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Financial Audit: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Funds' 2006 and 2005 Financial Statements (open access)

Financial Audit: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Funds' 2006 and 2005 Financial Statements

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO is required to annually audit the financial statements of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) and FSLIC Resolution Fund (FRF), which are administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). GAO is responsible for obtaining reasonable assurance about whether FDIC's financial statements for DIF and FRF are presented fairly in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and whether FDIC maintained effective internal control over financial reporting and compliance. Also, GAO is responsible for testing FDIC's compliance with selected laws and regulations. Created in 1933 to insure bank deposits and promote sound banking practices, FDIC plays an important role in maintaining public confidence in the nation's financial system. In 1989, legislation to reform the federal deposit insurance system created three funds to be administered by FDIC: the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF) and the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF), which protect bank and savings deposits, and FRF, which was created to close out the business of the former Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation. In accordance with subsequent legislation passed in 2006, FDIC merged the BIF and SAIF into the newly established DIF …
Date: February 13, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library

Update on Digitization Projects at the University of North Texas (UNT)

This presentation gives an update on the Digital Library and The Portal to Texas History collections held by the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries in 2009 and the future projects planned.
Date: February 13, 2009
Creator: Belden, Dreanna
Object Type: Presentation
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Audit: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Funds' 2003 and 2002 Financial Statements (open access)

Financial Audit: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Funds' 2003 and 2002 Financial Statements

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO is required to annually audit the financial statements of the Bank Insurance Fund (BIF), Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF), and FSLIC Resolution Fund (FRF), which are administered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). GAO is responsible for obtaining reasonable assurance about whether FDIC's financial statements for BIF, SAIF, and FRF, are presented fairly in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, whether it maintains effective internal controls, and whether FDIC has complied with selected laws and regulations. Created in 1933 to insure bank deposits and promote sound banking practices, FDIC plays an important role in maintaining public confidence in the nation's financial system. In 1989, legislation to reform the federal deposit insurance system created three funds to be administered by FDIC: BIF and SAIF, which protect bank and savings deposits, and FRF, which was created to close out the business of the former Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Personnel Clearances: Improved Annual Reporting Would Enable More Informed Congressional Oversight (open access)

DOD Personnel Clearances: Improved Annual Reporting Would Enable More Informed Congressional Oversight

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) industry personnel security clearance program has long-standing delays and backlogs in completing clearance requests and difficulties in accurately projecting its future needs for investigations to be conducted by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In 2006, Congress mandated that DOD report annually on the future requirements of the program and DOD's efforts to improve it, and that GAO evaluate DOD's first report. Specifically, GAO was required to report on (1) the extent to which the report responds to the issues in the mandate, (2) the number and cost of clearance investigations and adjudications in fiscal years 2000-2006, and (3) the extent to which DOD has developed procedures to estimate future needs, plans to reduce delays and backlogs, and plans to provide funding for the program. To accomplish these objectives, GAO obtained and reviewed laws, executive orders, policies, reports, and other documents related to the security clearance process and interviewed officials from a range of government offices concerned with the clearance process."
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Clean Coal: DOE's Decision to Restructure FutureGen Should Be Based on a Comprehensive Analysis of Costs, Benefits, and Risks (open access)

Clean Coal: DOE's Decision to Restructure FutureGen Should Be Based on a Comprehensive Analysis of Costs, Benefits, and Risks

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Coal-fired power plants generate about one-half of the nation's electricity and about one-third of its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which contribute to climate change. In 2003, the Department of Energy (DOE) initiated FutureGen--a commercial-scale, coal-fired power plant to incorporate integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), an advanced generating technology, with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The plant was to capture and store underground about 90 percent of its CO2 emissions. DOE's cost share was 74 percent, and industry partners agreed to fund the rest. Concerned about escalating costs, DOE restructured FutureGen. GAO was asked to examine (1) the original and restructured programs' goals, (2) similarities and differences between the new FutureGen and other DOE CCS programs, and (3) if the restructuring decision was based on sufficient information. GAO reviewed best practices for making programmatic decisions, FutureGen plans and budgets, and documents on the restructuring of FutureGen. GAO contacted DOE, industry partners, and experts."
Date: February 13, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Workforce Training: Almost Half of States Fund Employment Placement and Training through Employer Taxes and Most Coordinate with Federally Funded Programs (open access)

