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Securities Markets: Decimal Pricing has Contributed to Lower Trading Costs and a More Challenging Trading Environment

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In early 2001, U.S. stock and option markets began quoting prices in decimal increments rather than fractions of a dollar. At the same time, the minimum price increment, or tick size, was reduced to a penny on the stock markets and to 10 cents and 5 cents on the option markets. Although many believe that decimal pricing has benefited small individual (retail) investors, concerns have been raised that th… more
Date: May 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Natural Resources: Federal Agencies Are Engaged in Various Efforts to Promote the Utilization of Woody Biomass, but Significant Obstacles to Its Use Remain

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In an effort to reduce the risk of wildland fires, many federal land managers--including the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)--are placing greater emphasis on thinning forests and rangelands to help reduce the buildup of potentially hazardous fuels. These thinning efforts generate considerable quantities of woody material, including many smaller trees, limbs, and brush--referred to… more
Date: May 13, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DOD Excess Property: Management Control Breakdowns Result in Substantial Waste and Inefficiency

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Based on limited previous GAO work that identified examples of purchases of new items at the same time identical items in excellent or good condition were excessed, GAO was asked to assess the overall economy and efficiency of the Department of Defense (DOD) program for excess property reutilization (reuse). Specifically, GAO was asked to determine (1) whether and to what extent the program included was… more
Date: May 13, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Combating Alien Smuggling: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Federal Response

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Globally, alien smuggling generates billions of dollars in illicit revenues annually and poses a threat to the nation's security. Creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in March 2003 has provided an opportunity to use financial investigative techniques to combat alien smugglers by targeting and seizing their monetary assets. For instance, the composition of DHS's largest investigative com… more
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Management: Freedom of Information Act Fee and Fee Waiver Processing at the Department of Energy

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) gives the public the right to access information about the federal government. In addressing requests for information, agencies have the authority to assess fees for certain categories of requesters to cover the costs of locating and copying records, as well as discretion to waive fees if specific criteria are met. GAO was asked to determine, for fiscal year 2004, t… more
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Health Information Technology: HHS Is Taking Steps to Develop a National Strategy

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To prevent medical errors, reduce costs, improve quality, and produce greater value for health care expenditures, President Bush has called for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop and implement a strategic plan to guide the nationwide implementation of health information technology (IT) in both the public and private health care sectors. The Departments of Defense (DOD) and Vete… more
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overseas Security: State Department Has Not Fully Implemented Key Measures to Protect U.S. Officials from Terrorist Attacks Outside of Embassies

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. government officials working overseas are at risk from terrorist threats. Since 1968, 32 embassy officials have been attacked--23 fatally--by terrorists outside the embassy. As the State Department continues to improve security at U.S. embassies, terrorist groups are likely to focus on "soft" targets--such as homes, schools, and places of worship. GAO was asked to determine whether State has a stra… more
Date: May 9, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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National Park Service: Revenues Could Increase by Charging Allowed Fees for Some Special Uses Permits

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Park Service routinely issues permits for special park uses, such as special events or commercial filming and still photography. However, the National Football League's use of the National Mall to launch its 2003 season raised questions about whether permitting such events was consistent with existing policies and law and whether all applicable fees for permitting special park uses were bei… more
Date: May 6, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: Process for Preparing the Consolidated Financial Statements of the U.S. Government Continues to Need Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For the past 8 years, since the first audit of the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. government (CFS), certain material weaknesses in internal control and in selected accounting and financial reporting practices have resulted in conditions that prevented GAO from expressing an opinion on the CFS. Specifically, GAO has reported that the U.S. government did not have adequate systems, controls,… more
Date: May 4, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Critical Infrastructure Protection: Department of Homeland Security Faces Challenges in Fulfilling Cybersecurity Responsibilities

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Increasing computer interconnectivity has revolutionized the way that our government, our nation, and much of the world communicate and conduct business. While the benefits have been enormous, this widespread interconnectivity also poses significant risks to our nation's computer systems and, more importantly, to the critical operations and infrastructures they support. The Homeland Security Act of 2002… more
Date: May 26, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Security: Screener Training and Performance Measurement Strengthened, but More Work Remains

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The screening of airport passengers and their checked baggage is a critical component in securing our nation's commercial aviation system. Since May 2003, GAO has issued six products related to screener training and performance. This report updates the information presented in the prior products and incorporates results from GAO's survey of 155 Federal Security Directors--the ranking Transportation Secu… more
Date: May 2, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Security: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Needs to Sustain Progress

