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Safe Routes to School: Progress in Implementing the Program, but a Comprehensive Plan to Evaluate Program Outcomes Is Needed (open access)

Safe Routes to School: Progress in Implementing the Program, but a Comprehensive Plan to Evaluate Program Outcomes Is Needed

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In August 2005, Congress established the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program primarily to encourage children to walk and bicycle to school. GAO was asked to determine (1) the steps the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and states have taken to implement the program, (2) the extent to which FHWA and states have evaluated the results of the program, and (3) how the program is related to other surface transportation programs and some considerations for future reauthorization. GAO reviewed statutes, regulations, and guidance; analyzed program obligation data and funds awarded by states; and interviewed officials with FHWA, state departments of transportation, and local grant recipients."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: Agencies Need to Establish Comprehensive Policies to Address Changes to Projects' Cost, Schedule, and Performance Goals (open access)

Information Technology: Agencies Need to Establish Comprehensive Policies to Address Changes to Projects' Cost, Schedule, and Performance Goals

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government plans to spend about $70 billion on information technology (IT) projects during fiscal year 2008. Consequently, it is important that projects be managed effectively to ensure that public resources are wisely invested. At times, a project's cost, schedule, and performance goals--known as its baseline--are modified to reflect changed development circumstances. These changes--called a rebaselining--can be done for valid reasons, but can also be used to mask cost overruns and schedule delays. GAO was asked to (1) determine the extent of and the primary reasons for IT project rebaselining and (2) determine whether federal agencies have sound policies for rebaselining projects. To do this, GAO surveyed the managers of a random sample of 180 projects selected from the 778 major IT projects the 24 major agencies plan to invest in during fiscal year 2008. GAO also compared agencies' rebaselining policies to best practices."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations on DOD's and the Coast Guard's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs (open access)

Military Personnel: Preliminary Observations on DOD's and the Coast Guard's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2004, Congress directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a comprehensive policy to prevent and respond to sexual assaults involving servicemembers. Though not required to do so, the Coast Guard has established a similar program. This statement addresses the extent to which DOD and the Coast Guard (1) have developed and implemented policies and programs to prevent, respond to, and resolve sexual assault incidents involving servicemembers; (2) have visibility over reports of sexual assault; and (3) exercise oversight over reports of sexual assault. This statement draws on GAO's preliminary observations from an ongoing engagement examining DOD's and the Coast Guard's programs to prevent and respond to sexual assault. In conducting its ongoing work GAO reviewed legislative requirements and DOD and Coast Guard guidance, analyzed sexual assault incident data, and obtained through surveys and interviews the perspective on sexual assault matters of more than 3,900 servicemembers stationed in the United States and overseas. The results of GAO's survey and interviews provide insight into the implementation of the programs but are nongeneralizable. GAO expects to issue its final report in August 2008 and to make a number of …
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nanotechnology: Better Guidance Is Needed to Ensure Accurate Reporting of Federal Research Focused on Environmental, Health, and Safety Risks (open access)

Nanotechnology: Better Guidance Is Needed to Ensure Accurate Reporting of Federal Research Focused on Environmental, Health, and Safety Risks

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), administered by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), is a multiagency effort intended to coordinate the nanotechnology-related activities of 25 federal agencies that fund nanoscale research or have a stake in the results. Nanotechnology is the ability to control matter at the scale of a nanometer--one billionth of a meter. A key research area funded by some federal agencies relates to potential environmental, health, and safety (EHS) risks that may result from exposure to nanoscale materials. Because of concerns about federal efforts to fund and prioritize EHS research, GAO was asked to determine (1) the extent to which selected agencies conducted such research in fiscal year 2006; (2) the reasonableness of the agencies' and the NNI's processes to identify and prioritize such federal research; and (3) the effectiveness of the agencies' and the NNI's process to coordinate this research. GAO reviewed quantitative and qualitative data from five federal agencies that provided 96 percent of fiscal year 2006 funding for EHS research."
Date: March 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Program Emblematic of Challenges Facing Navy Shipbuilding (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Program Emblematic of Challenges Facing Navy Shipbuilding

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Navy is about to begin construction of the first Zumwalt-class destroyer (DDG 1000) amid considerable uncertainties and a high likelihood of cost and schedule growth. Significant cost growth and schedule delays are persistent problems that continue to compromise the Navy's shipbuilding goals. This testimony focuses on (1) the challenges faced by the DDG 1000 program and (2) the strain such challenges portend for long term shipbuilding plans."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Understanding Similarities and Differences between Accrual and Cash Deficits: Update for Fiscal Year 2007, an E-supplement to GAO-07-117SP (open access)

