Degree Department

1,562 Matching Results

Results open in a new window/tab.

LOCAL Television Act: Status of Spending for Fiscal Year 2005 (open access)

LOCAL Television Act: Status of Spending for Fiscal Year 2005

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In December 2000, the Congress passed the Launching Our Communities' Access to Local Television Act of 2000 (LOCAL TV Act). The act created the Local Television Loan Guarantee Program and established the LOCAL Television Loan Guarantee Board to finance projects to provide access to signals of local television stations to households in areas with limited or no access to such signals from a commercial, for-profit satellite service or other multichannel video provider. The program authorizes the board to approve loan guarantees up to 80 percent of loans, totaling no more than $1.25 billion in aggregate; however, since inception of the program, no loan guarantees have been approved and the program has not been utilized. Section 1006 of the act requires that we perform an annual audit of the (1) administration of the provisions of the act and (2) financial position of each applicant who receives a loan guarantee under the act, including the nature, amount, and purpose of investments made by the applicant. In April 2005, we issued our required annual report covering fiscal year 2004. Since there continue to be no loan guarantee recipients for GAO to …
Date: July 7, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Warfighter Support: DOD Has Made Progress, but Supply and Distribution Challenges Remain in Afghanistan (open access)

Warfighter Support: DOD Has Made Progress, but Supply and Distribution Challenges Remain in Afghanistan

A publication issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2010, the Department of Defense (DOD) spent billions of dollars to move troops and materiel into Afghanistan, a mountainous, land-locked country with poorly developed infrastructure. The increase of 30,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan as of August 2010, along with thousands of civilians and contractors supporting U.S. efforts, have required further development of DOD's already-complex distribution network to support and sustain U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. GAO conducted this review to assess distribution issues in Afghanistan, including (1) DOD's oversight of distribution operations; (2) DOD's performance in providing supplies and equipment; and (3) challenges that have affected DOD's ability to provide supplies and equipment. GAO reviewed joint doctrine and DOD policies on distribution, analyzed DOD delivery data, and interviewed DOD officials in the United States and in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain."
Date: October 7, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Responses to Posthearing Questions Related to Improving Single Audit Quality (open access)

Responses to Posthearing Questions Related to Improving Single Audit Quality

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On October 25, 2007, GAO testified before a congressional subcommittee at a hearing entitled, "Single Audits: Are They Helping to Safeguard Federal Funds?" At the hearing, we provided (1) GAO's perspective on the history and importance of the Single Audit Act, as amended (Single Audit Act), and the principles behind the act, (2) our preliminary analysis of the recommendations made by the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE) for improving audit quality, and (3) additional factors to consider for improving the quality of single audits."
Date: December 7, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
United Nations Reform Initiatives: Answers to Hearings Questions (open access)

United Nations Reform Initiatives: Answers to Hearings Questions

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information related to the June 22, 1999, hearing on the nomination of Richard C. Holbrooke to be Ambassador to the United Nations, focusing on United Nations reform issues related to: (1) organizational restructuring; (2) reducing overhead; (3) development dividend; (4) the oversight and monitoring of program effectiveness; (5) sunset provisions for program mandates; and (6) personnel."
Date: July 7, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy Efficiency: Potential Fuel Savings Generated by a National Speed Limit Would Be Influenced by Many Other Factors (open access)

Energy Efficiency: Potential Fuel Savings Generated by a National Speed Limit Would Be Influenced by Many Other Factors

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Gasoline prices are volatile and have increased greatly over the last several years, before dropping again recently. The national average of regular grade retail gasoline prices increased from about $2.24 the week of January 2, 2006, to a peak of $4.11 the week of July 14, 2008, an increase of almost 84 percent, before dropping to about $2.40 the week of November 3, 2008. High fuel prices have focused attention on conservation. Congress previously used a national speed limit as an approach to conserve fuel when, in 1974, it provided for a national 55 mile per hour (mph) speed limit to reduce gasoline consumption in response to the 1973 Arab oil embargo. The law prohibited federal funding of certain highway projects in any state with a maximum speed limit in excess of 55 mph. In 1987, Congress allowed states to raise the maximum speed limit to 65 mph on rural interstate routes. In 1995, the 55 mph speed limit was repealed. Since then, states have been free to set speed limits without the loss of federal highway funds. Congress expressed interest in obtaining information on using a national …
Date: November 7, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sequestration: Observations on the Department of Defense's Approach in Fiscal Year 2013 (open access)

Sequestration: Observations on the Department of Defense's Approach in Fiscal Year 2013

