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open access

America COMPETES 2010 and the FY2013 Budget

Description: This report discusses the 112th Congress' possible changes to the implementation of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. Signed on January 4, 2011, this law seeks to improve U.S. competitiveness and innovation by authorizing, among other things, increased federal support for research in the physical sciences and engineering; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The specific debate about FY2013 funding for America COMPETES 2010 provisions will occu… more
Date: October 9, 2012
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.
open access

An Analysis of STEM Education Funding at the NSF: Trends and Policy Discussion

Description: This report analyzes National Science Foundation funding trends and selected closely related STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education policy issues in order to place conversations about FY2013 funding in broader fiscal and policy context. It concludes with an analysis of potential policy options.
Date: April 9, 2012
Creator: Gonzalez, Heather B.
open access

Budget "Sequestration" and Selected Program Exemptions and Special Rules

Description: This report looks at the history and current status of sequestration at it relates to Congress, including how it is enacted and special rules that can apply. "Sequestration" is a process of automatic, largely across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently canceled to enforce certain budget policy goals.
Date: August 9, 2012
Creator: Spar, Karen
open access

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: President’s FY2013 Budget

Description: This report summarizes the President's budget estimates for each section of the CMS budget. Then, for each legislative proposal included in the President's budget, this report provides a description of current law and the President's proposal. The explanations of the President's legislative proposals are grouped by the following program areas: Medicare, Medicaid, program integrity, and health insurance programs.
Date: April 9, 2012
Creator: Mitchell, Alison & Morgan, Paulette C.
open access

Clean Energy Standard: Summary and Analysis of S. 2146

Description: U.S. policymakers have considered and deliberated on several policy designs that could potentially reduce energy-related carbon emissions. In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama proposed the concept of a Clean Energy Standard (CES) that would result in 80% of U.S. electricity generation from clean energy sources by 2035. In March of 2012, the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012 (S. 2146) was introduced in the Senate.
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: Brown, Phillip
open access

Comparison of Rights in Military Commission Trials and Trials in Federal Criminal Court

Description: The initiation of military commission proceedings against Khalid Sheik Mohammad and four others for their alleged involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks has focused renewed attention on the differences between trials in federal court and those conducted by military commission. This report provides a brief summary of legal issues raised by the choice of forum for trying accused terrorists and a chart comparing selected military commissions rules under the Military Commissions Act, as amended,… more
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
open access

Contemporary Developments in Presidential Elections

Description: This report considers contemporary developments in presidential elections. It emphasizes three topics chosen for their recurring importance and notable recent developments: (1) nominating procedures; (2) campaign finance; and (3) the electoral college. The report highlights significant developments in these areas, particularly for the 2008 and 2012 elections. It also provides background information about the presidential election process in general.
Date: January 9, 2012
Creator: Coleman, Kevin J.; Garrett, R. Sam & Neale, Thomas H.
open access

Department of Health and Human Services: Opportunities for Financial Savings and Program Improvements in Medicare and Medicaid Remain

Description: Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over the past several years, GAO has made a number of recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)—an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—to increase savings in Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage (MA), which is a private plan alternative to the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program. Open recommendations that could yield billions of dolla… more
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

Electronic Warfare: DOD Actions Needed to Strengthen Management and Oversight

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) developed an electronic warfare strategy, but it only partially addressed key characteristics that GAO identified in prior work as desirable for a national or defense strategy. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 requires DOD to submit to the congressional defense committees an annual report on DOD’s electronic warfare strategy for each of fiscal y… more
Date: July 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

Energy-Water Nexus: Information on the Quantity, Quality, and Management of Water Produced during Oil and Gas Production

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A significant amount of water is produced daily as a byproduct from drilling of oil and gas. A 2009 Argonne National Laboratory study estimated that 56 million barrels of water are produced onshore every day, but this study may underestimate the current total volume because it is based on limited, and in some cases, incomplete data generated by the states. In general, the volume of produced water genera… more
Date: January 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

The Financial Action Task Force: An Overview

Description: This report provides an overview of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and of its progress to date in gaining broad international support for its recommendations. The FATF is an independent, intergovernmental policymaking body was established by the 1989 G-7 Summit in Paris as a result of growing concerns among the summit participants about the threat posed to the international banking system by money laundering.
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: Jackson, James K.
open access

Financial Audit: IRS's Fiscal Years 2012 and 2011 Financial Statements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In GAO's opinion, the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) fiscal years 2012 and 2011 financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects. However, in GAO's opinion, IRS did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2012, because of a material weakness in internal control over unpaid tax assessments. In addition, GAO found that IRS's financial manage… more
Date: November 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

Financial Audit: Office of Financial Stability (Troubled Asset Relief Program) Fiscal Years 2012 and 2011 Financial Statements

Description: Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO found (1) the financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; (2) the Office of Financial Stability (OFS) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2012; and (3) no reportable noncompliance in fiscal year 2012 with provisions of laws and regulation… more
Date: November 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

Food Safety: Preslaughter Interventions Could Reduce E. coli in Cattle

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and university researchers identified several treatments administered before cattle are slaughtered, or preslaughter interventions, that could reduce Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle. Such preslaughter interventions include bacteriophages (viruses that infect and kill bacteria), probiotics (live bacteria that can benefit the digestive system),… more
Date: March 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
open access

Foreign Police Assistance: Defined Roles and Improved Information Sharing Could Enhance Interagency Collaboration

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The United States provided an estimated $13.9 billion for foreign police assistance during fiscal years 2009 through 2011. Funds provided by U.S. agencies rose and then fell between fiscal years 2009 and 2011. During fiscal years 2009 through 2011, the United States provided the greatest amount of its foreign police assistance to Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Colombia, Mexico, and the Palestinian Territo… more
Date: May 9, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
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