A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Cargo containers could be used to transport unlawful cargo, including weapons of mass destruction, illicit arms, stowaways, and illegal narcotics into the United States. Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for container security. To enhance container security, CBP has partnered with DHS's Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate to develop performance standards--requirements that must be met by products to ensure they will function as intended--for container security technologies. After successful completion of testing, S&T plans to deliver performance standards to DHS's Office of Policy Development and CBP. As requested, this report addresses (1) the extent to which DHS has made progress in conducting research and development and defining performance standards for the technologies, and (2) the remaining steps and challenges, if any, DHS could face in implementing the technologies. GAO, among other things, reviewed master test plans for S&T's four ongoing container security technology projects, and interviewed DHS officials."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicare covers dialysis for most individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Beginning in January 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is required to use a single payment to pay for dialysis and related services, which include injectable ESRD drugs. Questions have been raised about this new payment system's effects on the access to and quality of dialysis care for certain groups of beneficiaries, such as those who receive above average doses of injectable ESRD drugs. GAO examined (1) Medicare expenditures for injectable ESRD drugs, by demographic characteristics; (2) factors likely to result in above average doses of these drugs; (3) CMS's approach for addressing beneficiary differences in the cost of dialysis care under the new payment system; and (4) CMS's plans to monitor the new payment system's effects. GAO analyzed 2007 data--the most recent available--on Medicare ESRD expenditures and input from 73 nephrology clinicians and researchers collected using a Web-based data collection instrument. GAO also reviewed reports and CMS's proposed rule on the payment system's design and interviewed CMS officials."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Due to the unprecedented pace and crowds of the 2008 presidential campaign, the U.S. Secret Service (Secret Service), a component of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), exceeded its budgeted amount for fiscal year 2009 presidential candidate nominee protection funding, but did not notify Congress of this shortfall (fiscal year 2009 shortfall) until June 2009--5 months after the Inauguration. In response to the Conference Report accompanying the 2010 DHS Appropriations Act, this report addresses the extent to which, at the time of the fiscal year 2009 shortfall, (1) Secret Service had the necessary internal controls in place to help ensure it could effectively manage and report on funds for presidential candidate protection; and (2) Secret Service and DHS had policies and procedures in place to help ensure that information related to the fiscal year 2009 shortfall was communicated to DHS and Congress. To conduct the audit work, GAO reviewed appropriation laws and regulations, Secret Service financial reports, and various DHS and Secret Service policy and procedural documents. GAO also interviewed officials from DHS and Secret Service."