Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Many federal program efforts, such as those related to ensuring food safety, providing homeland security, monitoring incidence of infectious diseases, or improving response to natural disasters, generally require the effective collaboration of more than one agency. As we have recently testified before each of Congressional subcommittees and the task force, the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) calls for a more coordinated and crosscutting approach to achieve meaningful results. Indeed, we have noted for many years the central role that GPRA could play in identifying and fostering improved coordination across related federal program efforts. Effective GPRAMA implementation provides opportunities to identify the various agencies and federal activities--including spending programs, regulations, and tax expenditures--that contribute to crosscutting programs and to ensure that coordination mechanisms are in place. Our recent report on potential duplication, overlap, and fragmentation highlights a number of areas where a more crosscutting approach is needed--both across agencies and within a specific agency. GPRAMA provides a powerful opportunity for agencies to collect and report more timely and useful performance information on crosscutting programs. This performance information can play an important role in …

A statement of record issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony provides information on fraud-prevention controls for the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) program. According to the Department of Labor (Labor), in fiscal year 2010 about 251,000 federal and postal employees and their survivors received wage- loss compensation, medical and vocational rehabilitation services, and death benefits through FECA. Administered by Labor, the FECA program provides benefits to federal employees who sustained injuries or illnesses while performing their federal duties. Employees must submit claims to their employing agency, which are then reviewed by Labor. For those claims that are approved, employing agencies reimburse Labor for payments made to their employees, while Labor bears most of the program's administrative costs. Wage-loss benefits for eligible workers-- including those who are at, or older than, retirement age--with total disabilities are generally 66.67 percent of the worker's salary (with no spouse or dependent) or 75 percent for a worker with a spouse or dependent. FECA wage loss compensation benefits are tax free and not subject to time or age limits. Labor's Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP) estimated that future actuarial liabilities for governmentwide FECA compensation payments to those …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For nearly 30 years, the statutory provision, known as Nunn-McCurdy, has been an oversight tool for Congress to hold the Department of Defense (DOD) accountable for cost growth on major defense programs. A Nunn-McCurdy breach occurs when a program's unit cost exceeds certain thresholds. When that happens, DOD must notify Congress of the breach. There are a number of statutory provisions that help implement cost growth reporting under Nunn-McCurdy. For the purposes of this report, we refer to these statutory provisions as the Nunn-McCurdy process. In September 2010, Congress requested that we examine trends in Nunn-McCurdy breaches and factors that may be responsible for these trends. In this report, we also discuss changes DOD is making or proposing to make to the Nunn-McCurdy process. To identify trends in Nunn-McCurdy breaches, we collected and analyzed existing data on breaches from DOD's Defense Acquisition Management Information Retrieval system, which contains data on breaches since 1997. DOD officials also provided us with a list of programs that breached the cost growth thresholds since 1997, which we analyzed to remove duplicate entries. In addition, we reviewed analyses by the Office of the …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In May 2011, we issued our opinion on the fiscal years 2010 and 2009 financial statements of the Congressional Award Foundation (the Foundation). We also reported on our evaluation of the Foundation's compliance with provisions of selected laws and regulations for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, and our consideration of the Foundation's internal control over financial reporting. [...] The purpose of this report is to present additional information on the internal control and accounting procedures issues we identified during our audit of the Foundation's fiscal years 2010 and 2009 financial statements and to provide our recommended actions to address those issues."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "From 2003 through 2009, the Future Combat Systems program was at the center of the Army's efforts to modernize. But in 2009, DOD canceled the program and instead laid out plans for development of a ground combat vehicle (GCV) program, multiple increments of brigade modernization, and a tactical network. GCV is intended to modernize the current ground combat vehicle fleet; the early infantry brigade combat team (E-IBCT) to continue previous Future Combat Systems efforts to stage and spin out emerging technologies to current forces; and the tactical information network to provide connectivity, communications, and data for the warfighter. Each of these is in various stages of implementation: GCV is to begin technology development in April 2011; E-IBCT increments have been terminated in early production based on test results; and development of the tactical network is poised to begin. This testimony focuses on the Army's recent efforts to prepare for a new GCV development program, E-IBCT program test results and decisions, and emerging plans for the tactical network, as well as questions the Army faces as it makes significant decisions in those areas. DOD reviewed a draft of this …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO has designated Medicare and Medicaid as high-risk programs because they are particularly vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and improper payments (payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount). Medicare is considered high-risk in part because of its complexity and susceptibility to improper payments, and Medicaid because of concerns about the adequacy of its fiscal oversight to prevent inappropriate spending. In fiscal year 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)--the agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid--estimated that these programs made a total of over $70 billion in improper payments. This statement focuses on how implementing prior GAO recommendations and recent laws, as well as other agency actions, could help CMS carry out five key strategies GAO identified in previous reports to help reduce fraud, waste, and abuse and improper payments in Medicare and Medicaid. It is based on 16 GAO products issued from April 2004 through June 2010 using a variety of methodologies, such as analyses of Medicare or Medicaid claims, review of relevant policies and procedures, and interviews with officials. In February 2011, GAO also received updated information from …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government holds more than 45,000 underutilized properties that cost nearly $1.7 billion annually to operate, yet significant obstacles impede efforts to close, consolidate, or find other uses for these properties. GAO has designated federal real property management as a high-risk area, in part because of the number and cost of these properties. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is responsible for reviewing federal agencies' progress in real property management. In 2007, GAO recommended that OMB assist agencies by developing an action plan to address key obstacles associated with decisions related to unneeded real property, including stakeholder influences. In May 2011, the administration proposed legislation, referred to as the Civilian Property Realignment Act (CPRA), to, among other things, establish a legislative framework for disposing of and consolidating civilian real property and that could help limit stakeholder influences in real property decision making. This statement identifies (1) progress the government has made toward addressing obstacles to federal real property management, (2) some of the challenges that remain and how CPRA may be responsive to those challenges, and (3) key elements of the Department of Defense's (DOD) base …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was enacted in part to expedite domestic oil and gas development. Section 390 of the act authorized the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to use categorical exclusions to streamline the environmental analysis required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) when approving certain oil and gas activities. Numerous questions have been raised about how and when BLM should use these section 390 categorical exclusions. In September 2009, GAO reported on BLM's first 3 years of experience-- fiscal years 2006 through 2008--using section 390 categorical exclusions. This testimony is based on GAO's September 2009 report (GAO-09-872) and updated with information on court decisions that have been reached since the report was issued. The testimony focuses on (1) the extent to which BLM used section 390 categorical exclusions and the benefits, if any, associated with their use; (2) the extent to which BLM complied with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and agency guidance; (3) key concerns, if any, associated with section 390 categorical exclusions; and (4) how BLM has responded to GAO's recommendations and other recent developments. …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses federal efforts to stem currency smuggling across our nation's borders. Mexican drug-trafficking organizations, terrorist organizations, and other groups with malevolent intent finance their operations by moving funds into or out of the United States. For example, a common technique used for taking proceeds from drug sales in the United States to Mexico is a method known as bulk cash smuggling. The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) has stated that proceeds from drug trafficking generated in this country are smuggled across the southwest border and it estimates that the proceeds total from $18 billion to $39 billion a year. NDIC also estimates that Canadian drug-trafficking organizations smuggle significant amounts of cash across the northern border from proceeds of drugs sold in the United States. In addition to bulk cash smuggling, 21st century methods and technologies of laundering money have emerged. In 2009, NDIC stated that new financial products and technologies present unique opportunities for money launderers as well as unprecedented challenges to the intelligence, law enforcement, and regulatory communities. NDIC and others cited the use of prepaid cards or gift cards that are loaded with currency …

