A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Higher education has increasingly become critical to our nation's cultural, social, and economic well-being, with 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the knowledge economy requiring some postsecondary education. While a college graduate can expect to earn, on average, approximately $1 million more over the course of his or her working life than those with a high school diploma, most students and their families can expect to pay more on average for college than they did just a year ago. Moreover, many are concerned that the increases in the cost of college may be discouraging large numbers of individuals, particularly minority and low-income individuals, from pursuing higher education. The topic of college affordability continues to be an issue of great concern. Various policymakers, national associations, and philanthropic foundations have documented the growth in college tuition and its potentially adverse effects on access to higher education and rates of degree completion. Recent years have witnessed the introduction of many federal-, state-, and institution-level initiatives aimed at curbing tuition increases, yet tuition continues to rise. Congress asked GAO to provide information on trends in higher education enrollments, tuition …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) spends millions of dollars each year to acquire information technology (IT) services through the General Services Administration's (GSA) Federal Supply Schedule (FSS). However, DOD has not been taking steps critical to ensuring that it gets the best services at the best prices. GAO's review of 22 DOD orders revealed that 17 of them were placed without seeking competitive quotes. GSA's established procedures require that agencies seek competitive quotes to ensure that the government gets the best price for IT services. Many DOD contracting officers were unaware of this requirement and placed orders under FSS contracts without seeking quotes from multiple contractors. The Federal Acquisition Regulation covering FSS contracts does not provide clear guidance to contracting officers on these special ordering procedures."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) has undergone a number of changes in recent years, including a 2003 transfer from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau (ICE), and a 2005 transfer from ICE back to TSA. A key aspect of federal air marshals' operating procedures is the discreet movement through airports as they check in for their flight, transit screening checkpoints, and board the aircraft. This report discusses FAMS's (1) transfer to ICE and key practices that could facilitate its return to TSA, and (2) management of mission-related incidents that affect air marshals' ability to operate discreetly."

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Since the end of the Cold War, the United States and its European allies are using smaller militaries, disbursing more development assistance, and increasing their reliance on multilateral organizations to provide for European security. Despite reductions in force levels and budgets, U.S. and European military forces have been actively engaged in peacekeeping and other security-enhancing activities in the region. The United States and its European allies have contributed to stability in the Balkans through various military and financial means. The Balkans operations have highlighted numerous shortfalls in the military capabilities of European allies, but competing budgetary priorities may limit their ability to remedy them before the end of the decade. Defense expenditures are expected to remain relatively flat in constant 2000 dollars over the next four to five years for most European allies, placing major defense initiatives sponsored by NATO and the European Union in jeopardy."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Much attention has focused on the "offshoring" of services to lower-wage locations abroad. Offshoring generally refers to an organization's purchase of goods or services from abroad that were previously produced domestically. Extensive public debate has arisen about both the potential benefits of services offshoring, such as lower consumer prices and higher U.S. productivity, as well as the potential costs, such as increased job displacement for selected U.S. workers. In response to widespread congressional interest, GAO conducted work under the Comptroller General's authority to help policy makers better understand the potential impacts and policy implications of services offshoring. This report: (1) provides an overview of experts' views on the potential impacts of services offshoring, (2) describes the types of policies that have been proposed in response to offshoring, and (3) highlights some key areas where additional research might help advance the debate about offshoring. In its comments, the Department of Commerce generally agreed with the findings of this report. Commerce, Treasury, and the Office of the United States Trade Representative also provided technical comments that have been incorporated as appropriate."

Contains final CODEL and community input for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle regarding SUBASE New London, CT

Contains notes and research (COBRA) Ft. Monmouth, N.J., by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains notes and research (NVSED) Ft. Belvoir, VA, by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains notes and research of (General) NAS Crane, IN, by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains COBRA Runs for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle regarding NAS Brunswick, ME

Contains notes and research, including a map, for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle regarding NAS Jacksonville, FL

Contains notes and research (Community Input) Ft. Monmouth, NJ by Wes Hood of the Army Team.

Contains Base Visit, COBRA data, and other community input from The Camden Partnership, Inc regarding SUBASE Kings Bay, GA for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle

Contains notes and research of (CODEL briefing) Ft. Monmouth, NJ, by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains Base Visit information and COBRA data for Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle regarding SUBASE Kings Bay, GA

Contains notes and research (General) Ft. Monmouth, NJ, by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains notes and research of Base Visits and COBRA Data by Navy Team Analyst Hal Tickle regarding NAVSTA Norfolk, VA

Contains notes and research AFGE input) Ft. Monmouth, N.J., by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

Contains Notes and Research (Correspondence from Acting Governor)Ft. Monmouth, N.J., by Wes Hood of the ARMY Team.

BRAC Analysis - Contains Regional Hearing Notes and Research from Analyst Hal Tickle of the Navy Team regarding NAS Brunswick, ME

Contains Community CODEL input from Analyst Hal Tickle of the Navy Team regarding NAS Brunswick, ME

BRAC Analysis-Contains Notes and Research (SUBASE Visit) New London, CT by Hal Tickle of the NAVY Team.

Contains Notes and Research of various States (Pensacola DFAS) by Marilyn Wasleski of the Interagency Team.

Contains Notes and Research of (DFAS Cleveland, OH) by Marilyn Wasleski of the Interagency Team.