Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Title IV-B of the Social Security Act, comprised of two subparts, is the primary source of federal funding for services to help families address problems that lead to child abuse and neglect and to prevent the unnecessary separation of children from their families; however, a number of challenges exist that impair states' ability to deliver and track these services. This testimony is based on findings from three reports issued in 2003 and addresses the following: (1) states' use of Title IV-B funds in providing a wide array of services to prevent the occurrence of abuse, neglect, and unnecessary foster care placements, as well as in providing other child welfare services; (2) factors that hinder states' ability to protect children from abuse and neglect; and (3) the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) role in helping states to overcome these challenges. Findings are based on multiple methodologies, including a survey to child welfare directors on states' use of Title IV-B funds; an analysis of nearly 600 exit interview documents completed by staff who severed their employment from 17 state, 40 county, and 19 private child welfare agencies; and …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In light of the recent mobilizations associated with the war on terrorism, GAO was asked to determine if controls used to pay mobilized Army Guard personnel provided assurance that such pays were accurate and timely. This testimony focuses on the pay experiences of Army Guard soldiers at selected case study units and deficiencies with respect to controls over processes, human capital, and automated systems."

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an interview with Peter Hammersen. Hammersen was born at the end of WWI and grew up in California. While going to school for premed in Pasadena, Hammersen joined the California Army National Guard and became a charter member of Company A, 115th Medical Regiment. He worked as a surgical technician in various hospitals until he was assigned to the 48th Station Hospital at Vila, Efate, and later to Henderson Field at Guadalcanal and finally to the 37th Portable Surgical Hospital in New Guinea. Hammersen shares a number of anecdotal stories.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; The status of subdivison roads dedicated for public use in a county with fewer than 50,000 people where the commissioners court approved the subdivision plat for filing but did not accept the roads for county maintenance (RQ-0087-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Execution of tax warrants and property seizure and sale under chapter 33, Tax Code (RQ-0089-GA)

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Both the Presidential Commission on the U.S. Postal Service and GAO's past work have reported that universal postal service is at risk and that reform is needed to minimize the risk of a significant taxpayer bailout or dramatic postal rate increases. GAO has testified that Congress should enact comprehensive postal reform legislation that would clarify the Postal Service's (the Service) mission and role; enhance governance, transparency, and accountability; improve regulation of postal rates and oversight; help to ensure the rationalization of the Service's infrastructure and workforce; and make needed human capital reforms. The administration has also supported postal reform, outlining guiding principles intended to ensure that the Service: implements best practices with a governing body equipped to meet its responsibilities; enhances transparency of timely and accurate data on postal costs and performance; provides greater flexibility for the Service to meet its customer obligations; ensures accountability through appropriate independent oversight; and keeps the Service financially selfsufficient, covering all of its obligations. GAO was asked to discuss comprehensive postal reform in light of these principles. This testimony is largely based on prior GAO reports and testimonies."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is likely to see a significant increase in long-term care need over the next decade. The number of veterans most in need of longterm care services--those 85 years old and older--is expected to increase from about 870,000 to 1.3 million over this period. Many of these veterans will rely on VA to provide or pay for nursing home care or noninstitutional services that may help them remain at home and, for some, delay or prevent the need for nursing home care. VA operates its own nursing home care units in 132 locations. VA also pays for nursing home care under contract in non-VA nursing homes--referred to as community nursing homes. In addition, VA pays part of the cost of care for veterans at state veterans' nursing homes and also pays a portion of the construction costs for some state veterans' nursing homes. Congress has expressed concerns about recent trends in VA long-term care service delivery and how VA plans to meet the nursing home care needs and related longterm care needs of veterans as the elderly population most in need of long-term …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Chester Reese. Reese joined the Army in 1936. He was assigned to the First Infantry Regiment in Wyoming. In 1939, Reese did not re-enlist in the Army, but joined the Marine Corps instead. After basic training, Reese was sent to Hawaii, where he was when the Japanese attacked. He unlimbered his machine gun, set it up and defended Hickam Field. Reese served as an enlisted man on the subsequent Board of Inquiry into the attack at Pearl Harbor. His job was to sort out people who wanted to testify to the Board. Later in 1942, Reese was attached to the 6th Marine Regiment and headed for New Zealand, then Guadalcanal. Reese received a battlefield commission on Guadalcanal. After leaving the Solomons, Reese returned to the US for training. In early 1945, he went to the Mariana Islands and cleared out Japanese outpost on some of the outlying islands: Sarigan, Anatahan, and Maug.

