Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Serious concerns exist regarding the risk management practices and the federal oversight of the housing government-sponsored enterprises (GSE)--Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System (FHLBank System), which had combined obligations of $4.6 trillion as of year-end 2003. In 2003, Freddie Mac disclosed significant accounting irregularities. In 2004, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) cited Fannie Mae for accounting irregularities and earnings manipulation. Fannie Mae has to restate its financial statements for 2001-2004 and OFHEO has required the GSE to develop a capital restoration plan. Also in 2004, the FHLBanks of Chicago and Seattle entered into written agreements with their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Board (FHFB), to implement changes to enhance their risk management. To assist Congress in its housing GSE oversight, this testimony provides information on GSEs' missions and risks, the current regulatory structure, and proposed regulatory reforms."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As the federal government continues its overall transformation, the centerpiece of this effort is the strategic management of human capital. Federal agencies will need the most effective human capital systems to succeed in their transformations. Congress has recently given agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Defense (DOD) statutory authorities intended to help them manage their human capital strategically to achieve results. Consequently, in this environment, the federal government is quickly approaching the point where "standard governmentwide" human capital policies and processes are neither standard nor governmentwide. To help advance the discussion concerning how governmentwide human capital reform should proceed, GAO and the National Commission on the Public Service Implementation Initiative hosted a forum on whether there should be a governmentwide framework for human capital reform and, if so, what this framework should include. While there were divergent views among the forum participants, there was general agreement on a set of principles, criteria, and processes that would serve as a starting point for further discussion in developing a governmentwide framework to advance needed human capital reform. Specifically, they …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal spending on information technology (IT) is over $60 billion this year and is expected to continue to rise. Accordingly, it is essential that federal IT investments are managed efficiently. Of the 1,200 major IT projects in the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2005, OMB stated that it had placed about half--621 projects, representing about $22 billion--on a Management Watch List to focus attention on mission-critical IT investments that need management improvements. GAO was asked to testify on the findings and recommendations made in a report that it recently completed (GAO-05-276), which describes and assesses OMB's processes for (1) placing projects on its Management Watch List and (2) following up on corrective actions established for projects on the list."

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As part of its work to improve the management and performance of the federal government, GAO monitors progress and continuing challenges related to the President's Management Agenda (PMA). The Administration has looked to GAO's high-risk program to help shape various governmentwide initiatives, including the PMA. GAO remains committed to working with the Congress and the Administration to help address these important and complex issues."

A new facility for high-pressure diffraction and spectroscopy using diamond anvil high-pressure cells has been built at the Advanced Light Source on Beamline 12.2.2. This beamline benefits from the hard X-radiation generated by a 6 Tesla superconducting bending magnet (superbend). Useful x-ray flux is available between 5 keV and 35 keV. The radiation is transferred from the superbend to the experimental enclosure by the brightness preserving optics of the beamline. These optics are comprised of: a plane parabola collimating mirror (M1), followed by a Kohzu monochromator vessel with a Si(111) crystals (E/{Delta}E {approx} 7000) and a W/B{sub 4}C multilayer (E/{Delta}E {approx} 100), and then a toroidal focusing mirror (M2) with variable focusing distance. The experimental enclosure contains an automated beam positioning system, a set of slits, ion chambers, the sample positioning goniometry and area detectors (CCD or image-plate detector). Future developments aim at the installation of a second end station dedicated for in situ laser-heating on one hand and a dedicated high-pressure single-crystal station, applying both monochromatic as well as polychromatic techniques.

This report discusses the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) also know as mad cow disease, which is a degenerative, fatal disease affecting the nervous system in cattle. Worldwide, BSE has been found in 187,000 animals, 183,000 of them in Great Britain, where it was first detected in 1986.

The PLEIADES (Picosecond Laser-Electron Interaction for the Dynamic Evaluation of Structures) facility provides tunable short x-ray pulses with energies of 30-140 keV and pulse durations of 0.3-5 ps by scattering an intense, ultrashort laser pulse off a 35-75 MeV electron beam. Synchronization of the laser and electron beam is obtained by using a photoinjector gun, and using the same laser system to generate the electrons and the scattering laser. The Ti Ti:Sapphire, chirped pulse amplification based 500 mJ, 50 fs, 810 nm scattering laser and the similar 300 {micro}J, 5 ps, 266 nm photoinjector laser systems are detailed. Additionally, an optical parametric chirped pulse amplification (OPCPA) system is studied as a replacement for part of the scattering laser front end. Such a change would significantly simplify the set-up the laser system by removing the need for active switching optics, as well as increase the pre-pulse contrast ratio which will be important when part of the scattering laser is used as a pump beam in pump-probe diffraction experiments using the ultrashort tunable x-rays generated as the probe.

