Improper Payments and Recovery Audits: Legislation, Implementation, and Analysis (open access)

Improper Payments and Recovery Audits: Legislation, Implementation, and Analysis

This report discusses the reports on improper payments and recovery audits that were first issued for FY2004 and the efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate billions of dollars in improper payments made by federal agencies each fiscal year, Congress passed the Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA; P.L. 107-300; 116 Stat. 2350) in 2002.
Date: October 18, 2013
Creator: Hatch, Garrett
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorizations, Appropriations, and Activities (open access)

Army Corps of Engineers: Water Resource Authorizations, Appropriations, and Activities

This report summarizes congressional authorization and appropriations processes for the Corps. It also discusses agency activities under general authorities. Congress directs the Corps through authorizations, appropriations, and oversight of its studies, construction projects, and other activities.
Date: October 18, 2013
Creator: Carter, Nicole T. & Stern, Charles V.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs (open access)

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Incentives: A Summary of Federal Programs

This report describes federal programs that provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, and other direct or indirect incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy. For each program, the report provides the administering agency, authorizing statute(s), annual funding, and the program expiration date. The appendixes provide summary information in a tabular format and also list recently expired programs.
Date: October 18, 2013
Creator: Cunningham, Lynn J. & Roberts, Beth A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. Policy (open access)

Afghanistan: Narcotics and U.S. Policy

Opium poppy cultivation and drug trafficking have eroded Afghanistan's fragile political and economic order over the last 30 years. This report provides current statistical information, profiles the narcotics trade's participants, explores linkages between narcotics, insecurity, and corruption, and reviews U.S. and international policy responses since late 2001. The report also considers ongoing policy debates regarding the counternarcotics role of coalition military forces, poppy eradication, alternative livelihoods, and funding issues for Congress.
Date: June 18, 2009
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), also called the Lighting II, is a new strike fighter being procured in different versions by the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. The F-35 program is the Department of Defense's (DOD's) largest weapon procurement program in terms of total estimated acquisition cost. The issues for Congress for FY2010 are whether to approve, reject, or modify the administration's funding request for the F-35 program, and whether to approve or reject the administration's proposal to terminate the alternate engine program. Congress' decisions on these matters will affect DOD capabilities and funding requirements and the tactical aircraft manufacturing industrial base.
Date: June 18, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, focusing particularly on the influence of the Taliban and other militant groups and on the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. This report also discusses the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship and U.S. efforts under the Obama Administration to provide military, reconstructive, and stabilization aid.
Date: June 18, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Application of Data Processing Techniques to a Maintenance Work Control Program (open access)

The Application of Data Processing Techniques to a Maintenance Work Control Program

Description of a data collection and reporting system which was devised and installed in the Union Carbide Nuclear Company's Y-12 Plant Maintenance Division.
Date: December 18, 1963
Creator: Westbrook, J. D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
An Investigation of a "Dynamic" Theory for Mass Transfer (open access)

An Investigation of a "Dynamic" Theory for Mass Transfer

A new theory is proposed to evaluate individual mass-transfer coefficients without actual experiment.
Date: July 18, 1960
Creator: Schappel, Richard B.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Status Report and Plant Proposals for Zirconium Purification (open access)

Status Report and Plant Proposals for Zirconium Purification

From abstract: "This report contains a summary of the latest improvements in zirconium purification as developed by the Y-12 research, pilot plant, production, and engineering groups, all of whom have been generously cooperating in this project."
Date: November 18, 1955
Creator: Leaders, W. M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Report of the Forty-Fourth National Conference on Weights and Measures, 1959 (open access)

Report of the Forty-Fourth National Conference on Weights and Measures, 1959

Report of the annual conference on weights and measures, hosted by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards in Washington D.C. It includes conference proceedings, a list of attendees, information about committees and officers, and other reports or commentaries discussed at the meetings.
Date: December 18, 1959
Creator: United States. National Bureau of Standards.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tactical employment : tank destroyer unit. (open access)

Tactical employment : tank destroyer unit.

"This manual is a guide to the tactical employment of tank destroyer units both self-propelled and towed." (Page 1.)
Date: July 18, 1944
Creator: United States. War Department.
Object Type: Book
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Remote Working Level Monitor. Final Report (open access)

