Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Amid projections that freight traffic will increase 65 percent by 2020 and that traffic congestion will worsen, many transportation officials are concerned about the challenge of maintaining and improving the condition and performance of the nation's highway infrastructure. In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century increased funding for highways by 27 percent in real terms over the previous surface transportation authorization act--the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). Nevertheless, the Federal Highway Administration estimates that the nation will need to spend about $76 billion--or 18 percent more than it spent in 2000--each year through 2020 to maintain the average conditions and performance of the nation's highways and bridges, and about $107 billion or 65 percent more than it spent in 2000 to efficiently improve the highway system. These projections raise concerns because both the federal government and state governments are facing budget deficits in the years ahead, totaling hundreds of billions of dollars. As the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works prepares to reauthorize TEA-21 and establish funding levels for the next several years, it asked us …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Effective controls over information systems are essential to ensuring the protection of financial and personnel information and the security and reliability of bank examination data maintained bythe Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). As part of GAO's 2002 financial statement audits of the three FDIC funds, we assessed (1) the corporation's progress in addressing computer security weaknesses found in GAO's 2001 audit, and (2) the effectiveness of FDIC's controls."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The National Strategy for Homeland Security calls for preventing the entry of foreign terrorists into our country and using all legal means to identify; halt; and where appropriate, prosecute or bring immigration or other civil charges against terrorists in the United States. GAO reported in October 2002 that the Department of State had revoked visas of certain persons after it learned they might be suspected terrorists, raising concerns that some of these individuals may have entered the United States before or after State's action. Congressional requesters asked GAO to (1) assess the effectiveness of the visa revocation process and (2) identify the policies and procedures of State, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that govern their respective actions in the process."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony highlights findings from today's report on strategies that exemplary one-stop centers have implemented to strengthen and integrate services for customers and to build a solid one-stop infrastructure. It also shares findings and recommendations from our past work on challenges that states and localities have experienced as they implement WIA, which may be helpful as WIA is reauthorized."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The National Strategy for Homeland Security calls for preventing the entry of foreign terrorists into our country and using all legal means to identify; halt; and, where appropriate, prosecute or bring immigration or other civil charges against terrorists in the United States. GAO reported in October 2002 that the Department of State had revoked visas of certain persons after it learned they might be suspected terrorists, raising concerns that some of these individuals may have entered the United States before or after State's action. Congressional requesters asked GAO to (1) identify the policies and procedures of State, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that govern their respective visa revocation actions and (2) determine the effectiveness of the process."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "No government should waste its taxpayers' money, whether we are operating during a period of budget surpluses or deficits. Further, it is important for everyone to recognize that waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement are not victimless activities. Resources are not unlimited, and when they are diverted for inappropriate, illegal, inefficient, or ineffective purposes, both taxpayers and legitimate program beneficiaries are cheated. Both the Administration and the Congress have an obligation to safeguard benefits for those that deserve them and avoid abuse of taxpayer funds by preventing such diversions. Beyond preventing obvious abuse, government also has an obligation to modernize its priorities, practices, and processes so that it can meet the demands and needs of today's changing world. More broadly, the federal government must reexamine the entire range of policies and programs--entitlements, discretionary, and tax incentives--in the context of the 21st century. Periodic reexamination and revaluation of government activities has never been more important than it is today. Our nation faces long-term fiscal challenges. Increased pressure also comes from world events: both from the recognition that we cannot consider ourselves "safe" between two oceans--which has increased demands for spending …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Concerns have been raised over whether the disclosures of mutual fund fees and other fund practices are sufficiently transparent and fair to investors. GAO's testimony discusses (1) mutual fund fee disclosures, (2) the extent to which various corporate governance reforms are in place in the mutual fund industry, (3) the potential conflicts that arise when mutual fund advisers pay broker-dealers to sell fund shares, and (4) the benefits and concerns over fund advisers' use of soft dollars."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In 1986, the United States entered into a Compact of Free Association with the Pacific Island nations of the Federated States of Micronesia, or FSM, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or RMI. The Compact provided about $2.1 billion in U.S. funds, supplied by the Department of the Interior, over 17 years (1987-2003) to the FSM and the RMI. These funds were intended to advance economic development. In a past report, GAO found that this assistance did little to advance economic development in either country, and accountability over funding was limited. The Compact also established U.S. defense rights and obligations in the region and allowed for migration from both countries to the United States. The three parties recently renegotiated expiring economic assistance provisions of the Compact in order to provide an additional 20 years of assistance (2004-2023). In addition, the negotiations addressed defense and immigration issues. The House International Relations and Resources Committees requested that GAO report on Compact negotiations. This testimony discusses negotiated changes to the levels and structure of future assistance, including the potential cost to the U.S. government. Further, it reviews accountability, defense, and …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Every year thousands of veterans volunteer to participate in research projects under the auspices of the VA. Research offers the possibility of benefits to individual participants and to society, but it is not without risk to research subjects. VA studies, like other federally funded research programs, are governed by regulations designed to minimize risks and protect the rights and welfare of research participants. VA must ensure that veterans have accurate and understandable information so that they can make informed decisions about volunteering for research. In September 2000, GAO reported on weaknesses it found in VA's systems for protecting human subjects. VA concurred with GAO's recommendations that its human subject protections could be strengthened by taking actions in five domains--guidance, training, monitoring and oversight, handling of adverse event reports, and funding of human subject protection activities. (VA Research: Protections for Human Subjects Need to Be Strengthened, (GAO/HEHS-00-155, Sept. 28, 2000)). GAO was asked to assess whether VA has made sufficient progress in implementing the recommendations and to examine the recent changes in VA's organizational structure for monitoring and overseeing human subject protections."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the FBI needed to refocus its efforts to investigate those attacks and to detect and prevent possible future attacks. To do this the FBI has taken steps to change its priorities and sought to transform itself to more effectively address the potential terrorist threats. This testimony specifically addresses the FBI's (1) progress in updating its strategic plan; (2) development of a strategic human capital plan; (3) realignment of staff resources to priority areas; (4) reallocation of staff resources from its drug program; (5) efforts to recruit and hire new personnel to address critical staffing needs; (6) efforts to enhance its training program; and (7) implementation of new investigative authorities and internal controls to ensure compliance with the revised Attorney General's Guidelines on General Crimes, Racketeering Enterprise and Terrorism Enterprise Investigations and to help protect individual civil liberties."

Weekly newspaper from Rusk, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the establishment of the research development fund to promote research at certain institutions of higher education and to the abolition of the Texas excellence fund and the university research fund.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the transfer of certain state property from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to Walker County.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the correction or removal from the statutes of obsolete references regarding the surety bonds of state officers and employees

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to internal auditing of state agencies.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the date of the primary election.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the collection of a fee from certain nonresident attorneys requesting permission to participate in proceedings in a Texas court.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to expulsion of students from public schools for certain conduct.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to notice requirements for certain portable facilities under the Clean Air Act.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to disease management programs for certain Medicaid recipients.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to use of the internal mail system of a governmental agency to deliver political advertising; providing a criminal penalty.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the requirement to submit a health certificate to obtain a license to practice cosmetology.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the financing, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of transportation and transportation facilities.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to certain appropriations made in support of the courts by the legislature to certain individuals and governmental entities, to the assignment and compensation of certain visiting judges, and to the Eighth, Ninth, and Eleventh courts of appeals districts.