Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress enacted the Clean Water Act to help reduce water pollution and improve the health of the nation's waterways. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers its enforcement responsibilities under the act through its Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), as well as its 10 regional offices and the states. Over the last 9 years, GAO has undertaken a number of reviews of EPA's environmental enforcement activities, including for the Clean Water Act. For this testimony statement, GAO was asked to summarize the results of five prior reports on the effectiveness of EPA's enforcement program. Specifically, this statement includes information on the (1) factors that cause variations in enforcement activities and lead to inconsistencies across regions, (2) impact that inadequate resources and work force planning has had on enforcement, (3) efforts EPA has taken to improve priority planning, and (4) accuracy and transparency of measures of program effectiveness. GAO's prior recommendations have included the need for EPA to collect more complete and reliable data, develop improved guidance, and better performance measures. Although EPA has generally agreed with these recommendations, its implementation has been uneven. GAO is not making …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In December 2000, the Congress passed the Launching Our Communities' Access to Local Television Act of 2000 (Local TV Act or act). The act created the Local Television Loan Guarantee Program (Program) and established the Local Television Loan Guarantee Board (Board) to finance projects that will provide access to signals of local television stations to households in areas with limited or no access to such signals from a commercial satellite service or other multichannel video provider. The Board may approve loan guarantees up to 80 percent of loans totaling no more than $1.25 billion in aggregate. In November 2001, the Congress appropriated $2 million for administrative expenses to implement the Program. Section 1006 of the act requires that we perform an annual audit of the (1) administration of the provisions of the act, and (2) financial position of each applicant who receives a loan guarantee under the act, including the nature, amount, and purpose of investments made by the applicant. In October 2003, we issued our first annual report as required by the act. This second report addresses the status of the $2 million administrative appropriation and the …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended, established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the civilian agency that exercises control over U.S. aeronautical and space activities and seeks and encourages the fullest commercial use of space. NASA's activities span a broad range of complex and technical endeavors, from investigating the composition, evaluation, and resources of Mars; to working with international partners to complete and operate the International Space Station; to providing satellite and aircraft observations of Earth for scientific and weather forecasting; to developing new technologies designed to improve air flight safety. The agency currently engages in these endeavors against a backdrop of growing national government fiscal imbalance and budget deficits that are straining all federal agencies' resources. Although NASA's budget represents less than 2 percent of the federal government's discretionary budget, the agency is increasingly being asked to expand its portfolio to support important scientific missions, including the study of climate change. Therefore, it is important that these resources be managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 (Pub. L. No. 110-422)--directed us …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As of July 2008, the Department of Defense (DOD) reported that almost 33,000 servicemembers had been wounded in action as part of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some of these servicemembers could have injuries that keep them from easily entering or returning to the workplace upon their exit from the military. For some service-disabled veterans, starting a business may be one option for entering or returning to the workforce. In the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 (P.L. 106-50), Congress stated that too little had been done to help veterans, particularly service-disabled veterans, in starting small businesses. This law established the framework for the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Labor (DOL), DOD, and others to coordinate in providing entrepreneurial assistance to veterans and servicedisabled veterans. To improve coordination and enhance small business assistance to veterans, the law required that these agencies enter into memorandums of understanding (MOU) as specified in the 1999 Act (but not all of the agencies were required to participate in each of the MOUs); established the National Veterans Business Development Corporation …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The inspectors general (IGs) have a unique role within their agencies to identify areas for improved economy, efficiency, and effectiveness through independent and objective oversight; prevent and detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement; and recommend corrective actions. This role requires that IGs and their staff maintain the highest level of integrity and accountability within their own offices. Over the years, concerns have been raised about the transparency of the process for handling allegations of wrongdoing against IGs and their staff. As agreed with Congressional offices, this report describes (1) the Committee's process for addressing allegations of wrongdoing against IGs, (2) whether the Committee adhered to its process as described in Executive Order No. 12993 and implementing policy and procedures, and (3) the effect of the Reform Act on the Committee's process."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the event of a domestic terrorist attack or other major disasters, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to provide backup medical resources to the military health system and local communities. VA now assists other federal agencies that have lead responsibility for responding to disasters, including terrorism. Its areas of responsibility include disaster simulation exercises and maintaining medical stockpiles. VA's efforts in these areas have enhanced national emergency preparedness by improving medical response procedures and by strengthening the security of federal pharmaceutical stockpiles to ensure rapid response to local authorities. VA also has resources that could play a role in future federal homeland security efforts. Its assets include the bricks, mortar, and human capital components of its health care system; graduate medical education programs; and expertise involving emergency backup and support activities. In managing large-scale medical emergencies arising from terrorist attacks, VA's emergency response capabilities have strengths and weaknesses. Determining how VA can best contribute to homeland security is especially timely given the extraordinary level of federal activity underway to manage large-scale disasters."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO was asked to testify on billing practices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). GAO previously reported that continuing problems in billing and collection processes at VA impaired its ability to maximize revenue from private insurance companies (third-party insurers). In June 2008, GAO reported on its follow-up review that (1) evaluated VA billing controls, (2) assessed VA-wide controls for collections, and (3) determined the effectiveness of VA oversight over third-party billings and collections. To perform the review, GAO conducted case-study analyses of the third-party billing function at 18 medical centers, statistically tested controls over collections VA-wide, and reviewed current oversight policies and procedures. GAO reported the results of this review in GAO-08-675."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2008, the Department of Defense (DOD) obligated over $380 billion to federal contractors, more than doubling the amount it obligated in fiscal year 2002. With hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars at stake, the government needs strong controls to provide reasonable assurance that contract funds are not being lost to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement. The Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is charged with a critical role in contractor oversight by providing auditing, accounting, and financial advisory services in connection with DOD and other federal agency contracts and subcontracts. However, last year GAO found numerous problems with DCAA audit quality at three locations in California, including the failure to meet professional auditing standards. In a follow-up audit issued this September, GAO found that these problems existed agencywide. Today's testimony describes widespread audit quality problems at DCAA and provides information about continuing contract management challenges at DOD, which underscore the importance of DCAA audits that meet professional standards. It also discusses some of the corrective actions taken by DCAA and DOD and key GAO recommendations to improve DCAA audit quality. In preparing this testimony, GAO drew …

