News release about DART's reduced service schedule during the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Significant management challenges exist for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as it continues to integrate its varied management processes, policies, and systems in areas such as financial management and information technology. These activities are primarily led by the Under Secretary for Management (USM), department management chiefs, and management chiefs in DHS's seven components. This testimony summarizes a new GAO report (GAO-10-131) that examined (1) the extent to which DHS has developed a comprehensive strategy for management integration that includes the characteristics recommended in GAO's earlier 2005 report, (2) how DHS is implementing management integration, and (3) the extent to which the USM is holding the department and component management chiefs accountable for implementing management integration through reporting relationships. GAO reviewed DHS plans and interviewed DHS management officials."

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Newsom. Newsom joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He served with the 303rd Airdrome Squadron, 751st Bomb Squadron. They traveled to New Guinea, Leyte, Mindanao, Luzon and Manila. Newsome serviced B-25s, helped build airstrips and revetments for planes, as well as loading B-25s with bombs and ammunition prior to takeoff. Newsom shares his experience combatting Japanese soldiers on the islands, kamikaze attacks and bombing raids at night. He continued his service after the war.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress enacted the Clean Water Act to help reduce water pollution and improve the health of the nation's waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers its enforcement responsibilities under the act through its Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), as well as its 10 regional offices and the states. Over the last 9 years, GAO has undertaken a number of reviews of EPA's environmental enforcement activities, including for the Clean Water Act. For this testimony statement, GAO was asked to summarize the results of five prior reports on the effectiveness of EPA's enforcement program. Specifically, this statement includes information on the (1) factors that cause variations in enforcement activities and lead to inconsistencies across regions, (2) impact that inadequate resources and work force planning has had on enforcement, (3) efforts EPA has taken to improve priority planning, and (4) accuracy and transparency of measures of program effectiveness. GAO's prior recommendations have included the need for EPA to collect more complete and reliable data, develop improved guidance, and better performance measures. Although EPA has generally agreed with these recommendations, its implementation has been uneven. GAO is not making …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2008, the Department of Defense (DOD) obligated over $380 billion to federal contractors, more than doubling the amount it obligated in fiscal year 2002. With hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars at stake, the government needs strong controls to provide reasonable assurance that contract funds are not being lost to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is charged with a critical role in contractor oversight by providing auditing, accounting, and financial advisory services in connection with DOD and other federal agency contracts and subcontracts. However, last year GAO found numerous problems with DCAA audit quality at three locations in California, including the failure to meet professional auditing standards. In a follow-up audit issued this September, GAO found that these problems existed agencywide. Today's testimony describes widespread audit quality problems at DCAA and provides information about continuing contract management challenges at DOD, which underscore the importance of DCAA audits that meet professional standards. It also discusses some of the corrective actions taken by DCAA and DOD and key GAO recommendations to improve DCAA audit quality. In preparing this testimony, GAO drew …

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1992, GAO has published long-term fiscal simulations of what might happen to federal deficits and debt levels under varying policy assumptions. We developed our long-term model in response to a bipartisan request from Members of Congress who were concerned about the long-term effects of fiscal policy. GAO runs two simulations: (1) "Baseline Extended" follows the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) August baseline estimates for the first 10 years and then simply holds revenue and spending other than large entitlement programs constant as a share of gross domestic product (GDP). (2) The "Alternative" simulation is based on historical trends and policy preferences. Discretionary spending grows with GDP rather than inflation during the first 10 years, Medicare physician payment rates are not reduced as in CBO's baseline, all tax provisions are extended to 2019, and beginning with this update, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amount is indexed to inflation through 2019; revenues are then brought back to their historical level. This update incorporates the most recent projections from the Social Security and Medicare Trustees, and from CBO."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The inspectors general (IGs) have a unique role within their agencies to identify areas for improved economy, efficiency, and effectiveness through independent and objective oversight; prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement; and recommend corrective actions. This role requires that IGs and their staff maintain the highest level of integrity and accountability within their own offices. Over the years, concerns have been raised about the transparency of the process for handling allegations of wrongdoing against IGs and their staff. As agreed with Congressional offices, this report describes (1) the Committee's process for addressing allegations of wrongdoing against IGs, (2) whether the Committee adhered to its process as described in Executive Order No. 12993 and implementing policy and procedures, and (3) the effect of the Reform Act on the Committee's process."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended, established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the civilian agency that exercises control over U.S. aeronautical and space activities and seeks and encourages the fullest commercial use of space. NASA's activities span a broad range of complex and technical endeavors, from investigating the composition, evaluation, and resources of Mars; to working with international partners to complete and operate the International Space Station; to providing satellite and aircraft observations of Earth for scientific and weather forecasting; to developing new technologies designed to improve air flight safety. The agency currently engages in these endeavors against a backdrop of growing national government fiscal imbalance and budget deficits that are straining all federal agencies' resources. Although NASA's budget represents less than 2 percent of the federal government's discretionary budget, the agency is increasingly being asked to expand its portfolio to support important scientific missions, including the study of climate change. Therefore, it is important that these resources be managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 (Pub. L. No. 110-422)--directed us …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO was asked to testify on billing practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). GAO previously reported that continuing problems in billing and collection processes at VA impaired its ability to maximize revenue from private insurance companies (third-party insurers). In June 2008, GAO reported on its follow-up review that (1) evaluated VA billing controls, (2) assessed VA-wide controls for collections, and (3) determined the effectiveness of VA oversight over third-party billings and collections. To perform the review, GAO conducted case-study analyses of the third-party billing function at 18 medical centers, statistically tested controls over collections VA-wide, and reviewed current oversight policies and procedures. GAO reported the results of this review in GAO-08-675."

