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Dramatic changes that occurred in the world as a result of the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union have fundamentally altered the United States’ security needs. In March 1993, DOD initiated a comprehensive review to define and redesign the nation’s defense strategy, force structure, modernizatio... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO compared the Department of Defense's (DOD) fiscal year (FY) 1996 Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) with its FY 1995 FYDP, focusing on: (1) what major program adjustments DOD made from FY 1995 to FY 1996; (2) the implications of these changes for the future; and (3) whether the... |
FOIA establishes a legal right of access to government information on the basis of the principles of openness and accountability in government. Before FOIA’s enactment in 1966, an individual seeking access to federal records faced the burden of establishing a “need to know” before being granted the right to examine a f... | FOIA requires federal agencies to provide the public with access to government information in accordance with principles of openness and accountability and generally requires agencies to respond to requests for information within 20 working days. When an agency does not respond or a requester disagrees with the outcome... |
TRIA requires private insurers to offer terrorism coverage in commercial property and casualty insurance, including workers’ compensation insurance policies. Insurers must make terrorism coverage available to their policyholders on the same terms and conditions, including coverage levels, as other types of insurance co... | The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 (TRIA) specifies that the federal government assume significant financial responsibility for insured losses on commercial properties resulting from future terrorist attacks. While TRIA has been credited with stabilizing markets for terrorism insurance after the September 11, 200... |
Government agencies at all levels have already implemented a broad array of e-government applications: through the Internet, government agencies collect and disseminate information and forms; government and businesses order and pay for goods and services; and businesses and the public apply for licenses, grants, and be... | A key element of the President's Management Agenda is the expansion of electronic government (e-government) to enhance access to information and services, particularly through the Internet. In response, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) established a task force that selected a strategic set of initiatives to le... |
As required by section 11 of the GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 (Pub. L. No. 108-271), GAO is providing its final report not later than 6 years after the date of the Act’s enactment. This report provides, as required by the Act, (1) a summary of the information included in GAO’s annual reports for the fiscal year... | As required by section 11 of the GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 (Pub. L. No. 108-271), GAO is providing its final report not later than 6 years after the date of the Act's enactment. This report provides, as required by the Act, (1) a summary of the information included in GAO's annual reports for the fiscal year... |
The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, enacted in December 2010, requires each executive agency to designate a telework managing officer, develop training programs, establish a telework policy, and submit an annual report to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Chief Human Capital Officers Council on the agency’s efforts to ... | The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 requires OPM to report to Congress on the degree of telework participation at executive agencies. To meet this requirement, OPM collects information on agency telework programs through an annual survey, which it refers to as the data call. However, concerns exist about the reliabili... |
With the changing security environment and the emergence of terrorist coalitions that operate across international borders, the threat of terrorism against U.S. interests and personnel abroad has grown. Over the past decades, and in particular in response to the 1998 embassy bombings in Africa, the State Department has... | U.S. government officials working overseas are at risk from terrorist threats. Since 1968, 32 embassy officials have been attacked--23 fatally--by terrorists outside the embassy. As the State Department continues to improve security at U.S. embassies, terrorist groups are likely to focus on "soft" targets--such as home... |
NASA’s programs encompass a broad range of complex and technical activities—from investigating the composition and resources of Mars to providing satellite and aircraft observations of Earth for scientific and weather forecasting. NASA currently funds more than 100 programs and projects in various phases of execution i... | For more than a decade, GAO has identified the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) contract management as a high-risk area--in part because of NASA's inability to collect, maintain, and report the full cost of its programs and projects. Lacking this information, NASA has been challenged to manage its... |
NARA’s mission is to safeguard and preserve the records of the U.S. government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. In this way, NARA is to ensure continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. In... | The mission of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is to safeguard and preserve government records, ensuring continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. However, in today's environment of fast-evolving information technolog... |
