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The 2010 NPR report described the administration’s approach to maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent capability while pursuing further reductions in nuclear weapons. The 2010 NPR was the third comprehensive assessment of U.S. nuclear policy and strategy conducted by the United States since the end of the Cold War; pre... | Since the 1960s, the United States has deployed nuclear weapons on three types of strategic delivery vehicles collectively known as the strategic triad. The triad comprises the sea-based leg (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), ground-based leg (intercontinental ballistic missiles), and airborne leg (nuclear-capabl... |
The demands upon judges’ time are largely a function of both the number and complexity of the cases on their dockets. Some types of cases may demand relatively little time, and others may require many hours of work. To measure the case-related workload of district court judges, the Judicial Conference has adopted weigh... | GAO appeared before the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, House Committee on the Judiciary to discuss the results of our review and assessment of case-related workload measures for district court and courts of appeals judges. Biennially, the Judicial Conference of the United States, the f... |
Conserving the nation’s natural and cultural resources and ensuring visitor enjoyment of these resources has been the primary mission of the National Park Service since its inception in 1916. The Park Service has long provided facilities for visitor use, but over time, the way that the Park Service has provided service... | Visitor centers at the national parks are among the most important facilities run by the National Park Service. As existing visitor centers age and new parks are created, renovated or new facilities are needed. This report discusses (1) the number, the status, and the reasons for Park Service visitor center projects; (... |
To ensure the trustworthiness, reliability, and character of personnel in positions with access to classified information, DOD relies on a multiphased personnel security clearance process. Figure 1 shows six phases that could be involved in determining whether to grant an actual or a potential job incumbent a clearance... | Individuals working for the private industry are playing a larger role in national security work conducted by Department of Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies. As of May 2006, industry personnel held about 34 percent of DOD-maintained personnel security clearances. The damage that the unauthorized disclosure of c... |
Humanitarian parole—in the context of immigration—refers to official permission for an otherwise inadmissible alien to legally enter the United States temporarily. This includes aliens required to have a visa to visit or immigrate to the United States who are unable to obtain one, either due to ineligibility or urgent ... | The Immigration and Nationality Act requires that most visitors and immigrants to the United States obtain a visa. Aliens unable to obtain a visa, and with a compelling humanitarian need, may apply to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be granted humanitarian parole. This permits an alien to enter the United ... |
In the United States, although drugs are classified as prescription or nonprescription at the federal level by FDA, the practice of pharmacy is typically regulated by states. For example, states license pharmacists and enforce pharmacists’ continuing education requirements. The 1951 Durham-Humphrey Amendments to the Fe... | In the United States, most nonprescription drugs are available over-the-counter (OTC) in pharmacies and other stores. Experts have suggested that drug availability could be increased by establishing an additional class of nonprescription drugs that would be held behind the counter (BTC) but would require the interventi... |
Advances in information technology and the explosion in computer interconnectivity have had far-reaching effects, including the transformation from a paper-based to an electronic business environment and the capability for rapid communication through e- mail. Although these developments have led to improvements in spee... | Federal agencies are increasingly using electronic mail (e-mail) for essential communication. In doing so, they are potentially creating messages that have the status of federal records, which must be managed and preserved in accordance with the Federal Records Act. To carry out the records management responsibilities ... |
Violence against women can include a range of behaviors such as hitting, pushing, kicking, sexually assaulting, using a weapon, and threatening violence. Violence sometimes includes verbal or psychological abuse, stalking, or enforced social isolation. Victims are often subjected to repeated physical or psychological a... | The Violence Against Women Act funds programs that shelter battered women, training for law enforcement officers and prosecutors, and research on violence against women. Available data on the number of pregnant women who are victims of violence are incomplete and lack comparability. There is no current national estimat... |
DOD’s Military Health System has two missions: supporting wartime and other deployments, and providing peacetime health care. In fiscal year 2011, DOD offered health care services to about 9.7 million eligible beneficiaries in the United States and abroad through TRICARE, the Military Health System’s regionally structu... | DOD operates a large and complex health care system that employs more than 150,000 military, civilian, and contract personnel working in military treatment facilities. Each military department operates its own facilities, and contracts separately for health care professionals to supplement care provided within these fa... |
Since the 1960s, the United States has used polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites to observe the earth and its land, ocean, atmosphere, and space environments. Polar-orbiting satellites constantly circle the earth in a nearly north-south orbit, providing global coverage of conditions that affect the weather and c... | NOAA is procuring the next generation of polar and geostationary weather satellites to replace aging satellites that are approaching the end of their useful lives. Both new sets of satellites will provide critical weather forecasting data over the next two decades. GAO has reported that gaps in polar satellite coverage... |
The MTW demonstration program was authorized by the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996. The program is intended to give participating agencies the flexibility to design and test innovative strategies for providing and administering housing assistance. To implement such strategies, participa... | HUDs MTW demonstration program gives participating PHAs the flexibility to create innovative housing strategies through their fiscal year 2018. MTW agencies must create activities linked to three statutory purposesreducing costs, providing incentives for self-sufficiency, and increasing housing choicesand meet five ... |
Although intercollegiate sports may bring to mind nationally televised football and basketball games, 4-year schools’ intercollegiate sports programs vary widely, from small programs involving fewer than 10 teams with expenditures of less than $1 million to large programs with more than 900 student-athletes and expendi... | The number of women participating in intercollegiate athletics at four-year colleges and universities increased substantially between school years 1981-82 and 1998-99, while the number of men participating increased more modestly. The total number of women's teams increased by 3,784 teams, compared to an increase of 36... |
