Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the contractual relationship between the Department of Defense (DOD) and BioPort Corporation for production of the anthrax vaccine, focusing on: (1) the financial assistance DOD provided BioPort in 1999; and (2) additional financial assistance DOD is providing BioPort in 2000."

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO presented a draft of its revised government auditing standards to audit officials and others interested in government auditing standards, which summarized the Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards' views on the proposed changes to financial auditing standards."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO provided information on the number of Haitian nationals who have applied and been approved to adjust their status to legal permanent residence under the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) of 1998."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information about the resources and selected accomplishments of inspectors general at 18 federal departments and agencies."

Official statement issued by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States describing preliminary findings regarding on the FBI's current capacity to detect and prevent terrorist attacks upon the United States.

Official statement issued by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States describing preliminary findings regarding the performance of the Intelligence Community against the danger of Islamic extremist terrorism before the September 11 attacks on the United States.

Transcript of the tenth public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States held April 13-14, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The two-day hearing examined the performance of law enforcement and the Intelligence Community prior to September 11 and evaluated post-9/11 reforms in these areas. The Commission heard from current and former top-level officials from our nation's law enforcement and intelligence communities. Attorney General John Ashcroft, Director of Central Intelligence George J. Tenet, and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III testified before the Commission, as well as former Attorney General Janet Reno, former FBI Director Louis J. Freeh, and former Acting FBI Director Thomas J. Pickard. In addition to witness testimony, four staff statements were delivered during the course of the proceedings.

Transcript of the eleventh public hearing held by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States held May 18, 2004 at New School University in New York City. The two-day hearing examined the response of local and federal emergency response departments on September 11, 2001, and considered how to improve these critical functions in the event of future terrorist attacks. The Commission heard from the current and former top-level officials in the fire, police, and emergency management departments of New York City, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Arlington County, Virginia. Secretary of Homeland Security Thomas J. Ridge and former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani also testified. Two staff statements were presented during the course of the hearing.

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For many years, scientists have observed a warming trend in the earth's climate and have projected additional changes in the coming decades, with potential implications for human society. To provide for the development and coordination of a comprehensive and integrated U.S. research program that will assist the nation and the world in understanding, assessing, predicting, and responding to such changes, the Congress, in the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (act), required the administration to, among other things, prepare a national global change research plan, a summary of the achievements and expenditures in the area of federal climate change research, and a scientific assessment. The scientific assessment is to be prepared at least every 4 years and is to: (1) integrate, evaluate, and interpret research findings on climate change of the Global Change Research Program (implemented under the Global Change Research Plan) and scientific uncertainties associated with such findings; (2) analyze the effects of global change on the natural environment, human health and welfare, and other specified areas; and (3) analyze current trends in global change and project major trends for the next 25 to 100 years. In …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense's (DOD) new human resources management system--the National Security Personnel System (NSPS)--will have far-reaching implications for civil service reform across the federal government. The 2004 National Defense Authorization Act gave DOD significant flexibilities for managing more than 700,000 defense civilian employees. Given DOD's massive size, NSPS represents a huge undertaking for DOD. DOD's initial process to design NSPS was problematic; however, DOD adjusted its approach to a more deliberative process that involved more stakeholders. NSPS could, if designed and implemented properly, serve as a model for governmentwide transformation in human capital management. However, if not properly designed and implemented, it could severely impede progress toward a more performance- and results-based system for the federal government as a whole. On February 14, 2005, DOD and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released for public comment the proposed NSPS regulations. This testimony provides GAO's preliminary observations on selected provisions of the proposed regulations."

