2,916 Matching Results

Results open in a new window/tab.

Mine Safety: MSHA's and Other Federal Agencies' Improved Oversight Could Enhance Safety for Coal Miners (open access)

Mine Safety: MSHA's and Other Federal Agencies' Improved Oversight Could Enhance Safety for Coal Miners

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, the Department of Labor's Office of the Solicitor, the states, and the mining industry share responsibility for ensuring mine safety. In two reports released today, GAO examined the challenges underground coal mines face in preparing for emergencies, how well MSHA oversees mine operators' training efforts, how well MSHA and NIOSH coordinate to enhance the development and approval of mine safety technology, MSHA's coal mine inspector recruiting efforts, and how civil penalties are assessed."
Date: May 16, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Real Property: An Update on High-Risk Issues (open access)

Federal Real Property: An Update on High-Risk Issues

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In January 2003, GAO designated federal real property as a high-risk area due to long-standing problems with excess and underutilized property, deteriorating facilities, unreliable real property data, and costly space challenges. Federal agencies were also facing many challenges protecting their facilities due to the threat of terrorism. This testimony is based largely on GAO's April 2007 report on real property high-risk issues (GAO-07-349). The objectives of that report were to determine (1) what progress the administration and major real property-holding agencies had made in strategically managing real property and addressing long-standing problems and (2) what problems and obstacles, if any, remained to be addressed."
Date: May 24, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Transportation: Preliminary Analysis of Changes to and Trends in FTA's New Starts and Small Starts Programs (open access)

Public Transportation: Preliminary Analysis of Changes to and Trends in FTA's New Starts and Small Starts Programs

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Through the New Starts program, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) identifies and recommends new fixed-guideway transit projects for funding--including heavy, light, and commuter rail; ferry; and certain bus projects. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) authorized the New Starts program through fiscal year 2009 and made a number of changes to the program, including creating a separate program commonly called Small Starts. This program is intended to offer an expedited and streamlined evaluation and rating process for smaller-scale transit projects. FTA subsequently introduced a separate eligibility category within the Small Starts program for "Very Small Starts" projects. Very Small Starts projects are simple, low-risk projects that FTA has determined qualify for a simplified evaluation and rating process. This testimony discusses GAO's preliminary findings on (1) FTA's implementation of SAFETEA-LU changes to the New Starts program, (2) the extent to which the New Starts pipeline (i.e., projects in the preliminary engineering and final design phases) has changed over time, and (3) future trends for the New Starts and Small Starts pipelines. To address these objectives, GAO surveyed 215 project sponsors and interviewed …
Date: May 10, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy Markets: Mergers and Other Factors That Influence Gasoline Prices (open access)

Energy Markets: Mergers and Other Factors That Influence Gasoline Prices

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Few issues generate more attention and anxiety among American consumers than the price of gasoline. The most current upsurge in prices is no exception. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average retail price of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States has increased almost every week this year since January 29th and reached an all-time high of $3.21 the week of May 21st. Over this time period, the price has increase $1.05 per gallon and added about $23 billion to consumers' total gasoline bill, or about $167 for each passenger car in the United States. Given the importance of gasoline for the nation's economy, it is essential to understand the market for gasoline and the factors that influence gasoline prices. In this context, this testimony addresses the following questions: (1) what key factors affect the prices of gasoline and (2) what effects have mergers had on market concentration and wholesale gasoline prices?"
Date: May 23, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid: Concerns Remain about Sufficiency of Data for Oversight of Children's Dental Services (open access)

Medicaid: Concerns Remain about Sufficiency of Data for Oversight of Children's Dental Services

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The 31 million children enrolled in Medicaid are particularly vulnerable to tooth decay, which, if untreated, may lead to more serious health conditions and, on rare occasion, result in death. Congress established a comprehensive health benefit for children enrolled in Medicaid to cover Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) services, which include dental services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for oversight of these services. States are responsible for administering their state Medicaid programs in accordance with federal requirements, including requirements to report certain data on the provision of EPSDT services. GAO was asked to address the data that CMS requires states to submit on the provision of EPSDT dental services and the extent to which these data are sufficient for CMS oversight of the provision of these services. This testimony is based on reports GAO issued from 2000 through 2003. GAO updated relevant portions of its earlier work through interviews conducted in April 2007 with officials from CMS; state Medicaid programs in California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, and Washington (states contacted for GAO's 2001 study or referred to GAO by another …
Date: May 2, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rail Safety: The Federal Railroad Administration Is Better Targeting Safety Risks, but Needs to Assess Results to Determine the Impact of Its Efforts (open access)