Understanding Similarities and Differences between Accrual and Cash Deficits: Update for Fiscal Year 2007, an E-supplement to GAO-07-117SP

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The unified budget deficit--sometimes called the "cash deficit"--and the net operating cost-- sometimes called the "accrual deficit"--are two key measures of the government's annual fiscal position. The cash deficit provides information on the government's current cash flow and borrowing needs. The accrual deficit provides information on the current cost of government-- the amount of resources used to produce goods or deliver services during the fiscal year-- regardless of when cash is used."
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Highlights of a Forum Convened by the Comptroller General of the United States: Enhancing U.S. Partnerships in Countering Transnational Terrorism (open access)

Highlights of a Forum Convened by the Comptroller General of the United States: Enhancing U.S. Partnerships in Countering Transnational Terrorism

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States and the international community have stressed that a coordinated response is required to address the global threat from transnational terrorism. Multilateral engagements provide opportunities to foster relationships with traditional and nontraditional partner countries. Partnerships also can raise common awareness of the threat and build the trust necessary to share information that could prevent and detect terrorist acts. GAO convened a forum on April 22, 2008, to advance the dialogue on how partnerships can mitigate the conditions that foster transnational terrorism and to identify potential strategies for overcoming challenges faced in engaging in such partnerships. Participants included representatives from U.S. government agencies, foreign embassies, nongovernmental and multilateral organizations, policy institutes, the private sector, and academia. The forum focused on (1) the partnership efforts and key practices of the U.S. government and its partners, (2) challenges to these efforts and practices, and (3) strategies to overcome the challenges. Comments expressed during the proceedings do not necessarily represent the views of all participants, the organizations they represent, or GAO. Participants reviewed a draft of this summary, and their comments were incorporated, as appropriate."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Office of Personnel Management: Improvements Needed to Ensure Successful Retirement Systems Modernization (open access)

Office of Personnel Management: Improvements Needed to Ensure Successful Retirement Systems Modernization

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Through its Retirement Systems Modernization (RSM) program, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is modernizing the paper intensive processes and antiquated information systems it uses to support the retirement of civilian federal employees. RSM is intended to deploy new or modified systems beginning in February 2008 to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency's retirement program. GAO was asked to (1) determine whether OPM is effectively managing the RSM program to ensure that system components perform as intended and (2) evaluate the risks, cost, and progress of the RSM program. To meet these objectives, GAO analyzed program documentation against relevant plans, policies, and practices."
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Drug-Free Communities Support Program: Stronger Internal Controls and Other Actions Needed to Better Manage the Grant-Making Process (open access)

Drug-Free Communities Support Program: Stronger Internal Controls and Other Actions Needed to Better Manage the Grant-Making Process

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Twenty-five percent of American students ages 13-17 reported using illicit drugs in 2007. The Drug-Free Communities Support Program provides grants to community coalitions involved in reducing youth substance abuse. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) administers the program. ONDCP selected the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to operate the grant program in fiscal year 2005. In 2005, ONDCP did not award grants to some coalitions who had previously received grant funds (renewal grantees). GAO was asked to assess (1) the extent to which ONDCP and SAMHSA administered grant-related activities for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 consistent with federal internal control standards, statutory requirements, and other guidance and (2) the steps ONDCP has taken since 2006 regarding its administration of grant-related activities. GAO analyzed and compared program documents and grant activities to established guidance, such as federal internal control standards and statutory requirements, and interviewed key program management officials."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
2010 Census: Census Bureau's Decision to Continue with Handheld Computers for Address Canvassing Makes Planning and Testing Critical (open access)

2010 Census: Census Bureau's Decision to Continue with Handheld Computers for Address Canvassing Makes Planning and Testing Critical

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) had planned to rely heavily on automation in conducting the 2010 Census, including using handheld computers (HHC) to verify addresses. Citing concerns about escalating costs, in March 2008 the Secretary of Commerce announced a redesign of the key automation effort. GAO was asked to (1) analyze Bureau and contractor data showing how HHCs operated and their impact on operations, and (2) examine implications the redesign may have on plans for address canvassing in the 2010 Census. GAO reviewed Bureau and contractor data, evaluations, and other documents on HHC performance and staff productivity; interviewed Bureau and contractor officials; and visited the two dress rehearsal sites to observe and document the use of the HHCs in the field."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bank Fees: Federal Banking Regulators Could Better Ensure That Consumers Have Required Disclosure Documents Prior to Opening Checking or Savings Accounts (open access)

