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2000 Census: Status of Key Operations (open access)

2000 Census: Status of Key Operations

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed its recent reports regarding the operational uncertainties of the status of the 2000 Census, focusing on: (1) achieving the Bureau of the Census' mail response rate objective; (2) collecting accurate and timely data from nonrespondents; and (3) conducting data capture operations."
Date: February 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
2010 Census: Cost and Design Issues Need to Be Addressed Soon (open access)

2010 Census: Cost and Design Issues Need to Be Addressed Soon

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The key to a successful census is meticulous planning as it helps ensure greater cost-effectiveness. However, the 2000 and previous censuses have been marked by poor planning, which unnecessarily raised the costs and risks of those efforts. GAO was asked to (1) review the U.S. Census Bureau's (Bureau) current plans for 2010 and whether they might address shortcomings of the 2000 Census, (2) analyze the Bureau's cost estimates, and (3) review the rigor of the Bureau's 2010 planning process."
Date: January 15, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Acquisition Management: Agencies Can Improve Training on New Initiatives (open access)

Acquisition Management: Agencies Can Improve Training on New Initiatives

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government is dramatically changing the way it purchases goods and services by relying more on judgment and initiative versus rigid rules for making purchasing decisions. Congress has enacted a series of reforms to help the government adapt to this environment. GAO was asked to assess strategies agencies are using to ensure that their acquisition workforces are receiving the training needed to operate in a changing business environment. In doing so, GAO looked at the General Services Administration (GSA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Defense (DOD). GAO also looked at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) because it is exempt from federal acquisition laws, giving it greater flexibility and discretion."
Date: January 15, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agent Orange: Persisting Problems With Communication of Ranch Hand Study Data and Results (open access)

Agent Orange: Persisting Problems With Communication of Ranch Hand Study Data and Results

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed its recent reports on the Air Force's Ranch Hand study, which was designed to investigate whether exposure to herbicides in Vietnam led to or would lead to adverse health effects, focusing on: (1) what impact the study has had on veterans' compensation decisions; and (2) how the study disseminated results and data, communicated its limitations, and implemented measures to ensure that it was conducted with scientific independence and appropriate outside scientific oversight."
Date: March 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agricultural Research: USDA's Response to Recommendations to Strengthen the Agricultural Research Service's Programs and Facilities (open access)

Agricultural Research: USDA's Response to Recommendations to Strengthen the Agricultural Research Service's Programs and Facilities

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) task force's recommendations to strengthen the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) programs and facilities, focusing on: (1) the actions ARS has taken to close and consolidate laboratories; (2) the task force report's major recommendations designed to, among other things, improve operational efficiencies; and (3) ARS' reaction to the task force report."
Date: February 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Agricultural Trade: Impacts of the Andean Trade Preference Act on Asparagus Producers and Consumers (open access)

Agricultural Trade: Impacts of the Andean Trade Preference Act on Asparagus Producers and Consumers

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. asparagus imports increased in the 1990s and now comprise nearly one-half of the asparagus consumed in the United States. Peru is the second largest source of imported asparagus and benefits from duty-free treatment under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). ATPA is estimated to have displaced between two and eight percent of the value of domestic production from what it would have been without the act. Although the supply of fresh asparagus from imports has increased since ATPA's enactment, consumer demand has been strong, and prices have risen. In addition, an apparent increase in consumer preference for fresh asparagus has contributed to a downward shift in the domestic demand for processed asparagus. Most of the decline in the domestic production of processed asparagus occurred in Michigan and Washington, the two states that produce most canned and frozen asparagus. If ATPA is reauthorized, domestic producers of asparagus and, in particular, asparagus for processing, will likely face continued displacement, but consumers can expect continued benefits from the year-round availability of fresh asparagus. However, some of this displacement will likely occur even if ATPA is not reauthorized and …
Date: March 15, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force Aircraft: Preliminary Information on Air Force Tanker Leasing (open access)