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 legal 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 legal 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 our twelfth report."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For many years, GAO has reported that poor information security is a widespread problem that has potentially devastating consequences. Accordingly, since 1997, GAO has identified information security as a governmentwide high-risk issue in reports to Congress--most recently in January 2005. Concerned with accounts of attacks on commercial systems via the Internet and reports of significant weaknesses in federal computer systems that made them vulnerable to attack, Congress passed the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), which permanently authorized and strengthened the federal information security program, evaluation, and reporting requirements established for federal agencies. FISMA requires that agencies report annually to OMB who issues guidance for that reporting process. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the third largest agency in the federal government, uses a variety of major applications and general systems in support of operational and administrative requirements. This testimony discusses DHS's progress and challenges in implementing FISMA as reported by the agency and its Inspector General (IG)."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been shifting its priorities from taxpayer service to enforcement and its management of Business Systems Modernization (BSM) from contractors to IRS staff. Although there are sound reasons for these adjustments, they also involve risks. With respect to the fiscal year 2006 budget request, GAO assessed (1) how IRS proposes to balance its resources between taxpayer service and enforcement programs and the potential impact on taxpayers, (2) the status of IRS's efforts to develop and implement the BSM program, and (3) the progress IRS has made in implementing best practices in developing its Information Technology (IT) operations and maintenance budget. For the 2005 filing season, GAO assessed IRS's performance in processing returns and providing taxpayer service."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress's formation of the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) and the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), both within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), represent the latest efforts to address the monumental challenges of modernizing the national airspace system (NAS) during the first quarter of the twenty-first century. For more than two decades, FAA has been working to modernize the air traffic control (ATC) system, but projects have repeatedly missed cost, schedule, and performance targets. Consequently, ATC modernization has been on GAO's list of high-risk federal programs since 1995. The ATO's focus is on a rolling 10- year outlook to operate and modernize the NAS. By contrast, the JPDO's vision is longer term, focused on coordinating the research efforts of diverse federal agencies to achieve a common goal of meeting potential air traffic demands in 2025. This statement discusses (1) GAO's assessment of the ATO's efforts to date in addressing some of the key challenges for the ATC modernization program and (2) challenges that lie ahead for the ATO and options that it could consider in addressing the needs of the NAS over the next decade, as well as …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), 90 percent of all natural disasters in the United States involve flooding. Because of the catastrophic and unpredictable nature of floods, private insurance companies do not typically cover flood losses. Congress established the NFIP in 1968 to provide an insurance alternative to disaster assistance in response to the escalating costs of repairing flood damage. During congressional hearings on provisions of the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, several legislators testified on NFIP shortcomings, as reported by constituents whose properties had been flooded by Hurricane Isabel in September 2003. The act required GAO to study coverage provided under the NFIP. It also required the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the administrator of the NFIP, to take steps to address concerns about coverage and claims procedures. Today's testimony is based on work in progress to address this mandate. It provides preliminary information on (1) the types of coverage limits, restrictions, and exclusions under the NFIP; (2) how FEMA, in partnership with private insurers, manages and oversees the NFIP and the views of selected private sector program managers on how the program is …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Richard Byram. Byram joined the Navy in 1936 and was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. He later went aboard USS Lexington (CV-2) in time for the Battle of the Coral Sea. Aboard the Lexington, Byram served as an aircraft engine mechanic the day she sank. After duty with a seaplane outfit, Byram transferred to USS Midway (CV-41) where he worked on corsairs. After the war, Bynum stayed in the Navy Reserves.