Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) estimated the 2010 Census would cost $11.5 billion, including $3 billion on automation and technology. At a March hearing, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) stated that the Field Data Collection Automation (FDCA) program was likely to incur significant cost overruns and announced a redesign effort. At that time, GAO designated the 2010 Decennial Census as high risk, citing long-standing concerns in managing information technology (IT) investments and uncertain costs and operations. This testimony is based on past work and work nearing completion, including GAO's observation of the address canvassing dress rehearsal. For IT acquisitions, GAO analyzed system documentation, including deliverables, cost estimates, other acquisitions-related documents, and interviewed Bureau officials and contractors. This testimony describes the implications of redesign for (1) dress rehearsal and decennial operations, (2) IT acquisitions management, and (3) Decennial Census costs."

News release concerning a public meeting about the design for DART's future MLK Transit Center.

News release about DART's annual "Environmental/Recyclers Fair."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began operations in March 2003 with missions that include preventing terrorist attacks from occurring within the United States, reducing U.S. vulnerability to terrorism, minimizing damages from attacks that occur, and helping the nation recover from any attacks. GAO has reported that the implementation and transformation of DHS is an enormous management challenge. GAO's prior work on mergers and acquisitions found that successful transformations of large organizations, even those faced with less strenuous reorganizations than DHS, can take at least 5 to 7 years to achieve. This testimony addresses (1) the progress made by DHS in implementing its management functions; and (2) key issues that have affected the department's implementation efforts. This testimony is based on GAO's August 2007 report evaluating DHS's progress between March 2003 and July 2007; selected reports issued since July 2007; and GAO's institutional knowledge of homeland security and management issues."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Weaknesses in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) financial management systems have been a long-standing challenge for the department and have contributed to our designating two of its major programs areas as high-risk and the financial management information systems in particular as a major management challenge. While some progress has been made, both GAO and the HUD Office of the Inspector General (IG) have reported extensively on weaknesses related to HUD's financial management systems. In audits of HUD's consolidated financial statements, the IG has consistently identified several material internal control weaknesses resulting from inadequate financial management systems. In recent audit reports, the HUD OIG also noted that the completion of the development of adequate financial management systems is the most critical need faced by HUD in improving its financial management control environment. Responsive financial management systems are particularly critical to HUD's ability to meet its mission, deliver key services, and establish sufficient management control over its operations. In light of these issues, Congress asked that we (1) summarize HUD's past efforts to implement an integrated financial management system, (2) identify the challenges HUD faces with its …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In an effort to increase the quality and security of federal identification (ID) practices, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) in August 2004. This directive requires the establishment of a governmentwide standard for secure and reliable forms of ID. GAO was asked to testify on its report, being released today, assessing the progress selected agencies have made in implementing HSPD-12. For this report, GAO selected eight agencies with a range of experience in implementing ID systems and analyzed actions these agencies had taken. GAO was also asked to summarize challenges in the DOD personnel security clearance process. This overview is based on past work including reviews of clearance-related documents. Military servicemembers, federal workers, and industry personnel must obtain security clearances to gain access to classified information. Long-standing delays in processing applications for these clearances led GAO to designate the Department of Defense's (DOD) program as a high-risk area in 2005. In its report on HSPD-12, GAO made recommendations to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), to, among other things, set realistic milestones for implementing the electronic authentication capabilities. GAO has also made recommendations to …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO is a key source of objective information and analyses and, as such, plays a crucial role in supporting congressional decision-making and helping improve government for the benefit of the American people. This testimony focuses on GAO's (1) fiscal year 2002 performance and results, (2) efforts to maximize our effectiveness, responsiveness and value, and (3) our budget request for fiscal year 2004 to support the Congress and serve the American public."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In an effort to improve the U.S. military's flexibility to address conventional and terrorist threats worldwide, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to relocate more than 8,000 Marines and an estimated 9,000 dependents from Okinawa, Japan, to Guam as well as expand other U.S. force capabilities on the island at an estimated cost of more than $13 billion. Guam is an integral part of DOD's logistical support system and serves as an important forward operational hub for a mix of military mission requirements. According to DOD, Guam provides strategic flexibility, freedom of action, and prompt global action for the Global War on Terrorism, peace and wartime engagement, and crisis response. DOD plans to begin construction on Guam during fiscal year 2010 in order to meet the desired buildup deadline of fiscal year 2014 indicated in the agreement reached by the U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee on October 29, 2005. As a result of the military buildup, Guam's current population of 171,000 will increase by an estimated 25,000 active duty military personnel and dependents (or 14.6 percent), to 196,000. In addition, the realignment will require additional workers to move to …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Following the bioterrorist events of the fall of 2001, there has been concern that the nation may not be prepared to respond to a major public health threat, such as the current outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Whether a disease outbreak occurs naturally or is due to the intentional release of a harmful biological agent by a terrorist, much of the initial response would occur at the local level, particularly hospitals and their emergency departments. Efforts to plan for worldwide influenza pandemics are useful for understanding public health preparedness for other large-scale outbreaks. GAO was asked to examine (1) the preparedness of state and local public health agencies and organizations for responding to a large-scale infectious disease outbreak, (2) the preparedness of hospitals for responding to a large-scale infectious disease outbreak, and (3) federal and state efforts to prepare for an influenza pandemic. This testimony is based on GAO's report, Bioterrorism: Preparedness Varied across State and Local Jurisdictions, GAO-03-373 (Apr. 7, 2003), a survey of hospitals GAO conducted to assess their level of emergency preparedness, and information updating GAO's prior report on federal and state planning …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fiscal year 2003 budget request for the 2002 tax filing season. GAO found that IRS's plans for hiring and redirecting staff may be optimistic because budgets are prepared so far in advance of the fiscal year involved. IRS assumed (1) labor and nonlabor savings of 2,287 staff years and $157.5 million and (2) additional savings of $38.5 million from better business practices. IRS's justification does not always adequately link the resources being requested and the agency's performance goals. Although IRS provided adequate support to justify the $450 million request for its multiyear capital account for business systems modernization, it did not adequately support $1.63 billion of the $1.68 billion requested for its information systems. In the area of agency performance, GAO found that IRS has generally processed returns smoothly and seen continued growth in electronic filing. The one exception to smooth processing has been the large number of errors related to the rate reduction credit. IRS has had to correct millions of returns due to the credit, and taxpayers' call about the credit have greatly increased the demand on IRS's …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The House Committee on Ways and Means is holding a hearing on modernizing Medicare and integrating prescription drugs into the program. There are growing concerns about gaps in the Medicare program, most notably the lack of outpatient prescription drug coverage, which may leave Medicare's most vulnerable beneficiaries with high out-of-pocket costs. At the same time, Medicare already faces a huge projected financial imbalance that has worsened significantly in the past year. This statement discusses the challenges of adding a drug benefit to Medicare in the context of the program's current and projected financial condition. It also examines program design issues to be considered with respect to administering any proposed drug benefit. Specifically, it discusses how private sector health plans have used entities called pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) to control drug benefit expenditures."

