Resource Type

35 Years of Water Policy: The 1973 National Water Commission and Present Challenges (open access)

35 Years of Water Policy: The 1973 National Water Commission and Present Challenges

This report presents the National Water Commission's (NWC) recommendations and analyzes how issues targeted by the recommendations have evolved during the intervening years. The report focuses on key federal-level recommendations, thereby targeting what has been accomplished since 1973, what issues remain unresolved, and what additional concerns have developed.
Date: May 11, 2009
Creator: Cody, Betsy A. & Carter, Nicole T.
System: The UNT Digital Library
401(k) Plans: Policy Changes Could Reduce the Long-term Effects of Leakage on Workers' Retirement Savings (open access)

401(k) Plans: Policy Changes Could Reduce the Long-term Effects of Leakage on Workers' Retirement Savings

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under federal regulations, 401(k) participants may tap into their accrued retirement savings before retirement under certain circumstances, including hardship. This "leakage" from 401(k) accounts can result in a permanent loss of retirement savings. GAO was asked to analyze (1) the incidence, amount, and relative significance of the different forms of 401(k) leakage; (2) how plans inform participants about hardship withdrawal provisions, loan provisions, and options at job separation, including the short- and long-term costs of each; and (3) how various policies may affect the incidence of leakage. To address these matters, GAO analyzed federal and 401(k) industry data and interviewed federal officials, pension experts, and plan administrators responsi- ble for managing the majority of 401(k) participants and assets."
Date: August 28, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
501(c)(3) Hospitals and the Community Benefit Standard (open access)

501(c)(3) Hospitals and the Community Benefit Standard

This report examines the standard under which hospitals qualify for tax-exempt charitable status under federal law, recent inquiries made by Congress and the IRS into whether hospitals are conducting sufficient activities to justify their exemption, and section 6007 of S. 1796.
Date: November 10, 2009
Creator: Lunder, Erika K. & Liu, Edward C.
System: The UNT Digital Library
2008 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with Disclosure Requirements (open access)

2008 Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with Disclosure Requirements

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA) of 2007 amended the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 by doubling the frequency of lobbyists' reporting and increasing criminal and civil penalties. This is GAO's second report in response to the Act's requirement for GAO to annually (1) determine the extent to which lobbyists can demonstrate compliance with the Act by providing support for information on their registrations and reports, (2) describe challenges identified by lobbyists to complying with the Act, and (3) describe the resources and authorities available to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia's efforts to enforce the Act. For this report, GAO placed increased emphasis on written documentation to support disclosure reports. GAO reviewed a random sample of 100 lobbyist disclosure reports filed during the first three quarters of calendar year 2008. GAO also selected a random sample of 100 reports of federal political contributions, filed for the first time, for mid-calendar-year 2008. This methodology allowed GAO to generalize the sample results to the populations of 40,169 lobbying activity disclosure reports and 6,048 reports with contributions filed. GAO met with lobbyists regarding …
Date: April 1, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu": CRS Experts (open access)

2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu": CRS Experts

This report includes a table which provides access to names and contact information for CRS experts on policy concerns relating to swine influenza A virus (H1N1). Policy areas identified include: Identification, diagnosis, and surveillance of the virus; Treatment and prevention: antiviral drugs (Tamiflu, Relenza) and vaccines; Declarations of emergencies; Official plans and organizational responsibilities; and Restrictions on travel and trade.
Date: October 26, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Outbreak: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Outbreak: An Overview

This report provides an introduction to the situation regarding the potential of a global human influenza pandemic caused by the new H1N1 flu strain. It includes a brief chronology of events; a discussion of key actions taken and authorities invoked by the WHO and the U.S. government; and information about key U.S. government pandemic flu planning documents.
Date: April 30, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) "Swine Flu" Outbreak: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) "Swine Flu" Outbreak: An Overview

This report provides an overview of key actions taken and authorities invoked by WHO and the U.S. government. First, it discusses the WHO process to determine the phase of a threatened or emerging flu pandemic and touches on a number of related issues. The report then examines actions taken by the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services and provides information about appropriations and funding for pandemic flu activities.
Date: May 5, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview

This report provides a synopsis of key events in the H1N1 pandemic response, followed by information about selected federal emergency management authorities and actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Health and Human Services (HHS), and state and local authorities.
Date: November 16, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview

This report first provides a synopsis of key events, actions taken, and authorities invoked by World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. federal government, and state and local governments.
Date: October 15, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview

This report describes the World Health Organization (WHO) process to determine the phase of a threatened or emerging flu pandemic, and touches on several related issues.
Date: August 6, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: An Overview

This report describes the World Health Organization (WHO) process to determine the phase of a threatened or emerging flu pandemic, and touches on several related issues.
Date: October 15, 2009
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Redhead, C. Stephen
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues regarding the H1N1 influenza, including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
Date: October 29, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

