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Export-Import Bank: Changes Would Improve the Reliability of Reporting on Small Business Financing (open access)

Export-Import Bank: Changes Would Improve the Reliability of Reporting on Small Business Financing

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) provides loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to support U.S. exports. Its level of support for small business has been a long-standing issue of congressional interest. Most recently in 2002, Congress increased the proportion of financing Ex-Im must make available for small business to 20 percent. GAO examined legal and policy issues related to Ex-Im's small business financing. Specifically, GAO (1) analyzes Ex-Im's methodology for calculating its direct support of small business and the reliability of Ex-Im's data used in the methodology and (2) describes Ex-Im's legal interpretation of its obligations under the statutory 20 percent small business mandate."
Date: March 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Individual Income Tax Policy: Streamlining, Simplification, and Additional Reforms Are Desirable (open access)

Individual Income Tax Policy: Streamlining, Simplification, and Additional Reforms Are Desirable

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government currently relies heavily on the individual income tax and payroll taxes for about 80 percent of its total annual revenue. Long-range projections show that without some form of policy change, the gap between revenues and spending will increasingly widen. The debate about the future tax system is partly about whether the goals for the nation's tax system can be best achieved by reforming the current income tax so that it has a broader base and flatter rate schedule, or switching to some form of consumption tax. This testimony reviews the revenue contribution of the current individual income tax as well as its complexity, economic efficiency, equity, and taxpayer compliance issues; discusses some common dimensions to compare tax proposals; and draws some conclusions for tax reform. This statement is based on previously published GAO work and reviews of relevant literature."
Date: August 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Needs to Refine and More Effectively Manage Its New Approach for Assessing and Certifying Nuclear Weapons (open access)

Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Needs to Refine and More Effectively Manage Its New Approach for Assessing and Certifying Nuclear Weapons

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1992, the United States began a unilateral moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons. To compensate for the lack of testing, the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) developed the Stockpile Stewardship Program to assess and certify the safety and reliability of the nation's nuclear stockpile without nuclear testing. In 2001, NNSA's weapons laboratories began developing what is intended to be a common framework for a new methodology for assessing and certifying the safety and reliability of the nuclear stockpile without nuclear testing. GAO was asked to evaluate (1) the new methodology NNSA is developing and (2) NNSA's management of the implementation of this new methodology."
Date: February 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Federal Unemployment Taxes (open access)

Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Federal Unemployment Taxes

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "We performed the procedures which we agreed to perform and with which the Department of Labor (DOL) concurred soley to assist the DOL in ascertaining whether the net federal unemployment tax (FUTA) revenue distributed to the Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, is supported by the underlying records. The procedures we agreed to perform relate to (1) transactions that represent underlying basis of amounts distributed to the UTF and (2) key reconciliations of the Internal Revenue Service records to the Department of the Treasury Records."
Date: November 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Welfare Reform: Better Information Needed to Understand Trends in States' Uses of the TANF Block Grant (open access)

Welfare Reform: Better Information Needed to Understand Trends in States' Uses of the TANF Block Grant

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant created as part of the 1996 welfare reforms, states have the authority to make key decisions about how to allocate federal and state funds to assist low-income families. States also make key decisions, through their budget processes, about federal and state funds associated with other programs providing assistance for the low-income population. States' increased flexibility under TANF as well as the budgetary stresses they experienced after a recession draw attention to the fiscal partnership between the federal government and states. To update GAO's previous work, this report examines (1) changes in the overall level of welfare-related spending; (2) changes in spending priorities for welfare-related nonhealth services; and (3) the contribution of TANF funds to states' spending for welfare-related services. GAO reviewed spending in nine states for state fiscal years 1995, 2000, and 2004 and focused on spending for working-age adults and children, excluding the elderly, long-term and institutional care."
Date: March 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: Communications to Beneficiaries on the Prescription Drug Benefit Could Be Improved (open access)

Medicare: Communications to Beneficiaries on the Prescription Drug Benefit Could Be Improved

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On January 1, 2006, Medicare began providing coverage for outpatient prescription drugs through its new Part D benefit. Beneficiaries who enroll in Part D may choose a drug plan from those offered by private plan sponsors under contract to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers the Part D benefit. Beneficiaries have until May 15, 2006, to enroll in the Part D benefit and select a plan without the risk of penalties. GAO was asked to review the quality of CMS's communications on the Part D benefit. GAO examined 70 CMS publications to select 6 documents for review and contracted with the American Institutes for Research to evaluate the clarity of these texts; made 500 calls to the 1-800-MEDICARE help line; and contracted with the Nielsen Norman Group to evaluate the usability of the Medicare Web site."
Date: May 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department Efforts to Engage Muslim Audiences Lack Certain Communication Elements and Face Significant Challenges (open access)

U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department Efforts to Engage Muslim Audiences Lack Certain Communication Elements and Face Significant Challenges

