Partner
UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
993
UNT Libraries Special Collections
381
Abilene Christian University Library
171
UNT Libraries
112
Oklahoma Historical Society
101
National Museum of the Pacific War/Admiral Nimitz Foundation
32
Sweetwater/Nolan County City-County Library
25
Sterling Municipal Library
22
Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center
21
Burleson Public Library
20
48 More
Collection
Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
657
Texas Digital Newspaper Program
352
LGBT Collections
331
Lone Star Ride Collection
305
Abilene Library Consortium
176
ACU Summit Lecture Series
161
Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program
127
Congressional Research Service Reports
108
Texas State Publications
107
Government Accountability Office Reports
94
90 More
Degree Department
Degree Discipline
Degree Level
Country
Year
Month
Language
2,082 Matching Results
Results open in a new window/tab.
DOD Financial Management: Improvement Needed in DOD Components' Implementation of Audit Readiness Effort
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) has been required to prepare audited annual financial statements since 1997 but to date, has not been able to meet this requirement. The National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2010 mandated that DOD be prepared to validate [certify] that its consolidated financial statements are audit-ready by September 30, 2017. In May 2010, DOD issued its Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness (FIAR) Guidance to provide a methodology for DOD components to follow to develop and implement their Financial Improvement Plans (FIPs) for achieving audit readiness. The DOD FIP is a framework for planning and tracking the steps and supporting documentation. GAO was asked to assess the FIP methodology provided in the FIAR Guidance, the development and implementation of selected components' FIPs, and DOD's monitoring and oversight of the FIP process. To do this, GAO analyzed the FIAR Guidance, reviewed two selected FIPs--Navy Civilian Pay and Air Force Military Equipment--and reviewed relevant documentation and interviewed DOD and component officials.."
Date:
September 13, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Freight Railroad Safety: Hours of Service Changes Have Increased Rest Time, but More Can Be Done to Address Fatigue Risks
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) overhauled requirements for how much time certain freight railroad workers can spend on the job (called "hours of service"). Changes included limiting the number of consecutive days on duty before rest is required, increasing minimum rest time from 8 to 10 hours, and requiring rest time to be undisturbed. RSIA also provided for pilot projects and waivers. RSIA's changes became effective for freight railroads in July 2009. GAO was asked to assess (1) the impact of these changes on covered train and engine (T&E) employees, including implications for fatigue, (2) the impact of the changes on the rail industry, and (3) actions the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has taken to oversee compliance with hours of service requirements and implement RSIA provisions for pilot projects and waivers. To perform this work, GAO analyzed covered employee work schedules and used models to assess fatigue, surveyed the railroad industry, analyzed FRA inspection and enforcement data, and interviewed federal and railroad officials as well as fatigue and sleep experts."
Date:
September 28, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Highway Trust Fund: All States Received More Funding Than They Contributed in Highway Taxes from 2005 to 2009
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal funding for highways is provided to the states mostly through a series of grant programs known as the Federal-Aid Highway Program, administered by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorized $197.5 billion for the Federal-Aid Highway Program for fiscal years 2005 through 2009. The program operates on a "user pay" system, wherein users contribute to the Highway Trust Fund through fuel taxes and other fees. The distribution of funding among the states has been a contentious issue. States that receive less than highway users contribute are known as "donor" states and states that receive more than users contribute are known as "donee" states. GAO was asked to examine for the SAFETEA-LU period (1) how contributions to the Highway Trust Fund compared with the funding states received, (2) what provisions were used to address rate-of-return issues across states, and (3) what additional factors affect the relationship between contributions to the Highway Trust Fund and the funding states receive. To conduct this review, GAO obtained and analyzed data from …
Date:
September 8, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Contingency Contracting: Improved Planning and Management Oversight Needed to Address Challenges with Closing Contracts
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2002, DOD obligated at least $166.6 billion on contracts supporting reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of these contingency contracts, in particular those awarded in Iraq, need to be closed. Contract closeout is a key step to ensure the government receives the goods and services it purchased at the agreed upon price and, if done timely, provides opportunities to use unspent funds for other needs and reduces exposure to other financial risks. To assess DOD's efforts to close its Iraq contracts, GAO examined the (1) number of contracts that are eligible for closeout and the extent to which they will be closed within required time frames, (2) factors contributing to contracts not being closed within required time frames, (3) steps DOD took to manage the financial risks associated with not closing contracts within required time frames, and (4) extent to which DOD captured and implemented lessons learned from closing its Iraq contracts. GAO reviewed contingency contracting guidance, analyzed contract and closeout data for contracts awarded between fiscal years 2003 and 2010, and interviewed DOD officials from six organizations responsible for awarding or …
Date:
September 27, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Low-Income Countries: International Financial Institutions Met Many Goals in Response to Financial, Food, and Fuel Crises, but Impact on Spending Difficult to Establish