Workforce Training: Almost Half of States Fund Employment Placement and Training through Employer Taxes and Most Coordinate with Federally Funded Programs

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As technological and other advances transform the U.S. economy, many of the nation's six million employers may have trouble finding employees with the skills to do their jobs well. Some experts indicate that such a skill gap already affects many employers. To help close this skill gap, both federal- and state-funded programs are providing training and helping employers find qualified employees. In 2002, the federal government spent about $12 billion on workforce programs, and there are various studies on these programs. States also raised revenues in 2002--from taxes levied on employers--to fund their own workforce programs. However, little is known about these state programs. GAO was asked to provide information on how many states use these employer taxes to fund their own employment placement and training programs, what services are provided, the extent to which these state programs coordinate with federal programs, and how states assess the performance of these programs."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare and Medicaid Participating Facilities: CMS Needs to Reexamine Its Approach for Funding State Oversight of Health Care Facilities (open access)

Medicare and Medicaid Participating Facilities: CMS Needs to Reexamine Its Approach for Funding State Oversight of Health Care Facilities

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Americans receive care from tens of thousands of health care facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid. To ensure the quality of care, CMS contracts with states to conduct periodic surveys and complaint investigations. Federal spending on such activities totaled about $444 million in fiscal year 2007; states are expected to contribute their own funds both through the Medicaid program and apart from that program. GAO evaluated survey funding, state workloads, and federal oversight of states' use of funds since fiscal year 2000 to determine if federal funding had kept pace with the changing workload. GAO analyzed (1) federal funding trends from fiscal years 2000 through 2007 and CMS's methodology for determining states' allocations and spending, (2) CMS data on the number of participating facilities and completed state surveys, and (3) CMS oversight of state spending. GAO interviewed state officials and collected data from 28 states."
Date: February 13, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigation: Military Meals, Ready-To-Eat Sold on eBay (open access)

Investigation: Military Meals, Ready-To-Eat Sold on eBay

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As a result of widespread congressional and public interest in the federal response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we conducted a limited investigation into allegations that military Meal, Ready-To-Eat (MRE) rations intended for use in the hurricane relief efforts were instead sold to the public on the Internet auction site eBay. We focused our efforts on confirming whether selected MREs being offered for sale on eBay were military issue and, if so, interviewing the sellers to determine how they obtained the MREs."
Date: February 13, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Security: Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System Faces Significant Implementation Challenges (open access)

Aviation Security: Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System Faces Significant Implementation Challenges

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The security of U.S. commercial aviation is a long-standing concern, and substantial efforts have been undertaken to strengthen it. One of these efforts is the development of a new Computer-Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS II) to identify passengers requiring additional security attention. The development of CAPPS II has raised a number of issues, including whether individuals may be inappropriately targeted for additional screening, and whether data accessed by the system may compromise passengers' privacy. GAO was asked to determine (1) the development status and plans for CAPPS II; (2) the status of CAPPS II in addressing key developmental, operational, and public acceptance issues; and (3) other challenges that could impede the successful implementation of the system."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Addresses Broad Range of Threats, but Performance Reporting Can Be Improved (open access)

Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Defense Threat Reduction Agency Addresses Broad Range of Threats, but Performance Reporting Can Be Improved

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), within the Department of Defense (DOD), plays a key role in addressing the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, the visibility of DTRA's role has increased as federal agencies and military commanders have looked to the agency for additional support and advice. GAO was asked to report on DTRA's (1) mission and the efforts it undertakes to fulfill this mission; (2) relationship with other government entities, specifically the Department of Energy and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); and (3) process that it uses to prioritize resources and assess progress toward organizational goals."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
United Nations: Reforms Progressing, but Comprehensive Assessments Needed to Measure Impact (open access)

United Nations: Reforms Progressing, but Comprehensive Assessments Needed to Measure Impact

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The U.N. Secretary General launched two reform agendas, in 1997 and 2002, to address the U.N.'s core management challenges--poor leadership of the Secretariat, duplication among its many offices and programs, and the lack of accountability for staff performance. In 2000, GAO reported that the Secretary General had reorganized the Secretariat's leadership and structure, but that the reforms were not yet complete. As the largest financial contributor to the United Nations, the United States has a strong interest in the completion of these reforms. GAO was asked to assess the (1) overall status of the 1997 and 2002 reforms, (2) implementation of reforms in four key areas, and (3) potential challenges to reform."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid: Improved Federal Oversight of State Financing Schemes Is Needed (open access)

