maritime security committees--forums that involve federal and nonfederal officials who identify and address risks in a por… more
Date: April 15, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Public Diplomacy: Interagency Coordination Efforts Hampered by the Lack of a National Communication Strategy

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The war on terrorism has focused attention on the important role U.S. public diplomacy plays in improving the nation's image. The United States has undertaken efforts to "win hearts and minds" by better engaging, informing, and influencing foreign audiences; however, recent polling data show that anti-Americanism is spreading and deepening around the world. GAO was asked to examine (1) to what extent U.… more
Date: April 4, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOD Schools: Limitations in DOD-Sponsored Study on Transfer Alternatives Underscore Need for Additional Assessment

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) operates 59 elementary and secondary schools serving over a dozen military bases in the continental United States Periodically, questions have been raised concerning the continuing need for such schools. In 2002, DOD commissioned the Donahue Institute of the University of Massachusetts to examine the potential for transferring these schools to local education agencies (LE… more
Date: April 26, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Endangered Species: Fish and Wildlife Service Generally Focuses Recovery Funding on High-Priority Species, but Needs to Periodically Assess Its Funding Decisions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Currently there are more than 1,260 species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. While few species have gone extinct since 1973, only 9 have been "recovered" or removed from the list because they no longer need the act's protection. This has raised questions about how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) allocates its recovery funds. Proponents of the act … more
Date: April 6, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Mutual Fund Trading Abuses: Lessons Can Be Learned from SEC Not Having Detected Violations at an Earlier Stage

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Recent violations uncovered in the mutual fund industry raised questions about the ethical practices of the industry and the quality of its oversight. A widespread abuse involved mutual fund companies' investment advisers (firms that provide management and other services to funds) entering into undisclosed arrangements with favored customers to permit market timing (frequent trading to profit from short… more
Date: April 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: OMB Can Make More Effective Use of Its Investment Reviews

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2005, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) stated that of the nearly 1,200 major information technology (IT) projects in the budget, it had placed approximately half--621 projects, representing about $22 billion--on a Management Watch List, composed of mission-critical projects with identified weaknesses. GAO was asked to describe and assess OMB's processe… more
Date: April 15, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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SBA Disaster Loan Program: Accounting Anomalies Resolved but Additional Steps Would Improve Long-Term Reliability of Cost Estimates

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In response to a January 2003 GAO report that identified significant anomalies in the Small Business Administration's (SBA) disaster loan accounts and raised serious concerns about its ability to account for loan sales and estimate program costs, SBA conducted an extensive analysis to identify causes of the anomalies and implemented a number of corrective actions. In light of SBA's actions, GAO undertoo… more
Date: April 14, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Security: Internal Revenue Service Needs to Remedy Serious Weaknesses over Taxpayer and Bank Secrecy Act Data

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relies extensively on computerized systems to support its financial and mission-related operations. In addition, IRS provides computer processing support to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)--another Treasury bureau. As part of IRS's fiscal year 2004 financial statements, GAO assessed (1) the status of IRS's actions to correct or mitigate previously rep… more
Date: April 15, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Aviation Administration: Stronger Architecture Program Needed to Guide Systems Modernization Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) mission is to promote the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic in the U.S. airspace system. To this end, FAA is modernizing its air traffic control systems, a multibillion dollar effort that GAO has designated as a high-risk program. GAO's research into the practices of successful public- and private-sector organizations has shown that developing… more
Date: April 29, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Fees: Review of Air Carriers' Year 2000 Passenger and Property Screening Costs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) authorized the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to impose an Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee (ASIF) on air carriers to help pay for the costs of aviation security services. To impose the ASIF, TSA issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) and required air carriers to report their passenger and property screening costs incurred in 2000 on an a… more
Date: April 18, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Statements: Social Security Administration Should Better Evaluate Whether Workers Understand Their Statements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Social Security Statement is the federal government's main document for communicating with more than 140 million workers about their Social Security benefits. By law, the statement must show an individual's annual earnings, payments into Social Security and Medicare, and projected benefits. The Social Security Administration also uses the statement to explain the various types of Social Security ben… more
Date: April 1, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission: NRC Needs to Do More to Ensure that Power Plants Are Effectively Controlling Spent Nuclear Fuel

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Spent nuclear fuel--the used fuel periodically removed from reactors in nuclear power plants--is too inefficient to power a nuclear reaction, but is intensely radioactive and continues to generate heat for thousands of years. Potential health and safety implications make the control of spent nuclear fuel of great importance. The discovery, in 2004, that spent fuel rods were missing at the Vermont Yankee… more
Date: April 8, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Bureau of Investigation: Accountability over the HIPAA Funding of Health Care Fraud Investigations Is Inadequate

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provided, among other things, funding by transfer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to carry out specific purposes of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program. Congress expressed concern about a shift in FBI resources from health care fraud investigations to counterterrorism activities after September 11, 2001. Con… more
Date: April 22, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-China Trade: Textile Safeguard Procedures Should Be Improved

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. textile and apparel imports from China have more than doubled in value since China became a World Trade Organization (WTO) member. When joining the WTO, China agreed to a special textile safeguard mechanism applicable only to that country. In this report, GAO (1) describes the mechanism, (2) describes requests for safeguard action filed by U.S. producers and the results of these requests, and (3) e… more
Date: April 4, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Means-Tested Programs: Information on Program Access Can Be an Important Management Tool

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies that administer means-tested programs are responsible for both ensuring that people have appropriate access to assistance and ensuring the integrity of the programs they oversee. To balance these two priorities appropriately, it is important for agencies to have information on program integrity and program access. Knowing the proportion of the population that qualifies for these program… more
Date: April 8, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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