A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Recognizing that millions of acres are at risk from wildland fire, the federal government expends substantial resources on thinning brush, trees, and other potentially hazardous fuels to reduce the fire risk to communities and the environment. However, questions have been raised about how the agencies responsible for wildland fire management--the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's (Interior) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS)--allocate their fuel reduction budgets and select projects. GAO was asked to report on the agencies' processes for allocating funds and selecting projects, and on how, if at all, these processes could be improved to better ensure that they contribute to the agencies' overall goal of reducing risk. To obtain this information, GAO visited headquarters and field offices of all five agencies; obtained data on fuel reduction funding and accomplishments; and reviewed previous evaluations of the fuel reduction program."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Proper paper case file management is a significant issue for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) because its staff investigate and close millions of case files every year. In addition, IRS employees depend heavily on case files when pursuing enforcement actions. GAO was asked to review IRS's case file storage, tracking, and documentation processes to determine whether IRS has (1) an effective process to ensure that paper case files can be located timely and (2) sufficient data to assess the performance of its paper case file processes. To review these processes, GAO interviewed staff who request case files and case file managers."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Section 587 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 required GAO to address (1) the trends in the number of conscientious objector applications for the active and reserve components during calendar years 2002 through 2006; (2) how each component administers its process for evaluating conscientious objector applications; and (3) whether, upon discharge, conscientious objectors are eligible for the same benefits as other former servicemembers. GAO's review included the Coast Guard components. GAO compiled numbers of applications based on data provided by the Armed Forces. However, these numbers do not include the numbers of applications that are not formally reported to the components' headquarters. Also, the Defense Manpower Data Center does not maintain separate data on numbers of applications for conscientious objector status; it does maintain data on reasons for separation. GAO used these data to help assess the reasonableness of the component-provided data and to compile demographic data."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Secretary of State has made foreign assistance a pillar of the department's Transformational Diplomacy Initiative and has sought better policy coordination, planning, and oversight by establishing a Director of Foreign Assistance (F Bureau). Even though the U.S. Agency for International Development has been the principal agency for development and humanitarian aid, the Department of State (State) has had a significant role delivering this type of assistance. Thus, it is essential that State have the right staff, with the right skills, in the right places to carry out its foreign assistance management responsibilities and ensure that U.S. funds are well spent. As requested, this report (1) describes the size and scope of development and humanitarian foreign assistance programs managed by State, (2) describes State's approaches to managing and monitoring such programs, and (3) evaluates State's processes for determining its human capital requirements for managing these programs."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Previous GAO work on widespread improper premium class travel at the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State (State) have led to concerns as to whether similar improper travel exists in the rest of the federal government. Consequently, GAO was asked to (1) determine the magnitude of premium class travel governmentwide and the extent such travel was improper, (2) identify internal control weaknesses that contributed to improper and abusive premium class travel, and (3) report on specific cases of improper and abusive premium class travel. GAO analyzed bank data and performed statistical sampling to quantify the extent premium class travel was improper. GAO also performed data mining, reviewed travel regulations, and interviewed agency officials."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report presents the results of our audit of expenditures reported by the Office of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the 6 months ended March 31, 2007. The Department of Justice and the independent counsels are required under 28 U.S.C. 594 (d)(2), (h) and 596 (c)(1) to report on a semiannual basis the expenditures from a permanent, indefinite appropriation established within the Department of Justice to fund independent counsel activities. Under 28 U.S.C. 596 (c)(2), we are required to audit the statement of expenditures prepared by any active independent counsels. For the 6 months ended March 31, 2007, there were no active independent counsels. However, we audited the statement of expenditures of Special Counsel Fitzgerald, who is authorized by the Department of Justice to fund his operation from the permanent, indefinite appropriation. The Ethics in Government Act of 1978 amended title 28 of the United States Code to authorize the judicial appointment of independent counsels when the Attorney General determines that reasonable grounds exist to warrant further investigation of high-ranking government officials for certain alleged crimes. The independent counsel law, which expired on June 30, …

