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High Speed Passenger Rail: Future Development Will Depend on Addressing Financial and Other Challenges and Establishing a Clear Federal Role (open access)

High Speed Passenger Rail: Future Development Will Depend on Addressing Financial and Other Challenges and Establishing a Clear Federal Role

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal and other decision makers have had a renewed interest in how high speed rail might fit into the national transportation system and address increasing mobility constraints on highways and at airports due to congestion. GAO was asked to review (1) the factors affecting the economic viability--meaning whether total social benefits offset or justify total social costs--of high speed rail projects, including difficulties in determining the economic viability of proposed projects; (2) the challenges in developing and financing high speed rail systems; and (3) the federal role in the potential development of U.S. high speed rail systems. GAO reviewed federal legislation; interviewed federal, state, local, and private sector officials, as well as U.S. project sponsors; and reviewed high speed rail development in France, Japan, and Spain."
Date: March 19, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Support Enforcement: Better Data and More Information on Undistributed Collections Are Needed (open access)

Child Support Enforcement: Better Data and More Information on Undistributed Collections Are Needed

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress established the child support enforcement program in 1975 to ensure that parents financially supported their children. State agencies administer the program and the Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) in the Department of Health and Human Services oversees it. In 2002, state agencies collected over $20 billion in child support, but $657 million in collections from 2002 and previous years were undistributed--funds that were delayed or never reached families. One method used to collect child support, intercepting federal tax refunds, involves all state agencies, OCSE, and two Department of the Treasury agencies--the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Financial Management Service (FMS). GAO was asked to address (1) how the total amount of undistributed collections changed over the years, (2) the causes of undistributed collections, (3) states' efforts to reduce these funds, and (4) OCSE's efforts to assist states. GAO analyzed OCSE data, administered a survey, visited 6 state agencies and interviewed officials."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting with Veteran Owned-Small Businesses (open access)

Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting with Veteran Owned-Small Businesses

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government's long-standing policy has been to use its buying power--the billions of dollars it spends through contracting each year--to maximize procurement opportunities for small businesses, including those owned by service-disabled veterans. Under the Veterans Benefits, Health Care, and Information Technology Act of 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to give first and second priority to small businesses owned by service-disabled and other veterans, respectively, when it uses small business preferences to award its contracts, which totaled more than $14 billion in fiscal year 2008. The act also requires VA to establish contracting goals for service disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSB) and other veteran-owned small businesses (VOSB) and gives VA unique authorities to use contracting preferences for SDVOSBs and VOSBs to help it reach those goals. The act requires us to conduct a 3-year study on VA's efforts to meet its SDVOSB and VOSB contracting goals and to brief Congress annually, by January 31, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Accordingly, we briefed Congressional staffs on January 31, 2008, on steps that VA had taken to implement its new contracting authorities and verify the ownership of firms …
Date: March 19, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations Related to Income, Benefits, and Employer Support for Reservist During Mobilizations (open access)

Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations Related to Income, Benefits, and Employer Support for Reservist During Mobilizations

A statement of record issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since the end of the Cold War, there has been a shift in the way reserve forces have been used. Previously, reservists were viewed primarily as an expansion force that would supplement active forces during a major war. Today, reservists not only supplement but also replace active forces in military operations worldwide. Citing the increased use of the reserves to support military operations, House Report 107-436 accompanying the Fiscal Year 2003 National Defense Authorization Act directed GAO to review compensation and benefits for reservists. In response, GAO is reviewing (1) income protection for reservists called to active duty, (2) family support programs, and (3) health care access. For this statement, GAO was asked to discuss its preliminary observations. GAO also was asked to discuss the results of its recently completed review concerning employer support for reservists."
Date: March 19, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Workplace Safety and Health: OSHA's Voluntary Compliance Strategies Show Promising Results, but Should be Fully Evaluated Before They Are Expanded (open access)

Workplace Safety and Health: OSHA's Voluntary Compliance Strategies Show Promising Results, but Should be Fully Evaluated Before They Are Expanded

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Because the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can inspect only a fraction of 7 million U.S. worksites each year in its efforts to ensure safe and healthy working conditions, the agency has increasingly supplemented enforcement with "voluntary compliance strategies" to reach more employers and employ its resources most effectively. GAO assessed the types of strategies used, the extent of their use, and their effectiveness. GAO also obtained suggestions from specialists for additional voluntary compliance strategies."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Law Enforcement: Information on Use of Investigation and Arrest Statistics (open access)

Federal Law Enforcement: Information on Use of Investigation and Arrest Statistics