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "One of the priorities of the U.S. Chief Financial Officers (CFO) Council is to improve financial performance through better financial management systems. The Bush administration has identified several management reform initiatives, including strategic management of human capital, improving financial performance and expanding e-government. Under the auspices of the Financial Systems Committee and Human Resources Committee of the CFO Council and the Joint Financial Management Improvement Program, an interagency team was established to develop strategies to build the work force capacity for financial system implementation projects."

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1992, GAO has published long-term fiscal simulations of what might happen to federal deficits and debt levels under varying policy assumptions. We developed our long-term model in response to a bipartisan request from Members of Congress who were concerned about the long-term effects of fiscal policy. GAO runs two simulations: (1) "Baseline Extended" follows the Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) August baseline estimates for the first 10 years and then simply holds revenue and spending other than large entitlement programs constant as a share of gross domestic product (GDP). (2) The "Alternative" simulation is based on historical trends and policy preferences. Discretionary spending grows with GDP rather than inflation during the first 10 years, Medicare physician payment rates are not reduced as in CBO's baseline, all tax provisions are extended to 2019, and beginning with this update, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amount is indexed to inflation through 2019; revenues are then brought back to their historical level. This update incorporates the most recent projections from the Social Security and Medicare Trustees, and from CBO."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government faces large losses in its Senior Executive Service (SES), primarily through retirement but also because of other normal attrition. This presents the government with substantial challenges to ensuring an able management cadre and also provides opportunities to affect the composition of the SES. In a January 2003 report, GAO-03-34, GAO estimated the number of SES members who would actually leave service through fiscal year 2007 and reviewed the implications for diversity, as defined by gender, race, and ethnicity of the estimated losses. Specifically, GAO estimated by gender, race, and ethnicity the number of members of the career SES who will leave government service from October 1, 2000, through September 30, 2007, and what the profile of the SES will be if appointment trends do not change. GAO made the same estimates for the pool of GS-15s and GS-14s, from whose ranks the vast majority of replacements for departing SES members come, to ascertain the likely composition of that pool."