Rail Safety: The Federal Railroad Administration Is Better Targeting Safety Risks, but Needs to Assess Results to Determine the Impact of Its Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Although the overall safety record in the railroad industry, as measured by the number of train accidents per million miles traveled, has improved markedly since 1980, there has been little sustained improvement over the past decade. Serious accidents resulting in injuries and deaths continue to occur, such as one in Graniteville, South Carolina, in 2005 that resulted in 9 deaths and 292 injuries. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) develops safety standards and inspects and enforces railroads' compliance with these standards. On January 26, 2007, GAO reported on FRA's overall safety oversight strategy. (See GAO-07-149.) The report discussed how FRA (1) focuses its efforts on the highest priority risks related to train accidents in planning its oversight, (2) identifies safety problems on railroad systems in carrying out its oversight, and (3) assesses the impact of its oversight efforts on safety. GAO recommended that FRA (1) put into place measures of the results of its inspection and enforcement programs and (2) evaluate its enforcement program. In its response, the Department of Transportation stated that FRA agreed to develop such measures and would consider requesting additional resources to conduct an evaluation …
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant (open access)

Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Weather-related events in the United States have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages annually over the past decade. A major portion of these losses is borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs-- the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures properties against flooding, and the Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), which insures crops against drought or other weather disasters. In this testimony, GAO (1) describes how climate change may affect future weather-related losses, (2) provides information on past insured weather-related losses, and (3) determines what major private insurers and federal insurers are doing to prepare for potential increases in such losses. This testimony is based on a report entitled Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant (GAO-07-285) released on April 19, 2007."
Date: May 3, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Personnel Clearances: Delays and Inadequate Documentation Found for Industry Personnel (open access)

DOD Personnel Clearances: Delays and Inadequate Documentation Found for Industry Personnel

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Individuals working for the private industry are playing a larger role in national security work conducted by Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies. As of May 2006, industry personnel held about 34 percent of DOD-maintained personnel security clearances. The damage that the unauthorized disclosure of classified information can cause to national security necessitates the prompt and careful consideration of who is granted a security clearance. Long-standing delays in determining clearance eligibility and other challenges led GAO to designate the DOD personnel security clearance program as a high-risk area in January 2005 and again in GAO's January 2007 update of the high-risk areas. In February 2005, DOD transferred its security clearance investigations functions to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and now obtains almost all of its clearance investigations from OPM. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is responsible for effective implementation of policy relating to determinations of eligibility for access to classified information. This testimony addresses the timeliness of the process and completeness of documentation used to determine eligibility of industry personnel for top secret clearances in January and February 2006. This statement relies primarily …
Date: May 17, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Management and Programmatic Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security (open access)

Homeland Security: Management and Programmatic Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays a key role in leading and coordinating--with stakeholders in the federal, state, local, and private sectors--the nation's homeland security efforts. GAO has conducted numerous reviews of DHS management functions as well as programs including transportation and border security, immigration enforcement and service delivery, and disaster preparation and response. This testimony addresses: (1) why GAO designated DHS's implementation and transformation as a high-risk area, (2) specific management challenges that DHS continues to face, (3) examples of the program challenges that DHS faces, and (4) actions DHS should take to strengthen its implementation and transformation efforts."
Date: May 10, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Teacher Quality: Approaches, Implementation, and Evaluation of Key Federal Efforts (open access)

Teacher Quality: Approaches, Implementation, and Evaluation of Key Federal Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Teachers are the single largest resource in our nation's elementary and secondary education system. However, according to recent research, many teachers lack competency in the subjects they teach. In addition, research shows that most teacher training programs leave new teachers feeling unprepared for the classroom. While the hiring and training of teachers is primarily the responsibility of state and local governments and institutions of higher education, the federal investment in enhancing teacher quality is substantial and growing. In 1998, the Congress amended the Higher Education Act (HEA) to enhance the quality of teaching in the classroom and in 2001 the Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA), which established federal requirements that all teachers of core academic subjects be highly qualified. This testimony focuses on (1) approaches used in teacher quality programs under HEA and NCLBA, (2) the allowable activities under these acts and how recipients are using the funds, and (3) how Education supports and evaluates these activities. This testimony is based on prior GAO reports. We updated information where appropriate."
Date: May 17, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pediatric Drug Research: The Study and Labeling of Drugs for Pediatric Use under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (open access)