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Spending reductions under sequestration affected DOD’s civilian workforce and many programs and functions, and required DOD to accept some risk in maintaining the readiness of military forces. However, DOD was able to mitigate some near-term effects of sequestration on its mission. Reduced spending levels required DOD to take actions such as furloughing most civilian employees for 6 days, cancelling or curtailing training for units that were not preparing to deploy by early in 2014, postponing some planned equipment maintenance at its depots and repairs or renovations of facilities, reducing some weapon system quantities or deferring modifications, and delaying system development and testing. DOD took various actions to plan for and implement sequestration, such as issuing guidance and establishing processes to identify priorities and evaluate alternatives for spending reductions. Generally, DOD’s approach to sequestration was a short-term response focused on addressing the immediate funding reductions for fiscal year 2013. DOD was able to reduce spending levels for the remainder of fiscal year 2013 without making permanent changes, such as adjusting the size of its forces or canceling weapon systems programs. By setting priorities for funding and using available prior …
Date: November 7, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reporting of Small Business Contract Awards Does Not Reflect Current Business Size (open access)

Reporting of Small Business Contract Awards Does Not Reflect Current Business Size

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "We have prepared this report in response to concerns about whether large companies are receiving federal contracts intended for small businesses. We reviewed awards to five large companies to determine (1) how contracts awarded to the companies were reported in Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), (2) why federal contract officials reported the contracts as small business awards, and (3) what actions are being taken to address any identified problems."
Date: May 7, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
District of Columbia Courts: Chronology of Events Associated with DC Courts Financial-Related Issues for Fiscal Year 1998 (open access)

District of Columbia Courts: Chronology of Events Associated with DC Courts Financial-Related Issues for Fiscal Year 1998

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided a timeline of events and communications related to the District of Columbia (DC) Courts' fiscal year 1998 financial issues."
Date: June 7, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Community Services Block Grant Program: HHS Needs to Improve Monitoring of State Grantees (open access)

Community Services Block Grant Program: HHS Needs to Improve Monitoring of State Grantees

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has asked GAO to review the administration of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. As part of this review, we are examining the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) efforts to monitor states' use of CSBG funds. Specifically, we have been reviewing efforts undertaken by HHS's Office of Community Services (OCS), which has primary responsibility for administering the CSBG program."
Date: February 7, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force and Interior Can Benefit from Additional Guidance When Deciding Whether to Lease or Purchase Equipment (open access)

Air Force and Interior Can Benefit from Additional Guidance When Deciding Whether to Lease or Purchase Equipment

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Contracting officials from Air Force and Interior generally did not perform lease versus purchase analyses for selected contracts. Based on contract file reviews and discussions with contracting officials, we found that analyses were not performed and that contracting officials had not considered the alternative acquisition method for 24 of the 32 selected contracts. For the 8 contracts with lease versus purchase analyses, 5 were documented in the contract files and 3 were performed but were not documented, according to contracting officials. In most cases, contract files did not contain basic information to make lease or purchase decisions, such as the length of time the equipment would be used. Even files containing documentation of analyses generally did not address the full range of criteria specified in the FAR. For example, the analyses typically lacked a discussion of the financial and operating advantages of alternate approaches that would help contracting officials determine the appropriate acquisition method. Contracting officials noted that their decision to lease or purchase equipment often depends on the nature of the requirement, such as a short-term need for equipment, based on documents or other correspondence from the …
Date: February 7, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Overview of GAO's Past Work on FHA's Single-Family Mortgage Insurance Programs (open access)

Overview of GAO's Past Work on FHA's Single-Family Mortgage Insurance Programs

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Among other things, GAO's past work discusses FHA's financial condition and steps the agency has taken to improve its financial condition. As housing prices began to decline at the end of 2006 and conventional mortgage lenders tightened their underwriting standards, more homebuyers began taking advantage of FHA-insured loans, which tend to have less strict underwriting standards and require lower down payments, as compared with conventional loans. As a result, FHA's share of the market increased. In 2006, FHA insured approximately 4.5 percent of purchase mortgages. At its peak in 2009, it insured 32.6 percent of purchase mortgages. In 2011, its share of purchase mortgages fell to 26.5 percent."
Date: March 7, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
America COMPETES Act: It Is Too Early to Evaluate Programs Long-Term Effectiveness, but Agencies Could Improve Reporting of High-Risk, High-Reward Research Priorities (open access)

America COMPETES Act: It Is Too Early to Evaluate Programs Long-Term Effectiveness, but Agencies Could Improve Reporting of High-Risk, High-Reward Research Priorities

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Scientific and technological innovation and a workforce educated in advanced technology are critical to the long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity of the United States. In recent years, leaders in government, business, and education have reported their concerns that declining federal funding for basic scientific research could diminish the United States' future economic competitiveness. These leaders have also reported their concerns that our educational system is producing too few students trained in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which they believe may drive jobs in technical fields--followed by jobs in manufacturing, administration, and finance--from the United States to other countries. Congress passed the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (COMPETES Act) of 2007 with the overall goal of increasing federal investment in scientific research to improve U.S. economic competitiveness. To that end, the act also increased support for education in STEM fields. Specifically, the act authorized $33.6 billion from fiscal year 2008 through fiscal year 2010, in appropriations to be spent by four federal agencies: (1) the Department of Education, (2) the Department of Energy (DOE), (3) the National …
Date: October 7, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
CFC Charities: Responses to Posthearing Questions (open access)