Medicaid: Improved Federal Oversight of State Financing Schemes Is Needed

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "For years, some states have taken advantage of a loophole in Medicaid law that allows them to claim billions of dollars in excessive federal matching funds by exploiting the "upper payment limit" (UPL), which is intended to be a ceiling on federal cost sharing. Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) acted to curtail UPL financing schemes through law in 2000 and regulation in 2001. CMS recognized that some states had developed a long-standing reliance on UPL funds. The law and regulation authorized transition periods of up to 8 years for states to phase out excessive UPL claims. GAO was asked to examine CMS's oversight of nursing home UPL arrangements, including the status of and the basis for transition period decisions."
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse (open access)

Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As a result of widespread congressional and public interest in the federal response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, GAO conducted an audit of the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) under Comptroller General of the United States statutory authority. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed homes and displaced millions of individuals. In the wake of these natural disasters, FEMA faced the challenge of providing assistance quickly and with minimal "red tape," while having sufficient controls to provide assurance that benefits were paid only to eligible individuals and households. In response to this challenge, FEMA provided $2,000 in IHP payments to affected households via its Expedited Assistance (EA) program. Victims who received EA may qualify for up to $26,200 in IHP assistance. As of mid-December 2005, IHP payments totaled about $5.4 billion, with $2.3 billion provided in the form of EA. These payments were made via checks, electronic fund transfers, and a small number of debit cards. GAO's testimony will provide the results to date related to whether (1) controls are in place and operating effectively to limit EA to qualified applicants, (2) indications exist of fraud and abuse in the …
Date: February 13, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Personnel Clearances: DOD Faces Multiple Challenges in Its Efforts to Improve Clearance Processes for Industry Personnel (open access)

DOD Personnel Clearances: DOD Faces Multiple Challenges in Its Efforts to Improve Clearance Processes for Industry Personnel

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) maintains approximately 2.5 million security clearances on servicemembers, federal DOD civilian employees, industry personnel for DOD and 23 other federal agencies, and employees in the legislative branch. Delays in determining eligibility for a clearance can heighten the risk that classified information will be disclosed to unauthorized sources, increase contract costs, and pose problems in attracting and retaining qualified personnel. In this statement, GAO addresses: (1) the status of DOD's efforts to improve its projections of the numbers of clearances needed for industry personnel, and (2) other long-standing challenges that have a negative effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of DOD's personnel security clearance program for industry personnel. This statement is based on a report GAO is issuing today (GAO-08-350) and other prior work, which included reviews of clearance-related documents and interviews of senior officials at DOD and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)."
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: VA Has Taken Important Steps to Centralize Control of Its Resources, but Effectiveness Depends on Additional Planned Actions (open access)

Information Technology: VA Has Taken Important Steps to Centralize Control of Its Resources, but Effectiveness Depends on Additional Planned Actions

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The use of information technology (IT) is crucial to the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) mission to promote the health, welfare, and dignity of all veterans in recognition of their service to the nation. In this regard, the department's fiscal year 2009 budget proposal includes about $2.4 billion to support IT development, operations, and maintenance. VA has, however, experienced challenges in managing its IT projects and initiatives, including cost overruns, schedule slippages, and performance problems. In an effort to confront these challenges, the department is undertaking a realignment to centralize its IT management structure. This testimony summarizes the department's actions to realign its management structure to provide greater authority and accountability over its IT budget and resources and the impact of these actions to date. In developing this testimony, GAO reviewed previous work on the department's realignment and related budget issues, analyzed pertinent documentation, and interviewed VA officials to determine the current status and impact of the department's efforts to centralize the management of its IT budget and operations."
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Passenger Rail Security: Federal Strategy and Enhanced Coordination Needed to Prioritize and Guide Security Efforts (open access)