Document containing lists of members inducted and awards given at the Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) awards banquet on March 28, 3004.

News release about DART's construction contract for two light rail extension projects.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Advances in technology have led to more organizations making information available over the Internet and the World Wide Web rather than through print, significantly changing the nature of printing and information dissemination. Government Printing Office (GPO) management recognizes that the new environment in which it operates requires that the agency modernize and transform itself and the way it does business. To assist in this transformation, GAO has been performing a comprehensive review of government printing and information dissemination and of GPO's operations. In this testimony, GAO summarizes the result of its work to date, for which GAO convened a panel of experts on printing and dissemination (assembled with the help of the National Academy of Sciences) to develop options for GPO to consider in its transformation, and surveyed executive branch customers regarding their practices and preferences for printing and dissemination, as well as on their interactions with GPO. The testimony reports on how changes in the technological environment are presenting challenges to GPO and on its progress in addressing actions that GAO's work indicates could advance its transformation effort."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Medicare spending for power wheelchairs, one of the program's most expensive items of durable medical equipment (DME), rose 450 percent from 1999 through 2003, while overall Medicare spending rose by about 11 percent for the same period, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This spending growth has raised concerns that Medicare made improper payments and has payment rates that are out of line with market prices. In May 2003, the Department of Justice indicted power wheelchair suppliers in Texas alleged to have fraudulently billed Medicare. The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) contains provisions regarding DME, such as changing payment setting methods. GAO was asked to examine (1) steps taken by CMS and its contractors to identify and respond to improper payments for power wheelchairs and (2) how MMA will affect CMS's ability to set payment rates for DME. To examine these issues, GAO analyzed claims data reports for CMS's four DME regions, reviewed applicable legislation, regulations, and CMS and contractor documents, and interviewed CMS and contractor officials, DME suppliers and manufacturers, DME industry representatives, and beneficiary advocacy groups. GAO …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with James W. Fisher. Fisher was born in Witt County, Virginia. On 7 February 1939 he joined the Navy and underwent boot camp at Norfolk, Virginia. He was then sent to San Diego where he was assigned to the USS Shaw (DD-373) as a deck hand. After a period of time he transferred to the USS Whitney (AD-4) for on the job training as a torpedo man. Upon completion of his training he was reassigned to the Shaw and sailed to Samoa. Upon the ship’s return to the United States in 1941, Fisher was placed in a hospital while the Shaw returned to Pearl Harbor. Fisher returned to Pearl Harbor aboard a tanker on 8 December and saw the destruction caused by the Japanese attack. On 14 December 1941 he was assigned to the USS Maury (DD-401) as a torpedo man. He was involved in the invasion of Guadalcanal, Tulagi and Iwo Jima as well as night surface action with Japanese ships. He recalls the ship being involved in rescuing survivors of the USS Honolulu after it was torpedoed. Fisher was discharged from the US Navy soon after World …

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with John Olcott. Olcott joined the Navy in the spring of 1941. After training, he was assigned to USS Maury (DD-401) at Pearl Harbor. Olcott was at torpedo school at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. When Maury returned to port, Olcott went back aboard and was on the ship when it bombarded Wake Island and went to the Solomon Islands. Olcott stayed on Maury through 1944 and went back to torpedo school. Then, he was sent to a post office in New Guinea for a few months before going to the submarine base at Subic Bay. He was there when the war ended.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Richard Grimm. Grimm joined the Navy in November 1941. He was sent to USS Maury (DD-401) and served as a signalman and anti-aircraft gunner. Grimm describes seeing Pearl Harbor soon after the attack and participating in the Battle of Coral Sea. He also mentions the signal that he was ordered to fly at the beginning of the Battle of Midway. Grimm describes seeing the USS Porter (DD-356) get hit at Santa Cruz and then taking part in the naval battles in the Solomon Islands where he helped recover casualties from the USS New Orleans (CA-32) and rescue crewman from the USS Helena (CL-50). He goes into detail on a close-call at the Battle of Kolombangara. At Vella Lavella, Grimm spotted the approaching Japanese fleet and describes how his ship launched torpedoes that sank three ships. He also discusses seeing the USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) get hit by a torpedo that passed under the Maury. Grimm also took part in the landings at Leyte and Lingayen Gulf where the USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) was damaged by a near miss from a kamikaze. He was in New York at the …

Interview with Wilburn Snyder, a POW of the Japanese in the Philippines. He answers questions about his time in the military and as a POW in the Philippines.

