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Tax Administration: IRS's Information Exchanges with Other Countries Could Be Improved through Better Performance Information

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "With trillions of dollars in cross-border financial activity, U.S. tax authorities and others around the world exchange information with each other to administer and enforce compliance with the tax laws of their respective countries. GAO was asked to (1) identify and describe all income tax treaties and other such agreements between the United States and other countries, (2) describe the volume of excha… more
Date: September 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Adult Drug Courts: Studies Show Courts Reduce Recidivism, but DOJ Could Enhance Future Performance Measure Revision Efforts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A drug court is a specialized court that targets criminal offenders who have drug addiction and dependency problems. These programs provide offenders with intensive court supervision, mandatory drug testing, substance-abuse treatment, and other social services as an alternative to adjudication or incarceration. As of June 2010, there were over 2,500 drug courts operating nationwide, of which about 1,400… more
Date: December 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Mississippi River: Actions Are Needed to Help Resolve Environmental and Flooding Concerns about the Use of River Training Structures

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "For more than 130 years the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has used dikes to "train" the Mississippi River channel and maintain adequate depth for navigation. The Corps relies heavily on these structures--including some with more recent designs--in the Middle Mississippi, between the confluences of the Missouri and Ohio Rivers. Over the past few decades, some researchers have raised concerns about… more
Date: December 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Medicare Advantage: Changes Improved Accuracy of Risk Adjustment for Certain Beneficiaries

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The effect of CMS's revised community model on payment accuracy varied for the high-risk groups studied. Specifically, compared with the current community model, the revised community model slightly reduced the accuracy of MA payment adjustments for beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions by $164, or about 1 percent of average actual expenditures. For beneficiaries with low income, the accuracy o… more
Date: December 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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FEMA: Action Needed to Improve Administration of the National Flood Insurance Program

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been on GAO's high-risk list since March 2006 because of concerns about its long-term financial solvency and related operational issues. Significant management challenges also affect the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) ability to administer NFIP. This report examines (1) the extent to which FEMA's management practices affect the administration… more
Date: June 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Critical Infrastructure Protection: Cybersecurity Guidance Is Available, but More Can Be Done to Promote Its Use

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A wide variety of cybersecurity guidance is available from national and international organizations for entities within the seven critical infrastructure sectors GAO reviewed--banking and finance; communications; energy; health care and public health; information technology; nuclear reactors, material, and waste; and water. Much of this guidance is tailored to business needs of entities or provides meth… more
Date: December 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Interagency Contracting: Improvements Needed in Setting Fee Rates for Selected Programs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies spend over $50 billion annually on goods and services using interagency contracts, which leverage the government's buying power, simplify procuring commonly used goods and services, and allow agencies to use the contracts and expertise of other agencies. Agencies that operate interagency contracts and provide assisted acquisition services for other agencies recover their costs by chargi… more
Date: September 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Acquisition Planning: Opportunities to Build Strong Foundations for Better Services Contracts

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Civilian agencies obligated over $135 billion in fiscal year 2010 for services --80 percent of total civilian spending on contracts. Services acquisitions have suffered from inadequate planning, which can put budget, schedule, and quality at risk. GAO was asked to examine how civilian agencies conduct acquisition planning for services contracts and assessed (1) the extent to which agencies have develope… more
Date: August 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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District of Columbia Charter Schools: Criteria for Awarding School Buildings to Charter Schools Needs Additional Transparency

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Almost 40 percent of all public school students in the District of Columbia (D.C. or District) were enrolled in charter schools in the 2010-11 school year. The D.C. School Reform Act established the Public Charter School Board (PCSB) for the purpose of authorizing and overseeing charter schools. Congress required GAO to conduct a management evaluation of PCSB. GAO addresses the following: (1) the mechan… more
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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ATPA Renewal: Background and Issues

Description: The Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) extends special duty treatment to certain U.S. imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru that meet domestic content and other requirements. The purpose of ATPA is to promote economic growth in the Andean region and to encourage a shift away from dependence on illegal drugs by supporting legitimate economic activities. This report outlines the various aspects of the ATPA, including significant dates and modifications.
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Cote d'Ivoire's Post-Election Crisis