Application materials submitted to the Texas Historical Commission requesting a historic marker for the Matsen House, in Austin, Texas. The materials include the inscription text of the marker, original application, narrative, floor plans, and photographs.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Permissible investments of the permanent school fund (RQ-0941-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Authority of a commissioners court and a county auditor with regard to county budget amendments (RQ-0946-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether there is an exception for diesel turbine engines to the requirement that all vehicles have a muffler (RQ-0949-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a school district chief of police may be compensated for service on a city council (RQ-0950-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Use of the judicial fund created by section 21.006 of the Government Code (RQ-0951-GA)

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the federal agency with primary responsibility for securing the air cargo system. The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 mandated DHS to establish a system to screen 100 percent of cargo flown on passenger aircraft by August 2010. GAO reviewed TSA's progress in meeting the act's screening mandate, and any related challenges it faces for both domestic (cargo transported within and from the United States) and inbound cargo (cargo bound for the United States). This statement is based on prior reports and testimonies issued from April 2007 through December 2010 addressing the security of the air cargo transportation system and selected updates made in February and March 2011. For the updates, GAO obtained information on TSA's air cargo security programs and interviewed TSA officials."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Congress mandated higher vehicle fuel economy by model year 2020 and established the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program in the Department of Energy (DOE). ATVM is to provide up to $25 billion in loans for more fuel-efficient vehicles and components. Congress also provided $7.5 billion to pay the required credit subsidy costs--the government's estimated net long-term cost, in present value terms, of the loans. This testimony is based on GAO's February 2011 report on the ATVM loan program (GAO-11-145). It discusses (1) steps DOE has taken to implement the program, (2) progress in awarding loans, (3) how the program is overseeing the loans, and (4) the extent to which DOE can assess progress toward its goals."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO annually audits the consolidated financial statements of the U.S. government. Congress and the President need reliable, useful, and timely financial and performance information to make sound decisions and conduct effective oversight of federal government programs and policies. Over the years, certain material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting have prevented GAO from expressing an opinion on the accrual-based consolidated financial statements. Unless these weaknesses are adequately addressed, they will, among other things, continue to (1) hamper the federal government's ability to reliably report a significant portion of its assets, liabilities, costs, and other related information; and (2) affect the federal government's ability to reliably measure the full cost as well as the financial and nonfinancial performance of certain programs and activities. This testimony presents the results of GAO's audit for fiscal year 2010 and discusses certain of the federal government's significant long-term fiscal challenges."

