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Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
1,304
Congressional Research Service Reports
854
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
333
Government Accountability Office Reports
162
Texas Attorney General Opinions
81
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56
Texas Laws and Resolutions Archive
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Texas Register
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Comparison of States' Highway Construction Costs
Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "We are reporting to Congress on whether Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) data can help transportation stakeholders understand how states' costs to build, reconstruct, and maintain federally financed highways, roads, and bridges (termed "constructing highways" for this report) compare. Durig our review, we became aware of significant issues regarding the quality of the data that FHWA collects and reports, a topic also discussed in this report."
Date:
November 3, 2003
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Management: Increased Attention on Fuel Demand Management at DOD's Forward-Deployed Locations Could Reduce Operational Risks and Costs
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to reduce fuel demand at its forward-deployed locations, particularly those that are not connected to local power grids. In 2008, more than 68 million gallons of fuel, on average, were supplied by DOD each month to support U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Transporting large quantities of fuel to forward-deployed locations presents an enormous logistics burden and risk. Long truck convoys moving fuel to forward-deployed locations have encountered enemy attacks, severe weather, traffic accidents, and pilferage. For example, DOD reported that in June 2008 alone, 44 trucks and 220,000 gallons of fuel were lost due to attacks or other events while delivering fuel to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. High fuel demand, coupled with the recent volatility of fuel prices, also have significant implications for DOD's operating costs. The fully burdened cost of fuel--that is, the total ownership cost of buying, moving, and protecting fuel in systems during combat--has been reported to be many times higher than the price of a gallon of fuel itself. While DOD's weapon systems require large amounts of fuel, the department reports that …
Date:
March 3, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Prescription Drug Discount Cards: Savings Depend on Pharmacy and Type of Card Used
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "While prescription drugs have become an increasingly important part of health care for the elderly, more than one-quarter of all Medicare beneficiaries have no prescription drug coverage. Over the past decade, private companies and not-for-profit organizations have sponsored prescription drug discount cards that offer discounts from the prices the elderly would otherwise have to pay for their prescriptions. These cards are typically administered by pharmacy benefit managers (PBM). Pharmaceutical manufacturers also sponsor and administer their own discount cards. The Administration has been interested in endorsing specific drug cards for Medicare beneficiaries to make the discounts more widely available. Legislative proposals in the Senate and House of Representatives have included drug cards as a means to lower prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. GAO was asked to examine how existing drug discount cards work and the prices available to card holders. Specifically, GAO evaluated the extent to which PBM-administered drug discount cards offer savings off non-card prices at 40 pharmacies in California, North Dakota, and Washington, D.C., and the differences between PBM-administered cards and cards sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers."
Date:
September 3, 2003
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program for Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Medicare program is the nation's largest health insurer with almost 40 million beneficiaries and outlays of over $219 billion annually. Because of the susceptibility of the program to fraud and abuse, Congress enacted the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) Program as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPAA) of 1996. HCFAC, which is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), established a national framework to coordinate federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts to detect, prevent, and prosecute health care fraud and abuse in the public and private sectors. HIPPAA requires HHS and DOJ to issue a joint annual report no later than January 1 of each year to Congress for the proceeding fiscal year. The joint HCFAC reports included deposits of $210 million for fiscal year 2000 and $464 million for fiscal year 2001, pursuant to the act. In testing at DOJ, GAO found errors in the recording of criminal fines deposits to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund in fiscal year 2001 that resulted …
Date:
June 3, 2002
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Information Security: Weak Controls Place Interior's Financial and Other Data at Risk
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report reviews information system general controls over the financial systems maintained by the Department of the Interior at its National Business Center (NBC) in Denver, Colorado. GAO found that although the Denver center has made progress in correcting previously cited computer security weaknesses, additional weaknesses affect the Denver center's information system control environment. These weaknesses affect the center's ability to prevent and detect unauthorized changes to financial information, control electronic access to sensitive personnel information, and restrict physical access to sensitive computing areas. The Denver center did not adequately limit access granted to authorized users, control all aspects of the system software controls, or secure access to its network. Also, the Denver center had not fully established a comprehensive program to routinely monitor access to its computer facilities and data and to identify and investigate unusual or suspicious access patterns that could indicate unauthorized access. The primary reason for these weaknesses was that the Denver center had not yet fully developed and implemented a comprehensive entitywide program to manage computer security."
