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O(N) real-space method for ab initio quantum transport calculations: Application to carbon nanotube - metal contacts (open access)

O(N) real-space method for ab initio quantum transport calculations: Application to carbon nanotube - metal contacts

Article on O(N) real-space method for ab initio quantum transport calculations and application to carbon nanotube-metal contacts.
Date: December 10, 2001
Creator: Buongiorno Nardelli, Marco; Fattebert, Jean-luc & Bernholc, Jerry
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Farm Service Agency: Updated Status of the Multibillion-Dollar Farm Loan Portfolio (open access)

Farm Service Agency: Updated Status of the Multibillion-Dollar Farm Loan Portfolio

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Farm Service Agency (FSA) within the Department of Agriculture provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who are unable to obtain commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms. FSA provides direct government-funded loans and repayment guarantees on farm loans made by commercial lenders. During the 1990s, GAO issued a series of reports highlighting the substantial financial risk associated with FSA's farm loan programs and multibillion-dollar portfolio. GAO recently reviewed FSA's farm loan programs to determine the outstanding principal owed on direct and guaranteed farm loans at the end of fiscal year 2000 and the losses incurred by FSA on direct and guaranteed farm loans in the same year. GAO found that FSA had more than $16.6 billion in outstanding farm loans as of September 2000. Farm loan losses incurred by FSA during fiscal year 2000 totalled about $486 million. Both figures represent a significant decrease when compared to figures for earlier years."
Date: January 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Weapons of Mass Destruction: State Department Oversight of Science Centers Program (open access)

Weapons of Mass Destruction: State Department Oversight of Science Centers Program

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1994, the United States has appropriated $227 million to support two multilateral science centers in Russia and Ukraine. The science centers pay scientists who once developed nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and missile systems for the Soviet Union to conduct peaceful research. By employing scientists at the science centers, the United States seeks to reduce the risks that these scientists could be tempted to sell their expertise to terrorists. This report examines the (1) selection procedures the State Department uses to fund projects that meet program objectives and (2) monitoring procedures the State Department uses to verify that scientists are working on the peaceful research they are paid to produce. GAO found that State lacks complete information on the total number and locations of senior scientists and has not been granted access to senior scientists at critical research institutes under the Russian Ministry of Defense. GAO also found that State has designed an interagency review process to select and fund research proposals submitted by weapons scientists to the science centers in Russia and Ukraine. The overall goal is to select projects that reduce proliferation risks …
Date: May 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Status Update of the New 155mm Lightweight Howitzer (open access)

Status Update of the New 155mm Lightweight Howitzer

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO reviewed the progress of the new 155mm Lightweight Howitzer program. GAO found that since July 2000, all key program milestones have continued to slip. Only the initial fielding date for the howitzer remains unchanged. Since July 2000, the total program cost estimates have increased from $1,129.9 million to $1,250.2 million, an increase of $120.3 million. In addition, GAO found four technical problems yet to be addressed in the program: (1) cracking of the spades used to anchor the howitzer, (2) loose spade latches that create difficulties in removing the spades from the ground, (3) the spade damper--a device intended to help the spade dig into the soil to stabilize the gun--does not work properly in all soil types, and (4) the durability of the optical sight being developed for the gun. Design solutions have been identified for each of these problems, according to the Army-Marine Corps Lightweight Howitzer Joint Program Office. These design changes have not been fully incorporated and field tested to date."
Date: April 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Health Care: Adequacy of Pharmacy, Laboratory, and Radiology Workforce Supply Difficult to Determine (open access)

Health Care: Adequacy of Pharmacy, Laboratory, and Radiology Workforce Supply Difficult to Determine

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Concerns have been growing about the supply of health care workers and the future needs of an aging population. Shortages of nurses and nurse aides, the two largest categories of health care workers, are of particular concern. Although the number of pharmacists has grown during the past decade, the increasing demand for pharmacy services is outpacing the growth in supply, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Provider and professional associations have reported high vacancy rates and a decline in new entrants to the laboratory and radiologic fields. However, employment and earnings data for laboratory and radiologic technologists and technicians do not indicate a balance of supply and demand for these workers. Demographic changes, technological advances, and management decisions on how staff and technology are used will affect the future demand for health care workers."
Date: October 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Reserve Banks: Areas for Improvement in Computer Controls (open access)