Franchises and business opportunity ventures represent large and growing segments of the retail and service sectors in the United States and are rapidly replacing more traditional forms of small business ownership in the U.S. economy. According to the International Franchise Association (IFA), about 75 industries—such ... | Franchises are business arrangements that require payment for the opportunity to sell trademarked goods and services. Business opportunity ventures do not involve a trademark, but require payment for the opportunity to distribute goods or services with assistance in the form of locations or accounts. The Federal Trade ... |
To assist in integrating state and federal responses to domestic emergencies, the Homeland Security Council developed 15 national planning scenarios in 2004 whose purpose was to form the basis for identifying the capabilities needed to respond to a wide range of emergencies. The scenarios focus on the consequences that... | In addition to its primary mission of warfighting, the Department of Defense (DOD) plays an important role in civil support. Four years after the poorly coordinated national response to Hurricane Katrina, issues remain about DOD's progress in identifying its capability requirements for supporting a coordinated civilian... |
The radio-frequency spectrum is the part of the natural spectrum of electromagnetic radiation lying between the frequency limits of 9 kilohertz and 300 gigahertz. It is the medium that makes possible wireless communications and supports a vast array of commercial and governmental services. Commercial entities use spect... | The radio-frequency spectrum is a natural resource used to provide an array of wireless communications services, such as television broadcasting, which are critical to the U.S. economy and national security. In 1993, the Congress gave the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to use competitive bidding, or ... |
The performance and accountability of government agencies and programs have attracted substantial attention by Congress, the executive branch, and others, including GAO. For example, the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) established a statutory framework designed to provide congressional and executi... | Congress and presidents require agencies to review existing regulations to determine whether they should be retained, amended, or rescinded, among other things. GAO was asked to report the following for agency reviews: (1) numbers and types completed from 2001 through 2006; (2) processes and standards that guided plann... |
In 1992, the Energy Policy Act (P.L. 102-486) directed DOE to develop a voluntary reporting program to collect information on activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The act required DOE to (1) develop and issue program guidelines, (2) develop forms for reporting emissions reduction activities, and (3) establish... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Energy's (DOE) proposal to develop a credit for an early action program promoting environmental cleanups, focusing on: (1) some of the basic issues that have to be addressed by any effort to develop a credit for early action program; and... |
DOD is a massive and complex organization. To illustrate, the department reported that its fiscal year 2006 operations involved approximately $1.4 trillion in assets and $2.0 trillion in liabilities; more than 2.9 million in military and civilian personnel; and $581 billion in net cost of operations. Organizationally, ... | In 1995, we first designated the Department of Defense's (DOD) business systems modernization program as "high risk," and we continue to designate it as such today. To assist in addressing this high-risk area, Congress passed legislation consistent with prior GAO recommendations for Defense to develop a business enterp... |
JWST is envisioned to be a large deployable, infrared-optimized space telescope and the scientific successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. JWST is being designed for a 5-year mission to find the first stars and trace the evolution of galaxies from their beginning to their current formation, and is intended to op... | JWST is one of NASA's most complex and expensive projects, at an anticipated cost of $8.8 billion. Now in the midst of significant integration and testing that will last the 2 remaining years until the planned October 2018 launch date, the JWST project will need to continue to address many challenges and identify probl... |
The tax administration system that collects about $2 trillion in revenues each year is critically dependent on a collection of obsolete computer systems developed by the IRS over the last 40 years. IRS envisions a future in which its tax processing environment will be virtually paper-free, and up-to-date taxpayer infor... | The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been grappling with modernizing its computer systems for many years. IRS's current program, commonly referred to as Business Systems Modernization (BSM), began in fiscal year 1999; about $1.4 billion has been reported spent on it to date. While progress has been made, the program ... |
Justice is responsible for collecting criminal debt and has delegated operating responsibility to its FLUs within all of Justice’s U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAO). Justice’s Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) provides administrative and operational support, including support required for debt collectio... | In July 2001, GAO reported that outstanding criminal debt, as reported in Department of Justice (Justice) statistical reports, had increased from about $6 billion as of September 30, 1995, to more than $13 billion as of September 30, 1999. Although some of the key factors that contributed to this increase were beyond J... |
In 1993, in response to calls from local communities and professional associations representing them—such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors—to provide more and better coordinated federal support for brownfields, EPA began providing grants to select communities to conduct assessments of the potential contamination at bro... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the status of 10 federal agencies' efforts to implement the Brownfield National Partnership Action Agenda, focusing on: (1) comparing federal agencies' planned financial assistance to brownfields, which are abandoned, idle, or underused industrial facilit... |