CFC Charities: Responses to Posthearing Questions

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress's request for additional information related to the subcommittee's May 25, 2006 hearing on whether charities participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) are meeting their employment tax responsibilities. Our responses are based on work performed during GAO's audit, communication with the Internal Revenue Service, GAO's views of generally accepted accounting principles and generally accepted auditing standards, and on professional judgment."
Date: July 7, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Impact of Issuing the New $1 Coin (open access)

Financial Impact of Issuing the New $1 Coin

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the financial impact of issuing the new $1 coin, focusing on the benefits of: (1) issuing 1 billion of the new $1 coins to circulate with the $1 Federal Reserve notes now issued; and (2) replacing all $1 Federal Reserve notes now in circulation with $1 coins."
Date: April 7, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Health Insurance: Federal Role in Enforcing New Standards Continues to Evolve (open access)

Private Health Insurance: Federal Role in Enforcing New Standards Continues to Evolve

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and three subsequent laws that create new federal standards for private health insurance which covers nearly 175 million Americans under the age of 65. These laws include standards guaranteeing access to health insurance for small employers and individuals with existing health conditions as well as requirements for health plans regarding mental health services, hospital care for mothers and newborns following childbirth, and reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. Since HIPAA's enactment in 1996, federal agencies' enforcement roles have continued to evolve as they have established new or expanded existing enforcement activities to ensure compliance with standards under HIPAA and the related federal laws. Agency officials state that they have enough staff resources and expertise to carry out their current enforcement responsibilities. The Health Care Financing Administration's future role depends on the actions of states in enforcing the federal standards, as well as on congressional decisions about whether to reauthorize the Mental Health Parity Act or to enact additional patient protection legislation. In addition, the scope of the Department of Labor's future enforcement activities may depend on …
Date: May 7, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Administration: Possible Implications of Expanding Refund Offset Provisions (open access)

Tax Administration: Possible Implications of Expanding Refund Offset Provisions

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Millions of federal taxpayers receive billions of dollars in income tax refunds every year. Many of these refunds are paid to taxpayers who owe money to the federal government or to their state or local government. The law allows certain types of debts to be collected through offsets of federal income tax refunds before payments are issued to taxpayers--in calendar year 2008, over $5 billion was deducted from income tax refunds and used instead to pay other federal agency nontax debt, state income tax debt, and overdue child support payments. Due in part to the current economic downturn and the financial problems of state and local governments, interest has grown in potential expansion of the refund offset program Congressional request, this letter's objectives are to describe (1) recent proposals to expand the refund offset program, and (2) challenges and design issues that would need to be addressed by policymakers and program administrators in the event of program expansion, including the implications of eliminating the current requirement that tax refund offsets for state income tax debts are allowed only when the affected taxpayer lives in the state seeking the …
Date: May 7, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Launch Services New Entrant Certification Guide (open access)

Launch Services New Entrant Certification Guide

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Air Force based its Guide on existing NASA policy and procedures with respect to payload risk classification and launch vehicle certification. Payloads are classified based in part on factors such as national significance, payload complexity and cost, and are assigned a risk tolerance level accordingly. The Air Force, NASA, and NRO are working to coordinate and share information to facilitate launch vehicle certification efforts; however, each agency will determine for itself when certification has been achieved. As a result, some duplication and overlap of efforts could occur. The Air Force has also added other prerequisites to certification for new entrants that are not captured within the Guide, such as an approved implementation plan and a cooperative research and development agreement. According to the Air Force, these agreements are legal mechanisms intended to enable data sharing between the Air Force and new entrants, while protecting the interests of both."
Date: February 7, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Commerce: Relationship with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (open access)

Department of Commerce: Relationship with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the relationship between the Department of Commerce and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), focusing on: (1) whether the formation of ICANN was in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and the Government Corporation Control Act; (2) how ICANN's interim board was selected and what role Commerce played in the selection of board members; (3) whether Commerce has the authority to enter into agreements with ICANN and to participate in ICANN activities; (4) what the legal basis is for the expenditures of funds by the Department for its participation in ICANN proceedings; (5) whether, under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-25, ICANN, as a project partner with Commerce, has authority to impose fees on Internet users to cover ICANN's operating costs; and (6) whether Commerce has the legal authority to transfer control of the authoritative root server to ICANN."
Date: July 7, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Improper Payments: Moving Forward with Governmentwide Reduction Strategies (open access)

