A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all full-power television stations in the United States to cease analog broadcasting after February 17, 2009, known as the digital television (DTV) transition. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for implementing a subsidy program to provide households with up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converter boxes. In this requested report, GAO examines (1) what consumer education efforts have been undertaken by private and federal stakeholders and (2) how effective NTIA has been in implementing the converter box subsidy program, and to what extent consumers are participating in the program. To address these issues, GAO analyzed data from NTIA and reviewed legal, agency, and industry documents. Also, GAO interviewed a variety of stakeholders involved with the DTV transition."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The 2002 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) created the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and, among other things, assigned the commission responsibility for testing and certifying voting systems. In view of concerns about voting systems and the important role EAC plays in certifying them, GAO was asked to determine whether EAC has (1) defined an effective approach to testing and certifying voting systems, (2) followed its defined approach, and (3) developed an effective mechanism to track problems with certified systems and use the results to improve its approach. To accomplish this, GAO compared EAC guidelines and procedures with applicable statutes, guidance, and best practices, and examined the extent to which they have been implemented."

The EMSL Quarterly Highlights Report covers the science, staff and user recognition, and publication activities that occurred during the 1st quarter (October 2007 - December 2007) of Fiscal Year 2008.

The Fractional Crystallization Pilot Plant was designed and constructed to demonstrate that fractional crystallization is a viable way to separate the high-level and low-activity radioactive waste streams from retrieved Hanford single-shell tank saltcake. The focus of this report is to review the design, construction, and testing details of the fractional crystallization pilot plant not previously disseminated.

This milestone has been met. In the previous quarter (3rd quarter FY2008), the Heavy Ion Fusion Science Virtual National Laboratory (HIFS-VNL) completed the new experimental target chamber facility for future Warm Dense Matter (WDM) experiments [1]. The target chamber is operational and target experiments are now underway, using beams focused by a final focus solenoid and compressed by an improved bunching waveform. Initial experiments have demonstrated the capability of the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX) beam to heat bulk matter in target foils. The experiments have focused on tuning and characterizing the NDCX beam in the target chamber, implementing the target assembly, and implementing target diagnostics in the target chamber environment. We have completed a characterization and initial optimization of the compressed and uncompressed NDCX beam entering the target chamber. The neutralizing plasma has been significantly improved to increase the beam neutralization in the target chamber. Preliminary results from recent beam tests of a gold cone for concentrating beam energy on target are encouraging and indicate the potential to double beam intensity on target. Other advantages of the cone include the large amount of neutralizing secondary electrons expected from the grazing incidence at the cone walls, and the shielding of …

None

This report reviews the most common arguments that have been advanced in recent years for and against raising federal judicial salaries.

This report provides information about the The FDA’s Authority to Recall Products. The FDA had fielded increasing number of question regarding recalls of unsafe imports, including jalapeno peppers.

None

None

This report discusses the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171) as amended by the 2008 farm bill (P.L. 110-246), which states that many U.S. retailers must begin providing country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for fresh produce, red meats, peanuts, chicken, ginseng, pecans, and macadamia nuts.

This report provides an overview of China's economic development, challenges China faces to maintain growth, and the implications of China's rise as a major economic power for the United States.

This report first describes the current select committees on intelligence and then the former Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, often cited as a model for a counterpart on intelligence. The study also sets forth proposed characteristics for a joint committee on intelligence, differences among these, and their pros and cons. The report examines other actions and alternatives affecting congressional oversight in the field.

None

None

None

None

This report provides a side-by-side comparison of three bills and two proposals, each of which addresses oil and gas development in the outer continental shelf (OCS).

This report addresses the September 1, 2008, resignation of Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and the resulting aftermath. It also addresses the September 22 Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) election of Fukuda's successor and the widely expected winner of said election, ex-Foreign Minister Taro Aso. Japanese policymaking is likely to enter a period of disarray, which could negatively affect several items of interest to the United States. This report analyzes the factors behind and implications of Japan's current political turmoil.

None