Federal Reserve Banks: Areas for Improvement in Computer Controls

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As part of its audit of the U.S. government's fiscal year 2000 financial statements, GAO reviewed computer controls over key financial systems maintained and operated by the Federal Reserve Banks (FRB) on behalf of the Department of the Treasury's Financial Management Service (FMS) and the Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD). GAO identified opportunities to improve general controls related to access at two data centers; access, system software, and service continuity at a third data center; and access and system software at a fourth data center. GAO also identified opportunities to improve authorization controls over four key applications and accuracy controls over one of these key applications. FRB had corrected or mitigated the risks associated with all vulnerabilities discussed in earlier GAO reports. Although the general and application controls identified do not pose significant risks to the FMS and BPD financial systems, they warrant action to decrease the risk of inappropriate disclosure and modification of sensitive data and programs, misuse of or damage to computer resources, and disruption of critical operations."
Date: December 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rural Development: Assessment of Data Used to Support Non-Housing Direct Loan Programs Subsidy Cost Estimates (open access)

Rural Development: Assessment of Data Used to Support Non-Housing Direct Loan Programs Subsidy Cost Estimates

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Service (RDS) long-standing problems with estimating the cost of its credit programs in accordance with the Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 and federal accounting standards continues to be a major factor in preventing Agriculture from achieving an unqualified opinion on its consolidated financial statements. This correspondence focuses on RDS's efforts to improve its credit program cost estimates for its major non-housing direct loan programs. Reliable data is essential if RDS is to prepare reasonable subsidy cost estimates. GAO found that the data in RDS's three loan accounting systems that are used to calculate key cash flow assumptions for the major non-housing direct loan programs are generally accurate. The assumptions that RDS has determined to be key for calculating the subsidy cost estimates for these programs are the average borrower interest rate and average loan term. For this program, RDS staff identified the average borrower interest rate as the key cash flow assumption."
Date: April 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Welfare Reform: Challenges in Maintaining a Federal-State Fiscal Partnership (open access)

Welfare Reform: Challenges in Maintaining a Federal-State Fiscal Partnership

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant represents an opportunity to re-examine the fiscal balance between the federal government and the states in providing services to needy families. Since the enactment of federal welfare reform, there has been much discussion of the fiscal implications of these sweeping changes in national welfare policy. A particularly contentious issue has been the extent to which states have replaced, rather than supplemented, their own spending with federal TANF dollars, thereby freeing up state funds for other budget priorities. This report reviews (1) the degree to which states have used the flexibility afforded in the federal TANF grant to supplant, rather than supplement, state spending for low-income families; (2) the changes that have occurred in the states' use of different funding sources (including their TANF funds) on programs that help the poor; (3) the effects of state funding choices on the amounts of TANF funds the states have left unspent at the U.S. Treasury; and (4) the measures states are taking to save a portion of the TANF grant or set aside their funds for a …
Date: August 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Foreign Affairs: Changes to Germany's Implementation of the Hague Child Abduction Convention (open access)

Foreign Affairs: Changes to Germany's Implementation of the Hague Child Abduction Convention

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "During the last several years, the United States has criticized Germany's handling of international parental child abduction cases that have been filed by U.S. parents. Both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. government have criticized Germany for not fully and consistently following the criteria and procedures established under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, which governs such cases. The primary criticisms include the inappropriate use by German courts of certain provisions of the Hague Convention to justify retaining abducted children in Germany, the length of time it has taken to adjudicate cases, and the failure to enforce left-behind parents' visitation rights. GAO examined the actions that Germany has taken or plans to take to reform its handling of international parental child abduction cases and how these actions may affect U.S. cases. GAO found that German authorities have pledged their commitment to take steps to improve the handling of Hague Convention cases and Germany has taken action to address two of the three primary criticisms. Germany has established a task force to monitor German reforms and active cases, initiated …
Date: April 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Best Practices: DOD Teaming Practices Not Achieving Potential Results (open access)