News release about the election of officers on the DART board of directors, including William "Bill" Velasco as board chair.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) invested more than $6 billion in 2009 on large-scale, information technology (IT) systems to help it achieve mission outcomes and transform departmentwide operations. For DHS to effectively leverage these systems as mission enablers and transformation tools, it needs to employ a number of institutional acquisition and IT management controls and capabilities, such as using an operational and technological blueprint to guide and constrain system investments (enterprise architecture) and following institutional policies, practices, and structures for acquiring and investing in these systems. Other institutional controls and capabilities include employing rigorous and disciplined system life cycle management processes and having capable acquisition and IT management workforces. As GAO has reported, it is critical for the department to implement these controls and capabilities on each of its system acquisition programs. GAO has issued a series of reports on DHS institutional controls for acquiring and managing IT systems, and its implementation of these controls on large-scale systems. GAO was asked to testify on how far the department has come on both of these fronts, including its implementation of GAO's recommendations. To do this, GAO drew from …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In May 2009, we issued our opinions on the calendar year 2008 financial statements of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) and the FSLIC Resolution Fund (FRF). We also issued our opinion on the effectiveness of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's (FDIC) internal control over financial reporting (including safeguarding assets) as of December 31, 2008, and our evaluation of FDIC's compliance with provisions of selected laws and regulations for the two funds for the year ended December 31, 2008. The purpose of this report is to present issues identified during our audit of the 2008 financial statements regarding certain internal controls and accounting procedures and to recommend actions to address these issues."

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Hans Hanneman. Hanneman was born in Gillespie County (Texas) on 16 September 1916, the oldest of eight children. Although his mother was widowed, he was able to attend Texas Lutheran College for two years. Upon graduating he began working for a Fredericksburg (Texas) businessman. His employer decided that he and Hans would begin taking flying lessons at Stinson Field in San Antonio. They received their flying licenses in 1940. Hanneman’s employer then bought an airplane and they began training pilots enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training Program. Hanneman concludes the narrative by telling of his wedding in the Nimitz Hotel Ballroom in 1944.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Due to concerns about long standing delays in the security clearance process, Congress mandated reforms in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), which requires, among other things, that the executive branch report annually to Congress. Since 2005, the Department of Defense's (DOD) clearance program has been on GAO's high-risk list due to delays and incomplete documentation. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducts much of the government's clearance investigations. In 2007, the Director of National Intelligence and DOD established a Joint Reform Team to coordinate governmentwide improvement efforts for the process. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversees these efforts. Based on two recent GAO reports, this statement addresses (1) progress in reducing delays at DOD, (2) opportunities for improving executive branch reports to Congress and (3) the extent to which joint reform efforts reflect key factors for reform. GAO independently analyzed DOD clearances granted in fiscal year 2008, assessed the executive branch's 2006-2009 reports to Congress, and compared three joint reform reports to key transformation practices. GAO previously recommended that OMB improve the transparency in executive branch reporting and establish a strategic …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Many of the wastewater systems that Americans rely on to protect public health and the environment are reaching the end of their useful lives. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that a potential gap between future needs and current spending for wastewater infrastructure of $150 billion to $400 billion could occur over the next decade. Various approaches have been proposed to bridge this potential gap. One is to establish a clean water trust fund. This testimony summarizes findings of a May 2009 report (GAO-09-657), where GAO was asked to examine (1) stakeholders' views on the issues that would need to be addressed in designing and establishing a clean water trust fund and (2) potential options that could generate about $10 billion annually in revenue to support a clean water trust fund. GAO administered a questionnaire to 28 national organizations representing stakeholders from the wastewater and drinking water industries, state and local governments, engineers, and environmental groups and received 22 responses; reviewed proposals and industry papers; and used the most current data to estimate revenue on a range of products and activities. While the May report identified a …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter formally transmits information about the process used to determine the amount charged to the Coast Guard for Medicare-eligible retiree health care and amounts paid from the MERHCF for health care benefits provided to Coast Guard retirees for fiscal years 2006 through 2008."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In January 2003, GAO designated federal real property as a high-risk area because of long-standing problems with excess and underutilized property, deteriorating facilities, unreliable real property data, over-reliance on costly leasing, and security challenges. In January 2009, GAO found that agencies have taken some positive steps to address real property issues but that some of the core problems that led to the designation of this area as high risk persist. This testimony focuses on (1) progress made by major real property-holding agencies to strategically manage real property, (2) ongoing problems GAO has identified in recent work regarding agencies' efforts to address real property issues, and (3) underlying obstacles GAO has identified through prior work as hampering agencies' real property reform efforts governmentwide."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Border Patrol, a component within the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), is responsible for patrolling 8,000 miles of the land and coastal borders of the United States to detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens and contraband, including terrorists and weapons of mass destruction. To strengthen control of the U.S. borders, CBP increased the number of Border Patrol agents from about 12,300 in September 2006 to 18,875 in April 2009, an unprecedented 53 percent increase in about 2.5 years. The Border Patrol plans to add additional agents during the remaining months of fiscal year 2009, increasing its onboard strength to about 19,700 agents by the end of September 2009. To support the President's yearly budget request for funding for additional Border Patrol agents, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) first identifies a list of cost items associated with the recruiting, hiring, training, equipping, and deploying of a new Border Patrol agent. These cost items include, for example, recruiting functions: background checks and medical exams to determine an applicant's fitness for the Border Patrol; salary and benefits; training at the Border …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Harold Massey. Massey joined the Army Air Forces in January of 1942. In the summer of 1943 he worked as a B-24 flight instructor. He was transferred to Savannah, Georgia to work as a test pilot, and shares some stories of his experiences. Massey flew around 43 different models of military aircraft, which included a few civilian airplanes. He was discharged in June of 1946. He then completed an engine mechanics school, completed certification as a civilian flight instructor and worked as a mechanic at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo. He provides some details of the variations between the B-29, B-24 and B-17. Massey was recalled in August of 1948 and retired a Colonel from the US Air Force after 30 years of service.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As of May 2009, approximately 34,000 service members had been wounded in action as part of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. In response to concerns about the assistance that service members injured in combat receive when they transition back into civilian life, Congress has enacted several laws to improve the benefits available to veterans and service members, including the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006. This act authorized the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand its previously existing adaptive housing assistance grants to include eligible individuals temporarily living in a home owned by a family member, known as Temporary Residence Adaptation (TRA) grants. Section 101 of the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006 mandated us to submit to Congress an interim report by June 15, 2009, and a final report by June 15, 2011, on VA's implementation of TRA. This interim report describes the number and characteristics of TRA grants and grant recipients and provides information on VA's policies and processes for providing the grants."

