Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) primarily monitors railroads' compliance with federal safety regulations through routine inspections by individual inspectors at specific sites on railroads' systems. Thirty states also employ railroad safety inspectors, who participate in a partnership program with FRA to conduct supplemental safety oversight activities based on FRA rail safety regulations and enforce state railroad safety laws. FRA applies a quantitative, risk-based approach, the National Inspection Plan, to inform its rail safety oversight efforts using analyses of past accident and inspection data and other information to target inspections in each region. FRA also uses a planning and evaluation tool, the Staffing Allocation Model (SAM), to distribute its inspection resources across each FRA region. However, according to several FRA regional administrators that GAO spoke with, the staffing decisions based on SAM results do not necessarily align with their perspectives on the inspector needs for their regions."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In summary, the two key findings from GAO's January 2013 report are:"

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has made progress on both the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) and Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite-R series (GOES-R) programs, but key challenges remain to ensure that potential gaps in satellite data are minimized or mitigated. On the JPSS program, NOAA has made noteworthy progress in using Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) data in weather forecasts and developing the JPSS-1 satellite. However, NOAA does not expect to validate key S-NPP products until nearly 3 years after the satellite's launch, and there are remaining issues with the JPSS schedule that decrease the confidence that JPSS-1 will launch by March 2017 as planned. On the GOES-R program, progress in completing the system's design has been accompanied by continuing milestone delays, including delays in the launch dates for both the GOES-R and GOES-S satellites. The potential for further milestone delays also exists due to remaining weaknesses in developing and maintaining key program schedules. Faced with an anticipated gap in the polar satellite program and a potential gap in the geostationary satellite program, NOAA has taken steps to study alternatives and establish mitigation plans. However, the agency …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO has previously established that the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) acquisition policy reflects many sound program management practices intended to mitigate the risks of cost growth and schedule slips. The policy largely reflects the knowledge-based approach used by leading commercial firms, which do not pursue major investments without demonstrating, at critical milestones, that their products are likely to meet cost, schedule, and performance objectives. DHS policy requires that important acquisition documents be in place and approved before programs are executed. For example, one key document is an acquisition program baseline, which outlines a program's expected cost, schedule, and the capabilities to be delivered to the end user. However, in September 2012, GAO found that the department did not implement the policy consistently, and that only 4 of 66 programs had all of the required documents approved in accordance with DHS's policy. GAO made five recommendations, which DHS concurred with, identifying actions DHS should take to mitigate the risk of poor acquisition outcomes and strengthen management activities. Further, GAO reported that the lack of reliable performance data hindered DHS and congressional oversight of the department's major programs. Officials …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Justice's (DOJ) antitrust review will be a critical step in the proposed merger between American Airlines (American) and US Airways. DOJ uses an integrated analytical framework set forth in the Horizontal Merger Guidelines to determine whether the merger poses any antitrust concerns. Under that process, DOJ assesses, among other things, the extent of likely anticompetitive effects of the proposed merger in the relevant markets, in this case, airline city-pair markets, and the likelihood that other airlines may enter these markets and counteract any anticompetitive effects, such as higher fares. DOJ also considers efficiencies that a merger or acquisition could bring--for example, consumer benefits from an expanded route network. The Department of Transportation (DOT) aids DOJ's analysis."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Officials in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)--a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)--have identified actions they believe will enhance management of the four preparedness programs GAO analyzed; however, FEMA still faces challenges. In February 2012, GAO found that FEMA lacked a process to coordinate application reviews and made award decisions with differing levels of information. To better identify potential unnecessary duplication, GAO recommended that FEMA collect project-level information and enhance internal coordination and administration of the programs. DHS concurred. The fiscal year 2013 President's Budget, proposed the establishment of the National Preparedness Grant Program (NPGP), a consolidation of 16 FEMA grant programs into a single program. However, Members of Congress raised concerns about the NPGP and have not approved the proposal. As a result, FEMA officials reported that the agency was drafting new guidance for the execution of the NPGP based on pending Congressional direction on fiscal year 2013 appropriations. If approved, and depending on its final form and execution, the NPGP could help mitigate the potential for unnecessary duplication and address GAO's recommendation to improve internal coordination. In March 2013, FEMA officials reported that …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Approximately two-thirds of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) major IT investments were meeting their cost and schedule commitments. Specifically, out of 68 major IT investments in development, 47 were meeting cost and schedule commitments. The remaining 21--which DHS had estimated to cost about $1 billion--had one or more subsidiary projects that were not meeting cost and/or schedule commitments (i.e., they exceeded their goals by at least 10 percent, which is the level at which the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) considers projects to be at increased risk of not being able to deliver planned capabilities on time and within budget.)"

