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Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report discusses the current state of Bahrain, which has undergone substantial political reforms since the late 1990s, but which still suffers from tension between the Shiite majority and the Sunni-led government. It focuses particularly on Bahrain's relationship with Iran and with the United States.
Date: April 1, 2013
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities (open access)

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Federal Civil Service Annuities

This report discusses the Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). All CSRS retirees and survivors receive COLAs. Under FERS, however, non-disabled retirees under age 62 do not receive COLAs. This report discusses cost-of-living adjustments for government retirees, as well as related legislation.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations

Report that provides an overview and analysis of U.S.-Yemeni relations amidst evolving political change in Yemeni leadership, ongoing U.S. counterterrorism operations against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operatives at large in Yemen's hinterlands, and international efforts to bolster the country's stability despite an array of daunting socio-economic problems.
Date: November 1, 2012
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The First Responder Network and Next- Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress (open access)

The First Responder Network and Next- Generation Communications for Public Safety: Issues for Congress

Report that covers a background of provisions in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 for planning, building, and managing a new, nationwide, broadband network for public safety communications.
Date: November 1, 2012
Creator: Moore, Linda K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Relief Program: Federal-Aid Highway Assistance for Disaster-Damaged Roads and Bridges (open access)

Emergency Relief Program: Federal-Aid Highway Assistance for Disaster-Damaged Roads and Bridges

Report that looks at the eligibility of major highways and bridges recently damaged by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene to receive Emergency Relief Program assistance from the Federal Highway Administration.
Date: November 1, 2012
Creator: Kirk, Robert S.
System: The UNT Digital Library
State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts (open access)

State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts

Report that briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division I, "Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012," of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74).
Date: August 1, 2013
Creator: Tarnoff, Curt & Tiersky, Alex
System: The UNT Digital Library
Israel: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Israel: Background and U.S. Relations

This report describes issues related to U.S. aid provided to Palestine to support prevention/combating against terrorism, creating coexistence with Israel and self-governance, and meeting humanitarian needs. In includes introductory and historical background as well as in-depth analysis of the types of U.S. bilateral aid to Palestine, U.S. contributions to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the near East (UNRWA), and the issues involved in determining future aid.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Zanotti, Jim
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multilateral Development Banks: U.S. Contributions FY2000-FY2013 (open access)

Multilateral Development Banks: U.S. Contributions FY2000-FY2013

This report shows in tabular form how much the Administration requested and how much Congress appropriated for U.S. payments to the multilateral development banks (MDBs) since 2000. It also provides a brief description of the MDBs and the ways they fund their operations. It will be updated periodically as annual appropriation figures are known.
Date: February 1, 2013
Creator: Nelson, Rebecca M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations (open access)

Energy and Water Development: FY2014 Appropriations

This report discusses the Energy and Water Development appropriations bill that provides funding for civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), for the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), the Department of Energy (DOE), and several independent agencies.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Behrens, Carl E.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The FY2014 Government Shutdown: Economic Effects (open access)

The FY2014 Government Shutdown: Economic Effects

This report discusses the effects of the FY2014 government shutdown on the economy. It also reviews third-party estimates of the effects of the shutdown on the economy, which predicted a reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) growth of at least 0.1 percentage points for each week of the shutdown, with a cumulative effect of up to 0.6 percentage points in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Labonte, Marc
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances (open access)

Cuba: U.S. Restrictions on Travel and Remittances

Report that covers the contentious travel restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba from the 1960s to the present time. Congress under the Obama Administration is easing restrictions on family, marketing, agricultural, and medical sales travel. The report also covers legislative action that has taken place in the 112th Congress to harshen travel restrictions.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Sullivan, Mark P.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Iran Hostages: Efforts to Obtain Compensation (open access)

The Iran Hostages: Efforts to Obtain Compensation

This report provides background information regarding the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis, and discusses the Hostage Relief Act.
Date: November 1, 2013
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Overview of Constitutional Challenges to NSA Collection Activities and Recent Developments (open access)

Overview of Constitutional Challenges to NSA Collection Activities and Recent Developments