Best Practices: DOD Teaming Practices Not Achieving Potential Results

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO examined how best practices could help the Department of Defense (DOD) maximize the benefits of integrated product teams in its development of weapon systems. GAO conducted eight case studies--three from leading commercial firms; four from DOD programs experiencing cost, schedule, and performance problems; and one from a DOD program that has been meeting its objectives. GAO found that effective integrated product teams can make significant development decisions quickly and without relying on heavy consultations with organizations outside of the team. These teams have developed and delivered superior products within predicted time frames and budgets--often cutting calendar time in half compared with earlier products delivered without such teams. Officials from the more successful programs GAO reviewed--three commercial and one from DOD--all cited integrated product teams as a main factor in achieving such results. GAO found that the teams did not operate as effectively in the four DOD programs that were not meeting cost and schedule objectives. Their decision-making processes were sequential and involved many outside consultations for information and approval."
Date: April 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Chemical and Biological Defense: Improved Risk Assessment and Inventory Management Are Needed (open access)

Chemical and Biological Defense: Improved Risk Assessment and Inventory Management Are Needed

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) believes it is increasingly likely that an adversary will use chemical or biological weapons against U.S. forces to degrade superior U.S. conventional warfare capabilities, placing servicemembers' lives and effective military operations at risk. To reduce the effects of such an attack on military personnel, DOD has determined the quantity of chemical and biological protective suits, masks, breathing filters, gloves, boots, and hoods that are needed based on projected wartime requirements. DOD's assessment process is unreliable for determining the risk to military operations. DOD's 2000 report is inaccurate because it includes erroneous inventory data and wartime requirements. Inadequate inventory management is an additional risk factor because readiness can be compromised by DOD's inventory management practices, which prevent an accurate accounting of the availability or adequacy of its protective equipment."
Date: September 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Health Products for Seniors: Potential Harm From 'Anti-Aging' Products (open access)

Health Products for Seniors: Potential Harm From 'Anti-Aging' Products

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Dietary supplements marketed as anti-aging therapies may pose a potential for physical harm to senior citizens. Evidence from the medical literature shows that a variety of frequently used dietary supplements can have serious health consequences for seniors. Particularly risky are products that may be used by seniors who have underlying diseases or health conditions that make the use of the product medically inadvisable or supplements that interact with medications that are being taken concurrently. Studies have also found that these products sometimes contain harmful contaminants or much more of an active ingredient than is indicated on the label. Although GAO was unable to find any recent, reliable estimates of the overall economic harm to seniors from these products, it did uncover several examples that illustrate the risk of economic harm. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have identified several products that make advertising or labeling claims with insufficient substantiation, some costing consumers hundreds or thousands of dollars apiece. The potential for harm to senior citizens from health products making questionable claims has been a concern for public health and law enforcement officials. …
Date: September 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Social Security: Issues in Evaluating Reform Proposals (open access)

Social Security: Issues in Evaluating Reform Proposals

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the long-term viability of the Social Security program. Social Security's Trust Funds will not be exhausted until 2038, but the trustees now project that the program's cash demands on the rest of the federal government will begin much sooner. Aiming for sustainable solvency would increase the chance that future policymakers would not have to face these difficult questions on a recurring basis. GAO has developed the following criteria for evaluating Social Security reform proposals: financing sustainable solvency, balancing adequacy and equity, and implementing and administering reforms. These criteria seek to balance financial and economic considerations with benefit adequacy and equity issues and the administrative challenges associated with various proposals. GAO's recent report on Social Security and income adequacy (GAO-02-62) makes three key points. First, no single measure of adequacy provides a complete picture; each measure reflects a different outlook on what adequacy means. Second, given the projected long-term financial shortfall of the program, it is important to compare proposals to both benefits at currently promised levels and benefits funded at current tax levels. Third, various approaches to benefit reductions would have differing effects on adequacy."
Date: December 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996: Agencies Face Challenges Implementing Certain Key Provisions (open access)

Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996: Agencies Face Challenges Implementing Certain Key Provisions

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "It is essential that the government not only make and guarantee creditworthy loans but also collect the amounts owed. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 was intended to maximize collection of billions of dollars of non-tax delinquent debt owed to the government by requiring agencies to notify the Department of Treasury of debts delinquent more than 180 days for purposes of administrative offset. The act also requires agencies to refer such debts to Treasury for centralized collection action known as cross-servicing. The act authorizes agencies to garnish the wages of delinquent debtors and bars delinquent debtors from receiving federal financial assistance in the form of loans, loan insurance, or loan guarantees until they resolve their delinquencies. This report discusses selected agencies and focuses on (1) difficulties they experienced in identifying and referring eligible debts to Treasury's Financial Management Service or a Treasury designated debt collection center, (2) obstacles to prompt referral of eligible debts, and (3) whether exclusions from referral requirements were consistent with established criteria."
Date: October 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bioterrorism: Review of Public Health Preparedness Programs (open access)

Bioterrorism: Review of Public Health Preparedness Programs

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Federal research and preparedness activities related to bioterrorism center on detecting of such agents; developing new or improved vaccines, antibiotics, and antivirals; and developing performance standards for emergency response equipment. Preparedness activities include: (1) increasing federal, state, and local response capabilities; (2) developing response teams; (3) increasing the availability of medical treatments; (4) participating in and sponsoring exercises; (5) aiding victims; and (6) providing support at special events, such as presidential inaugurations and Olympic games. To coordinate their activities, federal agencies are developing interagency response plans, participating in various interagency work groups, and entering into formal agreements with each other to share resources and capabilities. However, GAO found that coordination of federal terrorism research, preparedness, and response programs is fragmented, raising concerns about the ability of states and localities to respond to a bioterrorist attack. These concerns include poor state and local planning and the lack of hospital participation in training on terrorism and emergency response planning. This report summarized a September 2001 report (GAO-01-915)."
Date: October 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid and SCHIP: States' Enrollment and Payment Policies Can Affect Children's Access to Care (open access)

Medicaid and SCHIP: States' Enrollment and Payment Policies Can Affect Children's Access to Care

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "States provide health care coverage to low-income uninsured children largely through two federal-state programs--Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Medicaid was established in 1965 to provide health care coverage to low-income adults and children. Medicaid expenditures for health services to 22.3 million children totaled $32.4 billion in 1998. Congress established SCHIP in 1997 to provide health care coverage to children living in poor families whose incomes exceed the eligibility requirements for Medicaid. SCHIP expenditures for health services to nearly 2 million children totaled $2 billion in 1999. In implementing SCHIP, states could opt to expand their Medicaid programs or establish a separate child health program distinct from Medicaid that uses specified public or private insurance plans offering a minimum benefit package. Thirty-five states have chosen SCHIP approaches that are, to varying degrees, separate from their Medicaid programs. Because eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP can vary with a child's age, children may, at different ages, need to move from one program to the other. Access to care, therefore, is affected by the extent to which health plans and providers are available and participate in …
Date: September 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Anti-Money Laundering: Efforts in the Securities Industry (open access)

Anti-Money Laundering: Efforts in the Securities Industry

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To disguise illegally obtained funds, money launderers have traditionally targeted banks, which accept cash and arrange domestic and international fund transfers. However, criminals seeking to hide illicit funds may also be targeting the U.S. securities markets. Although few documented cases exist of broker-dealer or mutual fund accounts being used to launder money, law enforcement agencies are concerned that criminals may increasingly try to use the securities industry for that purpose. Most broker-dealers or firms that process customer payments for mutual funds are subject to U.S. anti-money laundering requirements. However, unlike banks, most of these firms are not required to report suspicious activities. The Treasury Department is now developing a rule requiring broker-dealers to report suspicious activities. Treasury expects that the rule will be issued for public comment by the end of this year. Various intergovernmental groups, such as the Financial Action Task Force, have been working on recommendations that call for member nations to take various steps to combat money laundering through their financial institutions, including requiring securities firms to report suspicious activities. Although many members countries report that they have issued all or many of …
Date: October 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Inventory: Army War Reserve Spare Parts Requirements Are Uncertain (open access)