Established in 1965 under title XIX of SSA, Medicaid is the nation’s health care financing program for low-income families and certain people who are age 65 or older or disabled. The program accounted for about $244 billion in federal and state expenditures in fiscal year 2002 and covered an estimated 53 million people... | Under section 1115 of the Social Security Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may waive certain Medicaid requirements for states seeking to deliver services through demonstration projects. By policy, these demonstrations must not increase federal spending. GAO has previously reported concerns with HHS's app... |
The enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 dramatically altered the nation’s system to provide assistance to low-income families with children. The act replaced the existing entitlement program with fixed block grants to the states to provide Temporary Assistance for Ne... | Begun in 1998, the Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program provides grants to states and localities for improving the mobility of low-income persons seeking work. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) administers this program. In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act--A Leg... |
The Dodd-Frank Act transferred consumer protection oversight and other authorities over certain consumer financial protection laws from multiple federal regulators to CFPB, creating a single federal entity to, among other things, ensure consistent enforcement of federal consumer financial laws. The Dodd-Frank Act charg... | Congress created CFPB in 2010 as an independent agency to regulate the provision of consumer financial products and services, such as mortgages and student loans. CFPB has begun collecting consumer financial data from banks, credit unions, payday lenders, and other institutions. GAO was mandated to examine CFPB's colle... |
To help provide a safe operating environment for airlines, the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) title 14, part 107 requires that U.S. airports control access to secured areas. Such controls are intended to ensure that only authorized persons have access to aircraft, the airfield, and certain airport facilities. Oth... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) access control systems, focusing on the: (1) cost of FAA access control systems; and (2) actions FAA could take to ensure that access control systems are cost-effective in the future. GAO found that: (1) FAA gre... |
One of DOD’s guiding principles for military compensation is that servicemembers, in both the reserve and active components, be treated fairly. Military compensation for reservists is affected by the type of military duty performed. In peacetime—when a reservist is training or performing military duty not related to a ... | Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. military has deployed high numbers of active duty and reserve troops to fight the global war on terrorism and for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ensuring that U.S. military forces are adequately compensated and that the morale of deployed troops remains high have be... |
VA’s three operational administrations—the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA)—each manage their own separate regional network of facilities to provide program services to veterans and their families. These services include a d... | VA manages one of the nation's largest federal property portfolios. To manage these properties, VA uses land-use authorities that allow VA to enter into various types of agreements for the use of its property in exchange for revenues or in-kind considerations. GAO was asked to examine VA's use of land-use agreements. T... |
The act’s purposes are to provide Treasury with the authorities and facilities to restore liquidity and stability to the U.S. financial system while protecting taxpayers, including the value of their homes, college funds, retirement accounts, and life savings. The act also mandated that Treasury’s efforts help preserve... | The recent financial crisis resulted in a wide-ranging federal response that included infusing capital into several major corporations. The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) has been the primary vehicle for most of these actions. As a result of actions and others, the government is a shareholder in the American Inte... |
BNL conducts basic and applied research in a multitude of scientific disciplines, including experimental and theoretical physics, medicine, chemistry, biology, and the environment. BNL’s fiscal year 1996 budget was about $410 million. It employs about 3,200 people, including 900 scientists and engineers. As the operati... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the events surrounding the leak of the radioactive element tritium from a research reactor at the Brookhaven National Laboratory and the resulting termination of Associated Universities, Inc., as the laboratory's contractor. GAO noted that: (1) because Brookhaven employ... |
The Forest Service, a component of the USDA is responsible for maintaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. This mission is carried out through the use of several programs, the largest being the National Forest System. Th... | Since 1996, we have periodically reported on Forest Service financial management problems that we, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of the Inspector General, and other independent auditors have identified. We have designated the Forest Service financial management as a high-risk area since 1999. Becau... |
Juvenile justice is primarily the domain of state and local authorities. Thus, juvenile courts’ jurisdiction and procedures can vary widely throughout the United States. For instance, depending upon the state and the alleged offense, the juvenile courts’ jurisdiction may end at age 18, 17, 16, or even younger. Referral... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed whether gender bias existed in state juvenile justice systems between 1986 and 1991. GAO found that: (1) there was minimal gender bias in state juvenile justice systems during that period; (2) 40 percent of the 500,620 juvenile status-offender cases between 1986 to 19... |