This report focuses on two main National Security Agency (NSA) collection activities approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978. The first is the bulk collection of telephony metadata for domestic and international telephone calls. The second involves the interception of Internet-based communications and is targeted at foreigners who are not within the United States, but may also inadvertently acquire the communications of U.S. persons.
Date: April 1, 2014
Creator: Liu, Edward C.; Nolan, Andrew & Thompson, Richard M., II
System: The UNT Digital Library
Location-Based Preferences in Federal and Federally Funded Contracting: An Overview of the Law (open access)

Location-Based Preferences in Federal and Federally Funded Contracting: An Overview of the Law

This report discusses constitutional and other legal issues related to the creation and implementation of location-based preferences in federal contracting, as well as summarizes key authorities requiring or allowing federal agencies to "favor" contractors located in specific places. The report does not address federal preferences for domestic products or provisions of federal law that could, depending upon their implementation, effectively prefer local contractors, such as project labor agreements.
Date: October 1, 2010
Creator: Luckey, John R. & Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid Expansion: States' Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (open access)

Medicaid Expansion: States' Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under PPACA, states are responsible for making a number of changes to their Medicaid programs by January 1, 2014, including expanding eligibility levels and streamlining their enrollment processes. Specifically, states must expand Medicaid eligibility to non-elderly individuals with incomes at or below 133 percent of FPL. Under the newly eligible category, states will provide Medicaid coverage to eligible low-income parents and childless adults. States must also begin determining income eligibility for Medicaid beneficiaries, including newly eligible adults, using a uniform methodology—MAGI, which is a tax-based definition of income. To implement these requirements, eligibility categories have been consolidated into four groups—adults, children, parents, and pregnant women. States may choose to expand Medicaid coverage to the newly eligible prior to January 1, 2014 (referred to as the early expansion option), but must cover lower income individuals before higher income individuals. These more uniform eligibility requirements will replace the current system where Medicaid eligibility and income rules may vary from state to state. Further, states must adopt a methodology for identifying the newly eligible in order to obtain the increased federal match. States will receive the enhanced federal match …
Date: August 1, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Bureau of Prisons: Improvements Needed in Bureau of Prisons' Monitoring and Evaluation of Impact of Segregated Housing (open access)

Bureau of Prisons: Improvements Needed in Bureau of Prisons' Monitoring and Evaluation of Impact of Segregated Housing

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The overall number of inmates in the Bureau of Prisons' (BOP) three main types of segregated housing units--Special Housing Units (SHU), Special Management Units (SMU), and Administrative Maximum (ADX)--increased at a faster rate than the general inmate population. Inmates may be placed in SHUs for administrative reasons, such as pending transfer to another prison, and for disciplinary reasons, such as violating prison rules; SMUs, a four-phased program in which inmates can progress from more to less restrictive conditions; or ADX, for inmates that require the highest level of security. From fiscal year 2008 through February 2013, the total inmate population in segregated housing units increased approximately 17 percent--from 10,659 to 12,460 inmates. By comparison, the total inmate population in BOP facilities increased by about 6 percent during this period."
Date: May 1, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Temporary Extension of Unemployment Benefits: Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) (open access)

Temporary Extension of Unemployment Benefits: Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08)

In July 2008, a new temporary unemployment benefit, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) program, began. The most recent legislation, P.L. 111-205, extended the authorization of the EUC08 program, but did not change the structure of the program or augment benefits. This temporary unemployment insurance program provides up to 20 additional weeks of unemployment benefits to certain workers who have exhausted their rights to regular unemployment compensation (UC) benefits. This report discusses the various tiers of the EUC08 program, as well as related legislation. This report will be updated to reflect current congressional action or programmatic changes.
Date: October 1, 2010
Creator: Isaacs, Katelin P.; Whittaker, Julie M. & Shelton, Alison M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2010 (open access)

Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2010

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In GAO’s opinion, the financial statements of the American Battle Monuments Commission (the Commission) as of September 30, 2011, and 2010, and for the fiscal years then ended, are presented fairly, in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Also, in GAO’s opinion, although certain internal controls over financial reporting should be improved, the Commission maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011. In addition, GAO found no reportable instances of noncompliance with the laws and regulations it tested."
Date: March 1, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
VA Benefits: Improvements Needed to Ensure Claimants Receive Appropriate Representation (open access)

VA Benefits: Improvements Needed to Ensure Claimants Receive Appropriate Representation

