Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate (open access)

Lobbying Registration and Disclosure: The Role of the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate

Report that describes the role of clerk of the house and secretary of the senate. It discusses lobbying disclosure guidance document and semi-annual report of certain contributions
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Straus, Jacob R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA): A Legal Analysis (open access)

The Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA): A Legal Analysis

Report that discusses current laws that prohibit discrimination in education, and continues with an analysis of the specific provisions contained in SNDA, including provisions relating to coverage, prohibited acts, and enforcement and remedies under the proposed legislation.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Feder, Jody
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Overview and Discussion of Proposed Revisions (open access)

Federal Laws Relating to Cybersecurity: Overview and Discussion of Proposed Revisions

Report that is concerned with the current legislative framework for cybersecurity as well as proposals to amend more than 30 related acts of Congress.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Fischer, Eric A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transforming Government Acquisition Systems: Overview and Selected Issues (open access)

Transforming Government Acquisition Systems: Overview and Selected Issues

Report that begins with an overview of major online procurement systems that support certain acquisition processes, or contain data about agencies' procurements.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Halchin, L. Elaine
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Independent Counsels, Special Prosecutors, Special Counsels, and the Role of Congress (open access)

Independent Counsels, Special Prosecutors, Special Counsels, and the Role of Congress

Report that provides information on the procedure for the appointment of an "independent counsel," a "special prosecutor," or a "special counsel" to investigate and prosecute potential or possible violations of federal criminal law by officials in the executive branch of the federal government and in federal agencies.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Maskell, Jack
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Science and Technology Issues in the 113th Congress (open access)

Science and Technology Issues in the 113th Congress

Report that briefly outlines an array of science and technology policy issues that may come before the 113th Congress.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Gottron, Frank
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Recent Actions and Historical Tables

Report that contains information on congressional pay procedure and recent adjustments. It includes historical information on pay rates since 1789; the adjustments projected by the Ethics Reform Act as compared to actual adjustments in Member pay; details on past legislation enacted with language prohibiting the annual pay adjustment; and Member pay in constant and current dollars since 1992.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013 (open access)

Salaries of Members of Congress: Congressional Votes, 1990-2013

Report that contains information on the pay procedure of members of Congress and recent adjustments. It provides information on previous actions and votes by year, from 1990-2010.
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: Brudnick, Ida A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Real Property: National Strategy and Better Data Needed to Improve Management of Excess and Underutilized Property (open access)

Federal Real Property: National Strategy and Better Data Needed to Improve Management of Excess and Underutilized Property

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Real Property Council (FRPC) has not followed sound data collection practices in designing and maintaining the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) database, raising concern that the database is not a useful tool for describing the nature, use, and extent of excess and underutilized federal real property. For example, FRPC has not ensured that key data elements—including buildings' utilization, condition, annual operating costs, mission dependency, and value—are defined and reported consistently and accurately. GAO identified inconsistencies and inaccuracies at 23 of the 26 locations visited related to these data elements (see the fig. for an example). As a result, FRPC cannot ensure that FRPP data are sufficiently reliable to support sound management and decision making about excess and underutilized property."
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Infrastructure: DOD's Excess Capacity Estimating Methods Have Limitations (open access)

Defense Infrastructure: DOD's Excess Capacity Estimating Methods Have Limitations

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense's (DOD) methods for estimating excess capacity outside of a congressionally-authorized Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process have limitations. DOD used similar processes in its excess capacity analyses conducted in 1998 and 2004. This process included three major steps: (1) categorizing bases according to their primary missions and defining indicators of capacity; (2) developing ratios of capacity-to-force structure for DOD's baseline year of 1989; and (3) aggregating the analysis from the installation level across the military services and department-wide."
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Coordination Efforts Could Be Further Strengthened (open access)

Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Federal Coordination Efforts Could Be Further Strengthened

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Eighty federal programs are authorized to fund transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged, but transportation is not the primary mission of most of the programs GAO identified. Of these, the Department of Transportation administers 7 programs that support public transportation. The remaining 73 programs are administered by 7 other federal agencies and provide a variety of human services, such as job training, education, or medical care, which incorporate transportation as an eligible expense in support of program goals. Total federal spending on transportation services for the transportation disadvantaged remains unknown because, in many cases, federal departments do not separately track spending for these services. However, total funding for the 28 programs that do track or estimate transportation spending, including obligations and expenditures, was at least $11.8 billion in fiscal year 2010."
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence Community Personnel: Strategic Approach and Training Requirements Needed to Guide Joint Duty Program (open access)

