Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In February 2007, we issued our opinions on the calendar year 2006 financial statements of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) and the FSLIC Resolution Fund (FRF). We also issued our opinion on the effectiveness of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's (FDIC) internal control over financial reporting (including safeguarding assets) and compliance as of December 31, 2006, and our evaluation of FDIC's compliance with significant provisions of selected laws and regulations for the two funds for the year ended December 31, 2006. The purpose of this report is to present issues identified during our audits of the 2006 financial statements regarding internal controls and accounting procedures and to recommend actions to address these issues. Although these issues were not material in relation to the financial statements, we believe they warrant management's attention."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report responds to certain requirements of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) of 1998 that authorized certain Haitian nationals and their dependents to apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent residence. Section 902 (k) of the act requires the Comptroller General to report every 6 months on the number of Haitian nationals who have applied and been approved to adjust their status to lawful permanent residence. The reports are to contain a breakdown of the number of Haitians who applied and the number who were approved as asylum applicants, parolees, children without parents, orphaned children, or abandoned children; or as the eligible dependents of these applicants, including spouses, children, and unmarried sons or daughters. Reports are to be provided until all applications have been finally adjudicated. This is GAO's sixteenth report."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since October 1994, the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) has had statutory authority to provide loans, guarantees, and insurance to help finance U.S. exports of dual-use (military and civilian) defense articles and services, provided that it determines these items are nonlethal and meant primarily for civilian use. These dual-use exports include such items as vehicles that are used by the military for civilian or humanitarian purposes. The legislation also requires us to report annually on the end uses of the dual-use exports financed by Ex-Im during the second preceding fiscal year--which, for the purposes of this letter, corresponds to 2005. Since we last issued a letter in 2001 reporting on Ex-Im financed dual-use exports, the enclosure to this letter provides detailed information regarding the dual-use exports financed during fiscal years 2002 through 2004."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On December 5, 2006, we testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, at a hearing entitled, "An Assessment of Improper Payments Information Act of 2002." At the end of the hearing, Congress asked us to provide information regarding (1) barriers inhibiting agencies' efforts to prevent and reduce improper payments, (2) legislative reforms needed to facilitate agencies' efforts to prevent improper payments, and (3) suggested language to amend the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA) that would provide more complete disclosure and transparency of agencies' improper payments reporting."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Subcommittee on Health of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs asked GAO to discuss its recent work on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) program. GAO reported on this subject in September 2006, focusing on (1) VA's estimates of the number of homeless veterans and transitional housing beds, (2) the extent of collaboration involved in the provision of GPD and related services, and (3) VA's assessment of program performance."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The possibility that terrorists and criminals might exploit border vulnerabilities and enter the United States poses a serious security risk, especially if they were to bring radioactive material or other contraband with them. Although Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has taken steps to secure the 170 ports of entry on the northern and southern U.S. borders, Congress is concerned that unmanned and unmonitored areas between these ports of entry may be vulnerable. In unmanned locations, CBP relies on surveillance cameras, unmanned aerial drones, and other technology to monitor for illegal border activity. In unmonitored locations, CBP does not have this equipment in place and must rely on alert citizens or other information sources to meet its obligation to protect the border. Today's testimony will address what GAO investigators found during a limited security assessment of seven border areas that were unmanned, unmonitored, or both--four at the U.S.-Canada border and three at the U.S.-Mexico border. In three of the four locations on the U.S.-Canada border, investigators carried a duffel bag across the border to simulate the cross-border movement of radioactive materials or other contraband. Safety considerations prevented GAO investigators …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the 1990s, states sued major tobacco companies to obtain reimbursement for health impairments caused by the public's use of tobacco. In 1998, four of the nation's largest tobacco companies signed a Master Settlement Agreement, agreeing to make annual payments to 46 states in perpetuity as reimbursement for past tobacco-related health care costs. Some states have arranged to receive advance proceeds based on the amounts that tobacco companies owe by issuing bonds backed by future payments. This testimony discusses (1) the amounts of tobacco settlement payments that the states received from fiscal years 2000 through 2005, the most recent year for which GAO has actual data, and (2) the states' allocations of these payments. We also include states' projected fiscal year 2006 allocations. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 required GAO to report annually, through fiscal year 2006, on how states used the payments made by tobacco companies. GAO based this testimony on five annual surveys of these 46 states' Master Settlement Agreement payments and how they allocated these payments."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Army's Future Combat System (FCS) is a program characterized by bold goals and innovative concepts--transformational capabilities, system-of-systems approach, new technologies, a first-of-a-kind information network, and a total investment cost of more than $200 billion. As such, the FCS program is considered high risk and in need of special oversight and review. Today's testimony is based on work conducted over the past year in response to (1) the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, which requires GAO to report annually on the FCS acquisition; and (2) the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, which requires GAO to report on the role of the lead systems integrator in the Army's FCS program. Accordingly, this statement discusses (1) the business case for FCS to be successful and (2) the business arrangements for the FCS program."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Waterborne pathogens can contaminate water and sand at beaches and threaten human health. Under the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides grants to states to develop water quality monitoring and public notification programs. This statement summarizes the key findings of GAO's May 2007 report, Great Lakes: EPA and the States Have Made Progress in Implementing the BEACH Act, but Additional Actions Could Improve Public Health Protection. In this report GAO assessed (1) the extent to which EPA has implemented the Act's provisions, (2) concerns about EPA's BEACH Act grant allocation formula, and (3) described the experiences of the Great Lakes states in developing and implementing beach monitoring and notification programs using their grant funds."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The purpose of this testimony is to assist the Committees in monitoring progress on the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) project. This testimony will focus on (1) the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) construction progress since the last CVC hearing on April 24, 2007; and (2) the project's expected cost at completion and funding status. GAO's remarks are based on our review of schedules and financial reports for the 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. We also reviewed AOC's construction management contractor's periodic schedule assessments, potential change order log, and weekly reports on the progress of interior wall and floor stonework. In addition, we reviewed the contract modifications made to date."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In general, a fusion center is a collaborative effort to detect, prevent, investigate, and respond to criminal and terrorist activity. Recognizing that fusion centers are a mechanism for information sharing, the federal government--including the Program Manager for the Information Sharing Environment (PM-ISE), who has primary responsibility for governmentwide information sharing, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ)--is taking steps to partner with fusion centers. This testimony is based on GAO's draft report on state and local fusion centers. It addresses (1) the status and characteristics of the centers and (2) to what extent federal efforts help alleviate challenges fusion centers identified. In conducting this work GAO reviewed center-related documents and conducted interviews with officials from DHS, DOJ, and the PM-ISE, and semistructured interviews with 58 state and local fusion centers."