Recent human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus have been identified both internationally and in the United States. Since there has been human to human transmission and the new virus has the potential to become pandemic, it is timely to examine legal issues surrounding this emerging public health threat. This report will provide a brief overview of selected legal issues.
Date: May 4, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
Date: September 1, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

Recent human cases of infection with a novel influenza A(H1N1) virus have been identified both internationally and in the United States. Since there has been human to human transmission and the new virus has the potential to become pandemic, it is timely to examine legal issues surrounding this emerging public health threat. This report will provide a brief overview of selected legal issues.
Date: May 6, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
Date: October 8, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues (open access)

The 2009 Influenza Pandemic: Selected Legal Issues

This report provides a brief overview of selected legal issues regarding the H1N1 influenza, including emergency measures, civil rights, liability issues, and employment issues.
Date: August 11, 2009
Creator: Swendiman, Kathleen S. & Jones, Nancy L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
2009 Tax Filing Season: IRS Met Many 2009 Goals, but Telephone Access Remained Low, and Taxpayer Service and Enforcement Could Be Improved (open access)

2009 Tax Filing Season: IRS Met Many 2009 Goals, but Telephone Access Remained Low, and Taxpayer Service and Enforcement Could Be Improved

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) filing season is an enormous undertaking that includes processing tax returns, issuing refunds, and responding to taxpayer questions. IRS's efforts to ensure compliance begin during the filing season. GAO was asked to assess IRS's 2009 filing season performance, identify ways to reduce taxpayers' use of short-term, high-interest refund anticipation loans (RAL) offered by paid preparers or banks, and identify ways to enhance compliance during processing. GAO analyzed IRS performance data, reviewed IRS operations, interviewed IRS officials, and reviewed its compliance programs and relevant statutes."
Date: December 10, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
2010 Census: Census Bureau Has Made Progress on Schedule and Operational Control Tools, but Needs to Prioritize Remaining System Requirements (open access)

2010 Census: Census Bureau Has Made Progress on Schedule and Operational Control Tools, but Needs to Prioritize Remaining System Requirements

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To carry out the decennial census, the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) conducts a sequence of thousands of activities and numerous operations. As requested, The Government Accountability Office (GAO) examined (1) the Bureau's use of scheduling tools to maintain and monitor progress and (2) the status of two systems key to field data collection: the control system the Bureau will use to manage the work flow for paper-based operations, including nonresponse follow-up, and the system used to manage quality control of two major field operations. GAO applied schedule analysis tools; reviewed Bureau evaluations, planning documents, and other documents on work flow management; and interviewed Bureau officials."
Date: November 13, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The 2010 Decennial Census: Background and Issues (open access)

The 2010 Decennial Census: Background and Issues

This report discusses the major innovations that were planned for the 2010 Census, problems encountered in the attempt to automate certain decennial field operations, issues of census accuracy and coverage, and efforts to ensure an equitable count.
Date: April 27, 2009
Creator: Williams, Jennifer D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Accelerated Vehicle Retirement for Fuel Economy: "Cash for Clunkers" (open access)

Accelerated Vehicle Retirement for Fuel Economy: "Cash for Clunkers"

This report outlines the key provisions of the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) program, discusses the initial impact of the program and some of the concerns raised by Senators. It also summarizes similar programs in other countries.
Date: August 10, 2009
Creator: Yacobucci, Brent D. & Canis, Bill
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Arts Education: Inclusion of Additional Questions in Education's Planned Research Would Help Explain Why Instruction Time Has Decreased for Some Students (open access)

Access to Arts Education: Inclusion of Additional Questions in Education's Planned Research Would Help Explain Why Instruction Time Has Decreased for Some Students

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA), districts and schools must demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) for all students. Because schools may spend more time improving students' academic skills to meet NCLBA's requirements, some are concerned that arts education might be cut back. To determine how, if at all, student access to arts education has changed since NCLBA, the Congress asked: (1) has the amount of instruction time for arts education changed and, if so, have certain groups been more affected than others, (2) to what extent have state education agencies' requirements and funding for arts education changed since NCLBA, (3) what are school officials in selected districts doing to provide arts education since NCLBA and what challenges do they face in doing so, and (4) what is known about the effect of arts education in improving student outcomes? GAO analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education (Education), surveyed 50 state arts officials, interviewed officials in 8 school districts and 19 schools, and reviewed existing research."
Date: February 27, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: October 29, 2009
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate (open access)

Access to Broadband Networks: The Net Neutrality Debate

This report discusses the current debate over "net neutrality." While there is no single accepted definition of "net neutrality," most agree that any such definition should include the general principles that owners of the networks that compose and provide access to the Internet should not control how consumers lawfully use that network, and they should not be able to discriminate against content provider access to that network.
Date: June 1, 2009
Creator: Gilroy, Angele A.
System: The UNT Digital Library