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO's prior work has identified several key factors important to secure the maritime borders. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components have made progress (e.g., coordinating with partners), and in some cases also experienced challenges with their related maritime security programs."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Special needs plans (SNP) reported having higher profit margins and spending a lower percentage of total revenues on medical expenses, on average, than Medicare Advantage (MA) plans available to all beneficiaries in 2011. For instance, SNPs' average profit margin was 4.0 percentage points higher than plans available to all beneficiaries--8.6 percent vs. 4.6 percent. SNPs also had a higher plan-level median profit margin compared to MA plans available to all beneficiaries--7.1 percent vs. 3.2 percent. All three types of SNPs--dual-eligible SNPs, chronic condition SNPs, and institutional SNPs--spent, on average, a lower percentage of total revenue on medical expenses and had higher profit margins relative to MA plans available to all beneficiaries. SNPs also spent a lower percentage of total revenue on medical expenses and had higher profit margins relative to MA plans available to all beneficiaries after accounting for whether a plan had a high or low enrollment-weighted average benchmark--the maximum amount Medicare will pay plans to serve an average beneficiary in a given area. Similarly, SNPs spent a lower percentage of total revenue on medical expenses and had higher profit margins relative to MA plans available to …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins ""

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In July 2012 GAO reported that the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had taken few actions to oversee county spending under Title III of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, and that the guidance they provided was limited and in some cases did not appear consistent with the act. GAO also reported that some expenditures by selected counties may have been inconsistent with the act--which may have resulted in part from the limited guidance available from the agencies--and that reviewed counties did not consistently follow Title III's administrative requirements. Specifically, GAO found the following:"

This document serves as the TwitterVane Installation Guide. It describes how install, configure and deploy the TwitterVane web application.

Screen prints of slide presentation from a May 2013 webinar for the Coastal States Organization that explains how EPA’s FY2014 Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories affects states with coastal nonpoint pollution control programs under Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) and what EPA’s expectations are for coordinating these complementary state programs.

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 board of trustees may appoint a single-member district trustee to an at-large position as the district transitions to a new election scheme (RQ-1091-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 member of a governmental body may leave an open meeting to confer privately with employees of that governmental body (RQ-1 083-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 an economic development corporation may provide health benefits to its employees through a risk pool established under chapter 172, Local Government Code (RQ-1084-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 State Bar of Texas president-elect candidates who are nominated by petition under subsection 81.019(c), Government Code, are nevertheless subject to State Bar of Texas election rules and policies (RQ-1 088-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 district judge may prohibit the director of a community supervision department from delegating his duties with regard to presentence investigations (RQ-1 089-GA).

One O'Clock Lab Band Day Proclamation created by the city of Denton mayor, Mark A. Burroughs, declaring November 19, 2013, as the "One O' Clock Lab Band Day."

Minutes for the December 19, 2103 TXSSAR meeting, held by the McKinney chapter.

Minutes for the September 19, 2013 TXSSAR meeting, held by the McKinney chapter.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with R.J. Schneider. Schneider was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on 7 March 1922. After completing high school, he enrolled in Xavier University and was in his senior year when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. He volunteered for the Marine Corps and was permitted to return college. Immediately after graduating he went to Parris Island for boot camp. He then went to Camp Lejeune where he received training in artillery, mortars and machineguns. This was followed by Officer Candidate School from which he graduated in late 1942 as a second lieutenant. Soon after being commissioned he boarded a ship bound for Guadalcanal. He recalls malaria being a problem that hindered the process of ridding the jungle of isolated Japanese. After nine months, he was sent to Peleliu for a short period of time before he was sent to Guam. While on Guam, the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan. He tells of his admiration of President Truman for making such a momentous decision and reminisces of having dinner with Truman later in civilian life. After spending four months on Guam, he returned to the United States and resigned his …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edmund Russell. Russell joined the Army Air Corps in 1940. He was stationed at Wheeler Field in Hawaii, serving in the mess hall and with a fatigue unit, assisting with ditch digging, garbage hauling and other manual labor. Russell was in Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He later completed Navigator School and served as an A-26 Bombardier/Navigator in India and China, supporting Chinese nationalists. Russell returned to the US in late 1945 and received his discharge.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Guadalupe R. Davila. Davila was born in Brownsville, Texas on 27 February 1923 and worked at a Civilian Conservation Camp in Stafford, Arizona after graduating from high school. He joined the Navy in October 1943 and went to boot camp in Kingsville, Texas where he describes working on various aircraft in addition to the basic training. Upon completing his basic training, he was transferred to Treasure Island, California where he describes working as a longshoreman loading and unloading ships. He provides other details of his time there, including attending several USO shows. He was discharged in December 1945.