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the permanent loss of kidney function, Medicare covers kidney transplants and 36 months of follow-up care. Kidney transplant recipients must take costly medications to avoid transplant failure. Unless a transplant recipient is eligible for Medicare other than on the basis of ESRD, Medicare coverage, including that for medications, ends 36 months posttransplant. Pediatric transplant recipients, including those who were under 18 when transplanted but are now adults (transitional recipients), may be more likely than their adult counterparts to lose access to medications once Medicare coverage ends because they may lack access to other health insurance coverage. GAO was asked to examine (1) the percentage of transplant failures and subsequent outcomes--retransplant, dialysis, or death--among pediatric, transitional, and adult kidney transplant recipients and (2) how the cost to Medicare for a beneficiary with a functioning transplant compares with the cost for a beneficiary with a transplant failure. To do this, GAO analyzed 1997 through 2004 data from the United States Renal Data System (USRDS) and interviewed officials from pediatric transplant centers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services--the agency that administers …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Elderly persons use drugs at a higher rate than younger persons, in part because elderly persons experience higher rates of certain diseases--such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, and heart disorders. Elderly persons--those age 65 and older--are also more likely than younger adults to experience complications when taking some prescription drugs. For example, because of their decreased liver and kidney functions, elderly persons often lack the ability to eliminate drugs from their bodies as efficiently as younger adults, making elderly persons more likely to experience side effects associated with drugs. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has noted that it is important that drugs be studied for use by elderly persons during the clinical drug trials--that is, those drug studies conducted by drug sponsors before they submit an application to have a drug approved for marketing. FDA is responsible for oversight of clinical drug trials and deciding whether to approve new drugs for marketing in the United States. This responsibility includes determining if drugs are safe and effective for the people expected to use them, including elderly persons. To implement its responsibilities, FDA issues guidance and regulations …

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 shows that disease outbreaks pose a threat beyond the borders of the country where they originate. Over the past decade, the United States has initiated a broad effort to ensure that countries can detect any disease outbreaks that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern. Three U.S. agencies--the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department of Defense (DOD)--support programs aimed at building this broader capacity to detect a variety of infectious diseases. This report describes (1) the obligations, goals, and activities of these programs and (2) the U.S. agencies' monitoring of the programs' progress. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed budgets and other funding documents, examined strategic plans and program monitoring and progress reports, and interviewed U.S. agency officials. GAO did not review capacity-building efforts in programs that focus on specific diseases, namely polio, tuberculosis, malaria, avian influenza, or HIV/AIDS. GAO is not making any recommendations. The U.S. agencies whose programs we describe reviewed a draft of this report and generally concurred with …