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, John Cornyn, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Release of "provisional autopsy report" maintained by a justice of the peace (RQ-0380-JC)

List of Texas Chapters of Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus. Email from Jay Narey to Dan Graney on October 15, 2008, discussing a list of TSDC roster, and the website page for all Texas Chapters.

Several software packages have been developed for use by NIF large optics vendors during production of NIF optics. These packages allow specific comparison of the interferometer measurements done on optics against the wavefront requirements for those optics, as given on relevant drawings. This document outlines the various packages, and their specific applications, and describes in some detail the calculational algorithms used. It is intended as the primary reference document for the codes (aside from the source codes themselves). In order to ensure good laser beam quality, NIF requires that all large optics be measured with an interferometer to monitor how that optic will affect beam wavefront quality and focusability. Various specifications for transmitted wavefront (TWF) and reflected wavefront (RWF) for the full-aperture parts, and for various sub-apertures, are given on the large optics drawings. For reference, a summary of the various specifications for the NIF large optics is given in Figure 1. Each large optic in production will be measured against some of these specifications. Other specifications will be monitored in a 'process validation' fashion by measuring a representative sample of parts to assure the process is yielding parts which pass specification. This document will focus on the specifications requiring …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Clair Strong. Strong was drafted in January of 1941. He served in the 666th Ordnance Ammunition Company. He was stationed in Alaska, for the Alaska Theater Operations, from August of 1941 until March of 1944. His job was parts clerk, keeping track of vehicle parts and invoices. In November of 1944 he served in the European Theater of Operations and was located in Belgium. His job there was to gather up unexploded land mines and defuse them.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Ralph Simoneau. Simoneau went into the Marines in November 1943 and went to boot camp in San Diego. After some home leave and time in the brig (he was AWOL, coming back late from leave), he was sent to Camp Pendleton where he trained with the Raiders for a while until they were disbanded and became part of the 5th Marine Division. Simoneau was put in the 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. He volunteered for a 60mm mortar section and they were attached to D Company. They were sent to Camp Tarawa (Hawaii) and continued training there. They boarded ships and after a stop in Eniwetok, they were transferred to LST's which sailed for Iwo Jima. After they were onboard the LSTs, they finally found out where they were going; they studied relief maps and models, found out what their objectives were, etc. After being loaded in amtraks, circling and waiting until all the vessels that were going to make the attack were in position, they headed for shore as part of the first wave. The ramp on their amtrak didn't come down so they had to climb over …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Gabriel Chapa. Chapa was born in Alice, Texas on 7 August 1925. Upon being drafted into the US Navy in 1944, he was sent to San Diego for boot training. Soon after finishing the training he was assigned to USS LCI-470. He participated in the invasions of Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. He describes being in a typhoon and of the decision being made to beach the ship to prevent it from sinking during the storm. The ship returned to San Diego and Chapa was discharged in April 1946.

News release advertising the "Mundo Latino" Hispanic heritage celebration at the State Fair of Texas, along with information on how to reach the fair with DART services.

News release about the election of officers on the DART board of directors, including William "Bill" Velasco as board chair.

News release about the "Smart Commute Initiative," which would allow potential home buyers near DART rail and bus stops to qualify for a mortgage that recognized the lower transportation expenses incurred by households that use public transportation.