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Edgar Granger. Granger was born in Beaumont, Texas 2 July 1916 and graduated from high school in 1934. In 1935 he joined the Merchant Marines as a deck hand with the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company. In 1941 he entered the Merchant Marine officers training class at Alameda, California. After receiving his third-class mate’s license he went aboard the SS San Antonio. He tells of picking up survivors of the merchant ship SS Cities Service that had been torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Louisiana. He then joined the Atlantic-Gulf-West Indies Lines and went aboard the newly constructed Liberty ship, SS Mary Austin (1943) and took a load of Higgins boats to Scotland. Granger experienced a storm so sever on the Atlantic that it sank three ships in the convoy and damaged the Mary Austin. During the Battle of the Bulge, while aboard the SS John Cropper, the ship took a load of gasoline in 5 gallon Jerry cans to Antwerp, Belgium. From there Granger and crew went to Cherbourg, France and picked up 350 German prisoners and took them to New York City. Following the …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Donald Shogren. Shogren joined the Navy in April 1943 and received basic training at Camp Waldron. He received gunnery training at Camp Peterson. He finished his training in advanced gunnery and electric hydraulics in San Diego and became a gunner’s mate on the USS Capricornus (AKA-57). An accomplished gunner, he was assigned to a battle station on the port side near the bridge to protect the navigator, captain, and gunnery officer. He brought supplies and troops to campaigns in the Philippines and engaged in antiaircraft fire in the Battle of Lingayen Gulf. At Espiritu Santos, he bumped into Admiral Nimitz, who didn’t seem to mind that Shogren had been using his private swimming beach. At Okinawa, the Capricornus was uniquely positioned within the convoy so as to not be a target of kamikaze planes. When the war ended, Shogren recalls that cheering broke out across his unit. Shogren was sent to Guam to guard Japanese war criminals awaiting trial. He returned home, and after discharge he enlisted in the Army. A year later he transferred to the Air Force and retired as a fighter pilot and major 14 …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Eddie Good. Good participated in the Army Specialized Training Program. In 1945, he joined the United States Army Air Forces, where he served as a clerk helping to discharge returning combat veterans. He also spent time working in a hospital while being monitored for a lung condition before he was discharged soon after the war ended.

Transcript of an oral interview with Eugene George. He was born in 1922 in Wichita Falls, Texas. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Texas and worked for a contractor, doing plumbing work at Sheppard Field, Texas. He enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1942. After receiving training at various U.S. bases, he graduated from aviation school in 1944. He was sent to an Air Force Base in Goose Bay, Labrador. He describes landing at Bluie West 1 (BW-1), an airfield in Greenland. Stationed at Royal Air Force Station Tibenham, England, his first mission was a bombing raid in a B-24 bomber over the Orly Airfield, south of Paris, France. He recounts his experiences when his plane was shot down in the Kassel Mission. He parachuted from the burning airplane. After trying to make his way to Switzerland, he gave himself up to German soldiers in order to receive treatment for his injuries. He was sent to a Durchgangslager der Luftwaffe, or Dulag Luft, for interrogation before being sent to Stalag Luft I, a German POW camp near Barth, Western Pomerania, Germany. He describes his activities in the camp. After liberation from the camp, he returned …

Transcript of an oral interview with Harold F. Neuberger. Neuberger grew up on a farm in Illinois and joined the Navy after he finished high school in 1943. He trained at Camp Farragut, Idaho. From there, he went to a machinist school at the University of Kansas. Then he attended a naval optics school in Washington, DC. Upon graduating, Neuberger was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20), and was a crewmember upon the ship's commissioning (thus making him a plankowner). He describes going through the Panama Canal on their way to the Pacific in early 1945. The Bennington's first assignement took her to just off the coast of Japan. Then she headed for Iwo Jima. After that, she resupplied and cruised for Okinawa, where the carrier provided air support for ground forces. Neuberger describes going through a typhoon. Neuberger was discharged in February, 1946 and returned to Illinois.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Haw. As a member of the ROTC, Haw joined the Navy at the age of 17. Upon completion of hospital corps school in San Diego, he was assigned to an operating room at Shoemaker Naval Hospital where he performed minor surgery and worked as an obstetrician. He was granted leave to attend his mother's funeral, and a clerical error resulted in his being reported AWOL. Haw's father was shunned by his community and ridiculed in the local papers for this. Haw deployed to Iwo Jima, where he gave lifesaving assistance to the wounded even after sustaining a permanent spinal cord injury during a shell blast. In the Philippines, he tended to newly liberated American POWs, some of whom were suicidal. After returning home and being discharged in 1946, Haw himself suffered from PTSD.