Date:
July 3, 2001
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
September 11: Interim Report on the Response of Charities
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Some surveys suggest that as many as two-thirds of American households have donated money to charitable organizations in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. Although it may be difficult to precisely tally the amount of money raised, 34 of the larger charities have reported raising an estimated $2.4 billion since September 11. Of the estimated $2.4 billion reported collected by the larger charities, about two-thirds were reported to have been distributed. Fund distribution rates vary widely among these charities, in part because of differences in their operating mission. Charities reported distributing these funds for a broad range of assistance to the families of those killed or injured, for those more indirectly affected through the loss of their jobs or homes, and for disaster relief workers. To distribute aid, charities had to make extensive efforts to identify victims and survivors as there were no uniform contact lists for families of victims; charity officials also said privacy issues affected the sharing of information among charities. Charities also faced challenges in providing aid to non-English speaking people in need of assistance; some charities have focused their efforts …
Date:
September 3, 2002
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Influenza Pandemic: Continued Focus on the Nation's Planning and Preparedness Efforts Remains Essential
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As the recent outbreak of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus underscores, an influenza pandemic remains a real threat to our nation and to the world. Over the past 3 years, GAO has conducted a body of work to help the nation better prepare for a possible pandemic. In a February 2009 report, GAO synthesized the results of this work, pointing out that while the previous administration had taken a number of actions to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, much more needs to be done, and many gaps in preparedness and planning still remain. This statement is based on the February 2009 report which synthesized the results of 11 reports and two testimonies covering six thematic areas: (1) leadership, authority, and coordination; (2) detecting threats and managing risks; (3) planning, training, and exercising, (4) capacity to respond and recover; (5) information sharing and communication; and (6) performance and accountability."
Date:
June 3, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Price Trends for Defense Logistics Agency's Weapon System Parts
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Some military commands are raising concerns about price increases for weapon system parts. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) provides these parts and related services to the military, Department of Defense agencies, and other government entities. GAO found that the majority of DLA's weapon system spare parts experienced a relatively low annual price change--less than 5 percent--from 1989 through 1998. However, the prices for some parts are increasing. Most of the extreme price increases are due to inaccurate price estimates, outdated prices, or changes in quantities purchased. This could affect some military units' ability to buy needed spare parts."
Date:
November 3, 2000
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Internal Revenue Service: 2001 Tax Filing Season, Systems Modernization, and Security of Electronic Filing
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses (1) the status of the 2001 tax filing season, (2) the status of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) business systems modernization effort, and (3) the security of IRS' electronic filing system. GAO found that although the 2001 filing season appears to be running smoothly, some matters require further attention. For example, IRS has had problems with the personal identification number assigned to electronic filers. Although data indicate that taxpayers are having an easier time reaching IRS to ask questions, concerns persist about the productivity of its telephone assistors. With respect to business systems modernization, GAO has long held that IRS needs to establish fundamental modernization management controls before it begins to build and implement modernized systems. IRS has made some progress in this area, but it is still not where it needs to be. GAO is concerned that IRS is allowing its system acquisition projects to get ahead of its capabilities for managing them. Lastly, GAO's review of IRS' electronic filing systems last year showed that IRS had ineffective controls to ensure the security of those systems and electronically-transmitted taxpayer data. IRS moved promptly to …
Date:
April 3, 2001
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
IRS Modernization: Long-term Effort Under Way, but Significant Challenges Remain
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) progress in implementing its modernization effort and the challenges that remain."
Date:
May 3, 2000
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Environmental Information: EPA Needs Better Information to Manage Risks and Measure Results
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs comprehensive and accurate data to manage its programs more effectively. In reports going back to 1988, GAO has identified many long-standing problems in the agency's efforts to collect and use environmental data. This report summarizes GAO's findings on: (1) EPA's need to set risk-based priorities for its programs, and (2) develop outcome-oriented measures of its programs' results. EPA's ability to assess risks and establish risk-based priorities has been hampered by data quality problems, including critical data gaps, databases that do not operate compatibly with one another, and persistent concerns about the accuracy of the data in many of EPA's data systems. To ensure future success in developing outcome measures, however, EPA will need to make a long-term commitment to overcome major challenges to obtaining the data needed to show the results of environmental programs."
Date:
October 3, 2000
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Depot Maintenance: Air Force Faces Challenges in Managing to 50-50 Ceiling
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the Air Force's 50-percent ceiling waiver, focusing on the basis for the waiver and the likelihood that the Air Force will need additional waivers in the future."
