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Securities Markets: Decimal Pricing has Contributed to Lower Trading Costs and a More Challenging Trading Environment

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In early 2001, U.S. stock and option markets began quoting prices in decimal increments rather than fractions of a dollar. At the same time, the minimum price increment, or tick size, was reduced to a penny on the stock markets and to 10 cents and 5 cents on the option markets. Although many believe that decimal pricing has benefited small individual (retail) investors, concerns have been raised that th… more
Date: May 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Disability System: Improved Oversight Needed to Ensure Consistent and Timely Outcomes for Reserve and Active Duty Service Members

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The House Committee on Armed Services report that accompanies the National Defense Authorization Act of fiscal year 2006 directs GAO to review results of the military disability evaluation system. In response to this mandate, GAO determined: (1) how current DOD policies and guidance for disability determinations compare for the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and what policies are specific to reserve compone… more
Date: March 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Major Weapon Programs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is embarking on a number of efforts to enhance warfighting and the way the department conducts business. Major investments are being made to develop improved weapon systems to combat various threats to U.S. security. While the weapons that DOD ultimately develops have no rival in superiority, weapon systems acquisition remains a long-standing high-risk area. GAO's reviews… more
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Workforce Investment Act: Strategies Needed to Improve Certain Training Outcome Data

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Of the more than two million total participants in the Workforce Investment Act's (WIA) Adult and Dislocated Worker Programs, about 11 percent and 16 percent, respectively, received training in program year 2011, and about two-thirds of the training participants in each program attained a credential. Little is known, however, about how many participants got jobs related to their training. From program y… more
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Military Personnel: Reserve Components Need Guidance to Accurately and Consistently Account for Volunteers on Active Duty for Operational Support

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) and Congress have expressed concern with the frequency and length of time that volunteer reservists serve on active duty. In fiscal year 2006, DOD nearly doubled its fiscal year 2005 estimate for the total maximum levels of reservists volunteering to be on active duty for operational support. Congress required GAO to review the reasons behind the increases and expressed a… more
Date: October 31, 2006
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: Security of New Passports and Visas Enhanced, but More Needs to Be Done to Prevent Their Fraudulent Use

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Travel documents are often used fraudulently in attempts to enter the United States. The integrity of U.S. passports and visas depends on the combination of well-designed security features and solid issuance and inspection processes. GAO was asked to examine (1) the features of U.S. passports and visas and how information on the features is shared; (2) the integrity of the issuance process for these doc… more
Date: July 31, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Preparer Regulation: IRS Needs a Documented Framework to Achieve Goal of Improving Taxpayer Compliance

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Paid preparers prepare about 60 percent of all tax returns filed, and their actions significantly affect the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) ability to administer tax laws. Previously, GAO found that some preparers made significant errors in preparing tax returns and proposed stricter regulation of preparers. IRS is implementing new requirements for paid preparers that it believes will increase tax com… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Border Security: DHS's Visa Security Program Needs to Improve Performance Evaluation and Better Address Visa Risk Worldwide

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 2003, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Visa Security Program (VSP) has participated in the visa process by reviewing applications at some embassies and consulates, with the intention of preventing individuals who pose a threat from entering the United States. The attempted bombing of an airline on December 25, 2009, renewed concerns about the security of the visa process and the effecti… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Tax Administration: Expanded Information Reporting Could Help IRS Address Compliance Challenges with Forgiven Mortgage Debt

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To assist the growing number of taxpayers facing foreclosure or mortgage restructuring, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, and its 3-year extension as part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, allows taxpayers to generally exclude from taxable income forgiven mortgage debt used to buy, build, or substantially improve a principal residence. Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT)… more
Date: August 31, 2010
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Maritime Security: DHS Could Benefit from Tracking Progress in Implementing the Small Vessel Security Strategy

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its components--such as the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)--have started or completed initiatives to address small vessel security risks, but DHS is not tracking the progress being made to address action items in the Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) Implementation Plan. "Small vessels" are characterized as any watercraft--regar… more
Date: October 31, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Inspectors General: HUD Office of Inspector General Resources and Results

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "During the 5-year period from fiscal year 2007 through 2011, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General (OIG) had budget and staffing resources that were consistent with other OIGs, and a monetary return for each budget dollar which exceeded the average return for Cabinet-level OIGs. During the 5-year period, the HUD OIG had total budgetary resources ranging from… more
Date: May 31, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Anthrax: DHS Faces Challenges in Validating Methods for Sample Collection and Analysis

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "A workgroup—led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and made up of DHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)—has attempted to address GAO’s recommendations to (1) validate environmental sampling methods for detecting Bacillu… more
Date: July 31, 2012
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Critical Infrastructure Protection: Sector-Specific Plans' Coverage of Key Cyber Security Elements Varies