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Public opinion polls have shown continued negative sentiments toward the United States in the Muslim world. Public diplomacy activities--led by the State Department (State)--are designed to counter such sentiments by explaining U.S. foreign policy actions, countering misinformation, and advancing mutual understanding between nations. GAO was asked to examine (1) what public diplomacy resources and programs State has directed to the Muslim world, (2) whether posts have adopted a strategic approach to implementing public diplomacy, and (3) what challenges remain to be addressed."
Date: May 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Contract Security Guards: Army's Guard Program Requires Greater Oversight and Reassessment of Acquisition Approach (open access)

Contract Security Guards: Army's Guard Program Requires Greater Oversight and Reassessment of Acquisition Approach

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, increased security requirements and a significant number of active duty and reserve personnel sent overseas to support the war on terror left the Department of Defense (DOD) with fewer military personnel to rely on to protect domestic installations. To correct this shortage, Congress is temporarily allowing DOD to use contract security guards to fulfill roles previously performed by military employees. The U.S. Army has awarded contracts worth nearly $733 million to acquire contract guards at 57 Army installations, an investment far greater than those made by other DOD services so far. The requesters asked GAO to assess how the Army has been managing and overseeing its acquisition of security guard services, particularly with regard to the Army's (1) acquisition strategy, (2) employment screening, (3) training of contract guards, and (4) award fee process. This report also discusses DOD's mandated November 2005 report to Congress on the contract guard program."
Date: April 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Airport and Airway Trust Fund Excise Taxes (open access)

Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Airport and Airway Trust Fund Excise Taxes

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "We assisted the Department of Transportation (DOT) in ascertaining whether the net excise tax revenue distributed to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, is supported by the underlying records. As agreed with the DOT Office of Inspector General, we evaluated fiscal year 2006 activity affecting distributions to the AATF. In performing the agreed-upon procedures, we conducted our work in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards, which incorporate financial audit and attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. These standards also provide guidance for performing and reporting the results of agreed-upon procedures. The adequacy of the procedures to meet DOT's objectives is the department's responsibility, and we make no representation in that respect. The procedures we agreed to perform were related to (1) detailed tests of transactions that represent the underlying basis of amounts distributed to the AATF, (2) Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) quarterly AATF certifications, (3) Department of the Treasury's Financial Management Service adjustments to the AATF during fiscal year 2006, (4) IRS's precertification of receipts for each quarter completed in fiscal year …
Date: November 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security Disability Programs: Clearer Guidance Could Help SSA Apply the Medical Improvement Standard More Consistently (open access)

Social Security Disability Programs: Clearer Guidance Could Help SSA Apply the Medical Improvement Standard More Consistently

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Social Security Act requires that the Social Security Administration (SSA) find an improvement in a beneficiary's medical condition in order to remove him or her from either the Disability Insurance (DI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. GAO was asked to (1) examine the proportion of beneficiaries who have improved medically and (2) determine if factors associated with the standard pose challenges for SSA when determining whether beneficiaries continue to be eligible for benefits. To answer these questions, GAO surveyed all 55 Disability Determination Services (DDS) directors, interviewed SSA officials, and reviewed pertinent SSA data."
Date: October 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Abstinence Education: Efforts to Assess the Accuracy and Effectiveness of Federally Funded Programs (open access)

Abstinence Education: Efforts to Assess the Accuracy and Effectiveness of Federally Funded Programs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies is one objective of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS provides funding to states and organizations that provide abstinence-until-marriage education as one approach to address this objective. GAO was asked to describe the oversight of federally funded abstinence-until-marriage education programs. GAO is reporting on (1) efforts by HHS and states to assess the scientific accuracy of materials used in these programs and (2) efforts by HHS, states, and researchers to assess the effectiveness of these programs. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed HHS officials in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) that award grants for these programs."
Date: October 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Higher Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs (open access)

Higher Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Trends and the Role of Federal Programs

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States is a world leader in scientific and technological innovation. To help maintain this advantage, the federal government has spent billions of dollars on education programs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for many years. However, concerns have been raised about the nation's ability to maintain its global technological competitive advantage in the future. This testimony is based on our October 2005 report and presents information on (1) trends in degree attainment in STEM- and non-STEM-related fields and factors that may influence these trends, (2) trends in the levels of employment in STEM- and non-STEM- related fields and factors that may influence these trends, and (3) federal education programs intended to support the study of and employment in STEM-related fields. For this report, we analyzed survey responses from 13 civilian federal departments and agencies; analyzed data from the Departments of Education and Labor; interviewed educators, federal agency officials, and representatives from education associations and organizations; and interviewed students."
Date: May 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department Efforts Lack Certain Communication Elements and Face Persistent Challenges (open access)

U.S. Public Diplomacy: State Department Efforts Lack Certain Communication Elements and Face Persistent Challenges