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act (P.L. 107-273) requires GAO to report on how investigation and arrest statistics are reported and used by federal law enforcement agencies. This report provides information on (1) the guidance and procedures followed by federal law enforcement agencies regarding counting investigations and arrests, (2) how investigation and arrest statistics are used, and (3) whether multiple agencies are counting and reporting the same investigations and arrests. GAO selected six agencies for review: the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), the U.S. Marshals Service, the former U.S. Customs Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tobacco Settlement: States' Allocations of Fiscal Year 2003 and Expected Fiscal Year 2004 Payments (open access)

Tobacco Settlement: States' Allocations of Fiscal Year 2003 and Expected Fiscal Year 2004 Payments

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the 1990s, states sued major tobacco companies to obtain reimbursement for health impairments caused by the public's use of tobacco. In 1998, 46 states and four of the nation's largest tobacco companies signed a Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) that requires the tobacco companies to make annual payments to the states in perpetuity as reimbursement for past tobaccorelated health care costs. The MSA commits the tobacco companies to pay the states approximately $206 billion over the first 25 years. Some of the states have arranged to receive upfront proceeds based on the amounts that tobacco companies owe by issuing bonds backed by future payments. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 requires GAO to report annually on the amount of MSA payments states receive through fiscal year 2006. This third report provides information on the payments the 46 states received in fiscal year 2003 and expect to receive in fiscal year 2004, and states' allocations of these funds to various program categories and changes from prior years. To conduct this study, GAO surveyed the 46 states."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Endangered Species: Federal Agencies Have Worked to Improve the Consultation Process, but More Management Attention Is Needed (open access)

Endangered Species: Federal Agencies Have Worked to Improve the Consultation Process, but More Management Attention Is Needed

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To protect species that are at risk for extinction, the Endangered Species Act requires that federal agencies consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) to ensure that activities they authorize, fund, or conduct will not jeopardize endangered species or adversely modify their critical habitat. While federal agencies recognize that consultations benefit species, some are concerned about the time and resources consumed. In this report, GAO (1) assesses the federal data on consultations, (2) identifies steps by federal agencies to improve the process, and (3) discusses lingering concerns of federal and nonfederal parties about the process. GAO limited this study to consultations with the Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureaus of Land Management and Reclamation in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
FASAB: Selected Standards for the Consolidated Financial Report of the United States Government: Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (Exposure Draft) (open access)

FASAB: Selected Standards for the Consolidated Financial Report of the United States Government: Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Standards (Exposure Draft)

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's statement of federal financial accounting standards (SFFAS). This statement clarifies requirements of SFFAS, especially SFFAS No. 7."
Date: March 19, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pipeline Safety: Status of Improving Oversight of the Pipeline Industry (open access)

Pipeline Safety: Status of Improving Oversight of the Pipeline Industry

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) oversees 2.2 million miles of pipelines that transport potentially dangerous materials, such as oil and natural gas. OPS has been slow to improve its oversight of the pipeline industry and implement critical pipeline safety improvements. As a result, OPS has the lowest rate of any transportation agency for implementing the recommendations of the National Transportation Safety Board. In recent years, OPS has taken several steps to improve its oversight of the pipeline industry, including requiring "integrity management" programs for individual operators to assess their pipelines for risks, take action to mitigate the risks, and develop program performance measures. OPS has also (1) revised forms and procedures to collect more complete and accurate data, which will enable OPS to better assess the causes of incidents and focus on the greatest risks to pipelines; (2) allowed more states to oversee a broader range of interstate pipeline safety activities; and (3) increased the use of fines. OPS has made progress in responding to recommendations from the Safety Board and statutory requirements, but some key open recommendations and requirements, such as requiring pipeline operators to periodically …
Date: March 19, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mortgage Financing: Actuarial Soundness of the Federal Housing Administration's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (open access)

Mortgage Financing: Actuarial Soundness of the Federal Housing Administration's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the results of GAO's analysis of the financial health of the Federal Housing Administration's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund. GAO estimates that the Fund had an economic value of about $15.8 billion at the end of fiscal year 1999. This estimate implies a capital ratio of 3.20 percent, which is higher than the two-percent capital ratio mandated by law. Given the economic value of the Fund and the state of the economy at the end of fiscal year 1999, a two-percent capital ratio appears sufficient to withstand moderately severe economic downturns that could lead to worse-than-expected loan performance. Some more severe downturns that GAO analyzed also did not cause the estimated capital ratio to decline by as much as two percentage points. Because of the nature of such analysis, GAO urges caution in concluding that the estimated value of the Fund today implies that the Fund would necessarily withstand any particular economic scenario under all circumstances. Congress and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development have taken and could take several steps to influence the economic value of the Fund. Actions that influence the Fund's reserve …
Date: March 19, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues (open access)

Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses our work on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), under which the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) has the authority to purchase and insure up to $700 billion in troubled assets held by financial institutions through its Office of Financial Stability (OFS). As Congress may know, Treasury was granted this authority in response to the financial crisis that has threatened the stability of the U.S. banking system and the solvency of numerous financial institutions. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (the act) that authorized TARP on October 3, 2008, requires GAO to report at least every 60 days on findings resulting from our oversight of the actions taken under the program. We are also responsible for auditing OFS's annual financial statements and for producing special reports on any issues that emerge from our oversight. To carry out these oversight responsibilities, we have assembled interdisciplinary teams with a wide range of technical skills, including financial market and public policy analysts, accountants, lawyers, and economists who represent combined resources from across GAO. In addition, we are building on our in-house technical expertise with targeted new hires and experts. …
Date: March 19, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: GAO's Role in Helping to Ensure Accountability and Transparency for Science Funding (open access)

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: GAO's Role in Helping to Ensure Accountability and Transparency for Science Funding

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses GAO's role to help ensure accountability and transparency for science funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The purposes of the Recovery Act funds include preserving and creating jobs and promoting economic recovery; assisting those most impacted by the recession; investing in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure to provide long-term economic benefits; and stabilizing state and local government budgets. The Recovery Act, estimated to cost $787 billion, includes more than $21 billion in spending at the Departments of Energy and Commerce, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for research and development (R&D) related activities that support fundamental research, demonstrate and deploy advanced energy technologies, purchase scientific instrumentation and equipment, and construct or modernize research facilities. This statement discusses (1) GAO's responsibilities under the Recovery Act related to science funding; (2) particular R&D funding areas that deserve special attention to ensure that funds are best used; and (3) GAO's plans for carrying out its responsibilities under the act."
Date: March 19, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
FASAB: Target Audience and Qualitative Characteristics for the Consolidated Financial Report of the United States Government: Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Concepts (Exposure Draft) (open access)

FASAB: Target Audience and Qualitative Characteristics for the Consolidated Financial Report of the United States Government: Statement of Federal Financial Accounting Concepts (Exposure Draft)

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO provided information on the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board's statement of federal financial accounting concepts (SFFAC). The statement identifies and describes the characteristics of the target audience for the Consolidated Financial Report of the U.S. Government."
Date: March 19, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Water Infrastructure: Comprehensive Asset Management Has Potential to Help Utilities Better Identify Needs and Plan Future Investments (open access)

Water Infrastructure: Comprehensive Asset Management Has Potential to Help Utilities Better Identify Needs and Plan Future Investments

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Having invested billions of dollars in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, the federal government has a major interest in protecting its investment and in ensuring that future assistance goes to utilities that are built and managed to meet key regulatory requirements. The Congress has been considering, among other things, requiring utilities to develop comprehensive asset management plans. Some utilities are already implementing asset management voluntarily. The asset management approach minimizes the total cost of buying, operating, maintaining, replacing, and disposing of capital assets during their life cycles, while achieving service goals. This report discusses (1) the benefits and challenges for water utilities in implementing comprehensive asset management and (2) the federal government's potential role in encouraging utilities to use it."
Date: March 19, 2004
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Sourcing and Acquisition: Challenges Facing the Department of Defense (open access)

Sourcing and Acquisition: Challenges Facing the Department of Defense

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is on the brink of operations in Iraq while seeking to respond to changes in security threats and still meeting the challenges transforming the military. DOD spends an average of $150 billion annually on acquisitions that support these and other missions. Moreover, this investment is expected to grow considerably in the future as DOD works to keep legacy systems while investing in future capabilities such as unmanned aircraft, satellite networks, and information and communications systems. Such demands clearly require DOD to be as efficient and effective as possible in obtaining the systems, services, and equipment it needs to carry out its mission. But GAO's reviews continue to show that DOD is not carrying out acquisitions cost-effectively and that the acquisitions themselves are not always achieving DOD's objectives. Pervasive problems persist regarding high-risk acquisition strategies and unrealistic cost, schedule, and performance estimates. This testimony focuses on two aspects fundamental to successful acquisitions in DOD: (1) the implementation of sound policies for making sourcing decisions, and (2) the adoption of best practices."
Date: March 19, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations Related to Income, Benefits, and Employer Support for Reservists During Mobilizations (open access)

Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations Related to Income, Benefits, and Employer Support for Reservists During Mobilizations

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since the end of the Cold War, there has been a shift in the way reserve forces have been used. Previously, reservists were viewed primarily as an expansion force that would supplement active forces during a major war. Today, reservists not only supplement but also replace active forces in military operations worldwide. Citing the increased use of the reserves to support military operations, House Report 107-436 accompanying the Fiscal Year 2003 National Defense Authorization Act directed GAO to review compensation and benefits for reservists. In response, GAO is reviewing (1) income protection for reservists called to active duty, (2) family support programs, and (3) health care access. For this testimony, GAO was asked to discuss its preliminary observations. GAO also was asked to discuss the results of its recently completed review concerning employer support for reservists."
Date: March 19, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coast Guard: Budget and Management Challenges for 2003 and Beyond (open access)