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's critical infrastructure sectors--such as public health, energy, water, and transportation--rely on computerized information and systems to provide services to the public. To fulfill the requirement for a comprehensive plan, including cyber aspects, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a national plan in June 2006 for the sectors to use as a road map to enhance the protection of … more
Date: October 31, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Refugee Assistance: Little Is Known about the Effectiveness of Different Approaches for Improving Refugees' Employment Outcomes

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2009, the United States resettled close to 70,000 refugees fleeing persecution in their homelands. To assist in their transition to the United States and help them attain employment, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) provides temporary cash, medical, and other assistance through four different assistance programs. The economic downturn and an… more
Date: March 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Business Systems Modernization: Department of the Navy Needs to Establish Management Structure and Fully Define Policies and Procedures for Institutionally Managing Investments

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1995, GAO first designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization program as "high-risk," and continues to do so today. In 2004, Congress passed legislation reflecting prior GAO recommendations that DOD adopt a corporate approach to information technology (IT) business systems investment management, including tiered accountability for business systems at the department and c… more
Date: October 31, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Nuclear Nonproliferation: DOE's International Radiological Threat Reduction Program Needs to Focus Future Efforts on Securing the Highest Priority Radiological Sources

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, U.S. and international experts raised concerns that unsecured radiological sources were vulnerable to theft and posed a significant security threat to the United States and the international community. Radioactive material is encapsulated or sealed in metal to prevent its dispersal and is commonly called a sealed radiological source. Sealed radiolog… more
Date: January 31, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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VA Drug Formulary: Drug Review Process Is Standardized at the National Level, but Actions Are Needed to Ensure Timely Adjudication of Nonformulary Drug Requests

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2009, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) spent nearly $4 billion on prescriptions for veterans. In general, VA provides drugs on its national formulary. However, all VA medical centers must have a nonformulary drug request process that is overseen by their regional Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN). This report responds to a House Committee on Appropriations report directing GAO to revi… more
Date: August 31, 2010
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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For-Profit Schools: Experiences of Undercover Students Enrolled in Online Classes at Selected Colleges

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Once comprised of local, sole-proprietor ownership, the nation's for-profit institutions now range from small, privately owned schools to publicly traded corporations. Enrollment in such colleges has grown far faster than in traditional higher-education institutions. Moreover, during the 2009-2010 school year, for-profit colleges received almost $32 billion in grants and loans provided to students under… more
Date: October 31, 2011
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Over the past year, the overall size of DOD's major defense acquisition program portfolio decreased, from 85 programs to 80, while the estimated cost has increased by $14.1 billion. The average time to deliver initial capability to the warfighter also increased by 2 months. The slight cost increase can be attributed to the addition of one program, the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle. This furthers a t… more
Date: March 31, 2014
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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VA Health Care: Management and Oversight of Fee Basis Care Need Improvement

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) fee basis care spending increased from about $3.04 billion in fiscal year 2008 to about $4.48 billion in fiscal year 2012. The slight decrease in fiscal year 2012 spending from the fiscal year 2011 level was due to VA's adoption of Medicare rates as its primary payment method for fee basis providers. VA's fee basis care utilization also increased from about 821,0… more
Date: May 31, 2013
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Oil and Gas: Interior Has Begun to Address Hiring and Retention Challenges but Needs to Do More

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of the Interior (Interior) continues to face challenges hiring and retaining staff with key skills needed to manage and oversee oil and gas operations on federal leases. Interior officials noted two major factors that contribute to challenges in hiring and retaining staff: lower salaries and a slow hiring process compared with similar positions in industry. In response to GAO's survey, of… more
Date: January 31, 2014
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Safe Routes to School: Progress in Implementing the Program, but a Comprehensive Plan to Evaluate Program Outcomes Is Needed

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In August 2005, Congress established the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program primarily to encourage children to walk and bicycle to school. GAO was asked to determine (1) the steps the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and states have taken to implement the program, (2) the extent to which FHWA and states have evaluated the results of the program, and (3) how the program is related to other surface… more
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Information Technology: Agencies Need to Establish Comprehensive Policies to Address Changes to Projects' Cost, Schedule, and Performance Goals

Description: A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government plans to spend about $70 billion on information technology (IT) projects during fiscal year 2008. Consequently, it is important that projects be managed effectively to ensure that public resources are wisely invested. At times, a project's cost, schedule, and performance goals--known as its baseline--are modified to reflect changed development circumstances. These changes--called … more
Date: July 31, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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