The Remote Working Level Monitor. Final Report

The Remote Working Level Monitor (RWLM) is an instrument used to remotely monitor the RN-daughter concentrations and the Working Level (WL). It is an ac powered, microprocessor based instrument which multiplexes two independent detector units to a single central processor unit (CPU). The CPU controls the actuation of the detector units and processes and outputs the data received from these remote detector units. The remote detector units are fully automated and require no manual operation once they are set up. They detect and separate the alpha emitters of RaA and RaC' as well as detecting the beta emitters of RaB and RaC. The resultant pulses from these detected radioisotopes are transmitted to the CPU for processing. The programmed microprocessor performs the mathematical manipulations necessary to output accurate Rn-daughter concentrations and the WL. A special subroutine within the program enables the RWLM to run and output a calibration procedure on command. The data resulting from this request can then be processed in a separate program on most computers capable of BASIC programming. The calibration program results in the derivation of coefficients and beta efficiencies which provides calibrated coefficients and beta efficiencies.
Date: November 18, 1977
Creator: Keefe, Donald J.; McDowell, William P. & Groer, Peter G.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Labor in America: History, Policy, and Legislative Issues (open access)

Child Labor in America: History, Policy, and Legislative Issues

This report examines the historical issue of child labor in America and summarizes legislation that has been introduced from the 108th Congress to the 113th Congress.
Date: November 18, 2013
Creator: Mayer, Gerald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape (open access)

The Federal Communications Commission: Current Structure and Its Role in the Changing Telecommunications Landscape

The report discusses the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-Related Congressional Actions in the 112th Congress.
Date: November 18, 2013
Creator: Figliola, Patricia Moloney
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bankruptcy Reform: Use of the Homestead Exemption by Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Debtors in the Northern District of Texas and the Southern District of Florida in 1998 (open access)

Bankruptcy Reform: Use of the Homestead Exemption by Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Debtors in the Northern District of Texas and the Southern District of Florida in 1998

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the use of the homestead exemption by bankruptcy debtors in Texas and Florida, focusing on statistically valid probability samples of chapter 7 bankruptcy cases that were closed in 1998 in the Northern District of Texas and the Southern District of Florida. GAO used the data from these samples to estimate for each district the (1) the proportion of chapter 7 personal bankruptcy debtors who claimed a homestead exemption; (2) average and median amount of the homestead exemptions claimed; (3) average and median amount of total scheduled debts for those debtors who claimed a homestead exemption; and (4) estimated average and median amount of debts discharged by debtors who claimed a homestead exemption."
Date: June 18, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges (open access)

Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, violence along the U.S.-Mexico border has escalated dramatically, due largely to the Mexican government's efforts to disrupt Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTO). U.S. officials note the violence associated with Mexican DTOs poses a serious challenge for U.S. law enforcement, threatening citizens on both sides of the border, and U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officials generally agree many of the firearms used to perpetrate crimes in Mexico are illicitly trafficked from the United States across the Southwest border. GAO was asked to examine (1) data on the types, sources, and users of these firearms; (2) key challenges confronting U.S. government efforts to combat illicit sales of firearms in the United States and stem the flow of them into Mexico; (3) challenges faced by U.S. agencies collaborating with Mexican authorities to combat the problem of illicit arms; and (4) the U.S. government's strategy for addressing the issue. GAO analyzed program information and firearms data and met with U.S. and Mexican officials on both sides of the border."
Date: June 18, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Operations: High-Level DOD Action Needed to Address Long-standing Problems with Management and Oversight of Contractors Supporting Deployed Forces (open access)

Military Operations: High-Level DOD Action Needed to Address Long-standing Problems with Management and Oversight of Contractors Supporting Deployed Forces

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Prior GAO reports have identified problems with the Department of Defense's (DOD) management and oversight of contractors supporting deployed forces. GAO issued its first comprehensive report examining these problems in June 2003. Because of the broad congressional interest in U.S. military operations in Iraq and DOD's increasing use of contractors to support U.S. forces in Iraq, GAO initiated this follow-on review under the Comptroller General's statutory authority. Specifically, GAO's objective was to determine the extent to which DOD has improved its management and oversight of contractors supporting deployed forces since our 2003 report. GAO reviewed DOD policies and interviewed military and contractor officials both at deployed locations and in the United States."
Date: December 18, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Homeland Security: Billions Invested in Major Programs Lack Appropriate Oversight (open access)

Department of Homeland Security: Billions Invested in Major Programs Lack Appropriate Oversight

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obligated about $12 billion for acquisitions to support homeland security missions. DHS's major investments include Coast Guard ships and aircraft; border surveillance and screening equipment; nuclear detection equipment; and systems to track finances and human resources. In part to provide insight into the cost, schedule, and performance of these acquisitions, DHS established an investment review process in 2003. However, concerns have been raised about how well the process has been implemented--particularly for large investments. GAO was asked to (1) evaluate DHS's implementation of the investment review process, and (2) assess DHS's integration of the investment review and budget processes to ensure major investments fulfill mission needs. GAO reviewed relevant documents, including those for 57 DHS major investments (investments with a value of at least $50 million)--48 of which required department-level review through the second quarter of fiscal year 2008; and interviewed DHS headquarters and component officials."
Date: November 18, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: DHS Requires More Disciplined Investment Management to Help Meet Mission Needs (open access)