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The 40 poorest countries in the world, known as low-income countries (LICs), have been negatively impacted by successive food, fuel, and financial crises since 2007. In response, international financial institutions (IFI), including the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), have taken actions to increase financial assistance for affected countries. Between 2008 and 2010, Congress appropriated $3.3 billion to the World Bank's International Development Association, which funds development programs in LICs. Congress also authorized the U.S. representative at the IMF to vote to approve the sale of some of the IMF's gold to increase lending to LICs. LICs' ability to repay debt remains important as financing levels rise and decisions are made about the mix of loans and grants they receive. GAO was asked to examine (1) the economic impact of the crises on LICs, (2) IFIs' responses and reported results, and (3) IFIs' assessment of the impact of the crises on LICs' ability to repay their debt. GAO analyzed documents and information from the World Bank and the IMF, including data on macroeconomic indicators, financial commitments, and debt analyses. GAO interviewed staff from the World …
Date:
September 28, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Private Health Insurance: Implementation of the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "During the last decade the number of large employers offering health benefits to retirees--including early retirees not eligible for Medicare--has declined. Among all large firms that offered health benefits to active employees from 2001 to 2010, the percentage that offered health benefits to retirees decreased from 39 percent in 2001 to 28 percent in 2010. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, individuals age 55 to 64 who lack health insurance are vulnerable to high health care costs associated with serious and chronic illnesses. The Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) was established pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to provide reimbursement to participating employment-based health plans The reimbursements provided by the program are intended to cover a portion of the cost of providing health benefits to early retirees-- individuals age 55 and older who are not eligible for Medicare. Sponsors of participating health plans can include commercial organizations, government entities, nonprofit organizations, religious organizations, and unions. Under the program, these plan sponsors can use ERRP reimbursements to reduce their own health benefit costs, plan participants' health benefit costs, or any combination of …
Date:
September 30, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Financial Derivatives: Disparate Tax Treatment and Information Gaps Create Uncertainty and Potential Abuse
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Recently, concerns have arisen about the use of certain financial derivatives to avoid or evade tax obligations. As requested, this report (1) identifies and evaluates how financial derivatives can be used to avoid or evade tax liability or achieve differing tax results in economically similar situations, (2) evaluates Internal Revenue Service (IRS) actions to address the tax effects of investments in financial derivatives through guidance, and (3) evaluates IRS actions to identify financial derivative products and trends through information from other agencies. GAO reviewed research and IRS documents and interviewed IRS and, Department of the Treasury (Treasury) officials and other experts. GAO analyzed the completion of financial derivative projects on the agencies' Priority Guidance Plans (PGP) from 1996 to 2010."
Date:
September 20, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Safety: Status of FAA's Actions to Oversee the Safety of Composite Airplanes
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Composite materials, made by combining materials such as carbon fibers with epoxy, have been used in airplane components for decades. Although composites are lighter and stronger than most metals, their increasing use in commercial airplane structures such as the fuselage and wings has raised safety concerns. Boeing's 787 is the first mostly composite large commercial transport airplane to undergo the certification process. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certify new airplane designs and evaluate the airworthiness of novel features--like composite structures--against existing safety standards, which are often based on the performance of metallic airplanes. In August 2011, FAA and EASA certified the 787, which is expected to enter commercial service in the fall of 2011. GAO was asked to review FAA's and EASA's certification processes and FAA's oversight of the composite airplanes once they enter service. GAO examined how FAA and EASA assessed the use of composite materials in the Boeing 787 fuselage and wings, and the extent to which FAA has addressed safety-related concerns associated with the repair and maintenance of composite airplanes. GAO reviewed certification documentation, conducted a …
Date:
September 21, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
United Nations: Improved Reporting and Member States' Consensus Needed for Food and Agriculture Organization's Reform Plan
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States and other member states have long-standing concerns about the management and operations of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a United Nations (UN) specialized agency charged with leading international efforts to defeat hunger. After an external evaluation found that FAO needed to reform, FAO adopted its reform plan, called the Immediate Plan of Action for FAO Renewal (IPA), which includes 272 action items. This report examines (1) the methodology that FAO uses to report on the status of its reform plan, (2) factors that affect FAO's ability to implement its reform plan, and (3) actions the United States has undertaken to support FAO reform efforts. GAO analyzed FAO documents, including FAO's most recent 2010 IPA progress report; interviewed U.S. and UN officials, and representatives of FAO member states; and analyzed 30 IPA action items from FAO's reform plan."