Bank Fees: Federal Banking Regulators Could Better Ensure That Consumers Have Required Disclosure Documents Prior to Opening Checking or Savings Accounts

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2006, consumers paid over $36 billion in fees associated with checking and savings accounts, raising questions about consumers' awareness of their accounts' terms and conditions. GAO was asked to review (1) trends in the types and amounts of checking and deposit account fees since 2000, (2) how federal banking regulators address such fees in their oversight of depository institutions, and (3) the extent that consumers are able to obtain account terms and conditions and disclosures of fees upon request prior to opening an account. GAO analyzed fee data from private data vendors, publicly available financial data, and information from federal regulators; reviewed federal laws and regulations; and used direct observation techniques at depository institutions nationwide."
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Flood Insurance: FEMA's Rate-Setting Process Warrants Attention (open access)

Flood Insurance: FEMA's Rate-Setting Process Warrants Attention

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Questions about the financial status of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) have increased since the 2005 hurricanes, which left the program with an unprecedented $17.4 billion deficit--a debt that resulted in GAO placing NFIP on its high-risk list in March 2006. Among the concerns are the subsidized rates NFIP must provide for about 25 percent of the policies, mostly for older buildings in high-risk flood zones. And although fully risk-based rates are supposed to reflect actual flood risk, concerns have been raised that they do not. This report evaluates (1) the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) process for setting full-risk rates to determine whether it produces rates that accurately reflect the risk of flooding and (2) the process that FEMA uses to set subsidized rates and their effect on the financial condition of NFIP. To do this work, GAO evaluated the NFIP rate model, examined data from FEMA, surveyed relevant literature, and interviewed other relevant agencies and risk-modeling firms."
Date: October 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cyber Analysis and Warning: DHS Faces Challenges in Establishing a Comprehensive National Capability (open access)

Cyber Analysis and Warning: DHS Faces Challenges in Establishing a Comprehensive National Capability

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Cyber analysis and warning capabilities are critical to thwarting computer-based (cyber) threats and attacks. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to, among other things, coordinate the nation's efforts to prepare for, prevent, and respond to cyber threats to systems and communications networks. GAO's objectives were to (1) identify key attributes of cyber analysis and warning capabilities, (2) compare these attributes with US-CERT's current capabilities to identify whether there are gaps, and (3) identify US-CERT's challenges to developing and implementing key attributes and a successful national cyber analysis and warning capability. To address these objectives, GAO identified and analyzed related documents, observed operations at numerous entities, and interviewed responsible officials and experts."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Combating Terrorism: Actions Needed to Enhance Implementation of Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (open access)

Combating Terrorism: Actions Needed to Enhance Implementation of Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2005, the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP) was established to eliminate terrorist safe havens in northwest Africa by strengthening countries' counterterrorism capabilities and inhibiting the spread of extremist ideology. Funds obligated for TSCTP in fiscal years 2005 through 2007 and committed for fiscal year 2008 by the Department of State (State), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Department of Defense (DOD) have amounted to about $353 million for activities in nine partner countries. In this report, GAO examines (1) the distribution of funds for TSCTP and the types of activities supported and (2) the program's implementation, including the extent to which it is guided by a comprehensive, integrated strategy. GAO has reported previously on the need for a strategy that includes priorities and milestones that can help agencies collaborate in combating terrorism. GAO analyzed TSCTP-related documents and conducted work in Mali, Morocco, and Mauritania."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Health-Care-Associated Infections in Hospitals: Leadership Needed from HHS to Prioritize Prevention Practices and Improve Data on These Infections (open access)

Health-Care-Associated Infections in Hospitals: Leadership Needed from HHS to Prioritize Prevention Practices and Improve Data on These Infections

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health-care-associated infections (HAI) are estimated to be 1 of the top 10 causes of death in the United States. HAIs are infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for other conditions. GAO was asked to examine (1) CDC's guidelines for hospitals to reduce or prevent HAIs and what the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) does to promote their implementation, (2) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) and hospital accrediting organizations' required standards for hospitals to reduce or prevent HAIs and how compliance is assessed, and (3) HHS programs that collect data related to HAIs and integration of the data across HHS. GAO reviewed documents and interviewed officials from CDC, CMS, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and accrediting organizations."
Date: March 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Material: DOE Has Several Potential Options for Dealing with Depleted Uranium Tails, Each of Which Could Benefit the Government (open access)