Pediatric Drug Research: The Study and Labeling of Drugs for Pediatric Use under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "About two-thirds of drugs that are prescribed for children have not been studied and labeled for pediatric use, placing children at risk of being exposed to ineffective treatment or incorrect dosing. The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), enacted in 2002, encourages the manufacturers, or sponsors, of drugs that still have marketing exclusivity--that is, are on-patent--to conduct pediatric drug studies, as requested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If they do so, FDA may extend for 6 months the period during which no equivalent generic drugs can be marketed. This is referred to as pediatric exclusivity. BPCA also provides for the study of off-patent drugs. GAO was asked to testify on the study and labeling of drugs for pediatric use under BPCA. This testimony is based on Pediatric Drug Research: Studies Conducted under Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, GAO-07-557 (Mar. 22, 2007). GAO assessed (1) the extent to which pediatric drug studies were being conducted under BPCA for on-patent drugs, (2) the extent to which pediatric drug studies were being conducted under BPCA for off-patent drugs, and (3) the impact of BPCA on the labeling of drugs …
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status of the Transition to the Future Air Traffic Control System (open access)

Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status of the Transition to the Future Air Traffic Control System

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's current air traffic control system is reaching its capacity limits as demand for air transportation grows. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) represents a new system that will use state-of-the-art technologies and procedures. Transitioning to NextGen will require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue to sustain the current air traffic control system while acquiring new systems on schedule and on budget. In 2003, Congress authorized the creation of the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), housed within FAA, to plan NextGen and coordinate the transition. GAO's testimony focuses on the progress FAA is making in implementing businesslike operations that could provide a foundation for managing the transition to NextGen, the status of JPDO's planning and facilitation of NextGen, and some key challenges that FAA and JPDO need to address in moving toward NextGen. This statement is based on GAO's November 2006 report and recent testimonies as well as ongoing work. GAO's November report recommended that FAA study its technical and contract management expertise and that JPDO take actions to institutionalize its collaborative practices. FAA and JPDO said they would consider our recommendations."
Date: May 9, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Welfare: Additional Federal Action Could Help States Address Challenges in Providing Services to Children and Families (open access)

Child Welfare: Additional Federal Action Could Help States Address Challenges in Providing Services to Children and Families

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Despite substantial federal and state investment, states have had difficulty ensuring the safety, well-being, and permanency of children in foster care. Ensuring these outcomes becomes even more difficult in the event of disasters such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, when children and families may become displaced across state lines. This testimony discusses (1) the issues that states reported as most important to resolve now and in the future to improve outcomes for children under their supervision (2) initiatives states reported taking to address these issues and how recent law provides support for additional state efforts and (3) federal action taken to assist states' efforts in developing child welfare disaster plans. This testimony is primarily based on our October 2006 report on state child welfare challenges (GAO-07-75) and our July 2006 report on state child welfare disaster planning (GAO-06-944). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Congress took action that addressed our July report recommendations. However, HHS disagreed with our October report recommendation to improve awareness of and access to federal social services by modifying the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance or other means. We continue …
Date: May 15, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Premiums Continue to Rise, but Rate of Growth Has Recently Slowed (open access)

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Premiums Continue to Rise, but Rate of Growth Has Recently Slowed

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Average health insurance premiums for plans participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) have risen each year since 1997. These growing premiums result in higher costs to the federal government and plan enrollees. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) oversees FEHBP, negotiating benefits and premiums and administering reserve accounts that may be used to cover plans' unanticipated spending increases. GAO was asked to discuss its December 22, 2006 report, entitled Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Premium Growth Has Recently Slowed, and Varies Among Participating Plans (GAO-07-141). In this report, GAO reviewed (1) FEHBP premium trends compared with those of other purchasers, (2) factors contributing to average premium growth across all FEHBP plans, and (3) factors contributing to differing trends among selected FEHBP plans. GAO reviewed data provided by OPM relating to FEHBP premiums and factors contributing to premium growth. For comparison purposes, GAO examined premium data from the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and surveys of other public and private employers. GAO also interviewed officials from OPM and eight FEHBP plans with premium growth that was higher than average and six FEHBP plans with premium …
Date: May 18, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drug Safety: Further Actions Needed to Improve FDA's Postmarket Decision-making Process (open access)

Drug Safety: Further Actions Needed to Improve FDA's Postmarket Decision-making Process