Neutron-induced reaction cross-sections on unstable nuclei are inherently difficult to measure due to target activity and the low intensity of neutron beams. In an alternative approach, named the 'surrogate' technique, one measures the decay probability of the same compound nucleus produced using a stable beam on a stable target to estimate the neutron-induced reaction cross-section. As an extension of the surrogate method, in this paper they introduce a new technique of measuring the fission probabilities of two different compound nuclei as a ratio, which has the advantage of removing most of the systematic uncertainties. This method was benchmarked in this report by measuring the probability of deuteron-induced fission events in coincidence with protons, and forming the ratio P({sup 236}U(d,pf))/P({sup 238}U(d,pf)), which serves as a surrogate for the known cross-section ratio of {sup 236}U(n,f)/{sup 238}U(n,f). IN addition, the P({sup 238}U(d,d{prime}f))/P({sup 236}U(d,d{prime}f)) ratio as a surrogate for the {sup 237}U(n,f)/{sup 235}U(n,f) cross-section ratio was measured for the first time in an unprecedented range of excitation energies.

World demand for energy is projected to more than double by 2050 and to more than triple by the end of the century. Incremental improvements in existing energy networks will not be adequate to supply this demand in a sustainable way. Finding sufficient supplies of clean energy for the future is one of society?s most daunting challenges. Sunlight provides by far the largest of all carbon-neutral energy sources. More energy from sunlight strikes the Earth in one hour (4.3 ? 1020 J) than all the energy consumed on the planet in a year (4.1 ? 1020 J). We currently exploit this solar resource through solar electricity ? a $7.5 billion industry growing at a rate of 35?40% per annum ? and solar-derived fuel from biomass, which provides the primary energy source for over a billion people. Yet, in 2001, solar electricity provided less than 0.1% of the world's electricity, and solar fuel from modern (sustainable) biomass provided less than 1.5% of the world's energy. The huge gap between our present use of solar energy and its enormous undeveloped potential defines a grand challenge in energy research. Sunlight is a compelling solution to our need for clean, abundant sources of energy …

The xanthophyll cycle is a ubiquitous activity in higher plants. A major function of the cycle is to protect the photosynthetic system from the potentially damaging effects of high light by dissipating excess energy that might otherwise damage the photosynthetic apparatus harmlessly as heat by a process termed non-photochemical quenching (NFQ). This research focused on investigating the dynamics of the relationship between PsbS, subunit PSII protein required for NPQ, and zeaxanthin by perturbing the natural relationship of these components by overexpression of PsbS, violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), and PsbS-VDE in tobacco. The effects of these treatments showed that the relationship between NPQ and zeaxanthin formation is more complex than previously indicated from studies carried out under high light. It is postulated that the xanthophyll cycle functions as a type of signal-transduction system within the thylakoid membrane. Recent studies in model lipid systems demonstrated that zeaxanthin exerts feedback inhibition on violaxanthin de-epoxidase. This feedback inhibition is consistent with the lipid phase functioning as a modulating factor in the dynamics of the cycle's operation. While this research and those in other laboratories have defined both the biochemistry and molecular mechanism of the cycle's operation, especially for violaxanthin de-epoxidase, there is yet insufficient knowledge …

One of the problems in the high-power lasers design is in outcoupling of a powerful laser beam out of a vacuum volume into atmosphere. Usually the laser device is located inside a vacuum tank. The laser radiation is transported to the outside world through the transparent vacuum window. While considered transparent, some of the light passing through the glass is absorbed and converted to heat. For most applications, these properties are academic curiosities; however, in multi-kilowatt lasers, the heat becomes significant and can lead to a failure. The absorbed power can result in thermal stress, reduction of light transmission and, consequently, window damage. Modern optical technology has developed different types of glass (Silica, BK7, diamond, etc.) that have high thermal conductivity and damage threshold. However, for kilo- and megawatt lasers the issue still remains open. In this paper we present a solution that may relieve the heat load on the output window. We discuss advantages and issues of this particular window design.

Off-axis electron Bernstein wave current drive (EBWCD) may be critical for sustaining noninductive high-beta National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) plasmas. Numerical modeling results predict that the {approx}100 kA of off-axis current needed to stabilize a solenoid-free high-beta NSTX plasma could be generated via Ohkawa current drive with 3 MW of 28 GHz EBW power. In addition, synergy between EBWCD and bootstrap current may result in a 10% enhancement in current-drive efficiency with 4 MW of EBW power. Recent dual-polarization EBW radiometry measurements on NSTX confirm that efficient coupling to EBWs can be readily accomplished by launching elliptically polarized electromagnetic waves oblique to the confining magnetic field, in agreement with numerical modeling. Plans are being developed for implementing a 1 MW, 28 GHz proof-of-principle EBWCD system on NSTX to test the EBW coupling, heating and current-drive physics at high radio-frequency power densities.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Strategic human capital is the centerpiece of agencies' efforts to transform into high-performing organizations poised to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. Congress, recognizing that the federal human capital management systems designed in the past are outmoded, has provided agencies with exemptions from the old rules and new flexibilities to more strategically manage their workforce. Congress has already granted statutory exemptions and new authorities affecting more than 1.2 million civilian federal employees. The momentum is building to continue to reform the policies, processes, and systems that govern federal human capital management. Congress is interested in taking stock of how agencies have implemented the new flexibilities they have been granted, especially as it considers the future steps to be taken to achieve human capital reform. At the request of Congress, this statement provides an update of GAO's work on the progress agencies have made in implementing these flexibilities to better accomplish their missions and achieve their goals. In addition, it provides information on GAO's experiences with human capital reform and also highlights a set of consistent principles, criteria, and processes that can help to guide future reforms, whether …