Air Force Aircraft: Preliminary Information on Air Force Tanker Leasing

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO addressed the Air Force's plan to replace a portion of its KC-135 aerial refueling tanker fleet with leased Boeing 767 aircraft. Although the Air Force has a long term requirement to replace its aging fleet of KC-135 tankers, the urgency of the need in the short term is unclear. The Air Force stated that the leasing arrangement would allow it to acquire new tankers three years earlier than through its most recent procurement plan. This would allow the Air Force to retire old, less capable KC-135s, thus saving maintenance costs on those aircraft. Because the Air Force is still negotiating the lease details, it could not provide information on the cost effectiveness of leasing aircraft instead of purchasing them. Although GAO has not taken a position on the overall policy of leasing versus purchasing defense equipment, it found that, from a cost standpoint, leasing is more expensive in the long run. Because the 767 aircraft is larger than the KC-135, there will be some infrastructure improvement costs, such as for building or modifying hangars, taxiways, and runway aprons. Additional costs would likely include simulators and project management. …
Date: May 15, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force Depot Maintenance: Budgeting Difficulties and Operational Inefficiencies (open access)

Air Force Depot Maintenance: Budgeting Difficulties and Operational Inefficiencies

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO provided information on the financial and management issues related to the depot maintenance activity group of the Air Force Working Capital Fund."
Date: August 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Airport and Airway Trust Fund: Financial Outlook Is Positive, but the Trust Fund's Balance Would Be Affected If Taxes Were Suspended (open access)

Airport and Airway Trust Fund: Financial Outlook Is Positive, but the Trust Fund's Balance Would Be Affected If Taxes Were Suspended

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The multibillion dollar Airport and Airway Trust Fund (Trust Fund) provides most of the funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Trust Fund relies on revenue from 10 taxes, including passenger ticket, fuel, and cargo taxes. Concerns about the financial outlook of the Trust Fund have emerged recently given the downturn in passenger air travel, requests from the airlines to suspend some of the Trust Fund taxes, and the need to reauthorize FAA's major programs in 2003. GAO was asked to determine (1) the projected financial outlook of the Trust Fund and (2) how a 1- year suspension of various taxes accruing to the Trust Fund (i.e., a tax holiday), would affect its financial status. We were asked to assess five potential tax holidays that would have begun on April 1, 2003, and ended on April 1, 2004. GAO used a model developed by FAA that made financial projections for the Trust Fund using expenditure assumptions that were based on (1) the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation's May 2, 2003, and the House Subcommittee on Aviation's May 15, 2003, reauthorization proposals authorizing over …
Date: September 15, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Airport Finance: Using Airport Grant Funds for Security Projects Has Affected Some Development Projects (open access)

Airport Finance: Using Airport Grant Funds for Security Projects Has Affected Some Development Projects

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The events of September 11, 2001 created several new challenges for the aviation industry in ensuring the safety and security of the national airport system. Chief among them is deciding to what extent Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant funds should be used to finance the new security requirements at the nation's airports. Although many in the aviation industry believe that funding security projects has become even more important in the aftermath of September 11, they also recognize the need to continue funding other airport development projects, such as those designed to enhance capacity in the national airport system. During fiscal year 2002, the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) awarded a total of $561 million, 17 percent of the $3.3 billion available for grants, in AIP grant funds to airports for security projects related to the events of September 11, 2001. This amount is the largest amount awarded to airports for security projects in a single year since the program began in 1982. Based on data provided by FAA, all of the security projects funded with AIP grants since the events of September 11, 2001, met the legislative …
Date: October 15, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Alternative Minimum Tax: An Overview of Its Rationale and Impact on Individual Taxpayers (open access)

Alternative Minimum Tax: An Overview of Its Rationale and Impact on Individual Taxpayers

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the alternative minimum tax (AMT) system, focusing on: (1) the rationale for establishing AMT; (2) how AMT affects taxpayers' tax liability; (3) the expected increase in AMT coverage and additional tax liability and the major reasons for the increase; and (4) the impact of the projected increase in AMT coverage on taxpayers' compliance burden and economic incentives and on the distribution of the tax burden."
Date: August 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ambulance Services: Changes Needed to Improve Medicare Payment Policies and Coverage Decisions (open access)

Ambulance Services: Changes Needed to Improve Medicare Payment Policies and Coverage Decisions

