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Rare Earth Elements in National Defense: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

Description: This report covers concerns that Congress has expressed over U.S. acquisition of rare earth elements, particularly those used in various components of defense weapon systems. Specific concerns are the acquisition of these elements, especially from foreign sources such as China; how dependence of foreign sources affects national security; and methods for decreasing the relationship between reliance on foreign sources and national security.
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: Grasso, Valerie Bailey
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Categorical Eligibility

Description: This report discusses categorical eligibility and some of the issues raised by it. It first describes the three different types of categorical eligibility: traditional categorical eligibility conveyed through receipt of need-based cash assistance, and the newer "narrow" and "broad-based" categorical eligibilities conveyed via TANF "noncash" benefits. It also provides recent information on current state practices with regard to categorical eligibility. Finally, the report discusses proposals to … more
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: Falk, Gene & Aussenberg, Randy Alison
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S. Natural Gas Exports: New Opportunities, Uncertain Outcomes

Description: This report examines what has changed in the U.S. natural gas market and the prospects and implications of the United States becoming a significant net natural gas exporter.
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: Ratner, Michael; Parfomak, Paul W.; Fergusson, Ian F. & Luther, Linda
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The DHS S&T Directorate: Selected Issues for Congress

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate's mission, organization, and budgetary structure; a discussion of selected critiques of the S&T Directorate; and an analysis of selected issues facing congressional policymakers.
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: Shea, Dana A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Permitting and Oversight of Export of Fossil Fuels

Description: This report reviews federal laws and the regulatory regime governing the export of natural gas, crude oil, and coal.
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: Vann, Adam; Shedd, Daniel T. & Murrill, Brandon J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Training Investments: Office of Personnel Management and Agencies Can Do More to Ensure Cost-Effective Decisions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Many Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) reported that they are implementing several leading practices important to making strategic decisions about training delivery, such as determining the best mix of decentralized and centralized training and considering government-wide reform when planning training. However, many CHCOs reported they are not implementing some practices that support making more cost… more
Date: September 17, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: Better Information Could Improve Visibility over Adjustments to DOD's Research and Development Funds

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Congress recognizes that the DOD needs some flexibility to adjust research and development program levels. A key mechanism--below threshold reprogramming (BTR)--enables DOD to adjust program funding levels without seeking prior congressional approval as long as a certain dollar amount or percentage threshold is not exceeded. In response to a mandate by the appropriations committees, this report addresse… more
Date: September 17, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of State: Additional Steps Needed to Address Continuing Staffing and Experience Gaps at Hardship Posts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of State (State) has designated about two-thirds of its 268 overseas posts as hardship posts. Staff working at such posts often encounter harsh conditions, including inadequate medical facilities and high crime. Many of these posts are vital to U.S. foreign policy objectives and need a full complement of staff with the right skills to carry out the department's priorities. As such, State … more
Date: September 17, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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U.S.-Russian Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: Issues for Congress

Description: The United States and Russia signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement on May 6, 2008. President Bush submitted the agreement to Congress on May 13. This report discusses key policy issues related to that agreement, including future nuclear energy cooperation with Russia, U.S.-Russian bilateral relations, nonproliferation cooperation and Russia's policies toward Iran.
Date: September 17, 2010
Creator: Nikitin, Mary Beth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Depot Maintenance: Improved Strategic Planning Needed to Ensure That Army and Marine Corps Depots Can Meet Future Maintenance Requirements

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Army and Marine Corps maintenance depots provide critical support to ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and are heavily involved in efforts to reset the force. The Department of Defense (DOD) has an interest in ensuring that the depots remain operationally effective, efficient, and capable of meeting future maintenance requirements. In 2008, in response to direction by the Office of… more
Date: September 17, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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DHS Recruiting and Hiring: DHS Is Generally Filling Mission-Critical Positions, but Could Better Track Costs of Coordinated Recruiting Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and selected components are implementing strategies to fill mission-critical occupations (MCO), which are those occupations most critical to an agency's mission. In 2011, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I)--which coordinates component recruiting efforts--developed the Coordinated Recruiting and Outreach Strategy (CROS). Through the CROS, D&I intends to … more
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Aviation Safety: FAA Has Taken Steps to Determine That It Has Made Correct Medical Certification Decisions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seeks to make the U.S. aviation system one of the safest in the world. However, a 2005 Department of Transportation Inspector General investigation found that FAA had issued medical certificates to a small percentage of pilots with disqualifying medical conditions, such as heart conditions, schizophrenia, and drug or alcohol addiction. In response to your reques… more
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medical Devices: FDA's Approval of Four Temporomandibular Joint Implants

