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Renewable Energy: Increased Geothermal Development Will Depend on Overcoming Many Challenges

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Act) contains provisions that address a variety of challenges that face the geothermal industry, including the high risk and uncertainty of developing geothermal power plants, lack of sufficient transmission capacity, and delays in federal leasing. Among the provisions are means to simplify federal royalties on geothermal resources while overall collecting the same level o… more
Date: May 24, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Social Security Numbers: Internet Resellers Provide Few Full SSNs, but Congress Should Consider Enacting Standards for Truncating SSNs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "GAO previously reported on how large information resellers like consumer reporting agencies obtain and use Social Security numbers (SSNs). Less is known about information resellers that offer services to the general public over the Internet. Because these resellers provide access to personal information, SSNs could be obtained over the Internet. GAO was asked to examine (1) the types of readily identifi… more
Date: May 17, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Business Systems Modernization: DOD Continues to Improve Institutional Approach, but Further Steps Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For decades, the Department of Defense (DOD) has not been successful in repeated attempts to modernize its timeworn business systems and operations. In 1995, we first designated DOD's business systems modernization as "high risk," and we continue to designate it as such today. As our research on successful public and private sector organizations has shown, attempting a large-scale systems modernization … more
Date: May 15, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Residential Care Facilities Mortgage Insurance Program: Opportunities to Improve Program and Risk Management

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Through its Section 232 program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures approximately $12.5 billion in mortgages for residential care facilities. In response to a requirement in the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Conference Report and a congressional request, GAO examined (1) HUD's management of the program, including loan underwriting and … more
Date: May 24, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Security: Guidance and Standards Are Needed for Measuring the Effectiveness of Agencies' Facility Protection Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The need to better protect federal facilities, coupled with federal budget constraints and the increased scrutiny of homeland security funding and programs, has prompted the need for U.S. agencies to measure the performance of their facility protection efforts. In this environment, it is important for these agencies to ensure that investments in facility protection are providing adequate returns in term… more
Date: May 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: Better Acquisition Strategy Needed for Successful Development of the Army's Warrior Unmanned Aircraft System

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Through 2011, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to spend $20 billion on unmanned aircraft systems, including the Army's "Warrior." Because of congressional concerns that some systems have been more costly and taken more time to produce than predicted, GAO reviewed the Warrior program. This report (1) describes the Army's requirements underlying its decision to acquire Warrior instead of existing sys… more
Date: May 19, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Disaster Relief: Reimbursement to American Red Cross for Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In accordance with Public Law 108-324, GAO is required to audit the reimbursement of up to $70 million of appropriated funds to the American Red Cross (Red Cross) for disaster relief associated with 2004 hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. The audit was performed to determine if (1) the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established criteria and defined allowable expenditures to ensur… more
Date: May 30, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Commission on Civil Rights: The Commission Should Strengthen Its Quality Assurance Policies and Make Better Use of Its State Advisory Committees

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (the Commission) was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957 to serve as an independent, bipartisan, fact-finding agency whose mission is to investigate and report on the status of civil rights in the United States. Since its inception, the Commission has conducted hearings and issued reports highlighting critical, controversial civil rights issues, including raci… more
Date: May 1, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Homeland Defense: National Guard Bureau Needs to Clarify Civil Support Teams' Mission and Address Management Challenges

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To prepare for potential attacks in the United States involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Congress approved the development of National Guard Civil Support Teams (CST) tasked to identify chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or high-yield explosive weapons; assess consequences; advise civil authorities on response measures; and assist with requests for additional support. Thus far, 36 of… more
Date: May 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Human Health Risk Assessment: EPA Has Taken Steps to Strengthen Its Process, but Improvements Needed in Planning, Data Development, and Training

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over 100,000 chemicals, pollutants, and toxic substances are used in the United States and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA uses risk assessment to determine the health risk from exposure to these substances, collectively referred to as contaminants. In the last 12 years, independent reviewers have examined this process and made recommendations for how it could be improved. GA… more
Date: May 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: DOD Needs to Identify the Factors Its Providers Use to Make Mental Health Evaluation Referrals for Servicemembers

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Many servicemembers supporting Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) have engaged in intense and prolonged combat, which research has shown to be strongly associated with the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). GAO, in response to the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005, (1) describes DOD's extended health care benef… more
Date: May 11, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Financial Audit: Congressional Award Foundation's Fiscal Years 2005 and 2004 Financial Statements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This report presents our opinion on the financial statements of the Congressional Award Foundation for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2005, and 2004. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Congressional Award Foundation. This report also presents (1) our opinion on the effectiveness of the Foundation's related internal control as of September 30, 2005, and (2) our conclusion on t… more
Date: May 15, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Data Quality: Expanded Use of Key Dissemination Practices Would Further Safeguard the Integrity of Federal Statistical Data