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Office of General Counsel (OGC) procedures do not sufficiently ensure that accredited representatives have good character and knowledge. While GAO's analysis shows that VA follows its procedures for reviewing initial accreditation applications, VA relies on limited self-reported information to determine whether applicants have a criminal history or their character could be called into question, which in turn leaves VA vulnerable to accrediting individuals who may not provide responsible assistance. For example, when GAO conducted additional checks on a non-representative sample of accredited individuals, GAO found that some individuals had histories of bankruptcies or liens, information which could help develop a more complete picture of applicants' character and prompt further inquiry by VA into their background. VA's procedures also do not ensure that representatives have adequate program knowledge. For example, VA's initial training requirements are minimal and VA does not consistently monitor whether representatives meet additional continuing education requirements. As a result, some accredited representatives may not have adequate program knowledge to effectively assist clients with their claims. After being briefed on GAO's findings in May 2013, VA's OGC announced plans …
Date: August 1, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Business Systems Modernization: Governance Mechanisms for Implementing Management Controls Need to Be Improved (open access)

DOD Business Systems Modernization: Governance Mechanisms for Implementing Management Controls Need to Be Improved

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) continues to take steps to comply with the provisions of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, as amended, and to satisfy relevant system modernization management guidance. While the department has initiated numerous activities aimed at addressing the act, it has been limited in its ability to demonstrate results. Specifically, the department"
Date: June 1, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Proposed U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (open access)

The Proposed U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

The proposed U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, also called the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), is a bilateral free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia which, if ratified, would eliminate tariffs and other barriers in goods and services between the two countries. The CFTA negotiations grew out of a regional effort in 2004 to produce a U.S.-Andean free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the Andean countries of Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. In his January 2010 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for a new National Export Initiative (NEI) to boost U.S. exports and create jobs. One component of the NEI calls for opening new markets for U.S. exports by resolving outstanding issues with Colombia, Korea, and Panama with the objective of moving forward with the pending FTAs at the appropriate time. There is currently no indication that the 111th Congress will consider implementing legislation for the proposed U.S.-Colombia FTA.
Date: October 1, 2010
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles
System: The UNT Digital Library
Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations (open access)

Yemen: Background and U.S. Relations

With limited natural resources, a crippling illiteracy rate, and high population growth, Yemen faces an array of daunting development challenges that some observers believe make it at risk for becoming a failed state in the next few decades. As the country's population rapidly rises, resources dwindle, and terrorist groups take root in the outlying provinces, the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress are left to grapple with the consequences of Yemeni instability. As President Obama and the 111th Congress reassess U.S. policy toward the Arab world, the opportunity for improved U.S.-Yemeni ties is strong, though recurring tensions over counterterrorism cooperation and lack of U.S. interest in Yemen within the broader foreign policy community persist.
Date: November 1, 2010
Creator: Sharp, Jeremy M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Contract Types: An Overview of the Legal Requirements and Issues (open access)

Contract Types: An Overview of the Legal Requirements and Issues

This report provides an overview of the various contract types (e.g., fixed-price, cost-reimbursement) used in federal procurement and the legal requirements and issues pertaining to each. Current congressional and public interest in contract types is, in part, an outgrowth of the reported increase in the use of cost-reimbursement contracts during the George W. Bush Administration1 and the Obama Administration's proposal to reduce by at least 10% the funds obligated in FY2010 by "high risk-contracting authorities," such as cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour contracts.
Date: October 1, 2010
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2009 (open access)

Financial Audit: American Battle Monuments Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2009

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Created in 1923, the American Battle Monuments Commission (the Commission) operates and maintains 24 American military cemeteries on foreign soil; 25 federal memorials, monuments, and markers; and 7 nonfederal memorials. For fiscal year 2010, the Commission incurred program costs of $69.6 million to maintain its cemeteries and federal memorials. In accordance with 36 U.S.C. 2103, GAO is responsible for conducting audits of the agencywide financial statements of the Commission. GAO audited the financial statements of the Commission for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2010, and 2009. The audits were done to determine whether, in all material respects, (1) the Commission's financial statements were presented fairly and (2) Commission management maintained effective internal control over financial reporting. GAO also tested Commission management's compliance with selected laws and regulations."
Date: March 1, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
System: The UNT Digital Library