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Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
1,332
Congressional Research Service Reports
736
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
520
Government Accountability Office Reports
328
Texas Attorney General Opinions
32
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25
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3,017 Matching Results
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Health Care Reform: An Introduction
This report provides an introduction to health care reform. It focuses on the three predominant concerns just mentioned--coverage, cost and spending, and quality--and some of the legislative issues within which they likely will be debated, including the scope of reform (particularly whether Medicare and Medicaid should be included); the choice between public and private coverage; whether employment-based insurance should be strengthened, weakened, or left alone; and what role states might play.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Lyke, Bob
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Home Mortgage Interest Deduction: Despite Challenges Presented by Complex Tax Rules, IRS Could Enhance Enforcement and Guidance
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The home mortgage interest deduction is the third most expensive federal income tax expenditure, with the government expected to forgo about $80 billion of revenue for the deduction in 2009.1 Subject to various limitations, taxpayers may deduct interest on home-secured loans, such as mortgages, mortgage refinancings, and home equity loans, including those taken as lump sum amounts and home equity lines of credit. The rules that taxpayers must follow in determining the proper amount of mortgage interest to deduct can be complex. For example, there are limitations on the amount of debt for which interest can be deducted, special rules for refinancing, situations where alternative minimum tax (AMT) considerations apply, and rules on the deductibility of prepaid interest amounts called points. In general, complex tax rules increase the potential for noncompliance. Congress asked us to study the home mortgage interest deduction to determine if there are administrative issues that need to be addressed to improve taxpayer compliance and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement. For this report, we (1) provide information on how IRS detects taxpayers' noncompliance with the home mortgage interest deduction rules and what it …
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Improper Payments: Significant Improvements Needed in DOD's Efforts to Address Improper Payment and Recovery Auditing Requirements
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is required, as are other federal executive agencies, to report improper payment information under the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA) and recovery auditing information under section 831 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002, commonly known as the Recovery Auditing Act. The DOD Office of Inspector General has previously reported deficiencies at DOD related to these acts and GAO's prior work on DOD's reporting of its fiscal year 2006 travel improper payments estimate also identified shortcomings. Because of these and other long-standing weaknesses, the subcommittee asked GAO to examine DOD's fiscal year 2007 improper payment and recovery audit reporting to determine whether adequate processes existed to address both statutory requirements. To complete this work, GAO reviewed DOD's annual reports, conducted site visits, and met with cognizant DOD officials."
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Influenza Pandemic: Gaps in Pandemic Planning and Preparedness Need to Be Addressed
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As the current H1N1 outbreak underscores, an influenza pandemic remains a real threat to our nation. Over the past 3 years, GAO conducted a body of work, consisting of 12 reports and 4 testimonies, to help the nation better prepare for a possible pandemic. In February 2009, GAO synthesized the results of most of this work and, in June 2009, GAO issued an additional report on agency accountability for protecting the federal workforce in the event of a pandemic. GAO's work points out that while a number of actions have been taken to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, many gaps in pandemic planning and preparedness still remain. This statement covers 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:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Iraq: Former Regime Weapons Programs and Outstanding U.N. Issues
This report discusses 17 active U.N. resolutions requiring the dismantlement of Iraq's WMD programs, and those whose application to Iraq have been terminated both before and since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies: FY2010 Appropriations
This report discusses the President's Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 budget request for the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill, which provides funding for the planning, design, construction, alteration, and improvement of facilities used by active and reserve military components worldwide.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Else, Daniel H.; Scott, Christine & Panangala, Sidath V.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Science, Technology, and American Diplomacy: Background and Issues for Congress
This report focuses on international science and technology diplomacy, where American leadership in science and technology is used as a diplomatic tool to enhance another country's development and to improve understanding by other nations of U.S. values and ways of doing business.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Stine, Deborah D.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Searches for the Theta_s(1540)+ Strange-Pentaquark Candidate in e+e- Annihilation, Hadroproduction and Electroproduction with the BaBar Detector
Since early in 2003, several experiments have presented evidence for the existence of a positive strangeness baryon state of mass around 1540 MeV/c{sup 2} and width <8 MeV, the {Theta}(1540), which decays to K{sup +}n and K{sup 0}p. Such a state has minimum quark content udud{bar s} and consequently has been interpreted as the S = +1 member of the anti-decuplet of pentaquark states proposed by Diakonov et al. Subsequently, the NA49 experiment presented evidence for the S = -2 member of the anti-decuplet, the {Xi}{sub 5}(1860){sup --}, but this has yet to be observed in any other experiment. Results from the search for the production of the {Theta}(1540) memember of the anti-decuplet of pentaquark states using data from e{sup +}e{sup -} collisions obtained with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II Collider are presented. No signal is observed, and cross section limits for the {Theta}(1540) are given; these prove to be well below the cross section values for ordinary baryons of similar mass. In addition, a search has been carried out for the electroproduction of the {Theta}(1540) in the material of the BABAR detector. Event selection procedures are discussed in detail, the results of this search are presented, and are …
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Coleman, Jonathan P.
