Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Like many federal agencies, the Coast Guard's priorities were dramatically altered by the events of September 11. The Coast Guard has requested $7.3 billion for fiscal year 2003--a 36 percent increase from the previous year. The events of September 11 caused a substantial shift of effort toward homeland security and away from other missions. As resources were shifted to meet these needs, the law enforcement mission area, which consists mainly of drug and migrant interdiction and fisheries enforcement, saw a dramatic drop in mission capability. The Coast Guard's fiscal year 2003 budget request reflects an attempt to maintain and enhance heightened levels of funding for homeland security while also increasing funding for all other Coast Guard missions beyond fiscal year 2002 levels. The Coast Guard faces substantial management challenges in translating its requested funding increases into increased service levels in its key mission areas. For example, workforce issues present a daunting challenge. If the budget request for fiscal year 2003 is approved, the Coast Guard will add 2,200 full-time positions, retain and build on the expertise and skills of its current workforce, and deal with already high attrition …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Protecting the computer systems that support our critical operations and infrastructures has never been more important because of the concern about attacks from individuals and groups with malicious intent, including terrorism. These concerns are well founded for a number of reasons, including the dramatic increases in reported computer security incidents, the ease of obtaining and using hacking tools, the steady advance in the sophistication and effectiveness of attack technology, and the dire warnings of new and more destructive attacks. As with other large organizations, federal agencies rely extensively on computerized systems and electronic data to support their missions. Accordingly, the security of these systems and data is essential to avoiding disruptions in critical operations, as well as to helping prevent data tampering, fraud, and inappropriate disclosure of sensitive information. At the subcommittee's request, GAO discussed its analysis of recent information security audits and evaluations at 24 major federal departments and agencies."

News release about the opening of DART's new light rail terminal, LBJ/Skillman Station.

News release about travel destinations near new DART stations in Dallas, Garland, Richardson, and Plano.

News release about DART running test trains and promoting rail safety ahead of the opening of three new stations.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Section 127a, title 10 of the United States Code provides the Department of Defense (DOD) with two options for funding nontraining deployments and operations when Congress has not provided funds in advance. These options involve waiving reimbursements for support services and transferring amounts from other DOD accounts. Section 127a prescribes specific procedures to be followed by DOD when these funding options are used; requires DOD to notify Congress of and report on certain new contingency operations; and states that the Comptroller General of the United States shall from time to time, and when requested by a Committee of Congress, conduct a review to determine whether DOD is complying with the statutory requirements and limitations. GAO found that DOD has complied with the requirements contained in section 127a. Since the current notification and reporting requirements of section 127a were enacted in 1996, DOD has provided congressional notification for four operations, involving Bosnia, Kosovo, hurricane relief in Central America, and East Timor. DOD has rarely used the funding options provided in section 127a. It used the section 127a funding option allowing waiver of reimbursement for units providing support once, for …

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's statement of federal financial accounting standards (SFFAS). The statement presents proposed amendments to SFFAS No. 5 and No. 17."

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's statement of federal financial accounting standards (SFFAS). This statement clarifies requirements of SFFAS, especially SFFAS No. 7."

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's statement of federal financial accounting concepts (SFFAC). The statement identifies and describes the characteristics of the target audience for the Consolidated Financial Report of the U.S. Government."

Blank parole data survey containing a series of questions related to the parole population in a particular location, with instructions for filling out the survey.

Blank probation data survey containing a series of questions related to the probationary population in a particular location, with instructions for filling out the survey.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The United States is the most mobile nation on the planet. Constructing, improving, and repairing roads and bridges is fundamental to meeting the nation's mobility needs to facilitate commerce, national defense, and pleasure use and to promote economic growth. Therefore, it is important that highway projects using federal financial support are completed in as timely a manner as possible. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and based on its professional judgment, it typically takes from 9 to 19 years to plan, gain approval for, and construct a new, major federally funded highway project that has significant environmental impacts. However, these projects constitute only 3 percent of all federally funded projects, according to FHWA. Officials in federal and state agencies and other knowledgeable organizations indicate that delivering larger, more complex or controversial projects may take longer to complete than is typical for most highway projects. In addition to needing more time because of their size and complexity, they often take longer to complete because they must comply with more federal and state requirements and because of the public interest that they may generate. Federal and state agencies have …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) developed strategies in the 1990s to control illegal immigration across U.S. borders and to address enforcement priorities within the country. In 1994, INS's Border Patrol issued a strategy to deter illegal entry through "prevention through deterrence;" that is, to raise the risk of being apprehended for illegal aliens to where they would consider it futile to try to enter. The plan called for targeting resources in a phased approach, starting in areas with the greatest illegal activity. In 1999, INS issued its Interior Enforcement Strategy to focus resources on areas that would have the greatest impact on reducing the size and annual growth of the illegal resident population. The strategy established the following five areas: (1) identify and remove criminal aliens and minimize recidivism; (2) deter, dismantle, and diminish smuggling or trafficking of aliens; (3) respond to community reports and complaints about illegal immigration; (4) minimize immigration benefit fraud and other document abuse; and (5) block and remove employers' access to undocumented workers. For these to be effective, INS needs better data to determine staff needs, reliable information technology, clear and consistent …