Date:
March 3, 2000
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Financial Management: Strategies to Address Improper Payments at HUD, Education, and Other Federal Agencies
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses (1) how internal control weaknesses make the departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Education vulnerable to, and in some cases have resulted in, improper and questionable payments and (2) strategies these and other federal agencies can use to better manage their improper payments. Despite a climate of increased scrutiny, most improper payments associated with federal programs continue to go unidentified as they drain taxpayer resources away from the missions and goals of our government. GAO found that both HUD and Education lacked fundamental internal controls over their purchase card programs that would have minimized the risk of improper purchases. Combined with a lack of monitoring, environments were created at HUD and Education where improper purchases could be made with little risk of detection. One of the most important internal controls in the purchase card process is the review of supporting documentation and approval of each purchase by the approving official. Another control that is effective in helping to prevent improper purchases is the blocking of certain merchant category codes. This control, available as part of the agencies' purchase card contracts with the card …
Date:
October 3, 2002
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Intergovernmental Coordination and Partnership Will Be Critical to Success
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The challenges posed by homeland security exceed the capacity and authority of any one level of government. Protecting the nation against these threats calls for a truly integrated approach, bringing together the resources of all levels of government. The proposed Department of Homeland Security will have a central role in efforts to enhance homeland security. The proposed consolidation of homeland security programs has the potential to reduce fragmentation, improve coordination, and clarify roles and responsibilities. However, formation of a department should not be considered a replacement for the timely issuance of a national homeland security strategy to guide implementation of the complex mission of the department. Appropriate roles and responsibilities within and between the government and private sector need to be clarified. New threats are prompting a reassessment and shifting of long-standing roles and responsibilities, but these shifts are being considered on a piecemeal and ad hoc basis without benefit of an overarching framework and criteria. A national strategy could provide guidance by more systematically identifying the unique capacities and resources at each level of government to enhance homeland security and by providing increased accountability within the intergovernmental …
Date:
July 3, 2002
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Drug Control: Financial and Management Challenges Continue to Complicate Efforts to Reduce Illicit Drug Activities in Colombia
Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The United States has been providing assistance to Colombia since the early 1970s to help reduce illicit drugs. In 1999, the Colombian government introduced Plan Colombia--program that, among other things, proposed reducing illicit drug activities by 50 percent over 6 years. In fiscal years 2000-03 alone, the United States provided more than $2.5 billion in counternarcotics assistance. Despite this aid, Colombia remains the world's leading producer and distributor of cocaine and a major source of the heroin used in the United States. This testimony discusses the status of U.S. counternarcotics assistance to the Colombian Army and for a U.S.-supported Colombian police aerial eradication program. It also addresses challenges Colombia and the United States face in sustaining these programs."
Date:
June 3, 2003
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Better Weapon Program Outcomes Require Discipline, Accountability, and Fundamental Changes in the Acquisition Environment
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1990, GAO has designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) management of major weapon system acquisitions a high risk area. DOD has taken some action to improve acquisition outcomes, but its weapon programs continue to take longer, cost more, and deliver fewer capabilities than originally planned. These persistent problems--coupled with current operational demands--have impelled DOD to work outside of its traditional acquisition process to acquire equipment that meet urgent warfighter needs. Poor outcomes in DOD's weapon system programs reverberate across the entire federal government. Over the next 5 years, DOD plans to invest about $900 billion to develop and procure weapon systems--the highest level of investment in two decades. Every dollar wasted on acquiring weapon systems is less money available for other priorities. This testimony describes DOD's current weapon system investment portfolio, the problems that contribute to cost and schedule increases, and the potential impacts of recent legislative initiatives and DOD actions aimed at improving outcomes. It also provides some observations about what is needed for DOD to achieve lasting reform. The testimony is drawn from GAO's body of work on DOD's acquisition, requirements, and funding processes, as …
Date:
June 3, 2008
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: DOD Must Balance Its Needs with Available Resources and Follow an Incremental Approach to Acquiring Weapon Systems
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1990, GAO has consistently designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) management of its major weapon acquisitions as a high-risk area. A broad consensus exists that weapon system problems are serious, but efforts at reform have had limited impact. Last year, GAO reported that DOD's portfolio of weapon programs experienced cost growth of $295 billion from first estimates, were delayed by an average of 21 months, and delivered fewer quantities and capabilities to the warfighter than originally planned. At a time when DOD faces increased fiscal pressures from ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the federal budget is strained by a growing number of priorities, it is critical that the department effectively manage its substantial investment in weapon system programs. Every dollar wasted or used inefficiently on acquiring weapon systems means that less money is available for the government's other important budgetary demands. This testimony describes the systemic problems that contribute to the cost, schedule, and performance problems in weapon system programs, recent actions that DOD has taken to address these problems, proposed reform legislation that the committee recently introduced, and additional steps needed to improve future …
Date:
March 3, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Energy: NRC Has Made Progress in Implementing Its Reactor Oversight and Licensing Processes but Continues to Face Challenges
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is responsible for overseeing the nation's 104 commercial nuclear power reactors to ensure they are operated safely. Since 2000, NRC has used a formal Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) to oversee safety. NRC is also responsible for licensing the construction and operation of new reactors. Electric power companies have announced plans to submit 20 applications in the next 18 months. This testimony is based on GAO reports that reviewed (1) how NRC implements the ROP, (2) the results of the ROP over several years, (3) the status of NRC's efforts to improve the ROP, (4) NRC's efforts to prepare its workforce and manage its workload for new reactor licensing, and (5) NRC's efforts to develop its regulatory framework and review processes for new reactor activities. In conducting this work, GAO analyzed programwide information and interviewed cognizant NRC managers and industry representatives."