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 created the Visa Waiver Program as a pilot program. It was initially envisioned as an immigration control and economic promotion program, according to State. Participating countries were selected because their citizens had a demonstrated pattern of compliance with U.S. imm... | The Visa Waiver Program enables citizens of 27 countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. In fiscal year 2004, more than 15 million people entered the country under the program. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the risks that aliens wou... |
The final regulations establish a new human capital system for DHS that is intended to assure its ability to attract, retain, and reward a workforce that is able to meet its critical mission. Further, the human capital system is to provide for greater flexibility and accountability in the way employees are to be paid, ... | People are critical to any agency transformation, such as the one envisioned for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They define an agency's culture, develop its knowledge base, and are its most important asset. Thus, strategic human capital management at DHS can help it marshal, manage, and maintain the people ... |
Every 4 years, DOD is required to conduct and report on a comprehensive assessment—the Quadrennial Roles and Missions Review—of the roles and missions of the armed services and the core competencies and capabilities of DOD to perform and support such roles and missions. Specifically, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of... | DOD is one of the largest organizations in the world, with its budget representing over half of the U.S. federal government's discretionary spending. According to DOD, the global security environment presents an increasingly complex set of challenges. Congress requires DOD to assess and report on its roles and missions... |
Congress granted OPM the authority to conduct personnel demonstration projects under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to test new personnel and pay systems. A federal agency is to obtain the authority from OPM to waive existing laws and regulations in Title 5 to propose, develop, test, and evaluate alternative appr... | There is a growing understanding that the federal government needs to fundamentally rethink its current approach to pay and to better link pay to individual and organizational performance. Federal agencies have been experimenting with pay for performance through the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) personnel demo... |
The Department of Education’s basic functions are to provide financial resources, primarily through student loans and grants for higher education; provide research and information on best practices in education; and ensure that publicly funded schools and education programs observe civil rights laws. It administers a v... | GAO discussed the major challenges the Department of Education faces in achieving its mission to: (1) ensure access to postsecondary institutions, while at the same time protecting the financial interests of the government; and (2) promote access to and excellence in elementary, secondary, and adult education. GAO note... |
In response to the large number of people displaced following World War II, the United Nations established UNHCR in 1950 with the mandate of providing protection to and seeking permanent solutions for refugees. The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defines a refugee as someone who, as a ... | According to UNHCR, as of the end of 2015, more than 21 million people had become refugees. In fiscal year 2016, the United States admitted nearly 85,000 refugees. State manages the U.S. refugee admissions program (USRAP). UNHCR referred 61 percent of the refugees considered by the United States for resettlement from O... |
SSA’s Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income programs are the nation’s largest providers of federal income assistance to disabled individuals, with the agency making payments of approximately $113 billion to more than 14 million beneficiaries and their families in 2004. Yet, over the years, it has become... | Through an initiative known as AeDib, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is implementing a system in which medical images and other documents that have traditionally been kept in paper folders will be stored in electronic folders, enabling disability offices--including SSA's 144 Office of Hearings and Appeals sit... |
deductible as a business expense; this subsidy also is not considered taxable income for employees. In addition, tax benefits are available to individuals who purchase nongroup private insurance directly from insurers (referred to as “individual insurance”) if the person is self- employed or has premium and medical exp... | Various approaches have been proposed to increase private and public health care coverage of uninsured persons. The success of these proposals will depend on several key factors. The impact of tax subsidies on promoting private health insurance will depend on whether the subsidies reduce premiums enough to induce unins... |
In the past, the ICC regulated almost all of the rates that railroads charged shippers. The Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform Act of 1976 and the Staggers Rail Act of 1980 greatly increased reliance on competition to set rates in the railroad industry. Specifically, these acts allowed railroads and shippers... | The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 largely deregulated the freight railroad industry, encouraging greater reliance on competition to set rates. The act recognized the need for railroads to recover costs by setting higher rates for shippers with fewer transportation alternatives but also recognized that some shippers might b... |