Date:
September 28, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Organizational Transformation: Military Departments Can Improve Their Enterprise Architecture Programs
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) spends billions of dollars annually to build and maintain information technology (IT) systems intended to support its mission. For decades, DOD has been challenged in modernizing its systems environment to reduce duplication and increase integration. Such modernizations can be guided by an enterprise architecture--a blueprint that describes an organization's current and target state for its business operations and supporting IT systems and a plan for transitioning between the two states. DOD has long sought to employ enterprise architectures and has defined an approach for doing so that depends in large part on the military departments developing architectures of their own. In light of the critical role that military department enterprise architectures play in DOD's overall architecture approach, GAO was requested to assess the status of the Departments of the Air Force, Army, and Navy (DON) enterprise architecture programs. To do so, GAO obtained and analyzed key information about each department's architecture relative to the 59 core elements contained in stages 1 through 6 of GAO's Enterprise Architecture Management Maturity Framework."
Date:
September 26, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
DOD Financial Management: Weaknesses in Controls over the Use of Public Funds and Related Improper Payments
A publication issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is required to design and implement effective internal controls, including controls over its use of public funds ("funds controls") and controls over its payment processes ("payment controls"). As a steward of the public's resources, DOD is responsible and accountable for (1) using public funds efficiently and effectively and for the purposes and within the time frames and amounts prescribed by law, (2) making payments to the right parties in the correct amount within allowable time frames and recouping any improper payments, and (3) accurately recording and reporting on its transactions and use of public funds. GAO's testimony focuses on (1) challenges DOD faces in its funds control, and their effect on the reliability of DOD's financial information, especially the budgetary information in DOD's Statement of Budgetary Resources and (2) weaknesses in DOD's payment controls that put the department at risk of making improper payments. This statement is based on our prior work and reports issued by the department's Inspector General (DOD IG). The panel requested that GAO provide its perspective on the status of DOD's process for identifying and reporting on improper …
Date:
September 22, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisition Workforce: Better Identification, Development, and Oversight Needed for Personnel Involved in Acquiring Services
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2010, more than half of the $367 billion dollars the Department of Defense (DOD) spent on contracts was spent on services. Buying services is fundamentally different than buying weapon systems, yet most acquisition regulations, policies, processes, and training remain structured for acquiring weapon systems. Over the last decade, reports from GAO, DOD, and Congress have raised issues about services acquisitions and have also highlighted the importance of acquisition training. GAO previously reported on the training provided to the acquisition workforce as defined by the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA). This report addresses personnel working on services acquisitions who were outside the DAWIA acquisition workforce--termed non-DAWIA personnel with acquisition-related responsibilities--and the extent to which (1) DOD knows the composition of this population, (2) this population is taking acquisition training, and (3) DOD has implemented past recommendations related to this population. To complete this work, GAO reviewed a nongeneralizable sample of 29 service contracts, relevant policies, and recommendations from previous reports and met with key DOD officials."
Date:
September 28, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Technology Assessment: Neutron Detectors: Alternatives to Using Helium-3
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Neutron detectors are used to detect neutron radiation in science, security, and other applications. For example, large-area detectors detect neutrons at science facilities across the world and radiation portal monitors screen vehicles and cargo at ports and border crossings for nuclear material that terrorists could use in a nuclear weapon. Helium-3 is a critical component of such neutron detectors, and in 2008 the U.S. government became aware of a severe shortage of helium-3 gas. While demand for it has increased, helium-3 is currently produced as a byproduct of the radioactive decay of tritium, and the United States ceased tritium production in 1988. The shortage has led science facilities and federal agencies such as the DOD and DHS to identify or develop alternative detector technologies. GAO was asked to review the effectiveness of alternative neutron detector technologies that do not use helium-3. GAO assessed (1) what alternative neutron detectors are currently available and their effectiveness, and (2) the status of research on alternative neutron detector technologies under development for future availability. GAO reviewed agency documents and interviewed agency officials and detector developers. With assistance from the National …
Date:
September 29, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
DOD Financial Management: Marine Corps Statement of Budgetary Resources Audit Results and Lessons Learned [Reissued on October 17, 2011]
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Long-standing weaknesses in Department of Defense (DOD) business processes, systems, and controls have hindered efforts to achieve financial audit readiness. Because DOD relies heavily on budget information for day-to-day management decisions, in August 2009, the DOD Comptroller designated the Statement of Budgetary Resources (SBR) as an audit priority. The U.S. Marine Corps was identified as the pilot military service for an SBR audit. GAO was asked to determine (1) the primary reasons the Marine Corps was unable to obtain an opinion on its fiscal year 2010 SBR; (2) the effectiveness and status of the Marine Corps' remediation plan, and (3) military service efforts to leverage Marine Corps SBR audit lessons. GAO reviewed auditor findings and recommendations, evaluated the Marine Corps corrective action plans, and reviewed documentation on military service audit readiness and lessons learned efforts. During its work, GAO met with DOD, Marine Corps, military service, and Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) officials and the auditors.."