Improper Payments: Moving Forward with Governmentwide Reduction Strategies

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies reported an estimated $115.3 billion in improper payments in fiscal year 2011, a decrease of $5.3 billion from the prior year reported estimate of $120.6 billion. The $115.3 billion estimate was attributable to 79 programs spread among 17 agencies. Ten programs accounted for about $107 billion or 93 percent of the total estimated improper payments agencies reported for fiscal year 2011. The reported decrease in fiscal year 2011 was primarily related to three programs—decreases in program outlays for the Department of Labor’s Unemployment Insurance program, and decreases in reported error rates for the Earned Income Tax Credit program and the Medicare Advantage program. Further, the Office of Management and Budget reported that agencies recaptured $1.25 billion in improper payments to contractors, vendors, and healthcare providers in fiscal year 2011. Over half of this amount, $797 million, can be attributed to the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program which identifies Medicare overpayments and underpayments."
Date: February 7, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Has Been Established but It is Premature to Evaluate its Effectiveness (open access)

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Has Been Established but It is Premature to Evaluate its Effectiveness

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Title I of the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act provided for the creation of a trust fund to be administered by the World Bank to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The act mandates that the Comptroller General of the United States submit a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of the fund within 2 years of enactment of the statute. In January 2002, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria was formally established, but as of May 2002, funds had not been disbursed to any project. GAO reviewed the status of the Global Fund and found that as of May 2002, the Global Fund had received more than $2 billion in pledges, with $700 million available for disbursement in 2002. The United States has pledged a total of $300 million to the Fund through fiscal year 2002, and the administration has requested an additional $200 million in its fiscal year 2003 budget request. At its first board meeting in January 2002, the Fund called for proposals for its first round of grants and had received 322 proposals for projects in 101 countries by the March deadline. …
Date: June 7, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Additional Analysis Needed to Capture Cost Differences Between Conventional and Nuclear Propulsion for Navy's Future Cruiser (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Additional Analysis Needed to Capture Cost Differences Between Conventional and Nuclear Propulsion for Navy's Future Cruiser

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 requires that any budget request for construction of a new class of major combatant vessels will be for one with an integrated nuclear power system, unless the Secretary of Defense submits notification to Congress that it is not in the national interest to do so. The Navy's Next Generation Cruiser--CG(X)--is subject to this legislation. In response to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Navy's analysis of options for CG(X), including cost estimates related to building nuclear and conventional cruisers. GAO examined (1) the design concepts included in the CG(X) Analysis of Alternatives, (2) how each ship design concept addresses threats that cause capability gaps for maritime air and missile defense, and (3) how the Navy's methodology and assumptions affect its estimates of the relative costs for conventional and nuclear cruisers. To accomplish this, GAO analyzed CG(X) program documents, interviewed Navy and Department of Defense officials, and assessed the effect of alternative methodologies and assumptions on cost estimates. This letter is an unclassified summary of the classified report."
Date: August 7, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security: Options to Protect Benefits for Vulnerable Groups When Addressing Program Solvency (open access)

Social Security: Options to Protect Benefits for Vulnerable Groups When Addressing Program Solvency

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For over 70 years, Social Security has been the foundation of retirement income for American workers and their families and has been instrumental in reducing poverty among the elderly. The Congressional Research Service estimates that if Social Security benefits did not exist, an estimated 44 percent of all elderly people would be poor today. Still, some people who receive Social Security retirement benefits remain vulnerable to poverty in old age. The elderly poverty rate in 2007 was 9.7 percent. In addition, the long-term financing shortfall currently facing the Social Security program is growing and has made reform of the program a priority for policy makers. Thus, the nation faces the challenge of improving long-term program solvency, while also ensuring benefit adequacy for economically vulnerable beneficiaries. Many Social Security reform proposals have suggested modifying the system to restore its financial balance by reducing benefits or increasing payroll or other taxes, and several also include options to address concerns about benefit adequacy for economically vulnerable groups of beneficiaries. Economically vulnerable beneficiaries generally have limited income from other sources, such as employer-sponsored pension plans or personal savings, and therefore depend heavily …
Date: December 7, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Food Assistance: Briefing on U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Assistance Procurement Process (open access)

Food Assistance: Briefing on U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Assistance Procurement Process

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In summary, while USDA's organization and management structure for its food assistance procurement might suggest overlap, GAO found no duplication of Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) efforts. For example, AMS and FSA follow similar contracting rules and regulations; however, AMS and FSA have different procurement processes and funding authorities and purchase different commodities."
Date: March 7, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federally Chartered Corporation: Financial Statement Audit Report for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2003 (open access)

Federally Chartered Corporation: Financial Statement Audit Report for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2003

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO reviewed the audit reports covering the financial statements of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003. GAO found no reportable instances of noncompliance. The audit reports included the auditor's opinion that the financial statements of the corporation were presented fairly in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles."
Date: July 7, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library