In recent years, airlines have increasingly charged fees for optional services. Since the U.S. airline industry was deregulated in 1978, the industry’s earnings have been volatile. In calendar years 2008 and 2009, the U.S. passenger airline industry incurred nearly $4.4 billion in operating losses, due largely to high ... | Since 2008, U.S passenger airlines have increasingly charged fees for optional services that were previously included in the price of a ticket, such as checked baggage or seat selection. Consumer advocates have raised questions about the transparency of these fees and their associated rules. In April 2011, DOT issued a... |
SARS is a respiratory illness that has recently been reported principally in Asia, Europe, and North America. The World Health Organization reported on May 5, 2003, that there were an estimated 6,583 probable cases reported in 27 countries, including 61 cases in the United States. There have been 461 deaths worldwide, ... | SARS has infected relatively few people nationwide, but it has raised concerns about preparedness for large-scale infectious disease outbreaks. The initial response to an outbreak occurs in local agencies and hospitals, with support from state and federal agencies, and can involve disease surveillance, epidemiologic in... |
Most Americans obtain their health insurance coverage through the workplace. Employers typically offer health insurance coverage for employees on an annual basis through one or more health plans. Each plan year, employers can decide how many health plans to offer, whether to include coverage for MH/SU in the health pla... | The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) requires that employers who offer health insurance coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders (MH/SU) provide coverage that is no more restrictive than that offered for medical and surgical conditi... |
Since the end of World War II, the U.S. military has maintained a presence in Japan and on Okinawa, first as an occupation force and later as an ally committed to maintaining security in the Asia-Pacific region. The security relationship between the United States and Japan is defined through bilateral agreements and is... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the contents of the Final Report of the Special Action Committee on Okinawa (SACO), focusing on: (1) the impact on readiness of U.S. forces based on Okinawa after implementation of the report recommendations; (2) the U.S. cost of implementing the recommendations; and (3... |
The EIC is a refundable tax credit available to low-income, working taxpayers. Congress created the credit in 1975 to offset the impact of Social Security taxes on low-income families and encourage low-income workers to seek employment rather than welfare. The amount of a taxpayer’s credit depends on the number of qual... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) 1994 Earned Income Credit (EIC) compliance study, focusing on: (1) evaluating IRS' study methodology to determine if the reported results were reasonably accurate; (2) identifying the primary sources of EIC noncompliance found in the... |
Our recent analyses of audit results for federal agencies showed improvement, but continued to show significant weaknesses in federal computer systems that put critical operations and assets at risk of inadvertent or deliberate misuse, financial information at risk of unauthorized modification or destruction, sensitive... | For many years, GAO has reported on the widespread negative impact of poor information security within federal agencies and has identified it as a governmentwide high-risk issue since 1997. Legislation designed to improve information security was enacted in October 2000. It was strengthened in December 2002 by new legi... |
Today the Social Security program does not face an immediate crisis but rather a long-range and more fundamental financing problem driven largely by known demographic trends. The lack of an immediate solvency crisis changes the challenge, but it does not eliminate the need for action. Acting sooner rather than later wo... | This testimony discusses the long-term viability of the Social Security program. Social Security's Trust Funds will not be exhausted until 2038, but the trustees now project that the program's cash demands on the rest of the federal government will begin much sooner. Aiming for sustainable solvency would increase the c... |
Four components within FDA have primary responsibility for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of generic drugs. Among other activities, these components evaluate the safety and effectiveness of generic drugs prior to marketing, monitor the safety and effectiveness of marketed products, oversee the advertising and pr... | Nearly 90 percent of prescription drugs dispensed in the United States are generic drugs. According to FDA, an increasing volume of generic drug applications over the past decades stressed its ability to review applications efficiently. GDUFA granted FDA the authority to collect user fees from the generic drug industry... |
Freight rail is an important component of our nation’s economy. Approximately 42 percent of all inter-city freight in the United States, measured in ton miles, moves on rail lines. Freight rail is particularly important to producers and users of certain commodities. For example, about 70 percent of automobiles manufact... | The Staggers Rail Act of 1980 largely deregulated the freight railroad industry, giving the railroads freedom to price their services according to market conditions and encouraging greater reliance on competition to set rates. The act recognized the need for railroads to use demand-based differential pricing in the der... |
