Public Health Information Technology: Additional Strategic Planning Needed to Guide HHS's Efforts to Establish Electronic Situational Awareness Capabilities (open access)

Public Health Information Technology: Additional Strategic Planning Needed to Guide HHS's Efforts to Establish Electronic Situational Awareness Capabilities

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A catastrophic public health event could threaten our national security and cause hundreds of thousands of casualties. Recognizing the need for efficient sharing of real-time information to help prevent devastating consequences of public health emergencies, Congress included in the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act in December 2006 a mandate for the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with state, local, and tribal public health officials, to develop and deliver to Congress a strategic plan for the establishment and evaluation of an electronic nationwide public health situational awareness capability. Pursuant to requirements of the act, GAO reviewed HHS's plans for and status of efforts to implement these capabilities, described collaborative efforts to establish a network, and determined grants authorized by the act and awarded to public health entities. GAO assessed relevant strategic planning documents and interviewed HHS officials and public health stakeholders."
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Employment Verification: Federal Agencies Have Taken Steps to Improve E-Verify, but Significant Challenges Remain (open access)

Employment Verification: Federal Agencies Have Taken Steps to Improve E-Verify, but Significant Challenges Remain

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "E-Verify is a system to electronically verify work eligibility and operated by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). GAO testified in June 2008 that ensuring accuracy and combating fraud were challenges facing E-Verify. As requested, GAO examined the extent to which USCIS and SSA took efforts to (1) reduce tentative nonconfirmations (TNC) and E-Verify's vulnerability to fraud, (2) safeguard employee personal information, and (3) prepare for possible mandatory use by all employers nationwide. GAO reviewed key policy and procedural documents, interviewed relevant DHS and SSA officials, and conducted site visits to three states selected, in part, based on employer types."
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Lands: Adopting a Formal, Risk-Based Approach Could Help Land Management Agencies Better Manage Their Law Enforcement Resources (open access)

Federal Lands: Adopting a Formal, Risk-Based Approach Could Help Land Management Agencies Better Manage Their Law Enforcement Resources

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Four federal agencies--the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service in the Department of the Interior--are responsible for managing federal lands, enforcing federal laws governing the lands and their resources, and ensuring visitor safety. Illegal activities occurring on these lands have raised concerns that the four agencies are becoming less able to protect our natural and cultural resources and ensure public safety. GAO examined (1) the types of illegal activities occurring on federal lands and the effects of those activities on natural and cultural resources, the public, and agency employees; (2) how the agencies have used their law enforcement resources to respond to these illegal activities; and (3) how the agencies determine their law enforcement resource needs and distribute these resources. GAO reviewed agency documents, interviewed agency officials, and visited or contacted 26 selected agency units."
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Neighborhood Stabilization Program: HUD and Grantees Are Taking Actions to Ensure Program Compliance but Data on Program Outputs Could be Improved (open access)

Neighborhood Stabilization Program: HUD and Grantees Are Taking Actions to Ensure Program Compliance but Data on Program Outputs Could be Improved

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress created the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to help reduce the number of foreclosed and abandoned properties and restore depressed local housing markets. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) authorized the program's first round (NSP 1), providing $3.92 billion in grant funds to states and local governments. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the program. HERA mandated that GAO report on whether grantees were using NSP 1 funds in accordance with the act's criteria. For this mandate, GAO examined (1) grantees' progress and challenges in meeting NSP 1 obligation and income-targeting requirements, (2) HUD's actions to mitigate program risks and ensure grantees' compliance with key NSP 1 requirements, and (3) HUD's efforts to collect program data and assess program performance. To address these objectives, GAO analyzed HUD data and the information system used for NSP 1; interviewed HUD officials and representatives of NSP 1 grantees; analyzed HUD's internal control processes; and conducted limited tests of 8 grantees' compliance with key NSP 1 requirements."
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Border Security: Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination Is Needed for the Northern Border (open access)

Border Security: Enhanced DHS Oversight and Assessment of Interagency Coordination Is Needed for the Northern Border

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The challenges of securing the U.S.-Canadian border involve the coordination of multiple partners. The results of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) efforts to integrate border security among its components and across federal, state, local, tribal, and Canadian partners are unclear. GAO was asked to address the extent to which DHS has (1) improved coordination with state, local, tribal, and Canadian partners; (2) progressed in addressing past federal coordination challenges; and (3) progressed in securing the northern border and used coordination efforts to address existing vulnerabilities. GAO reviewed interagency agreements, strategies, and operational documents that address DHS's reported northern border vulnerabilities such as terrorism. GAO visited four Border Patrol sectors, selected based on threat, and interviewed officials from federal, state, local, tribal, and Canadian agencies operating within these sectors. While these results cannot be generalized, they provided insights on border security coordination."
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reform of U.S. International Taxation: Alternatives (open access)

Reform of U.S. International Taxation: Alternatives

This report describes and assesses the principal prescriptions that have been offered for broad reform of the current U.S. system for taxing international businesses. The report begins with an overview of current law and of possible revisions. It then sets the framework for considering economic efficiency as well as tax shelter activities. Finally, it reviews alternative approaches to revision in light of those issues.
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: Gravelle, Jane G.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices (open access)

Continuing Resolutions: Latest Action and Brief Overview of Recent Practices

This report is divided into two segments. The first section provides the most recent information on the FY2011 continuing resolution. The second segment focuses on the (1) history and recent trends, including the nature, scope, and duration of CRs during the past 35 years; (2) CR types by duration; (3) major substantive legislative provisions included in some CRs; and (4) funding gaps.
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: Streeter, Sandy
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multilateral Development Banks: How the United States Makes and Implements Policy (open access)

Multilateral Development Banks: How the United States Makes and Implements Policy

This report discusses how U.S. policy towards the multilateral development banks (MDBs) is developed and implemented in the executive branch and the agencies that are involved. It also analyzes the three main sources of congressional influence--legislative authority, the power of the purse, and oversight activities-- on U.S. policy towards the development banks. Finally, it examines the levels of funding Congress has approved for MDBs, budgetary issues and the policy directives that Congress has initiated over the years.
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: Sanford, Jonathan E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Lottery Commission Annual Financial Report: 2010, with Auditor's Report (open access)

Texas Lottery Commission Annual Financial Report: 2010, with Auditor's Report

Annual financial report of the Texas Lottery Commission for fiscal year 2010, providing statements of assets, expenditures, revenues, and other relevant data as well as the report of an independent auditor.
Date: December 17, 2010
Creator: Texas Lottery Commission
System: The Portal to Texas History