Chemical Regulation: Actions are Needed to Improve the Effectiveness of EPA's Chemical Review Program (open access)

Chemical Regulation: Actions are Needed to Improve the Effectiveness of EPA's Chemical Review Program

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Chemicals play an important role in everyday life, but some may be harmful to human health and the environment. Chemicals are used to produce items widely used throughout society, such as cleansers and plastics as well as industrial solvents and additives. However, some chemicals, such as lead and mercury, are highly toxic at certain doses and need to be regulated because of health and safety concerns. In 1976, the Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to authorize the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. This testimony is based on GAO's June 2005 report, Chemical Regulation: Options Exist to Improve EPA's Ability to Assess Health Risks and Manage Its Chemical Review Program (GAO-05-458). GAO's report describes EPA's efforts to (1) assess chemicals used in commerce, (2) control the use of chemicals not yet in commerce, and (3) publicly disclose information provided by chemical companies under TSCA. GAO recommended that the Congress consider providing EPA additional authorities under TSCA to improve EPA's ability to assess chemical risks, and that the EPA Administrator take several actions to …
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Border Security: Continued Weaknesses in Screening Entrants into the United States (open access)

Border Security: Continued Weaknesses in Screening Entrants into the United States

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Currently, U.S. citizens are not required to present a passport when entering the United States from countries in the Western Hemisphere. However, U.S. citizens are required to establish citizenship to a CBP officer's satisfaction. On its Web site, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) advises U.S. citizens that an officer may ask for identification documents as proof of citizenship, including birth certificates or baptismal records and a photo identification document. In 2003, we testified that CBP officers were not readily capable of identifying whether individuals seeking entry into the United States were using counterfeit identification to prove citizenship. Specifically, our agents were able to easily enter the United States from Canada and Mexico using fictitious names and counterfeit driver's licenses and birth certificates. Later in 2003 and 2004, we continued to be able to successfully enter the United States using counterfeit identification at land border crossings, but were denied entry on one occasion. Because of Congress's concerns that these weaknesses could possibly be exploited by terrorists or others involved in criminal activity, Congress requested that we assess the current status of security at the nation's borders. Specifically, Congress …
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost As of August 2, 2006 (open access)

Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost As of August 2, 2006

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Our remarks will focus on the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) progress in achieving selected project milestones and in managing the project's schedule since Congress's June 28, 2006, hearing on the project. As part of this discussion, we will address a number of key challenges and risks that continue to face the project, as well as actions AOC has taken or plans to take to address these risks. In addition, we will discuss the status of the project's costs and funding. Our remarks today are based on our review of schedules and financial reports for the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) project and related records maintained by AOC and its construction management contractor, Gilbane Building Company; our observations on the progress of work at the CVC construction site; and our discussions with the CVC team (AOC and its major CVC contractors), AOC's Chief Fire Marshal, and representatives from the U.S. Capitol Police, the General Services Administration, and the Office of Compliance. We also reviewed AOC's construction management contractor's periodic schedule assessments and daily reports on the progress of interior wall and floor stonework."
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Attorney General Opinion: GA-0446 (open access)

Texas Attorney General Opinion: GA-0446

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; Conflict of interest disclosure requirements for local government offices and persons who contract with local governmental entities (RQ-0451-GA)
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: Texas. Attorney-General's Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA): Reauthorization of Job Training Programs in the 109th Congress (open access)

The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA): Reauthorization of Job Training Programs in the 109th Congress

This report discusses the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), P.L. 105-220, which is the nation’s chief job training legislation, authorizes several job training programs, including Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker Activities; and Job Corps.
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: Lordeman, Ann
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2005 Appropriations for First Responder Preparedness: Issues and Analysis (open access)

FY2005 Appropriations for First Responder Preparedness: Issues and Analysis

None
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: Reese, Shawn
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mullin Independent School District, July 2006 (open access)

Mullin Independent School District, July 2006

Report reviewing the management and performance of the Mullin Independent School District's (MISD's) education, financial, and operational functions.
Date: August 2, 2006
Creator: Texas. Legislative Budget Board.
Object Type: Report
System: The Portal to Texas History