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) relies extensively on computerized systems to support its financial and mission-related operations. As part of GAO's audit of the calendar year 2004 financial statements for the three funds administered by FDIC, GAO assessed (1) the progress FDIC has made in correcting or mitigating information system control weaknesses identified in our audits for calend… more
Date: May 19, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Head Start: Further Development Could Allow Results of New Test to Be Used for Decision Making

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September 2003, the Head Start Bureau, in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF), implemented the National Reporting System (NRS), the first nationwide skills test of over 400,000 4- and 5-year-old children. The NRS is intended to provide information on how well Head Start grantees are helping children progress. Given the importance of the NRS… more
Date: May 17, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military and Veterans' Benefits: Enhanced Services Could Improve Transition Assistance for Reserves and National Guard

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 mandated that GAO review whether the transition assistance program (TAP) is meeting the needs of service members leaving the military. GAO (1) assessed TAP administration, including program participation, and (2) identified actions agencies are taking to improve TAP and challenges that remain. TAP serves military personnel with at least 180 day… more
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Security: Federal Agencies Need to Improve Controls over Wireless Networks

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The use of wireless networks is becoming increasingly popular. Wireless networks extend the range of traditional wired networks by using radio waves to transmit data to wireless-enabled devices such as laptops. They can offer federal agencies many potential benefits but they are difficult to secure. GAO was asked to study the security of wireless networks operating within federal facilities. This report… more
Date: May 17, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Olympic Security: U.S. Support to Athens Games Provides Lessons for Future Olympics

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, were held against the backdrop of growing concerns about international terrorism. Despite widespread fears of a potential terrorist attack on the Olympics, Greece hosted a safe and secure event with no terrorist incidents. To assist Greece in securing the 2004 Games, U.S. government agencies provided training and other support in the four years leading up to t… more
Date: May 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: Securities and Exchange Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2004

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Established in 1934 to enforce the securities laws and protect investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the U.S. securities markets. Pursuant to the Accountability for Tax Dollars Act of 2002, the SEC is required to prepare and submit to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget audited financial statements. GAO agreed, under … more
Date: May 26, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of Energy: Improved Oversight Could Better Ensure Opportunities for Small Business Subcontracting

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal policy requires that small businesses receive the maximum practicable subcontracting opportunity for providing goods and services to large businesses that contract directly with federal agencies. The Department of Energy (DOE) annually directs almost $20 billion to the 34 "facility management contractors" of which $3.3 billion was redirected to small business subcontractors in fiscal year 2004. … more
Date: May 13, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Emergency Management Agency: Crisis Counseling Grants Awarded to the State of New York after the September 11 Terrorist Attacks

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To help alleviate the psychological distress caused by the September 11, 2001, attacks the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded the state of New York two grants totaling $154.9 million to provide crisis counseling and public education. Because of questions about whether the program, called Project Liberty, had spent all the funds it received from the federal government, GAO was asked to de… more
Date: May 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Security: Radio Frequency Identification Technology in the Federal Government

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an automated data-capture technology that can be used to electronically identify, track, and store information contained on a tag that is attached to or embedded in an object, such as a product, case, or pallet. Federal agencies have begun implementation of RFID technology, which offers them new capabilities and efficiencies in operations. The reduced cost of the… more
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Private Pensions: Recent Experiences of Large Defined Benefit Plans Illustrate Weaknesses in Funding Rules

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Pension funding rules are intended to ensure that plans have sufficient assets to pay promised benefits to plan participants. However, recent terminations of large underfunded plans, along with continued widespread underfunding, suggest weaknesses in these rules that may threaten retirement incomes of these plans' participants, as well as the future viability of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation … more
Date: May 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Paperwork Reduction Act: New Approach May Be Needed to Reduce Government Burden on Public

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Americans spend billions of hours each year providing information to federal agencies by filling out information collections (forms, surveys, or questionnaires). A major aim of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) is to balance the burden of these collections with their public benefit. Under the act, agencies' Chief Information Officers (CIO) are responsible for reviewing information collections before the… more
Date: May 20, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Workforce Investment Act: Labor Should Consider Alternative Approaches to Implement New Performance and Reporting Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In a period of significant budget constraints, it is more vital than ever for federal programs to have good performance information. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 took a significant step in that direction by introducing greater accountability for employment and training programs than prior programs. WIA established performance measures to look at a broad array of participant outcomes such a… more
Date: May 27, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Mutual Fund Trading Abuses: SEC Consistently Applied Procedures in Setting Penalties, but Could Strengthen Certain Internal Controls

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulators have recently identified two significant types of trading abuses--market timing and late trading--in the mutual fund industry. The more widespread abuse was market timing, which involved situations where investment advisers (firms that may manage mutual funds) entered into undisclosed arrangements with favored customers who were permitted… more
Date: May 16, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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