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) recent estimate of the difference between what taxpayers timely and accurately paid in taxes and what they owed ranged from $312 billion to $353 billion for tax year 2001. IRS estimates it will eventually recover some of this tax gap, resulting in a net tax gap from $257 billion to $298 billion. The tax gap arises when taxpayers fail to comply with the tax laws by underreporting tax liabilities on tax returns; underpaying taxes due from filed returns; or "nonfiling," which refers to the failure to file a required tax return altogether or in a timely manner. The Chairman and Ranking Minority Member of the Senate Committee on Finance asked GAO to review a number of issues related to the tax gap. This testimony will address GAO's longstanding concerns regarding tax compliance; IRS's efforts to ensure compliance; and the significance of reducing the tax gap, including some steps that may assist with this challenging task. For context, this testimony will also address GAO's most recent simulations of the long-term fiscal outlook and the need for a fundamental reexamination of major spending and tax …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2000, the Congress passed the Open-market Reorganization for the Betterment of International Telecommunications Act (ORBIT Act) to help promote a more competitive global satellite services market. The ORBIT Act called for the full privatization of INTELSAT, a former intergovernmental organization that provided international satellite services. In this testimony, GAO discusses (1) the impetus for the privatization of Intelsat as competition developed in the 1990s, (2) the extent to which the privatization steps required by the ORBIT Act have been implemented, and (3) whether access by global satellite companies to non-U.S. markets has improved since the enactment of the ORBIT Act."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Today's hearing takes place not only at a time of increasing trade between the United States and China but also amidst a period of ongoing concern about the growing U.S. trade deficit with China, which totaled $162 billion in 2004. Managing this relationship with one of the United States' most important trading partners is an effort that calls upon the resources of nearly every aspect of the U.S. trade policy apparatus. Our ongoing body of work has examined several aspects of this apparatus, including U.S. government efforts to ensure China's compliance with complex and far-reaching World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, as well as the federal government's application of available trade remedies against China. As part of that work that has been issued to date, we have recently put forth a number of recommendations to the key executive branch agencies about how to improve the U.S. government's efforts in these areas. To provide Congress with an update on these issues, this statement discusses (1) the key findings and recommendations from our recently issued work on U.S. government efforts to ensure China's compliance with WTO commitments, as well as U.S. …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Both the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Postal Service and GAO's past work have reported that universal postal service is at risk and that comprehensive postal reform legislation is needed to minimize the risk of a significant taxpayer bailout or dramatic postal rate increases. In April 2001, GAO added the Postal Service's (the Service) transformation efforts and long-term outlook to its High-Risk List. GAO has testified that comprehensive postal reform legislation is needed to clarify the Service's mission and role; enhance governance, transparency, and accountability; improve regulation of postal rates and oversight; help to ensure the rationalization of the Service's infrastructure and workforce; and make certain human capital reforms. The Service has made significant progress on some of its key challenges but postal reform legislation continues to be needed in order to facilitate a broader transformation effort. To help Congress and other stakeholders understand Service progress and the need for postal reform, GAO will focus on (1) Service progress since GAO put Service transformation efforts and long-term outlook on GAO's High-Risk List, (2) why comprehensive postal reform legislation is needed, and (3) key areas for comprehensive postal reform. …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) was enacted to address concerns about federal statutes and regulations that require nonfederal parties to expend resources to achieve legislative goals without being provided funding to cover the costs. UMRA generates information about the nature and size of potential federal mandates but does not preclude the implementation of such mandates. At various times in UMRA's 10-year history, Congress has considered legislation to amend aspects of the act to address ongoing questions about its effectiveness. This testimony is based on GAO's reports, Unfunded Mandates: Analysis of Reform Act Coverage (GAO-04-637, May 12, 2004) and Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement (GAO-05-454, March 31, 2005). Specifically, this testimony addresses (1) UMRA's procedures for the identification of federal mandates and GAO's analysis of the implementation of those procedures for statutes enacted and major rules issued in 2001 and 2002, and (2) the views of a diverse group of parties familiar with UMRA on the significant strengths and weaknesses of the act as the framework for addressing mandate issues and potential options for reinforcing the strengths or …

A piece by T. D. Jakes titled "Let it Go for 2006!" about the new year and moving forward.

Deposit summary of $100.00 made on April 14, 2007.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Phil Perabo. Perabo joined the Navy in 1941. He trained and served as a fighter pilot. Beginning in 1942 he was assigned to the fleet aboard the USS Bogue (CVE-9), where he worked with a strike group. They sunk the first German sub in the Atlantic. Perabo later joined Fighter Squadron VF-82 in the Pacific and served aboard the USS Bennington (CV-20). He completed 25 mission and in May of 1945 he was shot down and taken prisoner at Ōfuna Camp in Japan for 113 days prior to the end of the war. He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals and one Purple Heart. Perabo had a career in the Navy, promoted to full commander by 1957 and retired in 1968.