A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provided $9 billion in education benefits to service-members and veterans in fiscal year 2010, mostly through the new Post-9/11 GI Bill. In providing education benefits, VA relies on State Approving Agencies (SAA) to approve schools; and on schools to report students' enrollment status. GAO was asked to determine: (1) what is known about the effectiveness of outreach to and support for individuals applying for VA education benefits, particularly those with disabilities; (2) the role of school officials and challenges they face in their role; and (3) how VA monitors and oversees states' and schools' implementation of these benefits. GAO reviewed VA reports and plans, conducted a nationally representative survey of school officials, interviewed VA and state officials in four states, and reviewed recent statutory changes to the Post-9/11 GI Bill."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Congress mandated higher vehicle fuel economy by model year 2020 and established the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) loan program in the Department of Energy (DOE). ATVM is to provide up to $25 billion in loans for more fuel-efficient vehicles and components. Congress also provided $7.5 billion to pay the required credit subsidy costs--the government's estimated net long-term cost, in present value terms, of the loans. GAO was asked to review the ATVM program and agreed to (1) identify the steps DOE has taken to implement the program, (2) examine the program's progress in awarding loans, (3) assess how the program is overseeing the loans, and (4) evaluate the extent to which DOE can assess progress toward meeting its goals. GAO analyzed loan documents and relevant laws and regulations and interviewed DOE and ATVM officials."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) operates presidential libraries for all of the former U.S. presidents since Herbert Hoover. These libraries received over 2.4 million visits in 2009, including researchers, public program attendees, and museum visitors. Each library is associated with a private foundation, which raised the funds to build the library and then turned the library facility over to the federal government. These foundations typically have ongoing relationships with the libraries they built, and some of these library-foundation relationships involve sharing of staff and facilities. Per congressional request, this report describes the principal laws, regulations, and NARA policies that govern library-foundation relationships and the appropriate use of library facilities and staff. GAO reviewed specific laws governing presidential libraries, and NARA regulations and policies. We also reviewed applicable laws and regulations governing activities held on government property and acceptable activities of federal employees. Further, we interviewed relevant NARA officials. NARA reviewed a draft of this report and had no substantive comments. NARA made technical suggestions which we incorporated as appropriate. GAO is not making any recommendations in this report."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Older Americans Act (OAA) was enacted to help older adults remain in their homes and communities. In fiscal year 2008, about 5 percent of the nation's adults 60 and over received key aging services through Title III of the OAA, including meals and home-based care. In fiscal year 2010, states received $1.4 billion to fund Title III programs. Studies project large increases in the number of adults who will be eligible for services in the future and likely government budget constraints. In advance of program reauthorization scheduled for 2011, GAO was asked to determine: (1) what is known about the need for home- and community-based services like those funded by OAA and the potential unmet need for these services; (2) how have agencies used their funds, including Recovery Act funds, to meet program objectives, and (3) how government and local agencies measured need and unmet need. To do this, GAO analyzed national self-reported data; surveyed a random sample of 125 local agencies; reviewed agency documents; and spoke with officials from the Administration on Aging (AoA) and state and local agencies."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCOE) was established to lead DOD's effort to develop excellence in DOD prevention, outreach, and care for those with psychological health and traumatic brain injury conditions. GAO was asked to report on (1) challenges DCOE has faced in its development; (2) the extent to which DCOE's strategic plan aligns with key practices used by leading public-sector organizations; and (3) the extent to which internal controls provide reasonable assurance that DCOE information on financial obligations is reliable for management decision making. GAO reviewed documentation and interviewed DCOE officials about DCOE development challenges, evaluated DCOE's strategic plan against practices used by leading public-sector organizations, assessed the design of internal controls for recording obligations, and tested fiscal year 2009 DCOE obligations to supporting documentation to determine if the obligations were properly classified."

This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of the changing oil prices on the nation's merchandise trade deficit.

This report discusses the current political conditions of Uganda, which have long been ravaged by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), an armed rebel group backed by the government of Sudan. In particular, the report focuses on largely unsuccessful Ugandan efforts to resolve the conflict with the LRA, as well as talks with the U.S. under the Bush Administration and the recent suicide bombings in Kampala, Uganda, in July 2010.

This report estimates the value of each exemption, exclusion, discount, deduction, special accounting method, credit, refund, and special appraisal available under Texas' sales, franchise, gasoline, and motor vehicle sale taxes, as well as under the property tax levied by Texas School Districts. (A Message From The Comptroller).