The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (9/11 Commission Act) directed DHS to create a plan for sharing transportation security–related information among public and private entities that have a stake in protecting the nation’s transportation system, including passenger and freight rail. This... | The U.S. surface transportation system's size and importance to the country's safety, security, and economic well-being make it an attractive target for terrorists. Within the federal government, TSA–a component of the Department of Homeland Security–is the primary federal agency responsible for overseeing and enhancin... |
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest of the nation’s estuaries, measuring nearly 200 miles long and 35 miles wide at its widest point and, with its tributaries, the bay covers more than 4,500 square miles. However, the bay is relatively shallow, averaging only 21 feet deep. Roughly half of the bay’s water comes from the A... | The Chesapeake Bay Program (Bay Program) was created in 1983 when Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the District of Columbia, the Chesapeake Bay Commission, and EPA agreed to establish a partnership to restore the Chesapeake Bay. Their most recent agreement, Chesapeake 2000, sets out an agenda and five broad goals to g... |
Before turning to enforcement in particular, I will discuss some broad principles of budget process since it is the framework within which enforcement mechanisms exist. No process can force choices Congress and the President are unwilling to make. Having an agreed-upon goal justifies and frames the choices that must be... | As Congress considers the role and design of appropriate budget enforcement mechanisms in changing the government's fiscal path, this testimony outlines some elements that could facilitate debate and contribute to efforts to place the government on a more sustainable long-term fiscal path. Budgeting is the process by w... |
Many of the health conditions that people age 65 and older experience are preventable and linked to specific health risks. Some health risks are difficult to change, and some, such as a hereditary predisposition for a given disease, cannot be changed. For these, preventive services such as cancer screens can help ident... | Medicare, the federal health program insuring almost 35 million beneficiaries age 65 and older, covers certain preventive services, such as flu shots and mammograms. Most beneficiaries receive care through Medicare's fee-for-service program, under which they generally receive these services as part of visits to the doc... |
DOD annually spends about $15 billion for depot maintenance work that includes repairing, overhauling, modifying, and upgrading aircraft, ships, tracked and wheeled vehicles, and other systems and equipment. It also includes limited manufacture of parts, technical support, modifications, testing, and reclamation as wel... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the Commission on Roles and Missions' (CORM) privatization assumptions to determine whether privatization would adversely affect military readiness and sustainability. GAO found that: (1) the CORM's depot privatization savings and readiness assumptions are based on cond... |
The Cayman Islands is a United Kingdom Overseas Territory located in the Caribbean Sea south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica, with a total land area approximately 1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C., and a population of 47,862. While geographically small, the Cayman Islands is a major offshore financial center (OFC... | The Cayman Islands is a major offshore financial center and the registered home of thousands of corporations and financial entities. Financial activity there is in the trillions of dollars annually. One Cayman building--Ugland House--has been the subject of public attention as the listed address of thousands of compani... |
To determine the validity of DOD’s conclusion—that U.S. troops’ exposures to chemical warfare agents were as DOD estimates suggested— based on its plume-modeling analysis, we examined the meteorological and dispersion models DOD used to model chemical warfare agent releases from the U.S. demolition of Khamisiyah and Co... | Since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, many of the approximately 700,000 U.S. veterans have experienced undiagnosed illnesses. They attribute these illnesses to exposure to chemical warfare (CW) agents in plumes--clouds released from bombing of Iraqi sites. But in 2000, the Department of Defense (DOD) estimated that of... |
Dumping refers to a type of international price discrimination wherein a foreign company sells merchandise in a given export market (for example, the United States) at prices that are lower than the prices that the company charges in its home market or other export markets. When this occurs, and when the imports have b... | U.S. companies adversely affected by unfair imports may seek a number of relief measures, including antidumping (AD) duties. The Department of Commerce (Commerce) classifies China as a nonmarket economy (NME) and uses a special methodology that is commonly believed to produce AD duty rates that are higher than those ap... |
To qualify for Medicaid coverage for long-term care, individuals must be within certain eligibility categories, such as children or those who are aged or disabled, and meet functional and financial eligibility criteria. Within broad federal standards, states determine if an individual meets the functional criteria by a... | The Medicaid program paid for nearly one-half of the nation's total long-term care expenditures in 2004. To be eligible for Medicaid long-term care, individuals may transfer assets (income and resources) to others to ensure that their assets fall below certain limits. Individuals who make transfers for less than fair m... |
Individuals who are eligible for Medicare automatically receive Hospital Insurance (HI), known as part A, which helps pay for inpatient hospital, skilled nursing facility, hospice, and certain home health care services. Beneficiaries pay no premium for this coverage but are liable for required deductibles, coinsurance,... | Medicare provides valuable and extensive health care coverage for beneficiaries. Nevertheless, significant gaps leave some beneficiaries vulnerable to sizeable financial burdens from out-of-pocket expenses. Medigap is a widely available source of supplemental coverage. This testimony discusses (1) beneficiaries' potent... |