Date:
September 15, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Decennial Census: Census Bureau and Postal Service Should Pursue Opportunities to Further Enhance Collaboration
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Census Bureau (Bureau) and U.S. Postal Service (USPS) collaborated on aspects of the 2010 Census and prior decennials, and those efforts generally went well in such areas as address list development. But both agencies face challenges: the Bureau needs to control the escalating cost of the decennial census and maintain its accuracy, while USPS must improve its financial condition. As requested, GAO examined opportunities to enhance collaboration in such areas as technology, personnel, and facilities that could improve the cost-effectiveness of the 2020 Census and generate revenue for USPS. GAO analyzed Bureau and USPS data and documents, compared the agencies' existing collaborative efforts with prior GAO work, and interviewed agency officials."
Date:
September 30, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Incapacitated Adults: Improving Oversight of Federal Fiduciaries and Court-appointed Guardians
A publication issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Today's hearing is on the appointment and oversight of guardians. As people age, they often reach a point when they are no longer capable of handling their own finances or have difficulty making other decisions for themselves. To ensure that federal cash payments received by incapacitated adults are used in their best interest, the Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and other federal agencies assign a responsible third party or fiduciary to oversee these benefits. SSA and VA can designate spouses, other family members, friends, and organizations to serve as fiduciaries. Similarly, when state courts determine that adults are incapacitated, they have the authority to grant other persons or entities--guardians--the authority and responsibility to make financial and other decisions for them. Incapacitated adults are vulnerable to financial exploitation by fiduciaries and guardians, so these arrangements are not without risk. In 2010, we identified hundreds of allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation by guardians in 45 states and the District of Columbia between 1990 and 2010. At that time, we reviewed 20 of these cases and found that guardians had stolen or otherwise improperly obtained …
Date:
September 22, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Electronic Government: Performance Measures for Projects Aimed at Promoting Innovation and Transparency Can Be Improved
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress enacted the Electronic Government (E-Gov) Act in 2002 to promote better use of the Internet and other information technologies (IT), thereby improving government services for citizens, internal government operations, and opportunities for citizen participation in government. Among other things, the act established the E-Gov Fund to support projects that expand the government's ability to carry out its activities electronically. The act also created the Office of Electronic Government within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The Administrator of this office is to assist the OMB Director in approving projects to be supported by the E-Gov Fund. The General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for administering the fund and notifying Congress of how the funds are to be allocated to projects approved by OMB. GAO was asked to (1) identify and describe the projects supported by the E-Gov Fund, including the distribution of fiscal year 2010 funds among the projects and their expected benefits; and (2) for selected projects, identify their progress against goals. To do this, GAO reviewed project and funding documentation, analyzed project goals, and interviewed agency officials.."
Date:
September 23, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Personal ID Verification: Agencies Should Set a Higher Priority on Using the Capabilities of Standardized Identification Cards
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To increase the security of federal facilities and information systems, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) in 2004. This directive ordered the establishment of a governmentwide standard for secure and reliable forms of ID for employees and contractors who access government-controlled facilities and information systems. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defined requirements for such personal identity verification (PIV) credentials based on "smart cards"--plastic cards with integrated circuit chips to store and process data. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed federal agencies to issue and use PIV credentials to control access to federal facilities and systems. GAO was asked to determine the progress that selected agencies have made in implementing the requirements of HSPD-12 and identify obstacles agencies face in implementing those requirements. To perform the work, GAO reviewed plans and other documentation and interviewed officials at the General Services Administration, OMB, and eight other agencies."
Date:
September 20, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Polar Satellites: Agencies Need to Address Potential Gaps in Weather and Climate Data Coverage
A publication issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Environmental satellites provide critical data used in weather forecasting and measuring variations in climate over time. In February 2010, the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy disbanded the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS)--a tri-agency satellite acquisition that had encountered continuing cost, schedule, and management problems--and instructed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to undertake separate acquisitions. Both agencies have begun planning their respective programs--the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS)--including creating program offices and transitioning contracts. GAO was asked to summarize the status of ongoing work assessing (1) NOAA's and DOD's plans for their separate acquisitions and (2) the key risks in transitioning from NPOESS to these new programs. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on the work supporting previous reports, attended monthly program management meetings, reviewed documentation on both programs, and interviewed agency officials."