Object Type:
Thesis or Dissertation
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration: Additional Steps Should Be Taken to Address Reforms to the Disaster Loan Program and Improve the Application Process for Future Disasters
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "After the Small Business Administration (SBA) was widely criticized for its performance following the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes, the agency took steps to reform the Disaster Loan Program and Congress enacted the Small Business Disaster Response and Loan Improvements Act of 2008 (Act). GAO was asked to determine (1) the extent to which SBA addressed the Act's requirements, and (2) how SBA's response to major disasters in 2008 aligned with key components of its June 2007 Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP). GAO reviewed the Act, as well as SBA information on requirements addressed and steps taken, including the DRP, various reports to Congress, and policy memoranda. GAO also conducted site visits to areas affected by major 2008 disasters, reviewed SBA's customer satisfaction survey, and obtained the opinions of relevant stakeholders."
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Small Business Administration: Additional Steps Should Be Taken to Address Reforms to the Disaster Loan Program and Improve the Application Process for Future Disasters
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses our work on reforms made to the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Disaster Loan Program and the impact those reforms had following recent disasters. SBA plays a critical role in assisting the victims of natural and other declared disasters. SBA provides financial assistance through its Disaster Loan Program to help homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and nonprofits recover from disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and terrorist attacks. Since the agency's inception in 1953, SBA has approved more than $46 billion in disaster loans for homeowners, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. After the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes (Katrina, Rita, and Wilma), SBA faced an unprecedented demand for disaster loans, while also being confronted with a significant backlog of applications; therefore, hundreds of thousands of loans were not disbursed in a timely way. Many criticized SBA for what was perceived to be a slow and confusing response to the disasters and one that exposed many deficiencies in the agency's Disaster Loan Program and demonstrated the need for reform. For example, as we stated in our February 2007 report, SBA did not engage in or complete comprehensive disaster plans …
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Stable transmission of radio frequency signals on fiber links using interferomectric delay sensing
The authors demonstrate distribution of a 2850 MHz rf signal over stabilized optical fiber links. For a 2.2 km link they measure an rms drift of 19.4 fs over 60 h, and for a 200 m link an rms drift of 8.4 fs over 20 h. The rf signals are transmitted as amplitude modulation on a continuous optical carrier. Variations in the delay length are sensed using heterodyne interferometry and used to correct the rf phase. The system uses standard fiber telecommunications components.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Wilcox, Russell B.; Byrd, J. M.; Doolittle, Lawrence; Huang, Gang & Staples, J. W.
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests
This report outlines the severe challenges faced by Tajikistan since its five-year civil war ended in 1997, including such problems as deep poverty and poor governance. The report discusses U.S. policy and assistance. Basic facts and biographical information are provided. This report may be updated. Related products include CRS Report RL33458, Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests, updated regularly.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Nichol, Jim
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Vietnam Relations in 2009: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
This report provides an overview of U.S. relations with Vietnam, including policy issues, the economic and political situation in Vietnam, and a list of pertinent legislation.
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
Manyin, Mark E.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Veterans' Disability Benefits: Preliminary Findings on Claims Processing Trends and Improvement Efforts
Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee asked GAO to present its preliminary findings on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) disability claims process. This statement discusses (1) the trends in VA compensation claims and appeals, and (2) the steps VA is taking to improve disability claims processing. This testimony is based on ongoing work. GAO's findings are based largely on VA performance data and information obtained from VA documents and through interviews with VA officials. This testimony is also based on past GAO work on this subject, updated as appropriate to reflect VA's current workload and initiatives."