The ISS program began in 1993 with several partner countries: Canada, the 11 member nations of the European Space Agency, Japan, and Russia. From 1994 through 2010, NASA estimates that it directly invested over $48 billion in development and construction of the on-orbit scientific laboratory, the ISS. NASA intended ISS... | Construction of the International Space Station (ISS) required dedication and effort on the part of many nations to be successful. Further, the funding necessary to accomplish this task was significant, with the United States alone directly investing nearly $50 billion in its development. As construction of the on-orbi... |
Distance education is not a new concept, but in recent years, it has assumed markedly new forms and greater prominence. Distance education’s older form was the correspondence course—a home study course generally completed by mail. More recently, distance education has increasingly been delivered in electronic forms, su... | Increasingly, the issues of distance education and federal student aid intersect. About one in every 13 postsecondary students enrolls in at least one distance education course, and the Department of Education estimates that the number of students involved in distance education has tripled in just 4 years. As the large... |
VA operates a national health care system that provides health care services to over 5 million patients annually. As part of that system, VA provides mental health services to veterans in inpatient and outpatient settings in a variety of VA health care facilities, including medical centers, CBOCs, and Vet Centers. Vete... | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides mental health services to veterans with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse disorders. To address gaps in services needed by veterans, VA approved a mental health strategic plan in 2004. VA planned to increase its fiscal year 2005... |
Surveillance radars allow air traffic controllers to manage aircraft operating in the airspace around airports and to expedite the flow of air traffic into and out of airports by reducing the separation between aircraft. Currently, radar coverage for the Cherry Capital Airport is provided by a long-range surveillance r... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the benefit-cost studies that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted for the Cherry Capital Airport in 1994, 1996, and 1997, focusing on: (1) FAA's decisionmaking process for installing surveillance radars at airports; (2) the factors, including costs, be... |
Individuals often first learn about vehicle donation programs through advertisements. Vehicle donation advertisements can be found on billboards, truck banners, and television, as well as in newsletters and even on small paper bags. Some of the most common mediums for vehicle donation advertisements include the radio, ... | According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), charities are increasingly turning to vehicle donation programs as a fund- raising activity, resulting in increased solicitations for donated vehicles. Therefore, to make informed decisions about donating their vehicles, taxpayers should be aware of how vehicle donation ... |
FEMA assists with providing a large range of services for disaster victims, including mass care (such as food and emergency medical care) in the immediate aftermath of disasters. FEMA also pays for temporary housing and crisis counseling for eligible victims. Authorized by section 408 of the Stafford Act, as amended, F... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined several issues pertaining to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) use of the Fast Track process and FEMA's crisis-counseling assistance to victims of the Northridge earthquake, focusing on: (1) the authority and rationale for the Fast Track process; (2) FEMA... |
GSA is the federal government’s real property manager, providing office space for most federal agencies. In this capacity, GSA is responsible for keeping the approximately 1,700 federal buildings it manages in good repair to ensure that the value of these assets is preserved and that tenants occupy safe and modern spac... | The General Services Administration (GSA), the federal government's real property manager, it is responsible for identifying, funding, and completing needed repairs and alterations at federal buildings. This report examines (1) GSA's process for assessing and selecting prospectus-level major repair and alteration desig... |
The GAT Board, the Recovery Board, and OMB, have initiatives under way to improve the accuracy and availability of federal spending data. The GAT Board, with a mandate of providing strategic direction, has four working groups charged with developing approaches for improving the quality of data in federal contract, gran... | The federal government spends more than $3.7 trillion annually, with more than $1 trillion awarded through contracts, grants, and loans. Improving transparency of this spending is essential to improve accountability. Recent federal laws have required increased public information on federal awards and spending. This tes... |
The President’s Vision for Space Exploration for NASA announced in 2004 calls for the retirement of the shuttle upon completion of the ISS and the creation of new vehicles for human space flight that will allow a return to the moon by 2020 and voyages to Mars and points beyond. The shuttle manifest currently consists o... | On January 14, 2004, the President announced a new Vision for space exploration that directs the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to focus its efforts on returning humans to the moon by 2020 in preparation for future, more ambitions missions. Implementing the Vision will require hundreds of billions... |
The CPI measures the change in prices of a fixed market basket of goods and services purchased directly by urban consumers. These purchases are for food, clothing, shelter, fuels, transportation, medical care, entertainment, and other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Only expenditures made by c... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) market basket expenditure weights, focusing on: (1) the views of individuals who were knowledgeable of the CPI on updating the weights between major revisions to the CPI and the practices followed by other industrialized countries in updat... |
To participate in Medicare, hospitals must maintain standards of patient safety and health that comply with Medicare COPs. For example, the COP related to nursing services includes such requirements for hospitals as providing a 24-hour nursing service that is supervised or furnished by a registered nurse. There are cur... | Hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) are considered in compliance with Medicare participation requirements. GAO examined the extent to which JCAHO's pre-2004 hospital accreditation process identified hospitals not complying with Medicare requirements, the pot... |
In the United States, product safety, including fire safety, is largely promoted through a process of consensus-based standards and voluntary certification programs. ANSI establishes requirements to ensure that standards are formulated through a consensus-based process that is open and transparent and that adequately c... | Developing fire protection standards and testing products against them are critical to promoting fire safety. Business offices, including federal facilities, experience thousands of fires, more than $100 million in property losses, and dozens of casualties each year. Knowing the number and types of fires in the workpla... |
Bank capital performs several important functions. Among other things, capital acts as a financial cushion to absorb unexpected losses, promotes public confidence in the solvency of the institution and the stability of the banking sector, and provides protection to depositors and deposit insurance funds. Because of cap... | During the 2007–2009 financial crisis, many banking organizations lacked capital of sufficient quality and quantity to absorb substantial losses on mortgages and mortgage-related assets, revealing these assets to be riskier than previously thought. In response to the crisis, banking regulators around the world moved to... |