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2004, several high-profile drug safety cases raised concerns about the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to manage postmarket drug safety issues. In some cases there were disagreements within FDA about how to address these issues. GAO was asked to testify on FDA's oversight of drug safety. This testimony is based on Drug Safety: Improvement Needed in FDA's Postmarket Decision-making and Oversight Process, GAO-06-402 (Mar. 31, 2006). The report focused on the complex interaction between two offices within FDA that are involved in postmarket drug safety activities: the Office of New Drugs (OND), and the Office of Drug Safety (ODS). OND's primary responsibility is to review new drug applications, but it is also involved in monitoring the safety of marketed drugs. ODS is focused primarily on postmarket drug safety issues. ODS is now called the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology. For its report, GAO reviewed FDA policies, interviewed FDA staff, and conducted case studies of four drugs with safety issues: Arava, Baycol, Bextra, and Propulsid. To gather information on FDA's initiatives since March 2006 to improve its decision-making process for this testimony, GAO interviewed FDA officials in …
Date: May 9, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Securing, Stabilizing, and Reconstructing Afghanistan: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight (open access)

Securing, Stabilizing, and Reconstructing Afghanistan: Key Issues for Congressional Oversight

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2001, the United States has appropriated over $15 billion to help secure, stabilize, and reconstruct Afghanistan. In February 2007, the administration requested $12.3 billion in additional funding to accelerate some of these efforts to prevent the conflict-ridden nation from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists and from devolving into a narco-state. More than 50 nations, including the United States, and several multilateral organizations are engaged in securing, stabilizing, and reconstructing Afghanistan. Progress has been made in areas such as economic growth, infrastructure development, and training of the Afghan army and police, but after more than 5 years of U.S. and international efforts, the overall security situation in this poor and ethnically diverse country has not improved and, moreover, has deteriorated significantly in the last year. The lack of security limits the success of efforts to stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan. Direct challenges to these efforts include a resurgence of the Taliban, the limited capabilities of Afghan security forces, inadequate infrastructure, limited government capacity, corruption, a largely illiterate and untrained labor force, a dramatic increase in drug production, and a lack of viable licit economic …
Date: May 24, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States Government Accountability Office: Status of GAO's Human Capital Transformation Efforts (open access)

United States Government Accountability Office: Status of GAO's Human Capital Transformation Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The subcommittees asked the Comptroller General of the United States to discuss recent human capital reform efforts at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). In 2004, GAO conducted its first ever market-based compensation study after laying the necessary foundation by implementing a modern, competency-based performance management system. GAO hired a top compensation consulting firm on a competitive basis to conduct a market-based pay study using generally accepted approaches and based on independent and professional judgment. As a result of the study, the 2006 pay ranges for about 25 percent of GAO's employees were raised and about 10 percent of GAO's employees were determined to be paid above market levels based on their roles, responsibilities, and/or relative performance. No GAO employee has had his or her pay cut as a result of GAO's classification and compensation changes. Still, GAO's approach to market-based pay and related Band II restructuring efforts, which were very challenging and likely unprecedented in government, have been the source of considerable attention and some controversy."
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Internet Access Tax Moratorium: Revenue Impacts Will Vary by State (open access)

Internet Access Tax Moratorium: Revenue Impacts Will Vary by State

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to one report, at the end of 2006, about 92 million U.S. adults used the Internet on a typical day. As public use of the Internet grew from the mid-1990s onward, Internet access became a potential target for state and local taxation. In 1998, Congress imposed a moratorium temporarily preventing state and local governments from imposing new taxes on Internet access. Existing state and local taxes were grandfathered. In amending the moratorium in 2004, Congress required GAO to study its impact on state and local government revenues. The objectives of the resulting 2006 report were to determine the scope of the moratorium and its impact, if any, on state and local revenues. This testimony is based on that report (GAO-06-273)."
Date: May 23, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: Providing Systematic Feedback to Physicians on their Practice Patterns Is a Promising Step Toward Encouraging Program Efficiency (open access)

Medicare: Providing Systematic Feedback to Physicians on their Practice Patterns Is a Promising Step Toward Encouraging Program Efficiency

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO was asked to discuss--based on Medicare: Focus on Physician Practice Patterns Can Lead to Greater Program Efficiency, GAO-07-307 (Apr. 30, 2007)--the importance in Medicare of providing feedback to physicians on how their use of health care resources compares with that of their peers. GAO's report discusses an approach to analyzing physicians' practice patterns in Medicare and ways the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could use the results. In a related matter, Medicare's sustainable growth rate system of spending targets used to moderate physician spending growth and annually update physician fees has been problematic, acting as a blunt instrument and lacking in incentives for physicians individually to be attentive to the efficient use of resources in their practices. GAO's statement focuses on (1) the results of its analysis estimating the prevalence of inefficient physicians in Medicare and (2) the potential for CMS to profile physicians in traditional fee-for-service Medicare for efficiency and use the results in ways that are similar to other purchasers' efforts to encourage efficiency."
Date: May 10, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Crop Insurance: Continuing Efforts Are Needed to Improve Program Integrity and Ensure Program Costs Are Reasonable (open access)

