Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In recent years, the Navy has used nuclear propulsion systems for its submarines and most aircraft carriers and conventional propulsion systems that rely on fossil fuel for its surface combatants and amphibious warfare ships. As the Navy looks to design an affordable force that is capable of meeting future security challenges, some of the assumptions and factors that have guided past Navy decisions on propulsion systems may require reassessment. For example, technological advances have enabled greater efficiency in both nuclear and conventional propulsion systems. Moreover, the cost of fossil fuel has risen sharply in recent years. Congress requested that we review the Navy's assessment of alternative propulsion methods for submarines and surface combatants. Our objectives were to determine (1) the status and scope of key Navy studies on alternative propulsion methods, (2) the major improvements to existing propulsion systems, (3) near-term and future ships' propulsion systems, and (4) the various ship propulsion related technologies the Navy is pursuing. In March 2006, we provided you with a briefing of our findings regarding propulsion systems for Navy ships and submarines. This report summarizes the results of that briefing as well …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress's request for additional information related to the subcommittee's May 25, 2006 hearing on whether charities participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) are meeting their employment tax responsibilities. Our responses are based on work performed during GAO's audit, communication with the Internal Revenue Service, GAO's views of generally accepted accounting principles and generally accepted auditing standards, and on professional judgment."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO reviewed the audit reports covering the financial statements of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003. GAO found no reportable instances of noncompliance. The audit reports included the auditor's opinion that the financial statements of the corporation were presented fairly in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO reviewed the audit reports covering the financial statements of the National Ski Patrol System, Incorporated, for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2005 and 2004. GAO found no reportable instances of noncompliance. The audit reports included the auditor's opinion that the financial statements of the corporation were presented fairly in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report responds to a legislative mandate to report on the effects of certain program changes on the actuarial soundness of the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) program, which is part of the Department of Defense's (DOD) Military Retirement Fund (Fund). The primary purpose of the SBP is to provide benefits to the surviving dependents of deceased members or retirees of the armed forces. In certain cases, individuals other than dependents can be designated recipients of survivor benefits. The Fund accumulates financing resources in order to fund, on an actuarially sound basis, the liabilities of the military retirement and SBP programs. The SBP was created by legislation enacted on September 21, 1972, and has been modified various times by subsequent legislation. The fiscal year 2006 National Defense Authorization Act requires that we report to Congress on (1) the effect of recent significant SBP program changes on the actuarial soundness of the program, (2) the effect of these significant SBP program changes by the various categories of participants and in total on (a) DOD normal cost payments for the program and (b) Department of the Treasury (Treasury) payments to amortize …

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO reviewed the audit reports covering the financial statements of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States of America for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003. GAO found no reportable instances of noncompliance. The audit reports included the auditor's opinion that the financial statements of the corporation were presented fairly in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 7 is motor vehicle traffic crashes. Head Start, a federal early care and education program run by local grantees and targeted at low-income children, currently serves approximately 900,000 children, and transports many of them to and from Head Start centers across the country. While not required to do so, many Head Start grantees offer transportation as a way to make Head Start more widely available to the eligible population, especially very poor children. To address concerns about transporting children safely, the 1992 Head Start Improvement Act directed the Office of Head Start, housed within the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to develop transportation regulations to ensure the safety and effectiveness of transportation services made available to children by Head Start grantees. Head Start issued these regulations in 2001. To provide Congress with information that it requested on the regulations and their implementation, we determined: (1) the research and cost information Head Start considered in establishing the transportation regulations; (2) the actions Head Start grantees have taken to implement the vehicle, restraint, and bus monitor …

None

Since August of 2001, Bob Lawrence and Associates, Inc. (BL&A) has applied its outreach and support services to lead a highly effective work effort on behalf of Wind Powering America (WPA). In recent years, the company has generated informative brochures and posters, researched and created case studies, and provided technical support to key wind program managers. BL&A has also analyzed Lamar, Colorado’s 162MW wind project and developed a highly regarded 'wind supply chain' report and outreach presentation. BL&A’s efforts were then replicated to characterize similar supply chain presentations in New Mexico and Illinois. Note that during the period of this contract, the recipient met with members of the DOE Wind Program a number of times to obtain specific guidance on tasks that needed to be pursued on behalf of this grant. Thus, as the project developed over the course of 5 years, the recipient varied the tasks and emphasis on tasks to comply with the on-going and continuously developing requirements of the Wind Powering America Program. This report provides only a brief summary of activities to illustrate the recipient's work for advancing wind energy education and outreach from 2001 through the end of the contract period in 2006. It provides …

Summary of the 12th Advanced Accelerator Concept (AAC 2006) Workshop help by NIU and ANL on July 10th-15th 2006 in Lake Geneva WI. The proceedings of the workshop have been published as an AIP conference proceedings "12th Advanced Accelerator Concepts Workshop” volume 877.

Summary describing the work completed at PBS&J for 'Study to Conduct National Register of Historic Places: Evaluations Submerged Sites on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf.' It includes background information on the project funding and sponsorship, goals, methodology, and findings.

This is a study to assess benthic impacts of drilling at four sites along the Gulf of Mexico's continental slope. Objectives studied are cuttings accumulations, seabed changes from anchors and mooring systems, debris accumulations, chemical modification of sediments, and effects on benthic organisms.

Summary describing the work completed at Louisiana State University, Center for Energy Studies for Accounting for Economic Change in the Gulf of Mexico: Developing a Comparative Context for Regional Economic Analysis and History. It includes background information on the project funding and sponsorship, goals, methodology, and findings.

Executive summary describing a study to assess benthic impacts of drilling at four sites along the Gulf of Mexico's continental slope. Objectives studied are cuttings accumulations, seabed changes from anchors and mooring systems, debris accumulations, chemical modification of sediments, and effects on benthic organisms.