Air Force travel card delinquency rates and amounts charged off were substantially lower than non-Air Force DOD components, and delinquencies were about 1 percent higher than non-DOD federal civilian agencies. Cumulative Air Force charge-offs since the inception of the travel card program with Bank of America in Novemb... | Poor oversight and management of the Department of Defense (DOD) travel card program has led to high delinquency rates costing DOD millions in lost rebates and increased ATM fees. As a result, Congress asked GAO to report on (1) the magnitude, impact, and cause of delinquencies, (2) the types of fraudulent and abusive ... |
SSA’s programs touch the lives of almost every individual in this country. Its Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) programs—which comprise what is commonly called Social Security—provide benefits to retired and disabled workers and their dependents and survivors; its Supplemental Security Income (SSI) ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Social Security Administration's (SSA) actions to achieve Year 2000 information systems compliance, focusing on the adequacy of steps taken by SSA to ensure that computing problems related to the year 2000 are fully addressed, including its oversight of state disabi... |
The Corps is the world’s largest public engineering, design, and construction management agency. Located within the Department of Defense, the Corps has both military and civilian responsibilities. Through its Civil Works Program, the Corps plans, constructs, operates, and maintains a wide range of water resources proj... | The Corps reports having a backlog of more than 1,000 authorized water resources construction projects in its Civil Works Program that it estimates to cost more than $62 billion to complete, as of June 2014. Federal statute requires the Corps to identify for deauthorization projects that have had no obligations for 5 y... |
BAH, one of several components of military compensation, is intended to provide servicemembers with an allowance to enable them to obtain suitable housing when military-owned housing is not provided. Accordingly, BAH payments reflect the cost of housing where servicemembers are stationed, and the payments change annual... | Although the Department of Defense (DOD) pays active-duty servicemembers who do not live in military housing a Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) to help them afford private market residences, expected growth at some military installations has raised concerns about whether nearby communities will have enough affordable ... |
The Department of Education annually administers data collections to gather information from states about elementary and secondary education programs receiving federal assistance. When it administers a data collection, Education, like most federal agencies, is required to follow the provisions of the Paperwork Reductio... | As a condition of receiving federal funding for elementary and secondary education programs, states each year provide vast amounts of data to Education. While the need for information that informs evaluation is important (particularly with the No Child Left Behind Act), Education's data gathering has heretofore present... |
The Commodity Futures Trading Act of 1974 (the Act) established the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as an independent agency to better enforce the Commodity Exchange Act and oversee and regulate what was at the time an increasingly complex futures markets. The Act requires the agency to simultaneously submi... | The CFTC regulates certain financial markets, and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) expanded its regulatory responsibilities. Prior to enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act, in anticipation of these increased responsibilities, the agency began planning for more space to accommodat... |
GPRA calls for agencies to address human capital in the context of performance-based management and specifically requires that annual performance plans describe how agencies will use their human capital to support the accomplishment of their goals and objectives. In addition, OMB’s fiscal year 2001 guidance for agencie... | The Government Performance and Results Act calls for agencies to address human capital in the context of performance-based management. The act requires that annual performance plans describe how agencies will use their human capital to accomplish their goals and objectives. Designing, implementing, and maintaining a st... |
According to FPS officials, since 2010 the agency has required its guards to receive training on how to respond to an active-shooter scenario. However, as our 2013 report shows, FPS faces challenges providing active-shooter response training to all of its guards. According to FPS officials, the agency provides guards w... | As part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FPS is responsible for protecting federal employees and visitors in approximately 9,600 federal facilities under the control and custody of the General Services Administration (GSA). Recent incidents at federal facilities demonstrate their continued vulnerability to... |
Information security is a critical consideration for any organization reliant on IT and especially important for government agencies, where maintaining the public’s trust is essential. The Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA) established a framework designed to ensure the effectiveness of securit... | The Department of State (State) has implemented a custom application called iPost and a risk scoring program that is intended to provide continuous monitoring capabilities of information security risk to elements of its information technology (IT) infrastructure. Continuous monitoring can facilitate nearer real-time ri... |
Since 2003, the United States has provided about $19.2 billion to develop the Iraqi security forces, first under the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF) and later through the Iraq Security Forces Fund (ISFF). DOD has apportioned about $2.8 billion in ISFF funds to purchase and transport equipment to Iraqi milita... | Since 2003, the United States has provided about $19.2 billion to develop Iraqi security forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) recently requested an additional $2 billion to continue this effort. Components of the Multinational Force-Iraq (MNF-I), including the Multinational Security Transition Command-Iraq (MNSTC-I)... |
The Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of 1999 amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. The act established a livestock marketing information program to (1) provide producers, packers and other industry participants with market information that can be readily understood; (2) improve USDA price and supply reportin... | Livestock producers, with gross income of $63 billion in 2004, depend on USDA's daily, weekly, and monthly livestock market news reports. These reports provide them and others in the industry with livestock and meat prices and volumes, which are helpful as they negotiate sales of cattle, hogs, lamb and meat products. P... |
VA’s pension program is means-tested and provides a minimum level of economic security for veterans with financial need. It is one of two cash benefits programs administered by VA. The other is disability compensation, which pays benefits to veterans who have disabilities related to their military service—often referre... | In 2006, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) paid about $3.5 billion in means-tested pension benefits to over 500,000 veterans and survivors. GAO was asked to review the management of VA pension program. This report assesses (1) the characteristics and trends in size of the current pensioner population, (2) the pol... |
Given the complexity of the supply chain and the vast number of cargo containers that are shipped to the United States, the supply chain is vulnerable to threats. The typical supply chain process for transporting cargo containers to the United States involves many steps and participants. The cargo container, and materi... | Cargo containers could be used to transport unlawful cargo, including weapons of mass destruction, illicit arms, stowaways, and illegal narcotics into the United States. Within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for container security. To enhance container... |