Nuclear Material: DOE Has Several Potential Options for Dealing with Depleted Uranium Tails, Each of Which Could Benefit the Government

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since the 1940s, one mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessor agencies has been processing uranium as a source of nuclear material for defense and commercial purposes. A key step in this process is the enrichment of natural uranium, which increases its concentration of uranium-235, the isotope of uranium that undergoes fission to release enormous amounts of energy. Before it can be enriched, natural uranium must be chemically converted into uranium hexafluoride. The enrichment process results in two principal products: (1) enriched uranium hexafluoride, which can be further processed for specific uses, such as nuclear weapons or fuel for nuclear power plants; and (2) leftover "tails" of uranium hexafluoride. These tails are also known as depleted uranium because the material is depleted in uranium-235 compared with natural uranium. Since 1993, uranium enrichment activities at DOE-owned uranium enrichment plants have been performed by the U.S. Enrichment Corporation (USEC), formerly a wholly owned government corporation that was privatized in 1998. However, DOE still maintains approximately 700,000 metric tons of depleted uranium tails in about 63,000 metal cylinders in storage yards at its Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio, …
Date: March 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Audit: Special Counsel Expenditures for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2007 (open access)

Financial Audit: Special Counsel Expenditures for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2007

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report presents the results of our audit of expenditures reported by the Office of Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald for the 6 months ended September 30, 2007. The independent counsels were required under 28 U.S.C. 596 (c)(1) to prepare a statement of expenditures on a semiannual basis. Under 28 U.S.C. 596 (c)(2 ), we were required to conduct a financial review of a midyear statement and a financial audit of a year-end statement. We satisfied this requirement through semiannual financial audits of the statement of expenditures. For the 6 months ended September 30, 2007, there were no active independent counsels. However, we are required to perform a semiannual financial review of expenditures from the permanent indefinite appropriation used to pay special counsel Fitzgerald's expenses. While not required under the permanent indefinite appropriation to perform a financial audit, we have done so for special counsel Fitzgerald--as we previously performed for independent counsels approved under the expired law."
Date: March 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Feasibility of Outsourcing the Management and Operation of the Capitol Power Plant (open access)

Feasibility of Outsourcing the Management and Operation of the Capitol Power Plant

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Capitol Power Plant (CPP), managed by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), provides heating and cooling for the U.S. Capitol and surrounding facilities. This plant, which provides steam and chilled water year-round for about 16 million square feet of space in 24 facilities, consists of 4 main components--the steam plant, the East Refrigeration Plant, the West Refrigeration Plant, and the administration building. In 2003, CPP awarded a construction contract that involved a major effort both to expand the capacity of the plant to meet the growing heating and cooling needs of the U.S. Capitol and to update plant equipment. The centerpiece of this expansion effort is the West Refrigeration Plant Expansion project, a $100.9 million project scheduled for completion in March 2008. For more than a decade, potential overstaffing at CPP has been a principal concern. In 1996, an AOC engineering consultant for CPP asserted that CPP was overstaffed and recommended reducing staff as a way to deliver CPP services more costeffectively. In 2004, in response to a congressional mandate to assess CPP operations and infrastructure, we recommended that AOC update the consultant's 1996 study and examine …
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid Demonstration Waivers: Recent HHS Approvals Continue to Raise Cost and Oversight Concerns (open access)

Medicaid Demonstration Waivers: Recent HHS Approvals Continue to Raise Cost and Oversight Concerns

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicaid, a joint federal and state program, finances health care for 60 million low-income people. Section 1115 of the Social Security Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive certain federal Medicaid requirements and allow demonstration projects that are likely to promote Medicaid objectives. Under federal policy, states must show that federal spending for proposed demonstrations will be no greater than if the state's existing Medicaid program were continued. GAO examined the extent to which HHS ensured that recent comprehensive 1115 demonstrations--affecting a broad range of services for beneficiaries statewide--will (1) be budget neutral to the federal government and (2) maintain Medicaid's fiscal integrity. For demonstrations approved in 2005 (Florida and Vermont), GAO obtained information from federal and state officials and also relied on past reviews of other demonstrations."
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Airline Industry: Potential Mergers and Acquisitions Driven by Financial and Competitive Pressures (open access)

Airline Industry: Potential Mergers and Acquisitions Driven by Financial and Competitive Pressures