Crop Insurance: Continuing Efforts Are Needed to Improve Program Integrity and Ensure Program Costs Are Reasonable

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) administers the federal crop insurance program in partnership with private insurers. In 2006, the program cost $3.5 billion, including millions in losses from fraud, waste, and abuse, according to USDA. The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 granted RMA authority to renegotiate the terms of RMA's standard reinsurance agreement with companies once over 5 years. This testimony is based on GAO's 2005 report, Crop Insurance: Actions Needed to Reduce Program's Vulnerability to Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, as well as new analyses this Committee requested on underwriting gains and administrative and operating expenses USDA paid companies. GAO discusses (1) USDA's processes to address fraud, waste, and abuse; (2) extent the program's design makes it vulnerable to abuse; and (3) reasonableness of underwriting gains and other expenses. USDA agreed with most of GAO's 2005 recommendations to improve program integrity. RMA agreed that GAO's new analyses were technically accurate."
Date: May 3, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Human Capital: Efforts to Enhance Diversity and Ensure a Fair and Inclusive Workplace at GAO (open access)

Human Capital: Efforts to Enhance Diversity and Ensure a Fair and Inclusive Workplace at GAO

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws remains an essential responsibility of government. Moreover, diversity in the federal government can be a key component for executing agency missions and achieving results. Not only is it the right thing to do, but an inclusive work environment can improve retention, reduce turnover, increase our ability to recruit, and improve overall organizational effectiveness. In 2001, the Comptroller General changed the name of the Office of Civil Rights to the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness and gave the office responsibility for creating a fair and inclusive work environment by incorporating diversity principles in GAO's strategic plan and throughout our human capital policies. Along with this new strategic mission, the Comptroller General changed organizational alignment of the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness (O&I) by having the office report directly to him."
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Management: Status of School Districts' Planning and Preparedness (open access)

Emergency Management: Status of School Districts' Planning and Preparedness

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Events such as the recent shootings by armed intruders in schools across the nation, natural disasters, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and potential pandemics have heightened awareness for the need for school districts to be prepared to address a range of emergencies within and outside of schools buildings. Congress has raised concerns over school preparedness, with a particular interest in how federal agencies provide assistance to school districts. This testimony discusses preliminary findings related to GAO's review of emergency management in school districts, including (1) the roles of federal and state governments in establishing requirements and providing resources to school districts for emergency management planning, (2) what school districts have done to plan and prepare for emergencies, and (3) the challenges school districts have experienced in planning for emergencies, and communicating and coordinating with first responders, parents, and students. To obtain this information, GAO interviewed federal officials, surveyed a stratified random sample of all public school districts, surveyed state agencies that administer federal grants that can be used for school emergency management planning, conducted site visits to school districts, and reviewed relevant documents."
Date: May 17, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Compliance: Challenges in Ensuring Offshore Tax Compliance (open access)

Tax Compliance: Challenges in Ensuring Offshore Tax Compliance

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Offshore tax evasion is difficult for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to address. IRS examines tax returns to deal with offshore evasion that has occurred. IRS's Qualified Intermediary (QI) program seeks to foster improved tax withholding and reporting. GAO was asked to testify on two topics. First, GAO was asked to provide information on (1) the length of, and assessments from, IRS's examination of tax returns with offshore activity and (2) the impact of the 3-year statute of limitations on offshore cases. Second, for the QI program, GAO was asked to address (1) program features intended to improve withholding and reporting, and (2) whether weaknesses exist in the U.S. withholding system for U.S. source income and QI external reviews and IRS's use of program data. GAO relied on prior work for the first topic. For the QI program, GAO used the latest data that were available and corroborated by IRS."
Date: May 3, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Employee Misclassification: Improved Outreach Could Help Ensure Proper Worker Classification (open access)

Employee Misclassification: Improved Outreach Could Help Ensure Proper Worker Classification

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Some workers do not receive worker protections to which they are entitled because employers misclassify them as independent contractors when they should be classified as employees. Key worker protections include minimum hourly wage and overtime pay and access to unemployment insurance. The Department of Labor (DOL) enforces several labor laws to protect workers, including the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Misclassification can also have a negative impact on tax collection for Social Security, unemployment insurance, and other programs. This testimony draws upon a previous GAO report and focuses specifically on (1) the number and characteristics of independent contractors, (2) the workforce protections and benefits provided to employees that typically are not available to independent contractors, and (3) the actions that DOL takes to detect and address employee misclassification."
Date: May 8, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library