A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1996, we have periodically reported on Forest Service financial management problems that we, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of the Inspector General, and other independent auditors have identified. We have designated the Forest Service financial management as a high-risk area since 1999. Because of these longstanding financial management deficiencies, the House Committee on Resource's Subcommittee on Forests and Forest Health asked GAO to report on the Forest Service's progress in correcting its financial management problems and on remaining challenges and actions underway to address those challenges."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) has hundreds of millions of dollars of funded work that its working capital fund activities did not complete before the end of the fiscal year. Reducing the amount of workload carryover at fiscal year-end is a key factor in the effective management of Department of Defense (DOD) resources and in minimizing the "banking" of funds for work to be performed in subsequent years. GAO was asked to analyze SPAWAR's carryover balances. GAO assessed the accuracy of the budgeted amounts, the accuracy of the reported actual carryover balance, and the reliability of underlying financial data on which reported actual carryover is based."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) within the Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the evaluation of DOT research programs to promote the efficient use of departmental research funds, which in fiscal year 2002 totaled over $1 billion. RSPA is also responsible for conducting multimodal research that cuts across different modes of transportation. The House Committee on Appropriations directed GAO to examine RSPA's coordination and evaluation of research within DOT and the status of its own multimodal research."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of State, GAO identified important issues concerning the security of U.S. facilities and personnel overseas, visa issuance, illicit drugs entering the United States, information security, and other issues facing the department. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Labor, GAO identified major management challenges in increasing the employment and earnings of America's workforce, protecting the benefits of workers, and fostering safe and healthy workplaces. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report addresses the major management challenges and program risks facing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as it works to carry out its multiple and highly diverse missions. The report discusses the actions that HUD has taken and that are under way to address the challenges GAO identified in its Performance and Accountability Series 2 years ago. Also, GAO summarizes the challenges that remain, new ones that have emerged, and further actions that GAO believes are needed."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Justice, GAO identified five major management challenges. Justice has since made progress on (1) developing measurable performance targets in reducing illegal drugs and (2) improving management of its asset forfeiture program. However, three challenges remain and a fourth managing the FBI's transformation was added. GAO prepared this report to bring these major challenges to the attention of the Congress and Justice. This is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Social Security Administration (SSA), GAO identified important issues relating to research capacity, its process for determining disability, management of a high-risk Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, future service delivery plans, and protection of information facing the agency. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help to sustain congressional attention and an agency focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Historically, the Forest Service has not been able to provide Congress or the public with a clear understanding of what the Forest Service's 30,000 employees accomplish with the approximately $5 billion the agency receives every year. Since 1990, GAO has reported 7 times on performance accountability weaknesses at the Forest Service, including its inability to systematically link planning, budgeting, and results reporting. This report reviews the recent progress the Forest Service has made in resolving previously identified performance accountability problems and identifies key challenges the Forest Service must overcome to resolve these problems."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO's 2001 report on major challenges at the Small Business Administration (SBA) addressed lender oversight, the 8(a) program for small disadvantaged businesses, disaster loan processing, and other issues. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and SBA's focus on addressing these challenges. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the 2001 Performance and Accountability report on the U.S. Postal Service (the Service), GAO identified financial, operational, and human capital challenges threatening the Service's ability to carry out its mission. Since then, these challenges have continued and its financial difficulties have increased, resulting in GAO's placing the Service's transformation efforts and long-term outlook on its high-risk list. The information in this report is intended to help focus attention and facilitate progress in addressing the key challenges facing the Service. This report is part of a special series on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), GAO identified important security, modernization, food safety, food assistance, and other issues facing the department. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help to sustain congressional attention and departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), GAO identified important management issues facing the agency. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional and agency attention on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of 23 reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The nation confronts profound challenges resulting from a variety of factors, including changing security threats, dramatic shifts in demographic patterns, the multidimensional processes of globalization, and the accelerating pace of technological change. These are all coming together in an era of diminishing public resources. The nation's leaders and concerned citizens require better knowledge of what is happening and where we are going to support improved public choices. The United States could potentially benefit from developing a set of key national indicators to help assess our nation's position and progress. On February 27, 2003, GAO, in cooperation with the National Academies, hosted a forum on key national indicators. The purpose of the forum was to have a rich and meaningful dialogue on whether and how to develop a set of key national indicators for the United States. The forum brought together a diverse group of national leaders to discuss the following: How are the world's leading democracies measuring national performance? What might the United States do to improve its approach and why? What are important areas to measure in assessing U.S. national performance? How might new U.S. …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Transportation (the department), GAO identified important safety, security, acquisition, financial management, and other issues facing the department. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges--and others that have arisen since 2001--and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This is GAO's first performance and accountability series report on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government's human capital agency. OPM faces challenges in four key areas: leadership, oversight, internal management, and administration of the federal retirement and health insurance programs. The data presented in this report are intended to help sustain congressional attention and an agency focus in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The 1998 Head Start Act mandated that 50 percent of all Head Start teachers nationwide have a minimum of an associate degree in early childhood education, or, in a related field with preschool teaching experience, by September 30, 2003. This law also required that each classroom in center-based programs (those that primarily provide services in classroom settings) without such a degreed teacher have a teacher with a Child Development Associate credential or an equivalent state certificate. In preparation for the reauthorization of Head Start in fiscal year 2003, GAO was asked to examine: (1) the extent to which Head Start has met legislative mandates concerning teacher qualifications; (2) whether Head Start teachers' salaries have increased and enabled grantees to attract and retain teachers with degrees; and (3) the extent to which degree and other programs in early childhood education are available for Head Start teachers and if grantees have taken steps to enhance access to them."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), GAO identified management challenges related to health care quality, access, resource management, and disability claims processing. In addition to these and other continuing challenges, VA must now prepare for biological and chemical acts of terrorism. The information in this report aims to sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on government-wide and agency specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 Governmentwide Perspective, GAO identified operational challenges, such as the continuing need to implement management reforms, and discussed the need to address human capital and other strategic challenges, particularly the longer-term budget outlook. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention in addressing the challenges government faces in doing business in the 21st century. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), GAO identified important issues facing the department as it works to carry out its multiple, complex, and highly diverse missions. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help to sustain congressional attention on these challenges and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges and ultimately overcoming them. The report should help improve government for the benefit of the American public. This report is part of a special series of governmentwide and agency specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In its 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of Education, GAO identified challenges with student financial aid programs, financial management, and other areas facing Education. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing and overcoming these challenges and new challenges that have arisen due to legislative changes since 2001. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "DOD's management, funding, and reporting of spending for spare parts programs have been a focus of GAO high risk reports for over a decade. They noted that spare parts shortages adversely affect military operations and readiness. Despite funding of about $1.9 billion over fiscal years 1999-2002 to increase availability of spare parts, managing to mitigate shortages still challenges the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). GAO examined if (1) DLA's strategic planning addresses mitigating critical spare parts shortages that affect readiness, (2) strategic initiatives will likely mitigate these shortages, (3) a DOD-directed initiative has improved availability of critical aviation parts, and (4) DLA can identify the impact of added investment on parts availability."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the 2001 performance and accountability report on the Department of the Interior (Interior), GAO identified important challenges facing the department in its management of ecosystem restoration efforts, Indian tribes, national parks, and land exchanges. The information GAO presents in this report is intended to help sustain congressional attention and a departmental focus on continuing to make progress in addressing these challenges--and others that have arisen since 2001--and ultimately overcoming them. This report is part of a special series of reports on governmentwide and agency-specific issues."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since GAO designated computer security in the federal government as high risk in 1997, evidence of pervasive weaknesses has been continuing. Also, related risks have been escalating, in part because of the dramatic increases in computer interconnectivity and increasing dependence on computers to support critical operations and infrastructures, such as power distribution, water supply, national defense, and emergency services. This year, GAO expanded this high risk area to include protecting the information systems that support our nation's critical infrastructures, referred to as cyber critical infrastructure protection or cyber CIP. Among other reasons for designating cyber CIP high risk is that terrorist groups and others have stated their intentions of attacking our critical infrastructures, and failing to protect these infrastructures could adversely affect our national security, economic security, and/or public health and safety."