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 the Edwards Aquifer Authority may Promulgate rule prohibiting certain permits or contracts with recharge facilities constructed prior to September 1, 1993 (RQ-0737-GA).

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report presents the highlights of GAO's fiscal year 2008 Performance and Accountability Report. The Government Accountability Office, the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the Congress, exists to support the Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and to help improve the performance and accountability of the federal government for the American people. GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help the Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. To fulfill its mission, GAO organizes and manages its resources to support four broad strategic goals. These include helping to address challenges to the well being and economic security of the American people, U.S. national and homeland security efforts, and modernizing government to meet current and emerging issues. Strategic goal 4 is an internal goal that focuses on enhancing GAO's business and administrative processes through investments in human capital, financial management, information technology, and various processes and systems needed to support the agency and the Congress. GAO maintains a workforce of highly trained professionals across a breadth of academic and scientific disciplines. About …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As GAO and others have reported, the use of information technology (IT) has enormous potential to help improve the quality of health care and is important for improving the performance of the U.S. health care system. Given its role in providing health care, the federal government has been urged to take a leadership role to improve the quality and effectiveness of health care, and it has been working to promote the nationwide use of health IT for a number of years. However, achieving widespread adoption and implementation of health IT has proven challenging, and the best way to accomplish this transition remains subject to much debate. At the committee's request, this testimony discusses important issues identified by GAO's work that have broad relevance to the successful implementation of health IT to improve the quality of health care. To develop this testimony, GAO relied largely on its previous work on federal health IT activities."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Missouri River reservoir system is a critical national resource that provides a variety of benefits, including navigation, flood control, irrigation, hydropower, municipal and industrial water supply, recreation, and fish and wildlife habitat. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is responsible for operating the Missouri River system to serve these congressionally authorized purposes. Between 1933 and 1964, the Corps built six dams on the Missouri River to serve the water resource needs within the Missouri River basin. The resulting reservoirs form a series of lakes from Montana to the South Dakota-Nebraska border. The Corps manages the system of dams and reservoirs according to the water control plan presented in its Missouri River Mainstem Reservoir System Master Water Control Manual, which was first published in 1960 and most recently revised in 2006. The master manual provides water control criteria for the reservoir system for a spectrum of anticipated runoff conditions. Annual operating plans based on these criteria provide detailed reservoir regulation for each operating year. Four states, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri, are adjacent to the Missouri River and are served by barge and other vessel traffic along …