This report begins with a discussion of the policy tensions surrounding temporary admissions. It follows with a synthesis of the nonimmigrant categories according to the purpose of the visa. It discusses the periods of admission and length of stay and then summarizes grounds for inadmissibility and removal as well as reasons for termination of status. It also describes the circumstances under which nonimmigrants may work in the United States. The second portion of the report analyzes trends in temporary migration. It describes changes over time in nonimmigrant visas issued and nonimmigrant admissions. Various data on nonimmigrants who establish residence in the United States are also discussed. The report concludes with two detailed tables analyzing key admissions requirements across all nonimmigrant visa types.

Annual financial report of the state of Texas for fiscal year 2010 including introductory materials; a financial section containing an independent auditor's report, management's discussion and analysis, basic financial statements, required supplementary information other than MD&A, other supplementary information (combining financial statements and schedules); and a statistical section detailing financial trends, revenue capacity, debt capacity, demographic and economic information, and operating information.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether section 542.2035, Transportation Code, prohibits a municipal peace officer from using a handheld laser speed enforcement device to collect evidence before initiating a traffic stop (RQ-0914-GA)

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether information contained in a presentence investigation report may be released to the Department of Family and Protective Services for the protection of a child (RQ-0917-GA)

This report analyzes the distinct population segments (DPS) designation process as it is applied to the gray wolf. It also examines experimental populations of wolves under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and their protections.

This report evaluates collapse evolution for selected Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) underground nuclear tests at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS, formerly called the Nevada Test Site). The work is being done at the request of National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec) and supports the Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration for the Nevada Site Office Borehole Management Program (BMP). The primary objective of this program is to close (plug) weapons program legacy boreholes that are deemed no longer useful. Safety decisions must be made before a crater area, or potential crater area, can be reentered for any work. Our statements on cavity collapse and crater formation are input into their safety decisions. The BMP is an on-going program to address hundreds of boreholes at the NTS. Each year NSTec establishes a list of holes to be addressed. They request the assistance of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory Containment Programs to provide information related to the evolution of collapse history and make statements on completeness of collapse as relates to surface crater stability. These statements do not include the effects of erosion that may modify the collapse craters over time. They also do not …

The Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is currently processing Sludge Batch 6 (SB6) with Frit 418. At times during the processing of this glass system, thorium is expected to be at concentrations in the final wasteform that make it a reportable element for the first time since startup of radioactive operations at the DWPF. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) supported the qualification of the processing of this glass system at the DWPF. A recommendation from the SRNL studies was the need for the DWPF Laboratory to establish a method to measure thorium by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICPAES). This recommendation led to the set of thorium-bearing glasses from the SB6 Variability Study (VS) being submitted to the DWPF Laboratory for chemical composition measurement. The measurements were conducted by the DWPF Laboratory using the sodium peroxide fusion preparation method routinely employed for analysis of samples from the Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME). These measurements are presented and reviewed in this report. The review indicates that the measurements provided by the DWPF Laboratory are comparable to those provided by Analytical Development's laboratory at SRNL for these same glasses. As a result, the authors of this …

This report summarizes code requirements and energy savings of commercial buildings in Climate Zone 2B built to the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 when compared to the 2003 IECC and the 2006 IECC. In general, the 2009 IECC and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 have higher insulation requirements for exterior walls, roof, and windows and have higher efficiency requirements for HVAC equipment. HVAC equipment efficiency requirements are governed by National Appliance Conversion Act of 1987 (NAECA), and are applicable irrespective of the IECC version adopted. The energy analysis results show that commercial buildings meeting the 2009 IECC requirements save 4.4% to 9.5% site energy and 4.1% to 9.9% energy cost when compared to the 2006 IECC; and save 10.6% to 29.4% site energy and 10.3% to 29.3% energy cost when compared to the 2003 IECC. Similar analysis comparing ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 requirements to the 2006 IECC shows that the energy savings are in the 4.0% to 10.7% for multi-family and retail buildings, but less than 2% for office buildings. Further comparison of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 requirements to the 2003 IECC show site energy savings in the range of 7.7% to 30.6% and energy cost savings range from 7.9% to 30.3%. Both …

This program was a 2.5 year effort focused on technologies that support coal and biomass gasification. Two primary tasks were included in the effort: 1) Coal/Biomass gasification and system optimization and 2) development of high temperature microchannel ceramic heat exchangers.

The agenda for this presentation is: (1) understand organizational readiness for changes; (2) review benefits and challenges of change; (3) share case studies of ergonomic programs that were 'not ready' and some that were 'ready'; and (4) provide some ideas for facilitating change.