The National Museum of the Pacific Ware presents an oral interview with Charles Butterworth. Butterworth was born in Anderson, South Carolina. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Notre Dame. In May 1939, he quit college and joined the Army Air Corps. After attending flight engineering and gunnery schools, he was assigned as flight engineer on a B-17 piloted by Emmett “Rosie” O’Donnell. He arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands on 28 August 1941 where he was assigned to the 19th Airbase Squadron stationed at Nichols Field. Starting on 9 December 1941, Nichols Field was bombed daily by the Japanese throughout the rest of the month. Butterworth traveled to Mindanao where he and his companions were picked up by a Japanese patrol craft. He and others became prisoners of war and were taken by boat to Japan where he worked in a steel mill. He tells of the filth, starvation and physical abuse to which the prisoners were subjected. After Japan surrendered, Butterworth and other freed prisoners were taken to a hospital ship for a journey home.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Land. Land was a native of Fredericksburg, Texas and served in the Navy from July of 1938 through September of 1945. He shares the story of how he and his wife met, his work as a salesman, and his volunteer work at St. David’s hospital in Austin. He also speaks about his children and grandchildren. The interviewer comments about the documents Land provided him, which he says he’s included with this interview, sharing Land’s recollections as a Pearl Harbor survivor and service through World War II. The document included was an oral history Land conducted with another organization regarding his military history.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Lucy Overmeyer. Overmyer was born in Culver, Indiana on 21 June 1920 and after graduating from high school in 1938 she went to work for a defense contractor, Bendix Aircraft. She enlisted into the Marine Corps on 12 May 1943, completed basic training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and enrolled in Quartermaster School at Quantico, Virginia. She describes some of her experiences while at Quantico, where she spent the remainder of her time in the service. She was discharged from the Marine Corps on 26 September 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Robert LeClerq. LeClerq’s brother, John, served in the Navy in World War II and also died serving his country. Robert was eight years younger than John and recalls his brother’s time serving in the war. John was commissioned in Chicago around 1941. In April of 1944 he was assigned to the USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE-413). He and his family attended the commissioning of the ship in Houston, Texas. He was an Ensign and served aboard the ship as an Assistant Gunnery Officer. Their ship was sent to Pearl Harbor to escort supply ships and later participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944. After being hit by three 14-inch shells from an enemy ship, the Samuel B. Roberts sank, claiming the lives of 90 sailors including John LeClerq. John’s parents were sent a letter by an officer from the Roberts describing in detail the fateful battle. Robert provides some additional details of his brother’s life and service in the military and the books written about the Roberts years after the event.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the wake of the Enron collapse and the proliferation of earnings restatements and pro forma earnings assertions by other companies, questions are being raised about the soundness of private sector financial reporting, auditor independence, and corporate governance. In addressing these issues, the government's role could range from direct intervention to encouraging non-governmental and private-sector entities to adopt practices that would strengthen public confidence. GAO believes that Congress should consider a holistic approach that takes into account the many players and interrelated issues that brought about the Enron situation."