Passenger Rail Security: Federal Strategy and Enhanced Coordination Needed to Prioritize and Guide Security Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The 2005 London subway bombings and 2006 rail attacks in Mumbai, India highlighted the vulnerability of passenger rail and other surface transportation systems to terrorist attack and demonstrated the need for greater focus on securing these systems. This testimony is based primarily on GAO's September 2005 passenger rail security report and selected program updates obtained in January 2007. Specifically, it addressees (1) the extent to which the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has assessed the risks facing the U.S. passenger rail system and developed a strategy based on risk assessments for securing all modes of transportation, including passenger rail; (2) the actions that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and other federal agencies have taken to enhance the security of the U.S. passenger rail system, improve federal coordination, and develop industry partnerships; and (3) the security practices that domestic and selected foreign passenger rail operators have implemented to enhance security."
Date: February 13, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Homeland Security: Progress Made in Implementation of Management and Mission Functions, but More Work Remains (open access)

Department of Homeland Security: Progress Made in Implementation of Management and Mission Functions, but More Work Remains

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began operations in March 2003 with missions that include preventing terrorist attacks from occurring within the United States, reducing U.S. vulnerability to terrorism, minimizing damages from attacks that occur, and helping the nation recover from any attacks. GAO has reported that the implementation and transformation of DHS is an enormous management challenge and that the size, complexity, and importance of the effort make the challenge especially daunting and critical to the nation's security. GAO's prior work on mergers and acquisitions found that successful transformations of large organizations, even those faced with less strenuous reorganizations than DHS, can take at least 5 to 7 years to achieve. This testimony is based on GAO's August 2007 report evaluating DHS's progress between March 2003 and July 2007, selected reports issued since July 2007, and our institutional knowledge of homeland security issues."
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Security: Progress Made in Systematic Planning to Guide Key Investment Decisions, but More Work Remains (open access)

Aviation Security: Progress Made in Systematic Planning to Guide Key Investment Decisions, but More Work Remains

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), established in November 2001, has developed and implemented a variety of programs to secure the commercial aviation system. To implement these efforts, TSA funding related to aviation security has totaled about $20 billion since fiscal year 2004. Other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components, such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), also play roles in securing commercial aviation. In this testimony, we address the efforts TSA has taken or planned to strengthen aviation security, and the challenges that remain, in three key areas: airline passenger prescreening, airline passenger and checked baggage screening, and air cargo screening. GAO's comments are based on issued GAO reports and testimonies and our preliminary observations from ongoing work on TSA's passenger checkpoint screening procedures and technologies, and staffing standards for Transportation Security Officers (TSO)."
Date: February 13, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Trade: Significant Challenges Remain in Deterring Trade in Conflict Diamonds (open access)

International Trade: Significant Challenges Remain in Deterring Trade in Conflict Diamonds

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Easily concealed and transported, and virtually untraceable to their original source, diamonds are often used in lieu of currency in arms deals, money laundering, and other criminal activity. U.S. controls over diamond imports only require certification from the country of last import--and thus cannot identify diamonds from conflict sources. Although the United States bans diamonds documented as coming from the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, the Revolutionary United Front in Sierra Leone, and Liberia--all of which are subject to U.N. sanctions--this does not prevent such diamonds from being shipped to a second country and mixed into parcels destined for the United States. GAO found that the Kimberley Process's proposal for international diamond certification incorporated some elements of accountability. However, it is not based on a risk assessment, and some high-risk activities are subject only to "recommended" controls. Also, from the time when rough diamonds enter the first foreign port until the final point of sale, there exists only a voluntary industry participation and self-regulated monitoring and enforcement system. These and other shortcomings significantly undermine efforts to deter trade in questionable diamonds."
Date: February 13, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Runway Safety: Progress on Reducing Runway Incursions Impeded by Leadership, Technology, and Other Challenges (open access)

Runway Safety: Progress on Reducing Runway Incursions Impeded by Leadership, Technology, and Other Challenges

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "While aviation accidents in the United States are relatively infrequent, recent incidents have heightened concerns about safety on airport runways. As the nation's aviation system becomes more crowded every day, increased congestion at airports may exacerbate ground safety concerns. This statement discusses (1) the trends in runway incursions, (2) what FAA has done to improve runway safety, and (3) what more could be done. This statement is based on GAO's November 2007 report issued to this committee on runway safety. GAO's work on that report included surveying experts on the causes of runway incidents and accidents and the effectiveness of measures to address them, reviewing safety data, and interviewing agency and industry officials. This statement also contains information from FAA on recent incursions and actions taken since November 2007."
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Older Workers: Policies of Other Nations to Increase Labor Force Participation (open access)

