A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), which is overseen by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), has experienced a number of security lapses in controlling classified information stored on its classified computer network. GAO was requested to (1) assess the effectiveness of security controls LANL used to protect information on its classified network, (2) assess whether LANL had fully implemented an information security program to ensure that security controls were effectively established and maintained for its classified network, and (3) identify the expenditures used to operate and support its classified network from fiscal years 2001 through 2008. To carry out this work, GAO examined security policies and procedures and reviewed LANL's access controls for protecting information on its classified network."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) plans to increase its military presence on Guam from about 15,000 in 2009 to more than 39,000 by 2020 at a cost of more than $13 billion. The growth will create temporary construction jobs and permanent civilian jobs with the military, with contractors, and in the Guam community. GAO was asked to examine the extent to which DOD and the government of Guam have (1) planned for temporary construction labor requirements and the means to meet the requirements for building military infrastructure to support the force in Guam and (2) identified permanent federal and non-federal civilian jobs and shared this information so that Guam can develop its workforce to better compete for job opportunities. To address these objectives, GAO obtained documents and interviewed officials from DOD, the Services, government of Guam offices, and the Guam higher educational community."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to identify and address barriers to equal employment opportunity (EEO) in its workforce. Since its inception in March 2003, DHS has faced a number of challenges, one of which is effectively and strategically managing its large workforce (about 216,000 employees) to respond to current and emerging 21st century issues. The federal government is faced with a workforce that is becoming increasingly eligible for retirement. We have reported that it is important for federal agencies, including DHS, to use available flexibilities to acquire, develop, motivate, and retain talented individuals who reflect all segments of society and our nation's diversity. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) Management Directive (MD) 715 provides that in order to attract and retain top talent, federal agencies are to identify barriers to EEO in the workplace, execute plans to eliminate barriers, and report annually to EEOC. This testimony is based on our report that we recently issued entitled Equal Employment Opportunity: DHS Has Opportunities to Better Identify and Address Barriers to EEO in Its Workforce. This testimony discusses (1) the extent to which DHS has …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses funding for high speed and other intercity passenger rail projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act). The $8 billion that the Recovery Act provided for these projects has attracted great attention from states and others who look to develop or improve intercity passenger rail service across the country. Proponents see these projects as serving an important transportation role, by moving people quickly and safely, reducing highway and airport congestion, and being environmentally friendly. While we have found that the potential benefits of high speed and intercity passenger rail projects are many, these projects--both here and abroad--are costly, take years to develop and build, and require substantial up-front public investment as well as potentially long-term operating subsidies. This testimony focuses on (1) some principles that could guide the effective use of these Recovery Act funds, (2) some challenges that states face in establishing high speed and other intercity passenger rail service, and (3) the nature of our ongoing work on Recovery Act high speed rail projects. This testimony is based on our recent report and testimony on high speed rail …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the Department of Education's oversight of student eligibility for federal aid at private for-profit schools, also known as proprietary schools. Education's monitoring of eligibility requirements is part of a larger oversight structure governing federal aid to students at all schools. For example, in order to receive federal aid, students must attend schools that are legally authorized to operate in a state, accredited by reliable authorities to help ensure education programs meet acceptable levels of quality, and certified by Education to participate in federal student aid programs. In addition, students attending proprietary, public, or private non-profit schools are also required to demonstrate that they are ready for higher education. Generally, students who do not have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to pass an "ability to benefit" (ATB) test of basic math and English skills in order to be eligible for loans, grants, and campus-based aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Education's monitoring of ATB tests and high school diploma requirements is critical to protecting students and guarding against potential fraud and abuse of …