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; Constitutionality of section 51.413 Natural Resources Code, which would authorize the School Land Board to transfer proceeds from the sale in the permanent school fund to the available school fund (RQ-0638-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; Authority of a county auditor to refuse payment to a former employee of a county hospital on the ground that such payment is unconstitutional (RQ-0640-GA)

Minutes for the April 9, 2009 TXSSAR meeting, held by the McKinney chapter.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As in the past four years, GAO was unable to express an opinion on the federal government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2000 and 2001 because of material weaknesses in internal control and accounting and reporting issues. These conditions prevented GAO from providing Congress and American citizens with an opinion as to whether the consolidated financial statements are fairly stated in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Until these problems are adequately addressed, the government will continue to have difficulty (1) reporting its assets, liabilities, and costs; (2) adequately measuring the full cost and financial performance of programs and effectively manage related operations; and (3) adequately safeguarding significant assets and and properly recording transactions."

This article describes the mega march which took place in Dallas in support of the legalization of undocumented immigrants. Dallas police estimated the size of the crowd to at least be 100,000 people. Both the original Spanish article and the English translation are included.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City neither conforms to current building codes nor meets UN technology or security requirements. As the UN's host country and largest contributor, the United States has a substantial interest in the success of the Capital Master Plan (CMP), a project to renovate the complex. In this update, GAO reviewed the following key areas: renovation approach, schedule, cost, funding, risk management, project progress, procurement, and oversight. To perform this work, GAO reviewed UN documents and met with officials from the CMP office and other UN departments. To assess oversight and monitoring, GAO reviewed UN documents and oversight reports and interviewed UN officials from the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and officials from the U.S. Department of State (State)."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA), registered nurses who have completed a master's degree program in nurse anesthesia, provide the majority of anesthesia care in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. There are approximately 500 VA-employed CRNAs (VA CRNA) who provide care to veterans in VA medical facilities. While the demand for CRNAs has increased, many employed by VA are nearing retirement eligibility age. Concerns have been raised about the challenges VA may face in making VA CRNA salaries competitive in order to maintain its VA CRNA workforce, particularly in local markets that can be highly competitive. This testimony is based on GAO work reported in VA Health Care: Many Medical Facilities Have Challenges in Recruiting and Retaining Nurse Anesthetists, (GAO-08-56, Dec. 13, 2007). This testimony (1) identifies workforce challenges that VA medical facilities experience related to VA CRNAs, and (2) identifies a key mechanism that VA medical facilities have to help make VA CRNA salaries competitive and the extent to which VA facilities use this mechanism. For the December 2007 report, GAO analyzed surveys sent to VA chief anesthesiologists, VA human resources officers, and VA CRNAs. …