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 a county judge may issue a single mass gathering permit for multiple events.

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 to lease a generator to a radio station.

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 the El Paso County District or County Clerk to establish an online electronic database accessible to the public (RQ-0498-GA)

A major goal for microbiologists in the twenty-first century is to develop an understanding of the microbial cell in all its complexity. In addition to understanding the function of individual gene products we need to focus on how the cell regulates gene expression at a global level to respond to different environmental parameters. Development of genomic technologies such as complete genome sequencing, proteomics, and global comparisons of mRNA expression patterns allows us to begin to address this issue. This proposal focuses on a number of phylogenetically related bacteria that are involved in environmentally important processes such as carbon sequestration and bioremediation. Genome sequencing projects of a number of these bacteria have revealed the presence of a small family of regulatory genes found thus far only in the alpha-proteobacteria. These genes encode proteins that are related to the global regulatory protein RosR in Rhizobium etli, which is involved in determining nodulation competitiveness in this bacterium. Our goal is to examine the function of the proteins encoded by this gene family in several of the bacteria containing homologs to RosR. We will construct gene disruption mutations in a number of these bacteria and characterize the resulting mutant strains using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony summarizes GAO's February 2007 report on SBInet, one element of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Secure Border Initiative (SBI). SBInet is responsible for developing a comprehensive border protection system. By legislative mandate, GAO reviewed SBInet's fiscal year 2007 expenditure plan. This testimony focuses on (1) the extent that the plan provided explicit and measurable commitments relative to schedule and costs, (2) how DHS is following federal acquisition regulations and management best practices, and (3) concurrency in SBInet's schedule. GAO assessed the plan against federal guidelines and industry standards and interviewed program officials."

Check statement of $500.00 made to Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio on March 27, 2007.