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "From 1994 to 2003, the use of government purchase cards increased from $1 billion to $16 billion. During this time, agencies primarily focused on ways to increase the use of purchase cards. Beginning in 2001, GAO testified and reported that significant weaknesses in internal controls made agencies vulnerable to fraud, waste, and abuse, and inefficient purchasing actions. In response to increased use of purchase cards and serious control weaknesses in the purchase card program, GAO was asked to summarize the growth of the purchase card program, the control weaknesses that led to fraud and misuse of the cards, actions taken to tighten controls and discipline cardholders, and agency actions to leverage the government's buying power when using the purchase card."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides federal disaster assistance to help those in need respond to, prepare for, and recover from disasters. As the costs for disaster assistance have risen, FEMA has made disaster mitigation a primary goal in its efforts to reduce the long-term cost of disasters and minimize risk to property and individuals from natural or man-made hazards. Previous FEMA mitigation grant programs were formula-based and provided funds both prior to and after a disaster occurred. Fiscal Year 2003, marks the first-time FEMA has implemented a grant program that awards funds for mitigation activities on a competitive basis. This report presents information on (1) FEMA's processes and criteria for awarding planning and competitive pre-disaster mitigation grants to states and localities, and (2) the status of FEMA's efforts to implement the Fiscal Year 2003 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, insurance coverage for terrorism largely disappeared. Congress passed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) in 2002 to help commercial property-casualty policyholders obtain terrorism insurance and give the insurance industry time to develop mechanisms to provide such insurance after the act expires on December 31, 2005. Under TRIA, the Department of Treasury (Treasury) caps insurer liability and would process claims and reimburse insurers for a large share of losses from terrorist acts that Treasury certified as meeting certain criteria. As Treasury and industry participants have operated under TRIA for more than a year, GAO was asked to describe how TRIA affected the terrorism insurance market."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Oil for Food program was established by the United Nations and Iraq in 1996 to address concerns about the humanitarian situation after international sanctions were imposed in 1990. The program allowed the Iraqi government to use the proceeds of its oil sales to pay for food, medicine, and infrastructure maintenance. The program appears to have helped the Iraqi people. From 1996 through 2001, the average daily food intake increased from 1,300 to 2,300 calories. From 1997 to 2002, Iraq sold more than $67 billion of oil through the program and issued $38 billion in letters of credit to purchase commodities. However, over the years numerous allegations have surfaced concerning potential fraud and program mismanagement. GAO (1) reports on its estimates of the illegal revenue acquired by the former Iraqi regime in violation of U.N. sanctions, (2) provides observations on program administration; (3) describes the challenges facing the CPA and the Iraqi government in administering remaining contracts, and (4) discusses potential issues for further investigation."

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In connection with fulfilling our requirement to audit the financial statements of the U.S. government, we audited and reported on the Schedules of Federal Debt Managed by the Bureau of the Public Debt (BPD) for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2003 and 2002. As part of these audits, we performed a review of the general and application computer controls over key BPD financial systems."

Document nominating Tim McMullen-Sullivan for the Extra Mile Awards, which recognized outstanding people in the Dallas LGBT community.

The National Museum of the Pacific War presents an oral interview with Howard M. Heisler. Born in 1926, he ran away from home and joined the Army in 1942. He was underage and used an assumed name. He was assigned to a reconnaissance group in the 1st Cavalry Division and sent to Australia in the spring of 1943. He participated in the invasion of the Admiralty Islands, Leyte, and Luzon. He was injured by a mortar shell when his platoon was guarding a bridge outside of Manila. He was evacuated to a hospital ship and received further treatment at a general hospital in New Guinea. He rejoined his unit in Luzon where they were training for the invasion of Japan. They were sent to Tokyo after the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, but before the Japanese surrendered. He describes the city of Tokyo. He shares an anecdote about his parents learning of his whereabouts as the result of his being wounded. He was discharged under his real name in 1946.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In a May 18, 2004 letter, the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security observed that many management and integration challenges remain at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and to strengthen the departmentwide reforms and transformation underway at DHS the Select Committee is considering options such as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) concept to help address these challenges. This letter describes the roles and responsibilities of an effective COO and presents certain options that could serve to strengthen and streamline management functions in a department as large and diverse as DHS. As agreed, we have summarized our reports on the COO concept, organizational transformation, as well as DHS's management and transformation challenges."