In September 2011, we reported on DOD’s approach to examining itself for efficiencies, including the parameters used to guide the Secretary of Defense’s efficiency initiative. The initiative targeted both shorter and longer-term improvements in a wide range of areas across the department, including its organizational s... | The Department of Defenses (DOD) headquarters and support organizations have grown since 2001, including increases in spending, staff, and numbers of senior executives and the proliferation of management layers. In 2010, the Secretary of Defense directed DOD to undertake a departmentwide initiative to reduce excess ov... |
Similar to the federal government’s acknowledgment over the past decade of the need to adopt a more businesslike approach to financial, information technology, and performance-based management, the need for strategic management of human capital is meeting increased recognition. Since we placed strategic human capital m... | Successful strategic human capital management requires the integration of human capital approaches with strategies for accomplishing organizational missions and program goals. Such integration allows the agency to ensure that its core processes efficiently and effectively support mission-related outcomes. Based on the ... |
Because large numbers of Americans lack knowledge about basic personal economics and financial planning, U.S. policymakers and others have been focusing on financial literacy, i.e., the ability to make informed judgments and to take effective actions regarding the current and future use and management of money. While i... | Congress and the Department of Defense (DOD) are concerned about the financial conditions of servicemembers and their families, particularly in light of recent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Serious financial issues can negatively affect unit readiness. According to DOD, servicemembers with severe financial probl... |
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: I am pleased to be here today to discuss the results of our review of the Credit Research Center (the Center) report on personal bankruptcy debtors’ ability to pay their debts and share with you our observations on the February 1998 Ernst & Young report that also examines d... | GAO discussed the results of its review of the Credit Research Center report on personal bankruptcy debtors' ability to pay their debts and observations on the February 1998 Ernst & Young report that also examines debtors' ability to pay. GAO noted that: (1) both studies share two fundamental assumptions that: (a) the ... |
Commercial airlines normally carry commercial insurance to cover losses caused by such things as mechanical failure, weather, and pilot error. In addition, they carry war-risk insurance to cover losses resulting from war, terrorism, or other hostile acts. Commercial war-risk insurance, however, can be canceled or restr... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Aviation Insurance Program, focusing on changes made to the program since GAO last reported on it in 1994. GAO noted that: (1) in its 1994 report, GAO found that the program did not have sufficient fund... |
The goal of the Army’s MCS program is to develop and field a computer system that provides automated critical battlefield assistance to maneuver commanders and their battle staff at the corps-to-battalion level. MCS is intended to enable the command staff to collect, store, process, display, and disseminate critical da... | GAO reviewed the Army's developmental and acquisition plans for the Maneuver Control System (MCS), focusing on whether: (1) the current MCS software development strategy is appropriate to overcome prior development problems; and (2) 207 new computers for MCS-related training should be procured as planned. GAO noted tha... |
In our 2009 testimony, we reported that the Forest Service, working with the Department of the Interior, had taken steps to help manage perhaps the agency’s most daunting challenge—protecting lives, private property, and federal resources from the threat of wildland fire—but that it continued to lack key strategies nee... | The Forest Service, within the Department of Agriculture, manages over 190 million acres of national forest and grasslands. The agency is responsible for managing its lands for various purposes--including recreation, grazing, timber harvesting, and others--while ensuring that such activities do not impair the lands' lo... |
To determine the extent to which NNSA has been able to overcome technical challenges producing tritium, we visited and interviewed officials from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where the TPBARs were designed and where work continues to overcome technical problems, and WesDyne Corporation, NNSA’s contractor ... | The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Tritium Readiness Program aims to establish an assured domestic source of tritium--a key isotope used in nuclear weapons--in order to maintain the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Because tritium decays at a rate of 5.5 percent annually, it must be periodically reple... |
For over 30 years, the United States has relied on an all volunteer force to defend the nation at home and abroad. Before that, the nation relied on the draft to ensure that it had enough soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen in wartime. Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, DOD has lau... | Accessing and retaining high-quality officers in the current environment of increasing deployments and armed conflict may be two of the all volunteer force's greatest challenges. The military services use three programs to access officer candidates: (1) military academies, (2) the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC... |