Older Workers: Policies of Other Nations to Increase Labor Force Participation

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, the challenges of aging populations have become a topic of increasing concern to the developed nations. These challenges range from the fiscal imbalance in national pension systems caused by fewer workers having to provide benefits for greater numbers of retirees, to potential economic strains due to shortages of skilled workers. Part of the solution to these challenges could be greater older worker labor force participation. GAO identified three nations--Japan, Sweden, and the United Kingdom--that had displayed high levels of older worker labor force participation in the past and were now implementing policy reforms that continued to emphasize the importance of older workers. The experiences of these nations suggest that the nature of the reforms, the public availability and transparency of information on the reforms, and the strength of the national economy play key roles in extending older worker labor force participation."
Date: February 13, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Drug Enforcement Administration's Reporting of Arrests (open access)

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Reporting of Arrests

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Caribbean Division was alleged recently to have taken inappropriate credit for arrests to gain more resources. To claim credit for drug-related arrests, DEA agents must be directly involved in domestic arrests and provide "substantial assistance" to host-country law enforcement officials in foreign arrests. DEA's Agents Manual defines substantial assistance as active participation or furnishing of information or funds that lead to an arrest. Agents must complete a "Personal History Report" on each person arrested and complete a "Report of Investigation" on the investigative activities leading to the arrest. DEA uses the Personal History Report to track the number of arrests. DEA officials told GAO that arrest data do not serve as a basis for requesting additional resources in the budget development process. DEA's internal control procedures and inspection programs include (1) on-site inspections of its domestic and foreign offices and (2) annual self-inspections by divisional offices. To ensure the validity of its arrest data, in August 2001, the then acting administrator changed DEA's inspection programs--from a review of a random sample of arrests to a comprehensive review of all arrests. GAO's reviews of …
Date: February 13, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Comptroller General's Forum: High-Performing Organizations: Metrics, Means, and Mechanisms for Achieving High Performance in the 21st Century Public Management Environment (open access)

Comptroller General's Forum: High-Performing Organizations: Metrics, Means, and Mechanisms for Achieving High Performance in the 21st Century Public Management Environment

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As we face the challenges of the 21st century, the federal government must strive to build high-performing organizations. Nothing less than a fundamental transformation in the people, processes, technology, and environment used by federal agencies to address public goals will be necessary to address public needs. In high-performing organizations, management controls, processes, practices, and systems are adopted that are consistent with prevailing best practices and contribute to concrete organizational results. Ultimately, however, the federal government needs to change its culture to become more results-oriented, client- and customer-focused, and collaborative in nature. On November 6, 2003, GAO hosted a forum to discuss what it means for a federal agency to be high-performing in an environment where results and outcomes are increasingly accomplished through partnerships that cut across different levels of government and different sectors of the economy. The forum included discussions of the metrics, means, and mechanisms that a federal agency should use to optimize its influence and contribution to nationally important results and outcomes. The forum included representatives of the public, not-for-profit, and for-profit sectors as well as academia who are knowledgeable of what it takes …
Date: February 13, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Radiation Doses to Hanford Workers from Natural Potassium-40 (open access)

Radiation Doses to Hanford Workers from Natural Potassium-40

The chemical element potassium is an essential mineral in people and is subject to homeostatic regulation. Natural potassium comprises three isotopes, 39K, 40K, and 41K. Potassium-40 is radioactive, with a half life of 1.248 billion years. In most transitions, it emits a β particle with a maximum energy of 0.560 MeV, and sometimes a gamma photon of 1.461 MeV. Because it is ubiquitous, 40K produces radiation dose to all human beings. This report contains the results of new measurements of 40K in 248 adult females and 2,037 adult males performed at the Department of Energy Hanford Site in 2006 and 2007. Potassium concentrations diminish with age, are generally lower in women than in men, and decrease with body mass index (BMI). The average annual effective dose from 40K in the body is 0.149 mSv y−1 for men and 0.123 mSv y−1 women respectively. Averaged over both men and women, the average effective dose per year is 0.136 mSv y−1. Calculated effective doses range from 0.069 to 0.243 mSv y−1 for adult males, and 0.067 to 0.203 mSv y−1 for adult females, a roughly three-fold variation for each gender. The need for dosimetric phantoms with a greater variety of BMI values …
Date: February 13, 2009
Creator: Strom, Daniel J.; Lynch, Timothy P. & Weier, Dennis R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library