Defense Inventory: Army War Reserve Spare Parts Requirements Are Uncertain

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "According to the current National Military Strategy the United States should be prepared to fight and win two nearly simultaneous wars in different parts of the world. Military policy calls for each of the services to acquire and maintain enough war material inventories to sustain a two-war scenario until the industrial base can resupply our armed forces. Because of limitations in the Army's process for determining war reserve spare parts requirements, however, the accuracy of the war reserve spare parts requirements and funding needs are uncertain. These limitations include (1) not using the best available data on the rate at which spare parts would be consumed during wartime for its war reserve spare parts requirements calculations, (2) having a potential mismatch between the Army's process for determining spare parts requirements for war reserves and how the Army plans to repair equipment on the battlefield, and (3) lacking a fact-based assessment of industrial base capacity to provide needed parts for the two-war scenario. Uncertainties are likely to persist for some time as the Army contemplates a significant transformation of its forces and other changes are considered affecting …
Date: May 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Health Care: Continued Management Focus Key to Settling TRICARE Change Orders Quickly (open access)

Defense Health Care: Continued Management Focus Key to Settling TRICARE Change Orders Quickly

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Under TRICARE, the Department of Defense's (DOD) managed care program, military-operated hospitals and clinics are supplemented by contracted civilian services. Since the inception of TRICARE, DOD has made many changes to these contracts via contract change orders. Since July 1997, when GAO reported that DOD was trying to improve its change order process, the backlog of change orders has continued to grow. This report evaluates (1) the status of the change order backlog and how DOD addressed it, (2) factors that contributed to the growth of the backlog, and (3) DOD's new initiative to improve the change order process. GAO found that as of June, 2000, the number of change orders issued had almost tripled, while the number of unsettled change orders had more than doubled since July 1997. Despite recommendations to devote high-level attention to managing improvements to the change order process, this was not done. Until recently, none of TRICARE Management Activity's (TMA) many initiatives significantly improved the process or reduced the backlog. The current small backlog is the result of recent concerted effort, not better management over time. TMA's new Change Management Process …
Date: April 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nursing Workforce: Emerging Nurse Shortages Due to Multiple Factors (open access)

Nursing Workforce: Emerging Nurse Shortages Due to Multiple Factors

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's hospitals and nursing homes rely heavily on the services of nurses. Concerns have been raised about whether the current and projected supply of nurses will meet the nation's needs. This report reviews (1) whether evidence of a nursing shortage exists, (2) the reasons for current nurse recruitment and retention problems, and (3) what is known about the projected future supply of and demand for nurses. GAO found that national data are not adequate to describe the nature and extent of nurse workforce shortages, nor are data sufficiently sensitive or current to compare nurse workforce availability across states, specialties, or provider types. Multiple factors affect recruitment and retention problems, including the aging of the nurse workforce fewer younger people are entering the profession. A serious shortage of nurses is expected in the future as demographic pressures influence both demand and supply."
Date: July 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Pensions: Issues of Coverage and Increasing Contribution Limits for Defined Contribution Plans (open access)

Private Pensions: Issues of Coverage and Increasing Contribution Limits for Defined Contribution Plans