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The airline industry is vital to the U.S. economy, generating operating revenues of nearly $172 billion in 2007, amounting to over 1 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. It serves as an important engine for economic growth and a critical link in the nation's transportation infrastructure, carrying more than 700 million passengers in 2007. Airline deregulation in 1978, led, at least in part, to increasingly volatile airline profitability, resulting in periods of significant losses and bankruptcies. In response, some airlines have proposed or are considering merging with or acquiring another airline. GAO was asked to help prepare Congress for possible airline mergers or acquisitions. This report describes (1) the financial condition of the U.S. passenger airline industry, (2) whether the industry is becoming more or less competitive, (3) why airlines seek to merge with or acquire other airlines, and (4) the role of federal authorities in reviewing proposed airline mergers and acquisitions. To answer these objectives, we analyzed Department of Transportation (DOT) financial and operating data; interviewed agency officials, airline managers, and industry experts; and reviewed Horizontal Merger Guidelines and spoke with antitrust experts. DOT …
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report is GAO's sixth annual assessment of selected weapon programs. Since 2000, the Department of Defense (DOD) has roughly doubled its planned investment in new systems from $790 billion to $1.6 trillion in 2007, but acquisition outcomes in terms of cost and schedule have not improved. Total acquisition costs for major defense programs in the fiscal year 2007 portfolio have increased 26 percent from first estimates, compared with 6 percent in 2000. Programs have also often failed to deliver capabilities when promised. DOD's acquisition outcomes appear increasingly suboptimal, a condition that needs to be corrected given the pressures faced by the department from other military and major nondiscretionary government demands. This report provides congressional and DOD decision makers with an independent, knowledge-based assessment of defense programs, identifying potential risks when a program's projected attainment of knowledge diverges from best practices. The programs assessed--most of which are considered major acquisitions by DOD--were selected using several factors: high dollar value, acquisition stage, and congressional interest. This report also highlights overall trends in DOD acquisition outcomes and issues raised by the cumulative experience of individual programs. GAO updates …
Date: March 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Veterans Affairs: Continued Action Needed to Reduce IT Equipment Losses and Correct Control Weaknesses (open access)

Veterans Affairs: Continued Action Needed to Reduce IT Equipment Losses and Correct Control Weaknesses

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In July 2004, GAO reported that the six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers it audited lacked a reliable property control database and effective inventory policies and procedures. In July 2007, GAO reported that continuing internal control weaknesses over IT equipment at four case study locations at VA resulted in an increased risk of theft, loss, and misappropriation of IT equipment assets. GAO's two reports included 18 recommendations to improve internal control over IT equipment. GAO was asked to perform a follow-up audit to determine (1) whether VA has made progress in implementing GAO's prior recommendations for improving internal control over IT equipment and (2) the effectiveness of VA's current internal controls to prevent theft, loss, or misappropriation of IT equipment. GAO reviewed policies and other pertinent documentation, statistically tested IT equipment inventory controls at four geographically disparate locations, and interviewed VA officials."
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Congressional Directives: Selected Agencies' Processes for Responding to Funding Instructions (open access)

Congressional Directives: Selected Agencies' Processes for Responding to Funding Instructions

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, congressional concern and public debate have increased about the nature and growing number of earmarks. This report seeks to provide Congress and the public with an understanding of how agencies respond to congressional funding directions by examining how selected executive branch agencies translate these directions from Congress into governmental activities. There have been numerous calls in and out of Congress for earmark reform in response to concerns about the nature and number of earmarks. Both Houses of Congress have taken steps to increase disclosure requirements. The President has also called for earmark reform. In January 2007, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed agencies to collect and submit data to it on fiscal year 2005 earmarks in appropriations bills and certain authorization bills. GAO collected and analyzed information on four agencies' processes (i.e., the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works programs). Our objectives were to identify, for these agencies, (1) their processes for identifying and categorizing congressional directives; (2) their processes for tracking, implementing, and reporting on congressional directives; and (3) …
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Supplemental Appropriations: Opportunities Exist to Increase Transparency and Provide Additional Controls (open access)

Supplemental Appropriations: Opportunities Exist to Increase Transparency and Provide Additional Controls

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Supplemental appropriations laws (supplementals) are a tool for policymakers to address needs that arise after the fiscal year has begun. Supplementals provide important and necessary flexibility but some have questioned whether supplementals are used just to meet the needs of unforeseen events or whether they also include funding for activities that could be covered in regular appropriations acts. GAO was asked to evaluate (1) trends in supplemental appropriations enacted from fiscal years 1997-2006 and (2) steps that could be taken to increase transparency and establish additional controls over emergency supplemental appropriations. Also, GAO consulted with budget experts to discuss options for reform."
Date: January 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library