A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since the 1970s, the roles of women as both students and athletes have changed in higher education, with female enrollment surpassing male enrollment, and female athletic participation showing gains as well. These changes have generated public interest in whether women participate in athletics at comparable levels to men and whether men's opportunities have decreased as a result of the increased opportunities for women. Under the Comptroller General's authority, GAO assessed the extent to which the numbers of men's and women's intercollegiate sports teams and participants at 4-year colleges have changed from the 1991-1992 through 2004-2005 school years."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2005, federal spending on advertising exceeded $1 billion. Five agencies--DOD, Treasury, HHS, Interior, and NASA--together made up over 90 percent of this spending from 2001 to 2005. Executive Order 13170, signed in October 2000, directs agencies to take an aggressive role in ensuring substantial participation in federal advertising contracts by businesses in the Small Business Administration's (SBA) 8(a) and small disadvantaged business (SDB) programs and minority-owned businesses. This report describes (1) strategies DOD, HHS, Treasury, Interior, and NASA used to address Executive Order 13170, and (2) the total obligations, number of contract actions, and percentage of total obligations represented by these actions that each agency awarded to 8(a)s, SDBs, and minority-owned businesses for advertising services. In conducting this study, GAO analyzed agency contracting data and executive order implementation plans and interviewed agency procurement officials."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As Hurricane Katrina so forcefully demonstrated, the nation's critical infrastructures--both physical and cyber--have been vulnerable to a wide variety of threats. Because about 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is privately owned, it is vital that public and private stakeholders work together to protect these assets. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating a national protection strategy and has promoted the formation of government and private councils for the 17 infrastructure sectors as a collaborating tool. The councils, among other things, are to identify their most critical assets, assess the risks they face, and identify protective measures in sector-specific plans that comply with DHS's National Infrastructure Protection Plan (NIPP). This testimony is based primarily on GAO's July 2007 report on the sector-specific plans and the sector councils. Specifically, it addresses (1) the extent to which the sector-specific plans meet requirements, (2) the council members' views on the value of the plans and DHS's review process, and (3) the key success factors and challenges that the representatives encountered in establishing and maintaining their councils. In conducting the previous work, GAO reviewed 9 of the 17 …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DOD defines emerging contaminants as chemicals or materials with (1) perceived or real threat to health or the environment and (2) lack of published standards or a standard that is evolving or being reevaluated. Two emerging contaminants--trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchlorate--are of particular concern to DOD because they have significant potential to impact people or DOD's mission. TCE, a degreasing agent in metal cleaning which has been used widely in DOD industrial and maintenance processes, has been documented at low exposure levels to cause headaches and difficulty concentrating. High-level exposure may cause dizziness, headaches, nausea, unconsciousness, cancer, and possibly death. Similarly, perchlorate has been used by DOD, NASA, and others in making, testing, and firing missiles and rockets. It has been widely found in groundwater, surface water, and soil across the United States, Perchlorate health studies have documented particular risks to fetuses of pregnant women. GAO was asked for testimony to summarize its past work on perchlorate-, TCE-, and defense-activities related to (1) the state of knowledge about the emerging contaminants TCE and perchlorate, (2) DOD responsibilities for managing TCE and perchlorate contamination at its facilities, and (3) DOD …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates domestic medical, industrial, and research uses of sealed radioactive sources. Organizations or individuals attempting to purchase a sealed source must apply for a license and gain the approval of either NRC or an "agreement state." To become an agreement state, a state must demonstrate to NRC that its regulatory program is compatible with NRC regulations and is effective in protecting public health and safety. NRC then transfers portions of its authority to the agreement state. In 2003, GAO reported that weaknesses in NRC's licensing program could allow terrorists to obtain radioactive materials. NRC took some steps to respond to the GAO report, including issuing guidance to license examiners. To determine whether NRC actions to address GAO recommendations were sufficient, the Subcommittee asked GAO to test the licensing program using covert investigative methods."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operates one of the safest air transportation systems in the world, but this system is under growing strain as the demand for air travel increases. Recognizing the need to transform this system, Congress created the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), housed within FAA, to plan and develop the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The current authorization for FAA, the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (Trust Fund), and the excise taxes that support the Trust Fund will expire September 30, 2007. Reauthorization bills in the Senate (S. 1300) and the House (H.R. 2881) identify various revenue sources, including flight surcharges and certain fees, to fund FAA, including NextGen. Concerned about the need for stable, sustainable financing for the nation's multibillion-dollar transportation infrastructure investments, including NextGen, GAO has designated transportation financing as high risk. GAO's statement addresses (1) the extent to which the current funding structure can support FAA's activities, including NextGen, (2) the implications of selected provisions of proposals to fund aviation activities, and (3) issues that could affect the overall cost of NextGen. The statement is based on recent GAO reports …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Waterborne pathogens can contaminate water and sand at beaches and threaten human health. Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides grants to states to develop water quality monitoring and public notification programs. This statement summarizes the key findings of GAO's May 2007 report, Great Lakes: EPA and States Have Made Progress in Implementing the BEACH Act, but Additional Actions Could Improve Public Health Protection. In this report GAO assessed (1) the extent to which EPA has implemented the Act's provisions, (2) concerns about EPA's BEACH Act grant allocation formula, and (3) described the experiences of the Great Lakes states in developing and implementing beach monitoring and notification programs using their grant funds."

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Photograph of Vera Hunter (center) accepting a bouquet of roses from Jim Anderson (right) during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Jane Hope (light blue) and other board member standing together, taken during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Linda Corey giving a workshop titled "Visual ways to promote your library," during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of conference committee personnel standing behind a wooden podium and addressing the audience during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of three women seated at a long table with many documents and papers laid out in front of them during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The women on the left is reading the conference packet, titled CSLA Libraries, GEMS Past - Present - Future.

Photograph of guests seated at tables and enjoying their salads and refreshments during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Mark Olson and Alice Hamilton seated at a table and talking with one another as they are attending the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Elain Amromin being awarded the Pat Tabler Memorial Scholarship Award during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of a group of guests standing on stage and holding paper awards, during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of many guests seated at circular tables draped in a red table cloth, with red, gold and white balloons as they are attending an Award Banquet. The award banquet was held during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge, on July 14, 2007 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Vera Hunter (center) standing behind a wooden podium and speaking into the microphone as she addressing the a crowd of guests attending the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of Lori Goodstein and Marilyn Rothberg lecture on "Jewish literature for interfaith libraries," during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Many books can be seen sitting upright on a table in the background.

Photograph of Daybreak, musicians known for their rich blend of instruments and voices, performing for the guests at the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge, Dunhill Ballroom on July 14, 2007, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of many quests in attendance of the award banquets held during the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Photograph of celebration ringers, a group from Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown, Pennsylvania performing for guests attending the 40th anniversary Church and Synagogue Library Association conference held at the Inn at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.