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2003, the Bureau of the Census (Bureau) changed the day and location of the release of its Income and Poverty Estimates. Some data users believed the change was an effort to suppress unfavorable news and questioned the Bureau's data dissemination practices. GAO was asked to assess whether (1) the Bureau adhered to its dissemination practices for the 2003 and later releases, and (2) the Bureau and 13 … more
Date: May 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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National Parks Air Tour Fees: Effective Verification and Enforcement Are Needed to Improve Compliance

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (the fees legislation) required the National Park Service to begin collecting fees from operators that conduct air tours over national park units that meet certain criteria. Currently, only Grand Canyon, Haleakala, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks meet the criteria to charge air tour fees. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in cooperation with the… more
Date: May 11, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Personnel: Progress Made in Implementing Recommendations to Reduce Domestic Violence, but Further Management Action Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Due to concerns about domestic violence in the military and its adverse effect on mission readiness, Congress required the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a task force to assess the services' response to domestic violence and recommend improvements. The task force issued three reports containing 194 recommendations. The Fiscal Year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act required GAO to review … more
Date: May 24, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle Encountered Difficulties in Design Demonstration and Faces Future Risks

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Marine Corps' Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) is the Corps' number-one priority ground system acquisition program and accounts for 25.5 percent of the Corps' total acquisition budget for fiscal years 2006 through 2011. It will replace the current amphibious assault craft and is intended to provide significant increases in mobility, lethality, and reliability. We reviewed the program under the C… more
Date: May 1, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Equal Employment Opportunity: DOD's EEO Pilot Program Under Way, but Improvements Needed to DOD's Evaluation Plan

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Delays in processing of equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaints have been a long-standing concern. In 2000, as part of the Department of Defense's (DOD) fiscal year 2001 authorization act, Congress authorized DOD to carry out a 3-year pilot program for improving processes to resolve complaints by civilian DOD employees by testing procedures that would reduce EEO complaint processing times and elim… more
Date: May 5, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Grants Management: EPA Has Made Progress in Grant Reforms but Needs to Address Weaknesses in Implementation and Accountability

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has faced challenges for many years in managing its grants, which constitute over one-half of the agency's budget, or about $4 billion annually. EPA awards grants through 93 programs to such recipients as state and local governments, tribes, universities, and nonprofit organizations. In response to concerns about its ability to manage grants effectively, EPA iss… more
Date: May 12, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Commercial Aviation: Costs and Major Factors Influencing Infrastructure Changes at U.S. Airports to Accomodate the New A380 Aircraft

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Airbus S.A.S (Airbus), a European aircraft manufacturer, introduced a new aircraft, the A380 that will be the largest passenger aircraft in the world with expected delivery to its first customers in late 2006. The A380 has a double deck and is expected to seat between 555 and 853 passengers. The A380 is much larger than its competitors with a wingspan of 262 feet, a tail fin about 80 feet high, and a ma… more
Date: May 19, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Personnel Practices: Conversions of Employees from Noncareer to Career Positions May 2001 - April 2005

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A federal employee conversion occurs whenever an individual changes from one personnel status or service to another without a break in federal government service of more than 3 days. This report focuses on conversions of individuals from noncareer to career positions. Federal agencies must use appropriate authorities and follow proper procedures in making these conversions. GAO was asked to determine fo… more
Date: May 1, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Overseas Presence: Cost Analyses and Performance Measures Are Needed to Demonstrate the Full Potential of Providing Embassy Support Remotely

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The President has emphasized the importance of safety, efficiency, and accountability in U.S. government staffing overseas by designating the achievement of a rightsized overseas presence as a part of the President's Management Agenda. One of the elements of rightsizing involves relocating certain administrative support functions from overseas posts to the United States or regional centers overseas, whi… more
Date: May 2, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Mass Transit: Issues Related to Providing Dedicated Funding for the Washington Metropolitain Area Transit Authority

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A regional panel estimated that the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)--Washington, D.C.'s, transit system--will have total budgetary shortfalls of $2.4 billion over 10 years. The panel and others have noted that WMATA's lack of a significant dedicated revenue source may affect its ability to keep the system in good working order. Proposed federal legislation would make $1.5 billion … more
Date: May 15, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Wildland Fire Suppression: Lack of Clear Guidance Raises Concerns about Cost Sharing between Federal and Nonfederal Entities

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Wildland fires burn millions of acres each year, requiring substantial investments of firefighting assets. Since 2000, federal suppression costs alone have averaged more than $1 billion annually. Wildland fires can burn or threaten both federal and nonfederal lands and resources, including homes in or near wildlands, an area commonly called the wildland-urban interface. Cooperative agreements between fe… more
Date: May 30, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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United States Coast Guard: Improvements Needed in Management and Oversight of Rescue System Acquisition

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Search and rescue--one of the United States Coast Guard's (USCG) oldest missions and highest priorities--involves minimizing loss of life, injury, and property damage by aiding people and boats in distress. In September 2002, USCG contracted to replace its search and rescue communications system--installed in the 1970s--with a new system known as Rescue 21. However, the acquisition and initial implement… more
Date: May 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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