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Proposals to expand pension coverage and promote pension savings have recently received much attention. In the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, for example, Congress raised statutory limits on tax-deferred pension contributions and benefits and made other changes to the law governing qualified pension plans. Some believe that increasing these limits will encourage employers to start new plans and improve existing plan coverage, especially for employees of small businesses. Others contend that these measures will primarily benefit higher-paid individuals and may not improve pension coverage for low-or moderate-income workers. Forty-seven percent of all workers participated in a pension plan, and 36 percent of all workers participated in a defined contribution (DC) plan. Most pension plan participants had low or moderate earnings (less than $40,000 per year) and were men. About eight percent of all DC participants, or 3.1 million people, were likely direct beneficiaries of a simultaneous increase in all the statutory contribution limits GAO analyzed. Higher earners were more likely than low and moderate earners, and men were more likely than women, to benefit directly from such an increase; this was also …
Date: September 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.N. Peacekeeping: Executive Branch Consultations With Congress Did Not Fully Meet Expectations in 1999-2000 (open access)

U.N. Peacekeeping: Executive Branch Consultations With Congress Did Not Fully Meet Expectations in 1999-2000

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Presidential Decision Directive 25 states that U.S. involvement in international peacekeeping operations must be selective and effective. Toward this end, the directive established guidance that U.S. officials must consider before deciding whether to support proposed operations, including whether the operations advanced U.S. interests, had realistic criteria for ending the operations, and had appropriate forces and financing to accomplish their missions. The directive established these factors as an aid for executive decision-making and not as criteria for supporting particular operations. Executive branch officials thoroughly considered all Presidential Decision Directive 25 factors before deciding to support the authorization or expansion of peacekeeping operations in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time the decisions were made, executive branch assessments identified at least one Directive 25 shortfall in all of the proposed operations and several shortfalls in six of them. Executive branch officials nonetheless decided to support the operations because they believed that these shortfalls were outweighed by the presence of other Directive 25 factors and various other factors, including U.S. interests in the region. Executive branch officials provided Congress with considerable information …
Date: September 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Alternative Motor Fuels and Vehicles: Impact on the Transportation Sector (open access)

Alternative Motor Fuels and Vehicles: Impact on the Transportation Sector

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The transportation sector accounts for roughly two thirds of the nation's petroleum consumption and one quarter of the total U.S. energy use. Several steps have been taken during the last 25 years either to reduce petroleum consumption or to increase fuel diversity in the transportation sector, including tax incentives, mandates for alternative fuel vehicles, and laws to promote automobile fuel efficiency. This testimony discusses the extent of alternative fuel vehicle acquisition and fuel use, some of the barriers inhibiting greater use of alternative fuels and vehicles, and the federal tax incentives used to promote the use of alternative motor fuels and vehicles. So far, alternative fuels and vehicles have not made much of a dent in the conventional fuel and vehicle dominance of the U.S. vehicle fleet, primarily because of fundamental economic obstacles, such as the relatively low price of oil, insufficient availability of alternative fuel refueling infrastructure, and the relatively high cost of some alternative fuel vehicles. As GAO reported in February 2000 (RCED-00-59), any significant increase in the use of alternative motor fuels and vehicles by the general public will depend on the following two factors: …
Date: July 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commercial Fisheries: Effectiveness of Fishing Buyback Programs Can Be Improved (open access)

Commercial Fisheries: Effectiveness of Fishing Buyback Programs Can Be Improved

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Fish populations in many commercial fisheries are declining, causing a growing imbalance between the number of vessels in fishing fleets and the number of fish available to catch. Federally funded fishery buyback programs are one tool available for managers to bring the number of vessels and the number of fish back into balance. Buyback programs need to be carefully designed if they are to sucessfully sustain fisheries. If buyback programs are not accompanied by other measures that reduce incentives to reenter a fishery, capacity reductions resulting from buybacks will erode. Unless a buyback program prevents it, fishermen can use previously inactive vessels or permits and reenter the buyback fishery. By themselves, the buyback programs do not address a root cause of overfishing, which is called the "race to fish." In most fisheries, fishermen have an incentive to increase their fishing capacity to catch fish before someone else does or use their existing capacity more intensely. Plans for evaluating the results of buybacks should also be considered when these programs are being designed. Measuring and evaluating results can identify important lessons that can improve the effectiveness of future buybacks. …
Date: May 10, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library