Description: This report discusses the recent political instability in Côte d'Ivoire, which has surfaced most recently in February 2011, and stems from a contested November 28, 2010, presidential election. This report discusses background information on Côte d'Ivoire's long struggle toward peace, political stability, and democratic governance. This report also addresses U.S. interests regarding Côte d'Ivoire's stability and democratic progress.
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: Cook, Nicolas
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Kosovo: Current Issues and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the current political state of Kosovo, which, on February 7, 2008, declared its independence from Serbia. Since then, Serbia has contested Kosovo's declaration of independence, leading to parallel governing institutions and ongoing talks between the two nations. This report discusses challenges Kosovo faces regarding international recognition and the status of its ethnic minorities. This report also discusses Kosovo's relationship with the United States, and U.S. foreign a… more
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: Woehrel, Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Expedited or "Fast-Track" Legislative Procedures

Description: This report discusses expedited or "fast-track" legislative procedures, which are special procedures that Congress adopts to promote timely committee and floor action on a specifically defined type of bill or resolution.
Date: February 9, 2011
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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War in Afghanistan: Strategy, Operations, and Issues for Congress

Description: This report discusses the ongoing U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, begun in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The report, which will be updated as events warrant, describe and analyzes several issues, including the key players in the war in Afghanistan; the strategic outlooks of the Afghan government, the U.S. government, and NATO; and the threats to the security and stability of the Afghan state and its people.
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: Dale, Catherine
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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How Legislation Is Brought to the House Floor: A Snapshot of Recent Parliamentary Practice

Description: The House of Representatives has several different parliamentary procedures through which it can bring legislation to the chamber floor. Which will be used in a given situation depends on many factors, including the type of measure being considered, its cost, the amount of political or policy controversy surrounding it, and the degree to which Members want to debate it and propose amendments. This report provides a statistical snapshot of the forms, origins, and party sponsorship of these measu… more
Date: March 9, 2011
Creator: Davis, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Interagency Collaborative Arrangements and Activities: Types, Rationales, Considerations

Description: This report examines formal interagency collaborative arrangements and activities, which are intended to enhance joint efforts and cooperation among independent federal agencies with shared responsibilities and overlapping jurisdictions.
Date: May 9, 2011
Creator: Kaiser, Frederick M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Veterans and Homelessness

Description: This report discusses several issues relating to homelessness among veterans, which has become more prominent since the beginning of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Date: May 9, 2011
Creator: Perl, Libby
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, focusing particularly on the influence of the Taliban and other militant groups and on the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. This report also discusses the U.S.-Afghanistan relationship, in both the short and long term, and U.S. efforts under the Obama Administration to provide military, reconstructive, and stabilization aid.
Date: May 9, 2011
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Standard & Poor's Downgrade of U.S. Government Long-Term Debt

Description: This report discusses the lowering of the U.S. government debt credit rating by Standard & Poor's (S&P) on August 5, 2011. It discusses the reasons behind the lowered credit rating and implications for the U.S. economy, other debt markets, and banking regulations.
Date: August 9, 2011
Creator: Jickling, Mark
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Background and Policy Issues

Description: This report provides an overview of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child's (CRC) background and structure and examines evolving U.S. policy toward the Convention, including past and current Administration positions and congressional perspectives. It also highlights issues for the 112th Congress, including the Convention's possible impact on federal and state laws, U.S. sovereignty, parental rights, and U.S. family planning and abortion policy. In addition, the report address… more
Date: June 9, 2011
Creator: Blanchfield, Luisa
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Southwest Border Violence: Issues in Identifying and Measuring Spillover Violence

Description: There has been an increase in the level of drug trafficking-related violence within and between the drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. This violence has generated concern among U.S. policy makers that the violence in Mexico might spill over into the United States. This report looks at the nature of the drug trafficking conflict and assessments of how the conflict could spill across the border.
Date: June 9, 2011
Creator: Finklea, Kristin M.; Krouse, William J. & Rosenblum, Marc R.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Gun Control Legislation

Description: This report provides basic firearms-related statistics, an overview of federal firearms law, and a summary of legislative action in the 111th Congress. The report concludes with salient issues that have generated significant congressional interest, including the 1994-2004 LCAFD ban.
Date: June 9, 2011
Creator: Krouse, William J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Libya: Unrest and U.S. Policy

Description: This report discusses the revolution and current conflict in Libya. The current crisis was triggered in mid-February 2011 by a chain of events in Benghazi and other eastern cities that quickly spiraled out of Qadhafi's control. Although Libyan opposition groups had called for a so-called "day of rage" on February 17 to commemorate protests that had occurred five years earlier, localized violence erupted prior to the planned national protests. As of April 25, U.S. and coalition officials stated … more
Date: September 9, 2011
Creator: Blanchard, Christopher M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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