The Department of Defense’s bottom-up review concluded that the Army’s reserve components should be reduced to 575,000 positions by 1999—a 201,000 decrease since fiscal year 1989. A group of senior officers of the Army, its reserve components, and organizations that represent Army component issues was tasked with provi... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Offsite Agreement, a major restructuring of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, focusing on the agreement's: (1) implementation costs; (2) impact on readiness; (3) efforts to absorb displaced personnel; (4) effect on the implementation of the Goldwater-Nichols... |
Policymakers are increasingly viewing adaptation as a risk management strategy to protect vulnerable infrastructure that might be affected by changes in the climate. While adaptation measures—such as raising river or coastal dikes to protect infrastructure from sea level rise, building higher bridges, or increasing the... | The federal government invests billions of dollars annually in infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, facing increasing risks from climate change. Adaptation--defined as adjustments to natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climate change-- can help manage these risks by making infrastructure mo... |
The nonprofit sector is diverse and has a significant presence in the U.S. economy. Of the estimated 1.7 million tax-exempt organizations in fiscal year 2008, about 69 percent were religious, charitable, and similar organizations, or private foundations and were referred to as 501(c)(3) organizations, and about 8 perce... | Residents of the Gulf Coast continue to struggle to recover almost 5 years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the area in August and September of 2005. In many cases the federal government coordinates with, and provides support to, nonprofit organizations in order to deliver recovery assistance to impacted re... |
Federal policy calls for critical infrastructure protection activities that are intended to enhance the cyber and physical security of private infrastructures, such as telecommunication networks, that are essential to national and economic security. DHS, Commerce, and FCC have critical infrastructure protection respons... | The United States is increasingly reliant on commercial communications networks for matters of national and economic security. These networks, which are primarily owned by the private sector, are highly dependent on equipment manufactured in foreign countries. Certain entities in the federal government view this depend... |
Farmers are exposed to financial losses because of production risks— droughts, floods, and other natural disasters—as well as variations in the market prices of their crops. Through the federal crop insurance program, participants can insure against losses on more than 100 crops. These crops include five major crops (c... | The federally subsidized crop insurance program helps about 1 million participants manage the risk inherent in farming. In recent years, the government's costs for the crop insurance program have increased substantially, and these costs have come under scrutiny as the nation's budgetary pressures have been increasing. ... |
ACF’s Children’s Bureau is responsible for the administration and oversight of federal funding to states for child welfare services under Titles IV-B and IV-E of the Social Security Act. However, the monitoring of children served by state child welfare agencies is the responsibility of the state agencies that provide t... | To better monitor children and families served by state child welfare agencies, Congress authorized matching funds for the development of statewide automated child welfare information systems (SACWIS) and required that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) compile information on the children served by state... |
Long-term care includes many types of services needed when a person has a functional disability, whether physical or cognitive. Individuals needing long-term care have varying degrees of difficulty in performing some activities of daily living without assistance, such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and moving... | As the baby boomers age, spending on long-term care for the elderly could quadruple by 2050. The growing demand for long-term care will put pressure on federal and state budgets because long-term care relies heavily on public financing, particularly Medicaid. Nursing home care traditionally has accounted for most Medic... |
A wide array of reform proposals have introduced the concept of personal or individual retirement accounts into the debate over Social Security’s future solvency. In evaluating these proposals we must understand Social Security’s fundamental role in ensuring the income security of our nation’s elderly; the nature, exte... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed how best to ensure the long-term viability of the nation's social security program. GAO noted that: (1) social security forms the foundation of the nation's retirement income structure, and in so doing, provides critical benefits to millions of Americans; (2) yet, prob... |
Created in 1789, Customs is one of the federal government’s oldest agencies. Customs is responsible for collecting revenue from imports and enforcing customs and related laws. Customs also processes persons, carriers, cargo, and mail into and out of the United States. In fiscal year 1997, Customs collected about $19 bi... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed certain aspects of the Customs Service's inspectional personnel and its commercial cargo and passenger workloads, focusing on: (1) the implications of any differences between the cargo and passenger inspectional personnel levels at selected airports and seaports around ... |
As it does now, the United States will fund its share of NATO enlargement primarily through contributions to the three common budgets. NSIP pays for infrastructure items that are over and above the needs of the member nations, including communications links to NATO headquarters or reinforcement reception facilities, su... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on issues related to the cost and financial obligations of expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), focusing on: (1) current U.S. costs to support NATO's common budgets and other funding that supports relations with central and east European ... |
The tax code provides for 35 different categories of exempt organizations, each covering one or more types of permissible activities. The majority of these organizations are covered by section 501 of the IRC. Section 501 includes private foundations and public charities, as well as other organizations, such as social w... | IRS examines tax-exempt organizations to enforce their compliance with the tax code. Examinations can result in assessment of taxes or revocation of tax-exempt status, among other things. GAO was asked to review IRS's criteria and processes for selecting exempt organizations for examination. This report (1) describes t... |
Job Corps was established as a national employment and training program in 1964 to mitigate employment barriers faced by severely disadvantaged youths. Job Corps enrolls youths aged 16 to 24 who are economically disadvantaged, in need of additional education or training, and living in disorienting conditions such as a ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Job Corps program's recruitment and placement contractors, focusing on: (1) whether Job Corps' policy guidance regarding eligibility criteria is consistent with the legislation and regulations; (2) how the use of recruiting contractors could be improv... |