Coast Guard: Budget and Management Challenges for 2003 and Beyond

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Like many federal agencies, the Coast Guard's priorities were dramatically altered by the events of September 11. The Coast Guard has requested $7.3 billion for fiscal year 2003--a 36 percent increase from the previous year. The events of September 11 caused a substantial shift of effort toward homeland security and away from other missions. As resources were shifted to meet these needs, the law enforcement mission area, which consists mainly of drug and migrant interdiction and fisheries enforcement, saw a dramatic drop in mission capability. The Coast Guard's fiscal year 2003 budget request reflects an attempt to maintain and enhance heightened levels of funding for homeland security while also increasing funding for all other Coast Guard missions beyond fiscal year 2002 levels. The Coast Guard faces substantial management challenges in translating its requested funding increases into increased service levels in its key mission areas. For example, workforce issues present a daunting challenge. If the budget request for fiscal year 2003 is approved, the Coast Guard will add 2,200 full-time positions, retain and build on the expertise and skills of its current workforce, and deal with already high attrition …
Date: March 19, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Personnel: A Strategic Approach Is Needed to Improve Joint Officer Development (open access)

Military Personnel: A Strategic Approach Is Needed to Improve Joint Officer Development

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) has increasingly engaged in multiservice and multinational operations. Congress enacted the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986, in part, so that DOD's military leaders would be better prepared to plan, support, and conduct joint operations. GAO assessed DOD actions to implement provisions in the law that address the development of officers in joint matters and evaluated impediments affecting DOD's ability to fully respond to the provisions in the act."
Date: March 19, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coastal Barrier Resources System: Status of Development That Has Occurred and Financial Assistance Provided by Federal Agencies (open access)

Coastal Barrier Resources System: Status of Development That Has Occurred and Financial Assistance Provided by Federal Agencies

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1982, Congress enacted the Coastal Barrier Resources Act. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act, as amended (CBRA), designates 585 units of undeveloped coastal lands and aquatic habitat as the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). CBRA prohibits most federal expenditures and assistance within the system that could encourage development, but it allows federal agencies to provide some types of assistance and issue certain regulatory permits. In 1992, GAO reported that development was occurring in the CBRS despite restrictions on federal assistance. GAO updated its 1992 report and reviewed the extent to which (1) development has occurred in CBRS units since their inclusion in the system and (2) federal financial assistance and permits have been provided to entities in CBRS units. GAO electronically mapped address data for structures within 91 randomly selected CBRS units and collected information on federal financial assistance and permits for eight federal agencies."
Date: March 19, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Linear Multifrequency-Grey Acceleration Recast for Preconditioned Krylov Iterations (open access)

Linear Multifrequency-Grey Acceleration Recast for Preconditioned Krylov Iterations

None
Date: March 19, 2007
Creator: Morel, J E; Yang, T B & Warsa, J S
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION FEED ENVELOPE (open access)

FRACTIONAL CRYSTALLIZATION FEED ENVELOPE

Laboratory work was completed on a set of evaporation tests designed to establish a feed envelope for the fractional crystallization process. The feed envelope defines chemical concentration limits within which the process can be operated successfully. All 38 runs in the half-factorial design matrix were completed successfully, based on the qualitative definition of success. There is no feed composition likely to be derived from saltcake dissolution that would cause the fractional crystallization process to not meet acceptable performance requirements. However, some compositions clearly would provide more successful operation than other compositions.
Date: March 19, 2008
Creator: DL, HERTING
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oncogene mRNA Imaging with Radionuclide-PNA-Peptides (open access)

Oncogene mRNA Imaging with Radionuclide-PNA-Peptides

New cancer gene hybridization probes to carry radionuclides were made. Noninvasive technetium-99m gamma imaging of CCND1 cancer gene activity in human breast cancer tumors in mice was demonstrated, followed by noninvasive technetium-99m imaging of MYC cancer gene activity. Noninvasive imaging of CCND1 cancer gene activity in human breast cancer tumors in mice was demonstrated with a positron-emitting copper-64 probe, followed by noninvasive positron imaging of IRS1 cancer gene activity.
Date: March 19, 2008
Creator: Wickstrom, Eric
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
SURFACE GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION OF TX AND TY TANK FARMS AT THE HANFORD SITE RESULTS OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERIZATION WITH MAGNETICS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC (open access)

SURFACE GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION OF TX AND TY TANK FARMS AT THE HANFORD SITE RESULTS OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERIZATION WITH MAGNETICS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC

None
Date: March 19, 2008
Creator: DA, MYERS; D, RUCKER; M, LEBITT; B, CUBBAGE & HENDERSON
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library