Date:
October 3, 2007
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid Financing: Long-standing Concerns about Inappropriate State Arrangements Support Need for Improved Federal Oversight
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, financed the health care for about 59 million low-income people in fiscal year 2006. States have considerable flexibility in deciding what medical services and individuals to cover and the amount to pay providers, and the federal government reimburses a portion of states' expenditures according to a formula established by law. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency responsible for overseeing Medicaid. Growing pressures on federal and state budgets have increased tensions between the federal government and states regarding this program, including concerns about whether states were appropriately financing their share of the program. GAO's testimony describes findings from prior work conducted from 1994 through March 2007 on (1) certain inappropriate state Medicaid financing arrangements and their implications for Medicaid's fiscal integrity and (2) outcomes and transparency of a CMS oversight initiative begun in 2003 to end such inappropriate arrangements."
Date:
April 3, 2008
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Military Housing: DOD Needs to Address Long-Standing Requirements Determination Problems
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report reviews the Department of Defense's (DOD) family housing program. GAO discusses (1) whether DOD has implemented a standard process for determining the required military housing based on housing available in the private sector and (2) how an increase in the housing allowance is likely to affect the need for housing on military installations over the long term. Despite calls from Congress, GAO, and DOD's Inspector General, DOD has not introduced a standard process for determining military housing requirements. DOD and the services have worked to develop the framework for the process, but technical concerns, such as standards for affordable housing and commuting distance, have stalled its adoption. Increasing the housing allowance underscores the urgent need for a consistent process to determine military housing requirements because it is expected to increase demand for civilian housing and lessen the demand for military housing. From a policy standpoint, increasing the allowance better positions DOD to rely on the private sector first for housing because it removes the financial disincentive to living in civilian housing. From a management standpoint, considerable evidence suggests that it is less expensive to …
Date:
August 3, 2001
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Weather-related events in the United States have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages annually over the past decade. A major portion of these losses is borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs-- the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insures properties against flooding, and the Department of Agriculture's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), which insures crops against drought or other weather disasters. In this testimony, GAO (1) describes how climate change may affect future weather-related losses, (2) provides information on past insured weather-related losses, and (3) determines what major private insurers and federal insurers are doing to prepare for potential increases in such losses. This testimony is based on a report entitled Climate Change: Financial Risks to Federal and Private Insurers in Coming Decades are Potentially Significant (GAO-07-285) released on April 19, 2007."
Date:
May 3, 2007
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Mexico Border: Better Planning, Coordination Needed to Handle Growing Commercial Traffic
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the increased trade activity and traffic congestion problems being experienced by the southwest border states, focusing on the: (1) nature of commercial truck traffic congestion at the southwest border; (2) factors that contribute to congestion; and (3) actions, including programs and funding, that are being taken to address these problems."
Date:
March 3, 2000
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Special Minimum Wage Program: Centers Offer Employment and Support Services to Workers With Disabilities, But Labor Should Improve Oversight
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To prevent the curtailment of employment opportunities for disabled persons, the Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to pay individuals less than the minimum wage if they have a physical or mental disability that impairs their earning or productive capacity. The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers the special minimum wage program. More than 5,600 employers nationwide pay special wages to workers with disabilities; about 84 percent are work centers established to provide employment opportunities and support services to individuals with disabilities. Businesses comprise about 9 percent of these employers; the remaining 7 percent are hospitals or other residential care facilities and schools. Seventy-four percent of the workers paid special minimum wages by work centers have mental retardation or another developmental disability as their primary impairment, and 46 percent have multiple disabilities. From the data received by employers on the productivity of their disabled workers, it is estimated that 70 percent of the workers are less than half as productive as workers without disabilities performing the same jobs. Labor has not effectively managed the special minimum wage program to ensure that disabled workers …
Date:
August 3, 2001
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Workforce Investment Act: States and Localities Increasingly Coordinate Services for TANF Clients, but Better Information Needed on Effective Approaches
A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The 1998 Workforce Investment Act (WIA) required states to provide most federally funded employment-related services through one-stop centers. Two years earlier, welfare reform legislation created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant which provided flexibility to states to focus on helping needy adults with children find and maintain employment. Nearly all states reported some coordination of their TANF and WIA services at the state or local level, and the use of some of these coordination methods increased between 2000 and 2001. Historical relationships, geographic considerations, adequacy of facilities, and different perspectives on how best to serve TANF clients influenced how states and localities choose to coordinate services with one-stop centers. Several challenges, including program differences between TANF and WIA and different information systems used by welfare and workforce agencies, inhibit state and local coordination efforts. Though some states and localities have found creative ways to work around these issues, the differences remain barriers to coordination for many others."
Date:
July 3, 2002
Creator:
United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library