Date:
July 29, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Agricultural Disaster Assistance
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers several permanently authorized programs to help farmers recover financially from a natural disaster, including federal crop insurance, the noninsured assistance program (NAP), and emergency disaster loans. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (otherwise known as the 2008 farm bill) includes authorization and funding for crop disaster programs, livestock assistance programs, and a tree assistance program. The new programs are designed to address the ad hoc nature of disaster assistance provided to producers during the last two decades.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Chite, Ralph M. & Shields, Dennis A.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
America COMPETES Act and the FY2010 Budget
This report discusses in detail the America COMPETES Act, which is intended to increase the nation's investment in research and development (R&D), and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. This report discusses the funding increases authorized by the act for various relevant institutions, e.g., the National Science Foundation (NSF); the act's education activities intended to enhance the skills of STEM educators; and if Congress will continue to similarly fund the America COMPETES Act in the FY2010 budget.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Stine, Deborah D.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Baseline Glass Development for Combined Fission Products Waste Streams
Borosilicate glass was selected as the baseline technology for immobilization of the Cs/Sr/Ba/Rb (Cs), lanthanide (Ln) and transition metal fission product (TM) waste steams as part of a cost benefit analysis study.[1] Vitrification of the combined waste streams have several advantages, minimization of the number of waste forms, a proven technology, and similarity to waste forms currently accepted for repository disposal. A joint study was undertaken by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) to develop acceptable glasses for the combined Cs + Ln + TM waste streams (Option 1) and Cs + Ln combined waste streams (Option 2) generated by the AFCI UREX+ set of processes. This study is aimed to develop baseline glasses for both combined waste stream options and identify key waste components and their impact on waste loading. The elemental compositions of the four-corners study were used along with the available separations data to determine the effect of burnup, decay, and separations variability on estimated waste stream compositions.[2-5] Two different components/scenarios were identified that could limit waste loading of the combined Cs + LN + TM waste streams, where as the combined Cs + LN waste stream has no single component that …
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Crum, Jarrod V.; Billings, Amanda Y.; Lang, Jesse B.; Marra, James C.; Rodriguez, Carmen P.; Ryan, Joseph V. et al.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Debate and Motions on the House Floor: Allocation of Time
This report addresses time limitations associated with selected House floor procedures.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Schneider, Judy
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Electronic structure of the BaFe2As2 family of iron-pnictide superconductors
We use high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission to study the electronic structure of the BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} pnictides. We observe two electron bands and two hole bands near the X point, ({pi},{pi}) of the Brillouin zone, in the paramagnetic state for electron-doped Ba(Co{sub 0.06}Fe{sub 0.94}){sub 2}As{sub 2}, undoped BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2}, and hole-doped Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}. Among these bands, only the electron bands cross the Fermi level, forming two electron pockets around X while the hole bands approach but never reach the Fermi level. We show that the band structure of the BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} family matches reasonably well with the prediction of local-density approximation calculations after a momentum-dependent shift and renormalization. Our finding resolves a number of inconsistencies regarding the electronic structure of pnictides.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Reza, Adriana; Lu, D.H.; Analytis, J.G.; Chu, J.-H.; Mo, S.-K.; He, R.-H. et al.
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Federally-Funded Innovation Inducement Prizes
This report discusses the status of current federally-funded innovation inducement prizes, addresses the different types of prizes, analyzes when prizes may be appropriate and effective, and summarizes assessments that have been made of their effectiveness. The report also provides the lessons that may be learned from completed competitions, and policy options for those Members of Congress interested in taking action regarding federally-funded innovation inducement prizes. The report concludes with an overview of 111th congressional activities regarding prizes.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Stine, Deborah D.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit: Role of Foreign Governments
The nation's trade deficit is equal to the imbalance between national investment and national saving. The financial turmoil and economic contraction during 2008 reduced the gap between national saving and investment. The result was a decline in the trade deficit and the net inflow of capital. If total net capital inflows decline, mainstream economics suggests, all else held constant, that the dollar and trade deficit would decline, U.S. interest rates would rise, and U.S. spending on capital goods and consumer durables would fall, all else equal.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Labonte, Marc
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Financing the U.S. Trade Deficit: Role of Foreign Governments
This report provides an overview of the role of foreign governments on financing the U.S. trade deficit.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Labonte, Marc
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
GLASS COMPOSITIONS FOR THE NEPHELINE PHASE III STUDY
A series of 29 test glass compositions were selected for Phase III of the nepheline study using a combination of two approaches. The first approach was based on evaluating the glass composition region allowable by all of the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) Product Composition Control System (PCCS) models with the exception of the current nepheline discriminator. This approach was taken to determine whether there are glass compositions that, while predicted to crystallize nepheline upon slow cooling, would otherwise be acceptable for processing in the DWPF. The second approach was based on quasicrystalline theory of glass structure, which helped predict compositional regions where nepheline should form. A detailed description of this methodology is forthcoming. The selection strategy outlined here will provide an opportunity to determine experimentally whether the glasses that fail the current nepheline discriminator but pass the newly proposed nepheline discriminator are indeed free of nepheline after slow cooling. If this is the case, these data will serve as a significant step toward reducing conservatism in the current nepheline discriminator. The 29 glass compositions selected for testing address both the PCCS model and quasicrystalline theory approaches in evaluating both a reduction in conservatism for the current nepheline discriminator and …
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Fox, K. & Edwards, T.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Inventory of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
The Carbon Management Strategic Initiative (CMSI) is a lab-wide initiative to position the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) as a leader in science, technology and policy analysis required to understand, mitigate and adapt to global climate change as a nation. As part of an effort to walk the talk in the field of carbon management, PNNL conducted its first carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions inventory for the 2007 calendar year. The goal of this preliminary inventory is to provide PNNL staff and management with a sense for the relative impact different activities at PNNL have on the lab’s total carbon footprint.
Date:
June 29, 2009
Creator:
Judd, Kathleen S.; Kora, Angela R.; Shankle, Steve A. & Fowler, Kimberly M.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library