Wells ER-20-8 and ER-20-8#2 were drilled for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office in support of the Nevada Environmental Restoration Project at the Nevada National Security Site (formerly Nevada Test Site), Nye County, Nevada. The holes were drilled in July and August 2009, as part of the Pahute Mesa Phase II drilling program. The primary purpose of these wells was to provide detailed hydrogeologic information in the Tertiary volcanic section that will help address uncertainties within the Pahute Mesa–Oasis Valley hydrostratigraphic framework model. They may also be used as long-term monitoring wells.

The 192 laser beams in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are automatically aligned to the target-chamber center using images obtained through charged coupled device (CCD) cameras. Several of these cameras are in and around the target chamber during an experiment. Current experiments for the National Ignition Campaign are attempting to achieve nuclear fusion. Neutron yields from these high energy fusion shots expose the alignment cameras to neutron radiation. The present work explores modeling and predicting laser alignment performance degradation due to neutron radiation effects, and demonstrates techniques to mitigate performance degradation. Camera performance models have been created based on the measured camera noise from the cumulative single-shot fluence at the camera location. We have found that the effect of the neutron-generated noise for all shots to date have been well within the alignment tolerance of half a pixel, and image processing techniques can be utilized to reduce the effect even further on the beam alignment.

This report gives the result from the Phase-1 work on demonstrating greater than 10x speedup of the Barracuda computer program using parallel methods and GPU processors (General-Purpose Graphics Processing Unit or Graphics Processing Unit). Phase-1 demonstrated a 12x speedup on a typical Barracuda function using the GPU processor. The problem test case used about 5 million particles and 250,000 Eulerian grid cells. The relative speedup, compared to a single CPU, increases with increased number of particles giving greater than 12x speedup. Phase-1 work provided a path for reformatting data structure modifications to give good parallel performance while keeping a friendly environment for new physics development and code maintenance. The implementation of data structure changes will be in Phase-2. Phase-1 laid the ground work for the complete parallelization of Barracuda in Phase-2, with the caveat that implemented computer practices for parallel programming done in Phase-1 gives immediate speedup in the current Barracuda serial running code. The Phase-1 tasks were completed successfully laying the frame work for Phase-2. The detailed results of Phase-1 are within this document. In general, the speedup of one function would be expected to be higher than the speedup of the entire code because of I/O functions and …

The main results of the computational modeling was: 1. Development of a new genealogical algorithm to generate vacancy clusters in diamond starting from monovacancies combined with energy criteria based on TBDFT energetics. The method revealed that for smaller vacancy clusters the energetically optimal shapes are compact but for larger sizes they tend to show graphitized regions. In fact smaller clusters of the size as small as 12 already show signatures of this ‘graphitization’. The modeling gives firm basis for the ‘slit-pore’ modeling of porous carbon materials and explains some of their properties. 2. We discovered small vacancy clusters and their physical characteristics that can be used to spectroscopically identify them. 3. We found low barrier pathways for vacancy migration in diamond-like materials by obtaining for the first time optimized reaction pathways.

The goal of the Heavy Ion Fusion (HIF) Program is to apply high-current accelerator technology to IFE power production. Ion beams of mass {approx}100 amu and kinetic energy {>=} 1 GeV provide efficient energy coupling into matter, and HIF enjoys R&D-supported favorable attributes of: (1) the driver, projected to be robust and efficient; see 'Heavy Ion Accelerator Drivers.'; (2) the targets, which span a continuum from full direct to full indirect drive (and perhaps fast ignition), and have metal exteriors that enable injection at {approx}10 Hz; see 'IFE Target Designs'; (3) the near-classical ion energy deposition in the targets; see 'Beam-Plasma Interactions'; (4) the magnetic final lens, robust against damage; see 'Final Optics-Heavy Ion Beams'; and (5) the fusion chamber, which may use neutronically-thick liquids; see 'Liquid-Wall Chambers.' Most studies of HIF power plants have assumed indirect drive and thick liquid wall protection, but other options are possible.

This report summarizes technical progress achieved during the project supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-FG26-07NT4306. The aim of the project was to conduct basic research into battery-free wireless sensing mechanism in order to develop novel wireless sensors and sensor network for physical and chemical parameter monitoring in a harsh environment. Passive wireless sensing platform and five wireless sensors including temperature sensor, pressure sensor, humidity sensor, crack sensor and networked sensors developed and demonstrated in our laboratory setup have achieved the objective for the monitoring of various physical and chemical parameters in a harsh environment through remote power and wireless sensor communication, which is critical to intelligent control of advanced power generation system. This report is organized by the sensors developed as detailed in each progress report.