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Public opinion polls have shown continued negative sentiments toward the United States in the Muslim world. Public diplomacy activities--led by the State Department (State)--are designed to counter such sentiments by explaining U.S. foreign policy actions, countering misinformation, and advancing mutual understanding between nations. Since 2003, we have issued three reports on U.S. public diplomacy efforts that examined (1) changes in public diplomacy resources since September 11, 2001; (2) strategic planning and coordination of public diplomacy efforts; and (3) the challenges facing these efforts. We have made several recommendations in the last 3 years to the Secretary of State to address strategic planning issues, private sector engagement, and staffing challenges related to public diplomacy. For example, today's report recommends that the Secretary develop written guidance detailing how the department intends to implement its public diplomacy goals as they apply to the Muslim world. State has consistently concurred with our findings and recommendations for improving public diplomacy, and the department, in several cases, is taking appropriate actions. However, the department has not established a timetable for many of these actions."
Date: May 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Defense: Sustained Leadership Is Critical to Effective Financial and Business Management Transformation (open access)

Department of Defense: Sustained Leadership Is Critical to Effective Financial and Business Management Transformation

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) bears sole responsibility for eight DOD-specific high-risk areas and shares responsibility for six governmentwide high-risk areas. These high-risk areas reflect the pervasive weaknesses that cut across all of DOD's major business operations. Several of the high-risk areas are inter-related, including, but not limited to, financial management, business systems modernization, and DOD's overall approach to business transformation. Billions of dollars provided to DOD are wasted each year because of ineffective performance and inadequate accountability. DOD has taken some positive steps to successfully transform its business operations and address these high-risk areas, but huge challenges remain. This testimony discusses (1) pervasive, long-standing financial and business management weaknesses that affect DOD's efficiency; (2) some examples that highlight a need for improved business systems development and implementation oversight; (3) DOD's key initiatives to improve financial management, related business processes, and systems; and (4) actions needed to enhance the success of DOD's financial and business transformation efforts."
Date: August 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Highway Trust Fund Excise Taxes (open access)

Applying Agreed-Upon Procedures: Highway Trust Fund Excise Taxes

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "We have performed procedures, which we agreed to perform and with which the Department of Transportation (DOT) concurred, solely to assist the office of the Inspector General in ascertaining whether the net excise tax revenue distributed to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, is supported by the underlying records. As agreed with DOT, we evaluated fiscal year 2006 activity affecting distributions to the HTF. In performing the agreed-upon procedures, we conducted our work in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards, which incorporate financial audit and attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. These standards also provide guidance for performing and reporting the results of agreed-upon procedures. The adequacy of the procedures to meet DOT objectives is DOT's responsibility, and we make no representation in that respect. The procedures we agreed to perform were related to (1) detailed tests of transactions that represent the underlying basis of amounts distributed to the HTF, (2) Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) quarterly HTF certifications, (3) Department of the Treasury's Financial Management Service adjustments to the HTF during fiscal year 2006, …
Date: November 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commitee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate: Democratic and Republican Party Procedures (open access)

Commitee Assignment Process in the U.S. Senate: Democratic and Republican Party Procedures

Because of the importance of committee work, Senators consider desirable committee assignments a priority. After general elections are over, one of the first orders of business for Senate leaders is setting the sizes and ratios of committees. This report describes the process of creating Senate committees, including the nomination process and rules and regulations specifically pertaining to said process.
Date: November 3, 2006
Creator: Schneider, Judy
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Analysis - Notes and Research (open access)

BRAC Analysis - Notes and Research

Contains notes and research from Navy Team Analyst Joe Barrett regarding Naval Air Station New Orleans, LA (Part 1 of 2)
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Analysis - Notes and Research (open access)

BRAC Analysis - Notes and Research

Contains notes and research from Navy Team Analyst Joe Barrett regarding Naval Air Station New Orleans, LA (Part 2 of 2)
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Commission Executive Correspondence (open access)

BRAC Commission Executive Correspondence

Contains Commission Executive Correspondence regarding BRAC Testimony; thank you letters.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Letter
System: The UNT Digital Library
NMC11 - Community Input (open access)

NMC11 - Community Input

Contains community input from Naval Air Station Brunswick, ME for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Analysis - Position Paper (open access)

BRAC Analysis - Position Paper

Contains a position paper from Air Force Team Leader Ken Small regarding the Air National Guard Plan.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
AF31 - Senate Input (open access)

AF31 - Senate Input

Contains Senate input from Senator Thune(High risk vs low savings) regarding Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Commission - Commissioner's Notes (open access)

BRAC Commission - Commissioner's Notes

Contains proposed questions for Commissioner Coyle regarding Submarine Base New London, CT from the Connecticut CODEL
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
BRAC Analysis - Email (open access)

BRAC Analysis - Email

Contains email from Executive Director Charles Battaglia regarding information not received from DoD for the Commission's review.
Date: January 3, 2006
Creator: United States. Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission.
Object Type: Letter
System: The UNT Digital Library