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "It is estimated that over 10 million people in the United States suffer from jaw joint and muscle disorders. Artificial temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants have been used to replace the jaw joint in some patients in an effort to decrease pain and increase jaw function. The safety and effectiveness of these implants, like other medical devices, is overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an… more
Date: September 17, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Environmental Information: EPA Is Taking Steps to Improve Information Management, but Challenges Remain

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) information management systems, focusing on: (1) recent initiatives designed to help EPA improve the accuracy, completeness, and compatibility of its data; (2) the impact of data gaps and inconsistencies on EPA's ability to evaluate and report on the results of its programs under the Government Performance and Resul… more
Date: September 17, 1999
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Department of State: Comprehensive Plan Needed to Address Persistent Foreign Language Shortfalls

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Proficiency in foreign languages is a key skill for U.S. diplomats to advance U.S. interests overseas. GAO has issued several reports highlighting the Department of State's (State) persistent foreign language shortages. In 2006, GAO recommended that State evaluate the effectiveness of its efforts to improve the language proficiency of its staff. State responded by providing examples of activities it bel… more
Date: September 17, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Health Information Technology: HHS Has Taken Important Steps to Address Privacy Principles and Challenges, Although More Work Remains

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Although advances in information technology (IT) can improve the quality and other aspects of health care, the electronic storage and exchange of personal health information introduces risks to the privacy of that information. In January 2007, GAO reported on the status of efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure the privacy of personal health information exchanged within a… more
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare: Information Needed to Assess Adequacy of Rate-Setting Methodology for Payments for Hospital Outpatient Services

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Under the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS), hospitals receive a temporary additional payment for certain new drugs and devices while data on their costs are collected. In 2003, these payments expired for the first time for many drugs and devices. To incorporate these items into OPPS, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) used its rate-setting methodology that c… more
Date: September 17, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Nonproliferation: National Nuclear Security Administration Has Improved the Security of Reactors in its Global Research Reactor Program, but Action Is Needed to Address Remaining Concerns

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Worldwide, about 165 research reactors use highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. Because HEU can also be used in nuclear weapons, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established the Global Research Reactor Security (GRRS) program to make security upgrades at foreign research reactors whose security did not meet guidelines established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). GAO wa… more
Date: September 17, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Biosafety Laboratories: Perimeter Security Assessment of the Nation's Five BSL-4 Laboratories

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Biosafety labs under the U.S. Bioterrorism Act are primarily regulated and must be registered with either the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Select Agent Regulations. Currently, all operational biosafety level (BSL) 4 labs are registered with the CDC and thus are regulated by the CDC, not USDA. BSL-4 labs handle the world's most da… more
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Infrastructure: Opportunity to Improve the Timeliness of Future Overseas Planning Reports and Factors Affecting the Master Planning Effort for the Military Buildup on Guam

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) continues its efforts to reduce the number of troops permanently stationed overseas and consolidate overseas bases. The Senate and conference reports accompanying the fiscal year 2004 military construction appropriation bill directed DOD to develop and GAO to monitor DOD's overseas master plans and to provide annual assessments. The Senate report accompanying the fiscal y… more
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit Shows Promise

Description: A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To make buses a more reliable and effective high-speed transit alternative, a new concept-- Bus Rapid Transit--proposes (1) running buses on highways exclusively for them or on HOV lanes or (2) improving service on busier routes on city streets. Federal support for Bus Rapid Transit projects may come from several different sources, including the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts, Bus Capital, and Urb… more
Date: September 17, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: Major Federal Networks That Support Homeland Security Functions

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A key information systems challenge in homeland security is ensuring that essential information is shared in a timely and secure manner among disparate parties in federal, state, and local governments, and in the private sectors. This requires communications networks that provide information-sharing capabilities between the various levels of government--federal, state, and local. GAO's objective was to … more
Date: September 17, 2004
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Federal Pensions: Judicial Survivors' Annuities System Costs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Judicial Survivors' Annuities System (JSAS) was created in 1956 to provide financial security for the families of deceased federal judges. It provides benefits to eligible spouses and dependent children of judges who elect coverage within 6 months of taking office, 6 months after getting married, 6 months after being elevated to a higher court, or during an open season authorized by statute. Active … more
Date: September 17, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Global Food Security: USAID Is Improving Coordination but Needs to Require Systematic Assessments of Country-Level Risks

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has made progress in coordinating with U.S. partner agencies through the whole-of-government approach for the Feed the Future (FTF) initiative that began in 2010. According to USAID documents, this approach involves coordination and integration of expertise and resources across U.S. partner agencies with global food security programs. In reports issu… more
Date: September 17, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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