We have made progress in learning to use the code Hydra to do detailed modeling of targets for Accelerator Driven High Energy Density Physics. Hydra is a state-of-the-art 3D, radiative transfer hydrodynamics modeling code developed at LLNL. In particular, we have carried out two-dimensional simulations of a 23 MeV, 1 mm radius Neon beam striking a 48 micron thick Aluminum foil at 10% solid density, and observed the heating of the foil by the beam. The Bragg peak was chosen to fall near the center of the foil, and as expected, rarefaction waves propagated symmetrically inward (at a speed of order the sound speed), as the heated material flowed outward and cooled. Foams allow relatively high temperatures to be attained over longer timescales, and the foils behaved, at least qualitatively, as predicted by previous analysis. Design of a number of configurations, ion species, and material compositions will be carried out using this code. Further, calculations by our collaborators at Tech-X corporation have compared results from the SRIM code (a code for understanding detailed energy deposition and scattering of ions in a cold solid) with cold dEdX curves published by Northcliffe and Schilling in 1970. The latter publication was used for …

This report includes information regarding the implementation of the Clean Water Act. Total maximum daily load requirements, funding issues, and stormwater discharges are among topics discussed in this report.

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This report discusses Means test on Bankruptcy Reform.

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The thermal stability of high explosive (HE) and its compatibility with other materials are of critical importance in storage and handling practices. These properties are measured at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory using the chemical reactivity test (CRT). The CRT measures the total amount of gas evolved from a material or combination of materials after being heat treated for a designated period of time. When the test result is compared to a threshold value, the relative thermal stability of an HE or the compatibility of an HE with other materials is determined. We describe the CRT testing apparatus, the experimental procedure, and the comparison methodology and provide examples and discussion of results.

The PHENIX Experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider has made measurements of event-by-event fluctuations in the net charge, the mean transverse momentum, and the charged particle multiplicity as a function of collision energy, centrality, and transverse momentum in heavy ion collisions. The results of these measurements will be reviewed and discussed.

This report discusses proposals for international tsunami early warning systems and examines U.S. policy regarding tsunamis.

This report discusses the child support enforcement program that promotes self-sufficiency of families in which one of the biological parents living outside of the home by ensuring that noncustodial parents meets their financial responsibility to their children.

Preventing the corrosion and oxidation of uranium is important to the continued development of advanced nuclear fuel technologies. Knowledge of the surface reactions of uranium metal with various environmental and atmospheric agents, and the subsequent degradation processes, are vitally important in 21st century nuclear technology. A review of the oxidation of actinide elements and their use in catalysis summarizes the present understanding of the kinetics and mechanisms of the reaction in dry and humid air. Researchers have recently used N{sub 2}{sup +} and C{sup +} ion implantation to modify the near surface region chemistry and structure of U to affect the nucleation and growth kinetics of corrosion and to passivate the surface. These researchers used Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) in conjunction with sputter depth profiling to show that the implanted surfaces had compositional gradients containing nitrides and carbides. In addition to chemical modification, ion implantation can create special reactive surface species that include defect structures that affect the initial absorption and dissociation of molecules on the surface, thus providing mechanical stability and protection against further air corrosion.

The growth rate of a crystal in a supersaturated solution is limited by both reaction kinetics and the local concentration of solute. If the local mass transfer coefficient is too low, concentration of solute at the crystal-solution interface will drop below saturation, leading to a defect in the growing crystal. Here, mass transfer coefficients are calculated for a rotating crystal growing in a supersaturated solution of potassium diphosphate (KDP) in water. Since mass transfer is difficult to measure directly, the heat transfer coefficient of a scale model crystal in water is measured using temperature-sensitive paint (TSP). To the authors' knowledge this is the first use of TSP to measure temperatures in water. The corresponding mass transfer coefficient is then calculated using the Chilton- Colburn analogy. Measurements were made for three crystal sizes at two running conditions each. Running conditions include periodic reversals of rotation direction. Heat transfer coefficients were found to vary significantly both across the crystal faces and over the course of a rotation cycle, but not from one face to another. Mean heat transfer coefficients increased with both crystal size and rotation rate. Computed mass transfer coefficients were broadly in line with expectations from the full-scale crystal growth …