P.O. Box Fee Due addressed to Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus with a postmark of December 27, 2007.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Wendell Mayes. Mayes joined the Navy on 10 December 1942. He was trained as a radio and radar technician. He completed radar school in Corpus Christi, Texas, which included a course on night fighter radar. He was then assigned to a night fighter squadron in Rhode Island. Mayes served in Fighter Squadron 3, Air Group 3, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10). He ensured that the radar used on night fighter aircraft was in good working order. They participated in the campaign to retake the Philippines, the Battle for Iwo Jima and the first full-scale air raids on Tokyo by carrier-based planes. He provides details of his experiences traveling aboard the troop trains, and visiting the USO clubs. Mayes was discharged in March of 1946.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Glenn Radder. Radder joined the Navy in 1943. He completed Gunner’s Mate School, learning how to care for the various guns aboard ship. He served aboard the USS Laffey (DD-724) where his job was to care for and fire the 20mm mounts on the fantail. Radder provides some detail of life aboard the Laffey. They traveled to England in preparation for the invasion of France. On 3 June 1944 the Laffey went to the Normandy beaches escorting tugs, landing craft, and two Dutch gunboats. On 6 June the group arrived in the assault area off Utah beach at dawn on D-Day. Radder describes their participation in the Normandy landings. On 25 June he provides detail of their shelling the defenses at Cherbourg. In November they conducted airstrikes against enemy shipping, aircraft, and airfields in the Philippines. In April of 1945, while assigned to radar picket station 1, the Laffey came under heavy attack by the Japanese. He describes this event, including picking up two downed Japanese pilots. He was discharged around the end of 1945.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Frank Weston. Weston joined the Navy in June 1942 after graduating high school. Upon completing aviation machinist's mate training, he was assigned to CASU-23. In July 1943, Weston boarded USS Monterey (CVL-26), where he ran into childhood friend Gerald Ford. He was stationed on deck as a carburetor specialist making final engine adjustments just before planes took off. He helped push totaled planes overboard to clear the deck. After sailing through a typhoon that caused extensive damage and claimed three lives, Weston served as a pallbearer for their burial at sea. While the Monterey docked in Bremerton for repairs, Weston performed maintenance for training aircraft at Kitsap County Airport. Returning to combat at Okinawa, he was too busy to be frightened as kamikazes attacked. Weston was discharged in December 1945. As a civilian, he had difficulty finding work as an aircraft mechanic and instead pursued a career in pharmacy.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph Malleske. Malleske enlisted in the Navy in January 1944 at Great Lakes, Illinois and took boot camp there. After boot camp, they sent him down to Norfolk (Camp Bradford) for amphibious training where he got picked up to go to radar school. After that he was formed into a crew for LST duty and sent to Little Creek, Virginia for a two week training cruise on the Chesapeake Bay in a LST. In late May 1944, they sent them to Evansville, Indiana to pick up their LST (number 569), a brand-new one from the shipyard there. In late July 1944, they sailed for Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. From there, they went to Milne Bay, New Guinea, loaded up Seabee troops and then made their way to Tacloban, Leyte, arriving about D+4 (October 24, 1944). After a short stay at Leyte (until the battle was over), they headed back to Hollandia. They made several runs between Hollandia and Leyte and then landed troops on D-Day at Luzon. They also went to the Palawan Islands and Mindanao, landing supplies or troops. After more trips between the Philippines …

Transcript of an oral interview with Charles Voigt. Mr Voigt graduated from high school in May 1942 and entered the service in December 1942. He went to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana where he spent ninety days in basic engineering training. After some time in California and Arizona with the 369th Engineer Special Service Regiment, he was selected to go to school in Los Angeles City College for a program called Army Specialized Training School (ASTP), which was college work. Voigt didn't finish that because he failed chemistry. As a result, he was sent to a replacement depot in Bend, Oregon. The sergeant there looked at his records and sent him to another engineering school at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He completed that and applied to go into the air corps, was accepted, and went to Carolina for preliminary training. The military decided they had enough pilots so they washed them all out. He decided to stay in the air corps and was subsequently assigned to go to Italy, arriving at Tarantino in May/June 1944. Voigt was assigned to the Forward Intelligence Group which was in Natuna, plotting aerial photographs. The photos were taken by P-38s which flew with two 24-inch focal length …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Joseph V. Kight, Jr. Kight was born 21 August 1924 in Pleasanton, Texas. He joined the Marines at age 17 in April 1942 in San Antonio and attended boot camp and radio school in San Diego where he trained as an artillery forward observer (AFO). His permanent unit was 12th Marines, 1st battalion, 3rd Marine Division, although he was temporarily attached to other units as needed. Kight sailed for the Pacific on the Mt. Vernon, and arrived in New Zealand before going to Guadalcanal on 4 July 1943 for artillery practice. On Bougainville, he landed in the initial waves and acted as radio man and AFO. Kight was on the island during the battles of Piva Trail and Grenade Hill. He contracted dengue fever before leaving the island after 72 days on 12 January 1944. On Guam, Kight was involved in a banzai attack and numerous actions against the Japanese including the battle of Finnegayan. Kight arrived on Iwo Jima on 18 February and remained in reserve until 23 February. Upon landing, he helped conduct fire missions on the air strip. He departed Iwo Jima around 10 April …