DOD’s major weapon systems rely more heavily on software to achieve their performance characteristics than ever before. According to information in a 2000 Defense Science Board Report, in the last 40 years, functionality provided by software for aircraft, for example, has increased from about 10 percent in the early 19... | The Department of Defense (DOD) has been relying increasingly on computer software to introduce or enhance performance capabilities of major weapon systems. To ensure successful outcomes, software acquisition requires disciplined processes and practices. Without such discipline, weapon programs encounter difficulty in ... |
TSA has made progress in meeting the 9/11 Commission Act air cargo screening mandate as it applies to domestic cargo, and has taken several key steps in this effort, such as increasing the amount of domestic cargo subject to screening, creating a voluntary program to allow screening to take place at various points alon... | This testimony discusses air cargo screening. In 2008, about 7.3 billion pounds of cargo was transported on U.S. passenger flights--approximately 58 percent of which was transported domestically (domestic cargo) and 42 percent of which was transported on flights arriving in the United States from a foreign location (in... |
VA’s mission is to serve America’s veterans and their families and to be their principal advocate in ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, and social support in recognition of their service to our nation. VA, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the second largest federal department and reported it had ov... | In July 2004, GAO reported that the six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers it audited lacked a reliable property control database and effective inventory policies and procedures. In July 2007, GAO reported that continuing internal control weaknesses over IT equipment at four case study locations at VA ... |
Ports are critical gateways for the movement of commerce through the global supply chain. According to CBP data, in fiscal year 2012, about 11.5 million cargo container shipments arrived from more than 650 foreign ports—meaning roughly 31,000 maritime container shipments arrived each day that year. The facilities, vess... | Foreign ports and the cargo carried by vessels from these ports are critical to the U.S. economy, but can be exploited by terrorists. Within DHS, CBP and the Coast Guard are responsible for maritime security. Through CSI, CBP identifies and examines U.S.-bound cargo that may conceal WMD, and through C-TPAT, CBP partner... |
The primary federal laws that govern how EPA regulates pesticides in the United States are FIFRA and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Under FIFRA implementing regulations, EPA is to review applications for pesticide products and register those that it determines will meet the FIFRA statutory standards ... | As of September 2010, more than 16,000 pesticides were registered for use in the United States, according to EPA. EPA reviews health and environmental effects data submitted by a company and may register a pesticide or, alternatively, grant a "conditional registration" for a pesticide under certain circumstances, even ... |
The fiscal year 2005 budget is the fifth consecutive budget request where IRS is proposing increased staffing for enforcement and the third where it has identified internally-generated savings to help fund the increase. The 2005 budget proposes that, of the $377.3 million for new initiatives to be paid for either throu... | Effective tax administration requires a combination of quality customer service to help those who want to comply, and effective enforcement measures against those who do not. For the last few years, we have been reporting on improvements in taxpayer service and declines in enforcement. With respect to IRS's fiscal year... |
Medicare is a federal health insurance program designed to assist elderly and disabled beneficiaries. Hospital insurance, or part A, covers inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and certain home health services. Supplemental medical insurance, or part B, covers physician and outpatient hospital se... | Discussions about how to reform and modernize the Medicare Program have, in part, focused on whether the structure that was adopted in 1965 is optimal today. Questions have been raised about whether the program could benefit from changes to the way that Medicare's claims processing contractors are chosen and the jobs t... |
Federal employees, including postal workers, are protected by a variety of laws against discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability. In addition, federal employees are protected from retaliation for filing a complaint, participating in an investigation of a complaint, or oppo... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) complaint caseload, focusing on: (1) trends in the size of inventories and the age of cases in inventory at various stages of the EEO complaint process; (2) trends in the number of complaints filed by f... |
Consumers generally subscribe to broadband Internet in two ways: Mobile: Traditionally, mobile providers sold access to the Internet as an add-on to mobile telephone service plans that may or may not include a multiyear contract. Mobile service is provided through cell tower coverage with data sharing through radio spe... | Access to broadband Internet is seen as being crucial to improving access to information, quality of life, and economic growth. In recent years, some Internet providers have moved away from unlimited data plans to UBP with uncertain effects on consumers. GAO was asked to review the use of UBP by Internet providers. Thi... |
At the end of fiscal year 2008, the number of civilian and military personnel in DOD’s acquisition workforce totaled nearly 126,000—of which civilian personnel comprised 88 percent. DOD defines its acquisition workforce to include 13 career fields, based on the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act of 1990. Fro... | Since 2001, Department of Defense's (DOD) spending on goods and services has more than doubled to $388 billion in 2008, while the number of civilian and military acquisition personnel has remained relatively stable. To supplement its in-house workforce, DOD relies heavily on contractor personnel. If it does not maintai... |
In June 1995, NASA and DOD agreed to identify cooperative actions that could lead to significant reductions in investments and cost of operations.The agencies identified seven areas of mutual interest, one of which was major aerospace test facilities—specifically, wind tunnels, aeropropulsion test cells, rocket engine ... | GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) and Department of Defense's (DOD) cooperation in developing a national perspective on aerospace test facilities, focusing on: (1) the extent to which NASA/DOD working groups on major test facilities have been operating on a regular basis; (2) NASA'... |
On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended, officially establishing DHS, with the primary mission of protecting the American homeland. DHS became operational on January 24, 2003. On March 1, 2003, under the President’s reorganization plan, 22 agencies and approximately 181... | The DHS OIG plays a critical role in strengthening accountability throughout DHS. The OIG received about $141 million in fiscal year 2013 appropriations to carry out this oversight. The joint explanatory statement to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013, directed GAO to review the OIG and its or... |
Businesses can raise capital in the regulated securities markets through the public offering of securities, which is an offering of stock to the general public. For a small business, this could take the form of a registered public offering—an offering and sale of securities to the general public. Unless subject to a sp... | Businesses seeking to use public offerings of securities to raise capital must comply with federal and state securities laws. Businesses must register offerings with SEC unless they qualify for an exemption. Regulation A exempts a securities offering that does not exceed $5 million from SEC registration if certain requ... |
Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses 800 square miles in North Carolina and Tennessee. Designated a national park in 1934, it is 95 percent forested and is renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources and the beauty of its ancient mountains. Elevations in the park range from 800 feet to 6,643... | Concerns have been growing about the air quality, visibility, and respiratory illnesses around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. This report analyzes recent trends in and contributing factors to (1) visibility impairments, (2) ground-level ozone, a... |
DOD has been reporting problems with its data accuracy for real and personal property since at least 1990. The Department has provided a number of reasons for the unreliable reporting, including property systems that maintain item accountability not being integrated with financial accounting systems. In fiscal year 199... | GAO determined whether the Defense Property Accountability System (DPAS): (1) was designed to meet functional accounting requirements for general property, plant, and equipment (PP&E); and (2) was implemented at the Defense Information System Agency's (DISA) Defense Megacenters in a manner that ensures it meets functio... |
The U.S. Customs Service has a diverse mission spanning a large geographic area. Customs’ responsibilities include (1) collecting revenue from imports and enforcing Customs and other U.S. laws and regulations, (2) preventing the smuggling of drugs into the United States, and (3) overseeing export compliance and money-l... | The Customs Service's responsibilities include collecting revenue from imports and enforcing U.S. laws and regulations, preventing the smuggling of drugs into the United States, and overseeing export compliance and money laundering issues. Customs recently began a self-inspection program (SIP) to aid in its diverse res... |
The District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-114) was enacted on January 8, 2002. The act stated that, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment, the chief judge of the Superior Court shall submit to the president and Congress a transition plan for the Family Court of the Superior Court, and... | The District of Columbia Superior Court has made progress in planning the transition of its Family Division to a Family Court, but some challenges remain. The Superior Court's transition plan addresses most, but not all, of the required elements outlined in the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001. Significant... |
Given the size and significance of the government’s investment in IT, it is important that projects be managed effectively to ensure that public resources are wisely invested. Effectively managing projects entails, among other things, developing reliable and high-quality cost estimates that project realistic life-cycle... | The federal government plans to spend at least $75 billion on information technology (IT) investments in fiscal year 2012. The size of this investment highlights the importance of reliably estimating the costs of IT acquisitions. A reliable cost estimate is critical to the success of any IT program, providing the basis... |
The Department of Education manages the federal investment in education and leads the nation’s long-term effort to improve education. Established as a separate department in 1980, Education’s mission is to ensure equal access by the nation’s populace to education and to promote improvements in the quality and usefulnes... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information about the field offices supporting the Departments of Education and Labor, focusing on the field offices': (1) locations; (2) functions, staffing, space and operating costs; and (3) proposed structural changes. GAO found that: (1) in fiscal year 1995, the De... |
The United States has a long tradition of providing benefits to those injured in military service, but the role of the federal government in providing for the health care needs of other veterans has evolved and expanded over time. In the nation’s early years, the federal role was limited to direct financial payments to... | GAO discussed some of the major challenges facing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and some of the options for deficit reduction through changes in VA benefits and programs. GAO noted that: (1) significant improvements have occurred in the efficiency of the VA health care system; (2) VA's new management and Vete... |
PRWORA amended the authorizing language in statutes governing SSI, TANF, Food Stamp, and housing assistance programs by prohibiting fugitive felons and probation and parole violators from receiving benefits under these programs. To assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending fugitive felons, PRWORA also amended the... | In response to concerns that individuals wanted in connection with a felony or violating terms of their parole or probation could receive benefits from programs for the needy, Congress added provisions to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 that prohibit these individuals from re... |
The Department of Education’s FSA manages and administers student financial assistance programs authorized under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. These postsecondary programs include the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (often called the Direct Loan program), the Federal Family Educa... | To address system problems and other long-standing management weaknesses, in 1998, the Congress created a discrete unit within the Department of Education, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA). This office subsequently adopted a new approach to systems integration using middleware (a type of software that can allow ... |
VA spent about $21 billion to provide health care services, including acute medicine, surgery, mental health, and long-term care, to about 4.2 million veterans during fiscal year 2001. Of VA’s 4,700 buildings, over 40 percent have operated for more than 50 years, including almost 200 built before 1900. Over 1,600 build... | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has changed from a hospital-based system to primary reliance on outpatient care. As a result, VA expects that the number of unneeded buildings will increase. Veterans' needs could be better served if VA finds ways to minimize resources devoted to these buildings. VA must have an ... |
In recent years, Congress passed two pieces of legislation intended, in part, to foster greater coordination among education, welfare, and employment and training programs. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was passed in 1998 to consolidate services for many employment and training programs, requiring states and local... | The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) brought most federally funded employment and training services into a single, one-stop center system. Coordination between Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs and one-stop centers has increased since the act was implemented in 2000. Nearly all states reported some ... |
Limitations in the core contract personnel inventory hinder the ability to determine the extent to which the eight civilian IC elements used these personnel in 2010 and 2011 and to identify how this usage has changed over time. IC CHCO uses the inventory information in its statutorily- mandated annual personnel assessm... | The IC uses core contract personnel to augment its workforce. These contractors typically work alongside government personnel and perform staff-like work. Some core contract personnel require enhanced oversight because they perform services that could significantly influence the government's decision making. In Septemb... |