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 required Medicare to change its payment system for ambulance services. In response, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), now called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), proposed a fee schedule to standardize payments across provider types on the basis of national rates for particular services. Under the act, the fee schedule was to have applied to ambulance services furnished on or after January 1, 2000. HCFA published a proposed rule in September 2000 and has received public comment, but it has not yet issued a final rule. This testimony discusses the unique concerns of rural ambulance providers and the likely effects of the proposed fee schedule on these providers. Many rural ambulance providers face a set of unique challenges in implementing an appropriate payment policy. Rural providers--particularly those serving large geographic areas with low population density--tend to have high per-trip costs compared with urban and suburban providers. The proposed Medicare fee schedule does not sufficiently distinguish the providers serving beneficiaries in the most isolated rural areas and may not appropriately account for the higher costs of low-volume providers."
Date: November 15, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis of the Administration's Proposal to Ensure Solvency of the United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund (open access)

Analysis of the Administration's Proposal to Ensure Solvency of the United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the administration's proposal to ensure solvency of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Combined Benefit Fund, focusing on the impact of the proposal to: (1) extend the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation fees; (2) reverse the effects of National Coal v. Chater; (3) reverse the effects of Dixie Fuel Company v. Social Security Administration; and (4) appropriate federal funds."
Date: August 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
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 General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO examined the underlying records for the net excise tax revenue distributed to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) for fiscal year 2001. GAO (1) did a detailed test of transactions that represent the underlying basis of amounts distributed to AATF, (2) reviewed the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) quarterly AATF certifications, (3) reviewed the Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service adjustments to AATF for fiscal year 2001, (4) reviewed procedures in the Office of Tax Analysis' process for estimating amounts to be distributed to AATF for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2001, (5) compared net excise tax distributions to AATF during fiscal year 2001 and amounts reported in the financial statements prepared by the Bureau of the Public Debt for AATF and the Federal Aviation Administration's consolidated financial statements, and (6) reviewed key reconciliations of IRS records to Treasury records."
Date: February 15, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
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 General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO performed detailed tests of transactions that represent the underlying basis of amounts distributed to the Unemployment Trust Fund (UTF) and reviewed key reconciliations of the Internal Revenue Service records to the Department of the Treasury records. GAO found that the net federal unemployment tax revenue distributed to UTF for fiscal year 2001 is supported by the underlying records."
Date: February 15, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Automobile Fuel Economy: Potential Effects of Increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards (open access)

Automobile Fuel Economy: Potential Effects of Increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program standards, focusing on: (1) the impact of increasing CAFE standards on oil consumption, the environment, and automobile safety in the United States; and (2) other issues that affect the CAFE discussion."
Date: August 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Competition: Effects on Consumers from Domestic Airline Alliances Vary (open access)

Aviation Competition: Effects on Consumers from Domestic Airline Alliances Vary

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on: (1) the status of the proposed alliances to be formed by the six largest U.S. airlines; (2) the potential beneficial and harmful effects on consumers; and (3) the authority of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to review these alliances and the status of their reviews."
Date: January 15, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Competition: Issues Related to the Proposed United Airlines-US Airways Merger (open access)

Aviation Competition: Issues Related to the Proposed United Airlines-US Airways Merger

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In May 2000, two of the nation's largest airlines, United Airlines and US Airways, proposed merging. As part of the agreement, United and US Airways also proposed divesting some of the US Airways' assets at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to create an airline to be known as DC Air. The Justice Department is now reviewing the proposal to determine if the merger would violate U.S. antitrust laws and, if so, whether the proposed divestiture constitutes an adequate remedy. GAO reviewed the proposed merger and found that it would create an airline so large that it would spur further industry consolidation. The new airline would have more than 25 percent of the total U.S. market and would take in almost $9 billion more than the next largest airline. Although the proposed merger may benefit consumers by boosting competition in some areas, it could also eliminate competition in other areas and reduce consumer choice. DC Air would face significant competitive challenges from other airlines. DC Air would offer smaller aircraft and less frequent service but would seek to compete with other airlines by reducing its fares."
Date: December 15, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Award of Indian Health Professions Scholarships (open access)