Correspondence 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. GAO developed its long-term model in response to a bipartisan request from Members of Congress who were concerned about the longterm effects of fiscal policy. GAO's simulations were updated with the CBO's August budget projections and economic assumptions and continue to indicate that the long-term federal fiscal outlook remains unsustainable. This update combined with our analysis of the fiscal outlook of state and local governments demonstrates that the fiscal challenges facing all levels of government are linked and should be considered in a strategic and integrated manner. GAO updates its simulations three times a year as new estimates become available from: CBO's Budget and Economic Outlook (January), Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports (spring), and CBO's Budget and Economic Outlook: An Update (late summer). This product responds to congressional interest in receiving updated simulation results."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In October 2000, Congress established the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission to assess the national security implications of the trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China and issue an annual report by June 1. The 12-member commission has a budget of about $3 million. As requested, GAO assessed the extent to which the commission has (1) complied with its charter, (2) had an organizational structure and policies and procedures for managing its operations effectively, and (3) had internal control over the financial management and reporting that provides reasonable assurance that resources are not at risk. To address these objectives, GAO analyzed the commission's charter, annual reports, records, and management policies and procedures and interviewed commissioners, executive directors, and staff. GAO focused on fiscal years 2005 and 2006 financial transactions."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property (TRIPS) requires all 151 World Trade Organization (WTO) members to provide baseline protections, including 20-year patents for innovative pharmaceuticals. The Trade Act of 2002 granting Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to the President outlined three negotiating objectives related to intellectual property (IP). The first two aim to strengthen IP rights and enforcement abroad. The third calls for respect of the WTO Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, which addresses access by developing countries to patented medicines, particularly in epidemic and emergency situations. This report (1) describes the Declaration and its interpretation by the United States and other nations; (2) analyzes how U. S. Trade Representative (USTR) has balanced respect for the Doha Declaration with the other two IP objectives in negotiating free trade agreements; and (3) evaluates the extent of public health input by agencies and the private sector. We reviewed official WTO and U.S. government documents, interviewed U.S. and foreign government officials, and obtained private sector views."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Much of the nearly $2 billion annual climate change research budget supports grants from the Department of Energy (DOE), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Science Foundation (NSF). Some of the data generated by this research are stored in online archives, but much remains in a less accessible format with individual researchers. As a result, some researchers are concerned about the availability of data. GAO analyzed (1) the key issues that data-sharing policies should address; (2) the data-sharing requirements, policies, and practices for external climate change researchers funded by DOE, NASA, NOAA, and NSF; and (3) the extent to which these agencies foster data sharing. GAO examined requirements, policies, and practices and surveyed the 64 officials managing climate change grants at these agencies."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian) is the world's largest museum complex and research organization. Its annual operating and capital program revenues come from its own private trust fund assets and federal appropriations, with the majority of funds for facilities coming from federal appropriations. In 2005, GAO reported that the Smithsonian's current funding would not be sufficient to cover its estimated $2.3 billion in facilities projects through 2013 and recommended that the Smithsonian Board of Regents, its governing body, develop and implement a funding plan. As requested, GAO described changes in the condition of the Smithsonian's facilities and estimate for project costs since 2005, analyzed the Smithsonian's steps taken and challenges regarding protecting and managing its real property portfolio, and assessed the Smithsonian's efforts to develop and implement strategies to fund its facilities' projects. GAO reviewed relevant documents and interviewed officials from the Smithsonian and other organizations."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In January 2007, the President stated that the high levels of violence in Iraq had overwhelmed the political gains that the Iraqis had made and required a new U.S. strategy for stabilizing the country. The new strategy recognized that until the Iraqi people have a basic measure of security, they would not be able to make significant and sustainable political and economic progress. To help Iraqi leaders provide security for their population, the United States deployed about 30,000 additional troops to Iraq during the spring of 2007, bringing the total number of U.S. military personnel up to about 160,000 as of mid-June 2007. Enemy-initiated attacks data are a key indicator of progress in improving Iraq's security situation, an important condition that, according to the administration, must be met before the United States can reduce its military presence in Iraq. While attacks data alone may not provide a complete picture of Iraq's security situation, Department of Defense (DOD) and Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I) officials state that the data provide a reasonably sound depiction of general security trends in the country. Since 2004, we have periodically provided this information to Congress …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal executive boards (FEB) bring together federal agency and community leaders in major metropolitan areas outside Washington, D.C., to discuss issues of common interest, including pandemic influenza. This testimony addresses the FEBs' emergency support roles and responsibilities, their potential role in pandemic influenza preparedness, and some of the key challenges they face in providing emergency support services. The issues discussed in the testimony are based on the GAO report, The Federal Workforce: Additional Steps Needed to Take Advantage of Federal Executive Boards' Ability to Contribute to Emergency Operations (GAO-07- 515, May 2007). GAO selected 14 of the 28 FEBs for review because they coordinate the greatest number of federal employees or had recent emergency management experience. In this report, GAO recommended that the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to formally define the FEBs' role in emergency planning and response. In completing the FEB strategic plan, OPM should also establish accountability for the boards' emergency support activities and develop a proposal to address the uncertainty of funding sources for the boards. While not commenting specifically on the …

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Weekly magazine edition of the daily student newspaper from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Dallas, Texas that includes local, state, and national news and advertising of interest to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community.

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, in light of the equal protection guarantees of the United States and Texas constitutions, the Texas Municipal Police Association, an entity credentialed by and under contract with the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to provide continuing education to peace officers, may reduce tuition for its members (RQ-0578-GA)

This report examines laws pertaining to journalists' privilege. Most states afford journalists some protection from compelled release of their confidential sources. The question remains, however, as to whether a concomitant federal privilege exists. The Supreme Court has addressed the issue of journalists’ privilege under the First Amendment only once; in Branzburg v. Hayes, it left open the question of whether the First Amendment provides journalists with any privilege.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Weekly student newspaper from San Antonio College in San Antonio, Texas that includes campus news along with advertising.