Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act) requires agencies to take proactive steps to provide equal opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities, but their rate of employment with the federal government remains low. GAO was asked to identify barriers to the employment of people with disabilities in the federal workforce and leading practices that could be used to overcome these barriers. On July 20, 2010, GAO convened a forum to identify leading practices that federal agencies could implement within the current legislative context. In preparation for the forum, GAO surveyed a wide range of knowledgeable individuals to identify barriers and leading practices. Forum participants were selected from among respondents (or their representatives) to reflect varying expertise and views concerning the employment of individuals with disabilities. The survey results formed the basis for the initial forum agenda, and were refined by participants to focus on actions they deemed most important. Comments in this report do not necessarily represent the views of any individual participant or the organizations that these participants represent or with which they are affiliated, including GAO."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Many of our nation's children have difficulty accessing needed health care services. In 2008, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported that about 25 percent of children with insurance and about 55 percent of uninsured children did not receive a recommended routine checkup within the previous year. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), children face growing risks from chronic physical conditions such as asthma and obesity and from mental health disorders such as depression, and yet, as we have reported, their access to services may be impeded by a number of barriers, including a lack of health insurance and a lack of convenient transportation to medical appointments. Access to mental health care services may also be impeded by concerns about stigma--negative attitudes and beliefs often associated with receiving such care--which can be a deterrent to seeking these services. To help increase children's access to primary health care and other health care services, states and communities have established school-based health centers (SBHC). SBHCs are located on school grounds, provide health care services regardless of ability to pay, and offer a broader range of services than a …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On July 21, 2010, we testified to Congress on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) progress and challenges in key areas of port security. Members of the committee requested that we provide additional comments to a number of post hearing questions. The responses are based on work associated with previously issued GAO products and also include selected updates--conducted in September 2010--to the information provided in these products."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to a mandate in the conference report to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Act, 2010. In accordance with the direction in that report and in consultation with congressional staff, we provided interim oral briefings in March and July 2010 and are reporting the results of our final briefing on the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) efforts to assess national preparedness. Specifically, we are reporting on (1) the usefulness and limitations of the national preparedness capabilities data that have been collected to date through selected evaluation efforts as described by FEMA, and (2) the extent to which FEMA has made progress in its national preparedness capability assessment efforts since we last reported on this issue in April 2009."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Scientific and technological innovation and a workforce educated in advanced technology are critical to the long-term economic competitiveness and prosperity of the United States. In recent years, leaders in government, business, and education have reported their concerns that declining federal funding for basic scientific research could diminish the United States' future economic competitiveness. These leaders have also reported their concerns that our educational system is producing too few students trained in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), which they believe may drive jobs in technical fields--followed by jobs in manufacturing, administration, and finance--from the United States to other countries. Congress passed the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science Act (COMPETES Act) of 2007 with the overall goal of increasing federal investment in scientific research to improve U.S. economic competitiveness. To that end, the act also increased support for education in STEM fields. Specifically, the act authorized $33.6 billion from fiscal year 2008 through fiscal year 2010, in appropriations to be spent by four federal agencies: (1) the Department of Education, (2) the Department of Energy (DOE), (3) the National …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2009, West Virginia accounted for about 43 percent of the surface coal mining production in Appalachia. Surface coal mining in the mountainous areas of Appalachia--a process often referred to as mountaintop mining--has generated opposition in recent years because of its impact on landscapes, streams, ecosystems, and communities. In mountaintop mining, before the underlying coal can be extracted, the land is cleared of forest and other vegetation. Explosives or other techniques are then used to break up the overlying solid rock, creating dislodged earth, rock, and other materials known as "spoil." Some or most of the spoil is placed back on the mined-out area; however, spoil that cannot be safely placed back is often placed as "fill" in adjacent valleys or hollows. In some cases, this fill buries the headwaters of streams. Activities associated with surface coal mining are regulated under both the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the Clean Water Act (CWA).3 SMCRA requires mine operators to obtain a permit before they begin mining. In West Virginia, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) administers the SMCRA permit program, subject to the Department …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Individuals who are limited in their capacity for self-care because of a physical, cognitive, or mental disability or condition that results in a functional impairment may depend on family caregivers for assistance with routine daily activities. According to a 2009 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, an estimated 65.7 million people, or 29 percent of the population, had served as unpaid family caregivers to an adult or child with special needs in the previous 12 months, providing an average of about 20 hours of care per week. Activities caregivers conduct can range from assistance with routine daily tasks like bathing and dressing, to carrying out more complex health-related interventions like administering medication and wound care. The responsibilities of caregiving may present physical, emotional, and financial challenges for caregivers. In December 2006, the Lifespan Respite Care Act of 2006 (LRCA) was enacted to improve the delivery and quality of respite care services available to families across age and disability groups by establishing coordinated lifespan respite systems. The LRCA authorized the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award competitive grants or cooperative …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to a requirement in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 that we report within 90 days on the status of a GAO study mandated by the act on real estate appraisal issues. Enacted on July 21, 2010, the act requires us to study the effectiveness and impact of options for selecting appraisers, different valuation methods, and the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC), which was designed to enhance appraiser independence. The act requires us to report to Congress on the results of our study within 12 months. For this engagement, we are focusing on appraisals of one-to-four unit residential properties. We have grouped the study objectives listed in the act under four broad questions: (1) How often are different options for selecting appraisers and valuation methods used? (2) What are the potential advantages and disadvantages of these options and methods, and how do policies, including HVCC, affect their use? (3) To what extent do valuation costs and disclosures to consumers vary by appraiser selection option and valuation method, and how has HVCC affected these costs and disclosures? (4) How do …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to some Department of Defense (DOD) and industry experts, consolidation of the defense industry along with a shift in prime-contractor business models has resulted in prime contractors subcontracting more work on the production of weapon systems and concentrating instead on systems integration. Based on some estimates, 60 to 70 percent of work on defense contracts is now done by subcontractors, with certain industries aiming to outsource up to 80 percent of the work. At the same time, there is evidence that subcontractor performance may contribute to cost and schedule delays on weapon system programs. Congress has raised questions about the extent to which primes are awarding subcontracts competitively and about the government's insight into the process prime contractors use for determining what work to make in-house and what work should be bought from subcontractors (make-or-buy decisions). In the 2009 Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act (WSARA), Congress directed DOD, as part of efforts to improve competition throughout the life cycle of major defense programs, to ensure that contractors' make-or-buy decisions are fair and objective. Specifically, the Secretary of Defense was directed to require prime contractors to give full …

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 member of the board trustees of an independent school district may simultaneously serve as mayor of a type A general-law municipality that is located wholly within the geographical boundaries of the school district (RQ-0874-GA)

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 commissioners court to regulate traffic on roads located in an unincorporated area of the county but within the boundaries of a fresh water supply district (RQ-0876-GA)

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: Meaning of the words “bid” and “proposal” for purposes of chapter 44 of the Education Code and chapter 71 of the Natural Resources Code (RQ-0880-GA)

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: Application of the fee exemption for certain certified public accountants who are employees of governmental entities (RQ-0881-GA)

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 bingo gift certificates and similar items constitute “non cash merchandise prizes, toys or novelties” under section 47.01(4)(B) of the Penal Code and whether certain business practices, which may be used by charities that conduct bingo to maximize their net proceeds, comply with chapter 2001, Occupations Code, and other applicable law (RQ-0884-GA)

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 parents may use the services of an advocate in dealing with matters of their child’s education (RQ-0871-GA)