Combined Medicare and Medicaid payments to nursing homes for care provided to vulnerable elderly and disabled beneficiaries totaled about $64 billion in 2002, with total federal payments of approximately $45.5 billion. Oversight of nursing home quality is a shared federal-state responsibility. On the basis of statutory... | GAO was asked to assess the effectiveness of nursing home oversight by considering the effect of a unique Arkansas law that requires county coroners to investigate all nursing home deaths. Coroners refer cases of suspected neglect to the state survey agency and law enforcement entities such as the state Medicaid Fraud ... |
Foodborne illnesses in the United States are widespread and costly. While the magnitude of the problem is uncertain, we reported in May 1996 that studies have estimated up to 81 million cases of foodborne illnesses and as many as 9,100 deaths occur each year. Recent estimates suggest that the number of illnesses may be... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed: (1) findings from its recent report in which it pointed out how limitations in the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) authority and approach for regulating imported foods adversely affect its ability to ensure food safety; (2) how FDA and the Food Safety and Inspect... |
NASA plans to finish assembling the ISS in fiscal year 2010 and operate the station until 2016. The station is scheduled to support 6-person crew capability as early as 2009. The shuttle was to be the primary means for ISS re-supply and crew rotation. NASA’s international partners were planning to augment the shuttle’s... | This testimony discusses the challenges faced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle. NASA is in the midst of one of the most challenging periods in its history. As part of its Vision for Space Exploration, NASA is simultaneously develo... |
Oil is the largest single energy source used in the United States and remains perhaps the most visible energy source to most consumers. Oil, and the gasoline refined from it, provided the critical energy for the automobile that mobilized America. Oil remains at the center of the transportation sector and at the center ... | Plentiful, relatively inexpensive energy has been the backbone of much of modern America's economic prosperity and the activities that essentially define our way of life. The energy systems that have made this possible, however, are showing increasing signs of strain and instability, and the consequences of our energy ... |
Employer-sponsored pensions fall into two major categories: defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) plans. In DB, or traditional, plans, benefits are typically set by formula, with workers receiving benefits upon retirement based on the number of years worked for a firm and earnings in years prior to retirem... | Over the last 25 years, pension coverage has shifted primarily from "traditional" defined benefit (DB) plans, in which workers accrue benefits based on years of service and earnings, toward defined contribution (DC) plans, in which participants accumulate retirement balances in individual accounts. DC plans provide gre... |
In recognition of the cost, energy usage, and environmental impact of IT, the federal government has undertaken various initiatives to promote the acquisition and use of more efficient and environmentally friendly IT products, commonly referred to as electronic stewardship or “green IT.” According to OMB Circular A-11,... | The federal government's substantial use of information technology (IT) contributes significantly to federal agencies' energy use and environmental impact. To help mitigate this impact, organizations have adopted practices for using computing resources in a sustainable and more environmentally friendly manner-- sometim... |
To address our research objectives, we selected a judgmental sample of 15 IDSs that clinically integrate primary, specialty, and acute care and serve uninsured and medically underserved populations. To select our sample, we began by reviewing published research and interviewing researchers with expertise in IDSs. As a ... | Health care delivery in the United States often lacks coordination and communication across providers and settings. This fragmentation can lead to poor quality of care, medical errors, and higher costs. Providers have formed integrated delivery systems (IDS) to improve efficiency, quality, and access. The Health Care S... |
We reported in 2008 that DB plan investments in hedge funds and private equity have grown, but such investments are generally a small portion of plan assets. This remains the case today. According to a Pensions & Investments survey, the percentage of large plans (as measured by total plan assets) investing in hedge fun... | Millions of Americans rely on retirement savings plans for their financial well-being in retirement. Plan sponsors are increasingly investing in assets such as hedge funds (privately administered pooled investment vehicles that typically engage in active trading strategies) and private equity funds (privately managed i... |
Long-term care includes many types of services needed when a person has a physical or mental disability. Individuals needing long-term care have varying degrees of difficulty in performing some activities of daily living without assistance, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, and moving from one location to a... | Long-term care relies heavily on financing by public payers, especially Medicaid, and has significant implications for state budgets as well as the federal budget. It includes an array of health, personal care, and supportive services provided to persons with physical or mental disabilities. As the baby boom generation... |
The current and prior administrations have expressed concerns that poor labor standards in FTA partner countries may affect workers in the United States and other parts of the world, incentivizing a global “race to the bottom” that unfairly distorts global markets and prevents U.S. businesses and workers from competing... | The United States has signed 14 FTAs, liberalizing U.S. trade with 20 countries. These FTAs include provisions regarding fundamental labor rights in the partner countries. USTR and DOL, supported by State, are responsible for monitoring and assisting FTA partners' implementation of these provisions. GAO was asked to as... |
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 amended the Social Security Act (the act) to, among other things, (1) establish a Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program and (2) establish an expenditure account, designated as the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Account (Account) within the Feder... | The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provided, among other things, funding by transfer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to carry out specific purposes of the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program. Congress expressed concern about a shift in FBI resources from health ... |
History is a good teacher. To solve the problems of today, it is instructive to look to the past. The problems with the department’s financial management operations date back decades, and previous attempts at reform have largely proven unsuccessful. These problems adversely affect DOD’s ability to control costs, ensure... | Financial management problems at the Department of Defense (DOD) are complex, long-standing, and deeply rooted throughout its business operations. DOD's financial management deficiencies represent the single largest obstacle to achieving an unqualified opinion on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements.... |
One of FHA’s primary goals is to assist those households that are unable to meet the requirements of the private market for mortgages and mortgage insurance or that live in underserved areas where mortgages may be harder to obtain. In doing so, FHA applies more flexible underwriting standards than the private market ge... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on housing prices from sources other than the Federal Housing Finance Board, focusing on: (1) comparing data on house prices from the Finance Board with data the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OF... |
Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the United States and other allied nations sent troops to the Persian Gulf region in Operation Desert Shield. In the winter of 1991, the allied forces attacked Iraq in an air campaign and subsequent invasion by ground forces (Operation Desert Storm). Despite the harsh... | More than a decade after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, there is continued interest in the federal response to the health concerns of Gulf War veterans. Gulf War veterans' reports of unexplained illnesses and possible exposures to various health hazards have prompted numerous federal research projects on Gulf War illnesses... |
FFS Medicare generally pays providers directly for the services they perform—such as paying physicians for office visits—based on predetermined payment formulas. FFS payments are based on claims data received directly from providers. CMS relies primarily on prepayment automated checks and postpayment medical reviews to... | GAO has designated Medicare as a high-risk program because of its size, complexity, and susceptibility to mismanagement and improper payments, which reached an estimated $60 billion in fiscal year 2016. CMS contracts with MAOs to provide services to about one-third of all Medicare beneficiaries, and paid MAOs about $20... |
One of the DOD lessons learned from Iraq is to begin drawdown operations early because of their complexity. To that end, the Marine Corps began equipment drawdown operations for Afghanistan in August 2011, and the Army began in January 2012—both starting well before the January 2013 announcement that combat operations ... | DOD anticipates that the drawdown from Afghanistan will be more difficult than that from Iraq due to logistical challenges and the costs of transporting equipment out of landlocked Afghanistan. As of summer 2013, the Army and Marine Corps had substantial amounts of equipment in Afghanistan. The efficiency and effective... |
In the early 1990s, NASA was planning an infrastructure to support a projected annual budget of more than $20 billion and a civil service workforce of about 25,000 by the turn of the century. However, over the last several years, NASA has been directed by the Administration to reduce its future years’ budget levels. In... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the status of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) efforts to achieve reductions and efficiencies in key areas of its infrastructure. GAO found that: (1) NASA plans for a $2.8-billion reduction in the current replacement value of its facilities wil... |
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) is intended to shift the focus of government decisionmaking, management, and accountability from activities and processes to the results and outcomes achieved by federal programs. New and valuable information on the plans, goals, and strategies of federal agencies has b... | This report reviews the Department of the Interior's fiscal year 2000 performance report and fiscal year 2002 performance report plan required by the Government Performance and Results Act. Specifically, GAO discusses Interior's progress in achieving the following four outcomes: (1) maintaining the health of federally ... |
The establishment of DOE brought together a collection of agencies with diverse institutional cultures, structures, and procedures. Since its inception, funding priorities for the department’s varied mission responsibilities have shifted and new challenges have been added. Over the years, DOE’s ability to effectively f... | The Department of Energy (DOE) manages the nation's nuclear weapons production complex, cleans up the environmental legacy from the production of nuclear weapons, and conducts research and development into both energy and basic science. DOE launched several reforms in the 1990s to realign its organizational structure, ... |
Created in 1934, the Eximbank is an independent U.S. government agency that operates under a renewable congressional charter that expires on September 30, 1997. In conducting its operations, the Eximbank must comply with several statutory requirements. The Eximbank is required to supplement and encourage, but not compe... | GAO discussed issues concerning the reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Eximbank), focusing on: (1) the rationale for and against the Eximbank's programs; (2) the ways in which its assistance is distributed; and (3) foreign competitors' export finance programs. GAO noted that: (1) in reviewing the Eximbank'... |
Until the 1800s, America’s schools were mainly private local entities. In the mid-1800s, several states rewrote their constitutions to create statewide public education systems and establish government responsibility for financing schools. Today, all states have constitutional provisions on free public education, and, ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed funding gaps between poor and wealthy school districts, focusing on the: (1) size of the gap in total (state and local combined) funding between poor and wealthy school districts for each state; (2) key factors that affect the size of states' funding gaps; (3) effect of... |
After five years of receiving an unqualified opinion on its financial statements, on February 22, 2002, NASA’s new independent auditordisclaimed an opinion on the agency’s fiscal year 2001 financial statements. Specifically, the audit report states that NASA was unable to provide the detailed support needed to determin... | In fiscal years 1996 to 2000, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was one of the few agencies that received an unqualified opinion on its financial statements and was in substantial compliance with the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA). This suggested that NASA could generate rel... |
To help conduct human-capital planning efforts for the department’s civilian workforce, DOD’s Strategic Human Capital Planning Office used functional community categories to group together employees who perform similar functions. Each of these communities includes a varying number of mission-critical occupations. For t... | As of June 2012, DOD reported a full-time civilian workforce of about 780,000 personnel. According to DOD, about 30 percent of its civilian workforce and 60 percent of its civilian senior leaders will be eligible to retire by March 31, 2015. Such potential loss may result in significant skill gaps. The National Defense... |
Dramatic increases in computer interconnectivity, especially in the use of the Internet, continue to revolutionize the way our government, our nation, and much of the world communicate and conduct business. The benefits have been enormous. Vast amounts of information are now literally at our fingertips, facilitating re... | Protecting the computer systems that support federal agencies' operations and our nation's critical infrastructures--such as power distribution, telecommunications, water supply, and national defense--is a continuing concern. These concerns are well-founded for a number of reasons, including the dramatic increases in r... |
Long-term simulations can be useful for comparing potential outcomes of alternative policies within a common economic framework. Given the broad range of uncertainty about future economic changes, however, any simulations should not be interpreted as forecasts of the level of economic activity 30 years in the future. I... | GAO discussed its work on the budget deficit and long-term economic growth. GAO noted that: (1) its long-term simulations show that unless the budget deficit is reduced or eliminated, economic growth, personal incomes, national investment, and the standard of living will be sharply reduced; (2) the nation's present fis... |
Subsets and Splits
Short Government Reports Sample
Retrieves short reports or summaries from the training dataset, which helps identify potentially incomplete or truncated entries that might need data quality improvement.
Short Government Reports Filtering
Retrieves short reports from the training dataset, providing basic filtering but offering limited analytical value beyond simple length constraints.