Homeland Security: DHS Requires More Disciplined Investment Management to Help Meet Mission Needs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Nearly all of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program managers GAO surveyed reported their programs had experienced significant challenges. Sixty-eight of the 71 respondents reported they experienced funding instability, faced workforce shortfalls, or their planned capabilities changed after initiation, and most survey respondents reported a combination of these challenges. DHS lacks the data needed to accurately measure program performance, but GAO was able to use survey results, information DHS provided to Congress, and an internal DHS review from March 2012 to identify 42 programs that experienced cost growth, schedule slips, or both. GAO gained insight into the magnitude of the cost growth for 16 of the 42 programs, which increased from $19.7 billion in 2008 to $52.2 billion in 2011, an aggregate increase of 166 percent."
Date: September 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Pensions: Changes Needed to Better Protect Multiemployer Pension Benefits (open access)

Private Pensions: Changes Needed to Better Protect Multiemployer Pension Benefits

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Thirty years ago Congress enacted protections to ensure that participants in multiemployer pension plans received their promised benefits. These defined benefit plans are created by collective bargaining agreements covering more than one employer. Today, these plans provide pension coverage to over 10.4 million participants in approximately 1,500 multiemployer plans insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). In this report, GAO examines (1) the current status of nation's multiemployer plans; (2) steps PBGC takes to monitor the health of these plans; (3) the structure of multiemployer plans in other countries; and (4) statutory and regulatory changes that could help plans provide participants with the benefits they are due. To address these questions, GAO analyzed government and industry data and interviewed government officials, pension experts and plan practitioners in the United States, the Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom, and Canada."
Date: October 18, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Posthearing Questions Related to Agencies' Implementation of the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Act (open access)

Posthearing Questions Related to Agencies' Implementation of the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Act

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to the request by the Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization, House Committee on Government Reform that GAO provide answers to follow-up questions from recent hearing entitled "First Year on the Job: Chief Human Capital Officers.""
Date: June 18, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Securities And Exchange Commission: Continued Management Attention Would Strengthen Internal Supervisory Controls (open access)

Securities And Exchange Commission: Continued Management Attention Would Strengthen Internal Supervisory Controls

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "After the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) in 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations, Division of Corporation Finance, and Division of Enforcement (herein "the offices") established a working group that developed an internal supervisory control framework. Internal supervisory controls include the processes established by management to help ensure that procedures applicable to staff are performed completely, consistent with applicable policies and procedures, and remain current. The overall control framework is generally consistent with federal internal control standards, which includes identifying and assessing risks, identifying and assessing internal controls, and reporting the results of testing to management and Congress."
Date: April 18, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Specialty Hospitals: Information on National Market Share, Physician Ownership, and Patients Served (open access)

Specialty Hospitals: Information on National Market Share, Physician Ownership, and Patients Served

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Specialty hospitals represent a small but growing segment of the health care industry. These hospitals specialize in providing care for certain conditions, such as cardiac care, or performing certain procedures, such as orthopedic surgery. Specialty hospitals are not an entirely new phenomenon, as children's and other types of specialty hospitals have existed for decades. Consequently, it is challenging to distinguish between the old and new types of specialty hospitals. One aspect that sets apart the newer genre of specialty hospitals is that many are owned, in part, by the physicians who work in them. Advocates contend that, because of their focused mission, specialty hospitals can provide high-quality specialty services more efficiently than general hospitals. Because specialty hospitals can tailor their facilities and resources to best fit the needs of certain types of patients, individuals treated in such hospitals may enjoy relatively greater convenience and comfort. Specialty hospitals may also offer physicians financial and work environment advantages. Advocates have stated that the focused mission and dedicated resources of specialty hospitals allow physicians to treat more patients than they could in general hospitals. Physicians may gain financially from this increased …
Date: April 18, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Government Transparency: Efforts to Improve Information on Federal Spending (open access)

Government Transparency: Efforts to Improve Information on Federal Spending

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and other federal agencies have taken steps to improve federal spending data available on USAspending.gov. This effort to publicly display comprehensive data arose from the federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, which required OMB to establish a free, publicly accessible website containing data on federal awards and subawards. OMB launched USAspending.gov in December 2007 to meet these requirements. As GAO reported in 2010, while OMB had satisfied most of the requirements associated with the act, such as establishing the site with required data elements and search capability, it had only partially satisfied the requirement to establish a pilot program to test the collection and display of subaward data and had not met the requirements to include subaward data by January 2009, or to report to Congress on the site’s usage. Also, GAO found that from a sample of 100 awards on USAspending.gov, each award had at least one data error and that USAspending.gov did not include information on grants from programs at 9 agencies for fiscal year 2008. Subsequently, OMB and agencies have taken steps to improve the site …
Date: July 18, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library