Intelligence Community Personnel: Strategic Approach and Training Requirements Needed to Guide Joint Duty Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "All of the Intelligence Community (IC) elements except for one are participating in the Joint Duty Program and the IC elements generally view the program as beneficial. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Defense Security Service, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, and 15 other IC components have identified an office or individual responsible for facilitating the program. However, the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard), which ordinarily operates under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), does not participate in the program, even though the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and IC guidance stipulate that the Joint Duty Program applies to the defined IC, which includes the Coast Guard’s civilian personnel in its National Intelligence Element. Coast Guard officials stated it delayed its participation in the program because it first plans to conduct a workforce study that will determine how the Coast Guard will participate, but it has not identified a timeframe for the study’s completion, and the position assigned to conduct the study is currently vacant. As a result, personnel in other IC elements may …
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance: DOD Needs a Strategic, Risk-Based Approach to Enhance Its Maritime Domain Awareness (open access)

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance: DOD Needs a Strategic, Risk-Based Approach to Enhance Its Maritime Domain Awareness

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Maritime security threats to the United States are broad, including the naval forces of potential adversary nations, terrorism, and piracy. The attacks on the USS Cole in 2000, in Mumbai in 2008, and on the Maersk Alabama in 2009 highlight these very real threats. The Department of Defense (DOD) considers maritime domain awareness--that is, identifying threats and providing commanders with sufficient awareness to make timely decisions--a means for facilitating effective action in the maritime domain and critical to its homeland defense mission. GAO was asked to examine the extent to which DOD has developed a strategy to manage its maritime domain awareness efforts and uses a risk-based approach. GAO analyzed national and DOD documents; interviewed DOD and interagency maritime domain awareness officials; and conducted site visits to select facilities engaged in maritime related activities. This report is a public version of a previous, sensitive report.."
Date: June 20, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Personnel Security Clearances: Further Actions Needed to Improve the Process and Realize Efficiencies (open access)

Personnel Security Clearances: Further Actions Needed to Improve the Process and Realize Efficiencies

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins ""
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Housing Administration: Improving Disposition and Oversight Practices May Increase Returns on Foreclosed Property Sales (open access)

Federal Housing Administration: Improving Disposition and Oversight Practices May Increase Returns on Foreclosed Property Sales

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Housing Administration's (FHA) performance in selling its foreclosed properties--known as real estate-owned (REO) properties--lagged the performance of both of the government-sponsored enterprises (enterprises), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHA disposed of more than 400,000 properties from January 2007 through June 2012. Its combined 2007-2012 returns, measured by the net execution rate (net sales proceeds divided by independently assessed property values) were about 4 to 6 percentage points below the enterprises' returns. After controlling for certain differences in their properties' characteristics (e.g., value, location, and local market conditions), differences in combined returns between FHA and the enterprises persisted at an estimated 2 to 5 percentage points."
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Airlift: DOD Needs to Take Steps to Manage Workload Distributed to the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (open access)

Military Airlift: DOD Needs to Take Steps to Manage Workload Distributed to the Civil Reserve Air Fleet

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DOD exceeded the flying hours needed to meet military training requirements for fiscal years 2002 through 2010 because of increased operational requirements associated with Afghanistan and Iraq; however it does not know whether it used Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) participants to the maximum extent practicable. DOD guidance requires it to meet training requirements and to use commercial transportation to the "maximum extent practicable." During fiscal years 2002 through 2010, DOD flew its fleet more than needed to train its crews, although its flying has more closely matched its training needs in recent years. DOD has also used CRAF participants extensively to supplement military airlift. Although DOD has taken steps to make more airlift business available to CRAF participants, officials said that overseas operations have provided enough missions to support both training and CRAF business obligations. However, with the drawdown in Afghanistan, DOD officials expect the need for airlift to decline by at least 66 percent--to pre-September 2001 levels--reducing both training hours available for DOD and business opportunities for CRAF. DOD does not use its process for monitoring flying hours to determine when it will exceed …
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Millennium Challenge Corporation: Review of Compact Records and Information Management Program (open access)

