Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On December 6, 2006, GAO testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on the results of our audit and investigation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita disaster relief efforts. This letter provides our response to Congress's supplemental question for the record. The testimony indicated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) distributed $20 million under the Individuals and Household Program to individuals who claimed damages for both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Congress asked whether it was our conclusion that the entire $20 million was paid improperly or was the $20 million the amount that potentially was paid improperly. Congress also asked whether we investigated each payment comprising the total $20 million."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the 1990s, several reforms to Medicare physician fees were implemented to help control spending growth in the traditional Medicare program, known as fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. Concerns were raised that these reforms might have a negative impact on Medicare beneficiaries' access to physician services, but at the end of the decade, there was little or no evidence of nationwide access problems. In 2002, access concerns were again raised when Medicare physician fees were reduced 5.4 percent. Some policymakers have questioned whether access to physician services may have diminished either nationwide, in certain geographic areas, or for certain beneficiaries needing high-cost services. In October 2003, we briefed the Senate Finance Committee on trends from 2000 to 2002 in (1) Medicare beneficiaries' use of physician services, an indicator of access to these services, and (2) physicians' decisions to "accept assignment," that is, accept Medicare's fee as payment in full. This report addresses the same two objectives and expands on the information provided in our October 2003 briefing."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Equal opportunity in the federal workplace is intended to result in a diverse and highly qualified workforce. Such a workplace uses the talents of all employees-- without regard to factors such as employees' race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status. Diversity within an agency's senior executive ranks, including the U.S. Postal Service's (Service) Postal Career Executive Service (PCES), is particularly important because it allows agencies to draw upon a wider variety of perspectives and approaches to address the wide array of challenges facing the federal government. The Service had 959 employees in the PCES during fiscal year 2000 and 867 PCES employees during fiscal year 2007. In April 2008, we reported on the demographic representation of employees in the Service's PCES (which includes postal officers and executives) and certain levels of the Service's Executive and Administrative Schedule (a pool of candidates for the Service's managerial and executive leadership positions). We provided these data for the end of fiscal year 2007, as well as baseline data from fiscal year 1999, which we previously reported for those positions. As requested, this report provides additional information on the demographic representation of employees …

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO examined the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Heroin Signature Program and Domestic Monitor Program to determine why there were apparent discrepancies in the 1999 statistical data generated by these two programs, particularly in the data on Southwest Asia heroin. GAO focused on why the program data showed heroin seizure information for only one U.S. Pacific Coast international airport. In addition, GAO examined whether enough samples from heroin seizures were being furnished for analysis under the Heroin Signature Program and the extent to which DEA was committed to the Domestic Monitor Program. GAO concluded that the discrepancies in the 1999 statistical data generated by the programs were the result of the two programs' data not being comparable. The reason Heroin Signature Program data showed heroin seizure information for only one U.S. Pacific Coast international airport was because seizures at other Pacific Coast airports during 1999 did not meet federal prosecution guidelines. GAO further found that DEA officials responsible for administering the Heroin Signature Program received enough samples of the heroin seized by federal law enforcement agencies, but did not receive enough samples from state and local law enforcement agencies. …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) is an independent federal investigative and prosecutorial agency. Its primary mission is to safeguard the merit system in federal employment by protecting employees and applicants for federal employment from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal from whistleblowing. Individuals who believe that a prohibited personnel practice, such as nepotism or obstruction of the right to compete for employment, has been committed may file complaints with OSC. In addition, the agency operates a secure channel for federal whistleblowing disclosures of violations of law, rule, or regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; abuse of authority; and substantial and specific dangers to public health or safety. OSC's handling of cases has been publicized in the media and concerns were raised about the assignment of two cases that involved alleged violations of the Hatch Act that OSC officials appeared to handle differently from other such cases. This report responds to the request to provide information on OSC's policies and procedures for assigning incoming cases to and within its organizational units."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter and its enclosure respond to the Congressional request for information on selected executive agencies' policies and practices for making responsibility determinations before awarding contracts. Congress requested this information because of its continued concern for effective pre-contract screening to reduce fraudulent activities by contractors. On the basis of discussions, GAO's objectives were to (1) identify agency policies and practices for making contractor responsibility assessments, and determine under what conditions agencies conduct criminal background checks, (2) determine how contracting officers use the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) to make responsibility assessments and identify planned improvements to the system, if any, and (3) determine the number of fraud investigations in which the contractor or principals had a prior criminal background."

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) new rule on the irradiation of meat and meat food products. GAO noted that: (1) the final rule amends the FSIS rules to permit the use of ionizing radiation for treating refrigerated or frozen uncooked meat, meat byproducts, and certain other meat food products to reduce levels of foodborne pathogens and to extend shelf-life; (2) the rule revises existing regulations governing the irradiation of poultry products so that they will be as consistent as possible with the regulations for the irradiation of meat food products; and (3) FSIS complied with applicable requirements in promulgating the rule."

First part of the BRAC 2005 Intelligence Joint Cross-Service Group Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2005. The document is redacted and includes pages 1-44 of the IJCSG Principals Meeting Brief (PowerPoint slides).

Second part of the BRAC 2005 Intelligence Joint Cross-Service Group Meeting Minutes of January 12, 2005. The document is redacted and consists of pages 45-74 of the IJCSG Principals Meeting Brief (PowerPoint slides).

Contains base input from Otis Air Guard Station, MA

Contains FACA Rules and Notices

Contains base input from Great Falls International Airport Air Guard Station, MT

Contains Montgomery,AL Chamber of Commerce community briefing

Contains Community Input regarding Naval Base Ventura City, CA

Contain point paper and general community input from North Carolina

Contains slides from the BRAC Commission Introductions and schedule meeting of May 2, 2005

Contains Community briefing from Niagara Falls International Airport Air Guard Station, NY

Contains questions for the record from the May 4, 2005 Hearing

Contains base input from Naval Air Station New Orleans ARS, LA

Contains base input from DFAS Rome, NY

Contains community input (Certificate of Appreciation) from the City of New Orleans, LA

Contains Chairman Principi's Notes from Buffalo, NY Regional Hearing

Contains base input from Otis Air Guard Base, MA

Contains base input from New Castle County AGS, DE