Award of Indian Health Professions Scholarships

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO investigated: (1) the Indian Health Service (IHS) award of Indian Health Professions Scholarships (graduate scholarships) pursuant to 25 U.S.C. section 1613a of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act."
Date: January 15, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Battlefield Automation: Army's Restructured Land Warrior Program Needs More Oversight (open access)

Battlefield Automation: Army's Restructured Land Warrior Program Needs More Oversight

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO assessed the Army's implementation of the Land Warrior system, focusing on: (1) the status of the system; (2) whether the level of monitoring and oversight is sufficient based on projected Land Warrior development costs; (3) how the Army is ensuring that Land Warrior will be able to operate with other digitized battlefield systems; and (4) whether technical and human factor problems still need resolution."
Date: December 15, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Best Practices: Capturing Design and Manufacturing Knowledge Early Improves Acquisition Outcomes (open access)

Best Practices: Capturing Design and Manufacturing Knowledge Early Improves Acquisition Outcomes

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report examines how best practices offer improvements to the way the Department of Defense (DOD) develops new weapons systems, primarily the design and manufacturing aspects of the acquisition process. Knowledge about a product's design and producibility facilitates informed decisions about whether to significantly increase investments and reduces the risk of costly design changes later in the program. Leading commercial companies employ practices to capture design and manufacturing knowledge in time to make key decisions during product development. First, the companies kept the degree of the design challenge manageable before starting a new product development program by using an evolutionary approach. Second, the companies captured design and manufacturing knowledge before the two critical decision points in product development: when the design was demonstrated to be stable--the second knowledge point--and when the product was demonstrated to be producible at an affordable cost--the third knowledge point. DOD has made changes to its acquisition policy in an attempt to improve its framework for developing weapons systems, but the policy does not require the capture of design or manufacturing knowledge or sufficient criteria to enter the system demonstration and production …
Date: July 15, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bioterrorism: Public Health Response to Anthrax Incidents of 2001 (open access)

Bioterrorism: Public Health Response to Anthrax Incidents of 2001

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the fall of 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media personnel and congressional officials, leading to the first cases of anthrax infection related to an intentional release of anthrax in the United States. Outbreaks of anthrax infection were concentrated in six locations, or epicenters, in the country. An examination of the public health response to the anthrax incidents provides an important opportunity to apply lessons learned from that experience to enhance the nation's preparedness for bioterrorism. Because of its interest in bioterrorism preparedness, Congress asked GAO to review the public health response to the anthrax incidents. Specifically, GAO determined (1) what was learned from the experience that could help improve public health preparedness at the local and state levels and (2) what was learned that could help improve public health preparedness at the federal level and what steps have been taken to make those improvements."
Date: October 15, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bioterrorism: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Role in Public Health Protection (open access)

Bioterrorism: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Role in Public Health Protection

A statement of record issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Federal research and preparedness activities related to bioterrorism center on detection; the development of vaccines, antibiotics, and antivirals; and the development of performance standards for emergency response equipment. Preparedness activities include (1) increasing federal, state, and local response capabilities; (2) developing response teams; (3) increasing the availability of medical treatments; (4) participating in and sponsoring exercises; (5) aiding victims; and (6) providing support at special events, such as presidential inaugurations and Olympic games. To coordinate their efforts to combat terrorism, federal agencies are developing interagency response plans, participating in various interagency work groups, and entering into formal agreements with other agencies to share resources and capabilities. However, coordination of federal terrorism research, preparedness, and response programs is fragmented, raising concerns about the ability of states and localities to respond to a bioterrorist attack. These concerns include insufficient state and local planning and a lack of hospital participation in training on terrorism and emergency response planning. This testimony summarizes a September 2001 report (GAO-01-915)."
Date: November 15, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Border Security: New Policies and Increased Interagency Coordination Needed to Improve Visa Process (open access)

Border Security: New Policies and Increased Interagency Coordination Needed to Improve Visa Process

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since September 11, 2001, visa operations have played an increasingly important role in ensuring the national security of the United States. The Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice, as well as other agencies, are involved in the visa process. Each plays an important role in making security decisions so that potential terrorists do not enter the country. In two GAO reports, we assessed the effectiveness of the visa process as an antiterrorism tool."
Date: July 15, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library