Millennium Challenge Corporation: Review of Compact Records and Information Management Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2006, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) established a records and information management program to maintain and preserve its federal records. The program includes policies related to compact management records--a subset of MCC's federal records. These policies also address the handling of other compact-related information generated by MCC partner governments' accountable entities, which typically manage compact implementation until the 5-year compacts close. MCC's policies require that the entities transfer their compact management records to MCC for storage before compact closure. MCC also requires that partner governments retain compact-related information not classified as records, such as survey data and data quality reviews, for at least 5 years after their compacts close, to facilitate audits and analysis of MCC assistance. However, MCC does not require, and has not conducted, periodic reviews to determine whether it has received all compact-management records from the accountable entities consistent with federal internal control standards. As a result, MCC cannot be sure that it is meeting the federal requirement that it preserve all records documenting its functions, activities, and other transactions."
Date: June 20, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commercial Space Transportation: Industry Trends, Government Challenges, and International Competitiveness Issues (open access)

Commercial Space Transportation: Industry Trends, Government Challenges, and International Competitiveness Issues

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since a peak of 22 U.S. commercial space launches in fiscal year 1998, the annual number of launches generally ranged from 4 to 9 launches. The number of commercial space launches is expected to increase in the next 8 years as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to procure 51 launches from commercial cargo companies to resupply the International Space Station. FAA also expects space tourism to begin in the next several years, although no companies have applied for a FAA launch license and companies developing these services have experienced delays in the past. FAA faces several challenges overseeing the commercial space launch industry. For example, FAA expects its licensing and oversight responsibilities to expand in anticipation of an increased private sector role, suggesting that FAA and Congress must remain vigilant so that potential conflicts in FAA’s safety oversight and industry promotion roles do not occur. Also, as the commercial space launch industry grows and FAA continues to implement NextGen—FAA’s effort to develop a more automated, aircraft-centered, satellite-based air traffic management system—the agency will have to manage a mix of earth-based aircraft and space vehicles. FAA …
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisition Workforce: Improved Processes, Guidance, and Planning Needed to Enhance Use of Workforce Funds (open access)

Defense Acquisition Workforce: Improved Processes, Guidance, and Planning Needed to Enhance Use of Workforce Funds

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DOD has identified DAWDF as a key tool used to address gaps in the acquisition workforce through additional hiring and training initiatives. For example, DOD officials noted they used DAWDF funds to hire about 5,855 new acquisition staff through fiscal year 2011 and enabled the Defense Acquisition University to provide 19,000 additional classroom seats, among other improvements. However, DOD’s ability to effectively execute hiring and other initiatives has been hindered by delays in the DAWDF funding process and the absence of clear guidance on the availability and use of related funds. DOD has not collected and distributed funds within required timeframes, sometimes delaying distribution to components until the following fiscal year. For example, only about 39 percent of the total amount of fiscal year 2011 transfer funds were distributed before the end of the fiscal year. These delays can result in uncertainty about the availability of funds, and negatively impact the components’ ability to execute according to their approved plans for the year. Additionally, DOD officials noted that the delays contributed, at least in part, to the amount of unobligated funds that were carried over to future years. …
Date: June 20, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy (open access)

Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy

This report analyzes the offensive in northern and central Iraq led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, aka ISIS) -- a Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group -- with a discussion of the offensive's implications, the U.S. response, and related issues.
Date: June 20, 2014
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth; Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M.; Margesson, Rhoda & Tiersky, Alex
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aliens' Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings: In Brief (open access)

Aliens' Right to Counsel in Removal Proceedings: In Brief

This report provides an overview of the various legal authorities governing aliens' right to counsel--as that term is broadly understood--in removal proceedings.
Date: June 20, 2014
Creator: Manuel, Kate M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, and gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations.
Date: June 20, 2014
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Economic and Fiscal Conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands (open access)

Economic and Fiscal Conditions in the U.S. Virgin Islands

This report discusses the fiscal and economic challenges facing the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and related issues for Congress, such as: oversight of federal policies that could affect the USVI's long-term fiscal stability; further legislation that would extend or restructure long-range disaster assistance programs to mitigate those challenges and promote greater resiliency of infrastructure and public programs; and how responses to the USVI's fiscal distress could affect municipal debt markets more broadly.
Date: June 20, 2018
Creator: Austin, D. Andrew
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Recent Violent Crime Trends in the United States (open access)

Recent Violent Crime Trends in the United States

This report provides an analysis of changes in violent crime since 1960, with a focus on changes from 2014 to 2016 in violent crime and homicide rates in the 48 largest cities in the United States for which violent crime and homicide data were submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Date: June 20, 2018
Creator: James, Nathan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library