A description of the key points of Japanese New Climate Change Policy Programme which includes the fundamental principles, the main points of the programme, and the measures for reducing of greenhouse gass emissions

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Buck Gibson. Gibson enlisted in the Navy and once he finished boot camp, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis where he was a loader on a 20mm gun. He first sailed for the Aleutian Islands, then to Tarawa for the invasion. When the island was secure, he went ashore with Admiral Raymond Spruance. He desribes the kamekazi attack on Indianapolis during the Okinawa campaign, then the torpedo attack after leaving Tinian. He spent five days in the water before being rescued, then some time in the hospital after the war.

Interview with Buck Gibson of Waco, Texas, a veteran from the United States Navy during World War Two. The interview includes some of Strauss' background before and after the war as well as his personal experiences while in the Navy, including memories of his training, life in the Navy, the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, and what happened after he was rescued.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Edwin Bullian. Bullian joined the Army Air Corps in October of 1940. He served as a B-26 flight engineer and gunner with the 17th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. He completed 45 missions over North Africa, the islands of Sardinia and Sicily and the Italian mainland. Bullian continued his service after the war ended, retiring as a Master Sergeant in 1960.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Ernest Higgins. Higgins joined the Army in August of 1940. He was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Infantry Regiment. He participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. His job was to ensure that supplies were delivered on the beach within an hour of the beach landings. Higgins continued his service in the military, retiring in 1973 with rank of lieutenant colonel.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Fred Earl Smith. Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on 20 April 1923. Joining the Navy soon after graduation in 1941, he completed boot training at San Diego. Upon graduating from fire control school, he reported aboard the USS Tennessee (BB-43) at Pearl Harbor. He experienced the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and retrieved bodies in the aftermath. He was assigned to the USS Hornet (CV-8). After the Hornet sank, Smith was transferred to the USS Saratoga (CV-3) in June 1943. The Saratoga returned to the United States for repairs after being damaged by Japanese torpedoes and Smith received orders to report aboard the USS Hancock (CV-19). In November 1944, the Hancock was hit by a kamikaze and Smith was wounded. After being hospitalized in Hawaii for a short period of time, he was sent to the Naval Hospital at Norman, Oklahoma. He also shares various experiences he had following World War II. Smith retired in 1968 after twenty-seven years of active service.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with George De Laughter. De Laughter joined the Army in 1942. He was assigned to the 7th Infantry Division, 32nd Regiment. He worked as a supply officer. He participated in the battles of Attu, Kwajalein, Leyte and Okinawa. He was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Gerald Peterson. Peterson was born in Indianapolis in 1917. He grew up during the Great Depression and shares memories of how his family managed. He graduated from Arsenal Technical School in 1935. Peterson graduated from General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan in 1939 with a degree in industrial engineering and management. He was hired by the Boeing Company, and completed structural designs for the tail section of the B-17. He also assisted in the design and build of the B-29. In 1940, Peterson was required to register for possible draft, though after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, his engineering job was frozen and he remained in his position for the duration of the war. Peterson remained with Boeing until June of 1949.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James “Jim” White. White was born in Cosby, Tennessee on 6 April 1920. He tells of conditions encountered while growing up during the Depression. Entering the U.S. Army in 1942 he was assigned to the 90th Infantry Division, Company A, 358th Regiment and trained as a rifleman at Camp Barkley, Texas. The division was sent to England in preparation for Operation Overlord. White landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day +1 and comments on the high casualty rate, the procedures in clearing a town of German soldiers and of being wounded by a land mine. Mrs. Betty White tells of receiving the message that her husband was wounded and of her concern. White was awarded a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart while in the Army.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Joe Matlock. Matlock joined the Army Air Forces on 8 December 1941. He received his wings in 1943, and served as a pilot with the 434th Troop Carrier Group, 71st Squadron. From 1944 through 1945, they flew combat paratroopers on airborne assaults on Normandy, southern France, the Netherlands and Germany. They additionally flew resupply missions in the relief of Bastogne and evacuated the wounded. Matlock returned to the US and was discharged in October of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with John Sloup. Sloup joined the Army in 1943. He served with the 7th Infantry Division and participated in the invasions of Leyte and Okinawa. After the war ended, Sloup was shipped to Korea. In January of 1946, he returned to the US and was discharged.