Date:
September 23, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Preventing Sexual Harassment: DOD Needs Greater Leadership Commitment and an Oversight Framework
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful discrimination that can jeopardize the military's combat readiness and mission accomplishment by weakening interpersonal bonds and eroding unit cohesion. GAO was asked to examine the most current available data on sexual harassment in the military and to assess the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to address this issue. GAO evaluated the extent to which DOD (1) has developed and implemented policies and programs to help prevent and address incidents of sexual harassment involving servicemembers, (2) has visibility over the occurrence of sexual harassment involving servicemembers, and (3) provides oversight of its policies and programs for addressing incidents of sexual harassment. To conduct this review, GAO analyzed DOD and service policies and DOD's available sexual harassment complaint data. GAO also conducted small-group discussions and administered a nongeneralizable survey during site visits to six military installations."
Date:
September 21, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Iraq and Afghanistan: DOD, State, and USAID Cannot Fully Account for Contracts, Assistance Instruments, and Associated Personnel
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DOD, State, and USAID have relied extensively on contracts and assistance instruments (grants and cooperative agreements) for a range of services in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the last 3 years, GAO has provided information on the agencies' contracts, assistance instruments, and associated personnel in the two countries, detailing the agencies' challenges tracking such information. Amendments from the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 now require the agencies to provide this and other information to Congress through annual joint reports. They also direct GAO to review those reports. In response, GAO reviewed the first joint report and assessed (1) data and data sources used to prepare the report; (2) use of data from the Synchronized Predeployment and Operational Tracker (SPOT) for management, oversight, and coordination; and (3) efforts to improve SPOT's tracking of statutorily required information. GAO compared data in the joint report to agency data GAO previously obtained, reviewed supporting documentation, and interviewed agency officials, including those in Iraq and Afghanistan, on how the data were collected and used."
Date:
September 15, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
UN Internal Oversight: Progress Made on Independence and Staffing Issues, but Further Actions Are Needed
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States has long advocated for strong oversight of the United Nations (UN). In 2005, GAO raised long-standing concerns that the ability of the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to carry out its mandate was constrained in scope and authority, and in 2006, GAO found that funding arrangements impeded OIOS's ability to operate independently. The U.S. Mission to the UN also expressed concern that OIOS's independence is limited in that it cannot make final hiring decisions for senior staff. In response to such concerns, the UN General Assembly in 2006 created an Independent Audit Advisory Committee (IAAC). GAO was asked to examine actions taken to address (1) impediments to OIOS's ability to provide independent oversight and (2) staffing issues that may have hindered its performance. GAO assessed OIOS's independence based on internationally recognized auditing standards, analyzed OIOS and other UN documents and data, and interviewed agency officials."
Date:
September 20, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: OMB Needs to Improve Its Guidance on IT Investments
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government invests heavily in information technology (IT). In recent years, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has made efforts to improve the transparency, oversight, and management of the federal government's IT investments. More recently, in June 2009, OMB deployed the IT Dashboard, a Web-based system that provides detailed performance information on federal IT investments. GAO was asked to (1) describe the current number and types of IT investments reported by federal agencies on the IT Dashboard, (2) evaluate the adequacy of OMB's guidance to federal agencies in reporting on IT investments, and (3) evaluate efforts to identify and address potentially duplicative investments. To address these objectives, GAO analyzed data from the IT Dashboard, analyzed 10 federal agencies' investment guidance and reports, and interviewed agency officials."
Date:
September 29, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Disability Benefits: Clearer Information for Veterans and Additional Performance Measures Could Improve Appeal Process
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has struggled to provide timely reviews for veterans who appeal decisions on their disability compensation claims. A veteran appeals to the VA regional office that made the initial decision, and if still dissatisfied, to the Board of Veterans Appeals (Board). An appeal to the Board adds more than 2 years, on average, to the wait for a decision on the appeal. To resolve more appeals at the regional level and avoid waits at the Board, VA, in 2001, established the Decision Review Officer (DRO) review as an alternative to the traditional regional office appeal review. A DRO is given authority to grant additional benefits after reviewing an appeal based on a difference of opinion with the original decision. In contrast, under the traditional review, new evidence is generally required for a grant of additional benefits. GAO examined (1) the extent to which veterans choose a DRO review, (2) outcomes for DRO reviews, and (3) VA's challenges in managing DROs. GAO analyzed Board data, surveyed managers in all 57 regional offices, visited 4 offices, and interviewed veterans."
Date:
September 29, 2011
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library