Gulf Coast oysters are commercially harvested from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas and shipped throughout the United States. Figure 1 shows the Gulf Coast states and the location of the primary oyster harvest areas in the Gulf of Mexico. According to stat... | Vibrio vulnificus (V. vulnificus) is a bacterium that occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico. On average, since 2000, about 32 individuals a year in the United States have become ill from eating raw or undercooked oysters containing V. vulnificus, and about half have died. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is resp... |
We conducted our audit work from November 2001 through February 2002 in accordance with U.S. generally accepted government auditing standards, and we performed our investigative work in accordance with standards prescribed by the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency. We briefed officials from the Department ... | This testimony discusses GAO's follow-up on the audit of key internal controls over purchase card activity at two Navy units based in San Diego--the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) Systems Center and the Navy Public Works Center (NPWC). A breakdown in internal controls over $68 million purchase card tr... |
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. The bacterium is commonly found in the soil, and its spores can remain dormant for many years. Although anthrax can infect humans, it occurs most commonly in plant-eating animals. Human anthrax infections have usuall... | In the fall of 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media personnel and congressional officials, leading to the first cases of anthrax infection related to an intentional release of anthrax in the United States. Outbreaks of anthrax infection were concentrated in six locations, or epicenters, in ... |
Millions of adolescents in this country work to earn spending money, gain responsibility and independence, help their parents financially, or enhance their educational experience. Although these children work in all different industries, those working in agriculture as migrant or seasonal workers (those constantly on t... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed: (1) the extent and prevalence of children working in agriculture, including their injuries and fatalities; (2) the federal legislative protections and those in selected states for children working in agriculture; (3) the enforcement of these laws as they apply to child... |
The TWIC program was established in response to several pieces of legislation and subsequent programming decisions. In November 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) was enacted, which included a provision that requires TSA to work with airport operators to strengthen access controls to secure areas... | The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, which is managed by the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Coast Guard, requires maritime workers who access secure areas of transportation facilities to obtain a biometric identification c... |
Our objectives were to (1) identify those Defense long-haul telecommunications networks operating outside of the common-user DISN, (2) evaluate the Department of Defense’s progress in implementing its policies for managing telecommunications services, which include: developing a comprehensive inventory of telecommunica... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Defense's (DOD) efforts to implement the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN), focusing on: (1) those DOD long-haul telecommunications networks operating outside of the common-user DISN; (2) DOD's progress in implementing its policies for managin... |
BOP operates three main types of segregated housing units: (1) SHUs, (2) SMUs, and (3) the ADX facility in Florence, Colorado. BOP also operates Communications Management Units (CMU), where conditions of confinement are similar to general population and inmates are allowed to congregate outside their cells for up to 16... | BOP confines about 7 percent of its 217,000 inmates in segregated housing units for about 23 hours a day. Inmates are held in SHUs, SMUs, and ADX. GAO was asked to review BOP's segregated housing unit practices. This report addresses, among other things: (1) the trends in BOP's segregated housing population, (2) the ex... |
Like financial institutions, credit card companies, telecommunications firms, and other private sector companies that take steps to protect customers’ accounts, CMS uses information technology to help detect cases of improper claims and payments. For more than a decade, the agency and its contractors have used automate... | This testimony discusses the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) efforts to protect the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, particularly through the use of information technology to help improve the detection of fraud, waste, and abuse in these programs. CMS is responsible for administering t... |
A complete and accurate address list is the cornerstone of a successful census, because it identifies all living quarters that are to receive a census questionnaire and serves as the control mechanism for following up with living quarters that do not respond. If the address list is inaccurate, people can be missed, cou... | The Department of Commerce's (Commerce) U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) seeks updated information on the addresses and maps of housing units and group quarters from state, local, and tribal governments through the Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) Program. Prepared under the Comptroller General's authority, this repo... |
A cookie is a short string of text that is sent from a Web server to a Web browser when the browser accesses a Web page. The information stored in a cookie includes, among other things, the name of the cookie, its unique identification number, its expiration date, and its domain. When a browser requests a page from the... | Federal agencies are using Internet "cookies" to enable electronic transactions and track visitors on their websites. Cookies are text files that have unique identifiers and are used to store and retrieve information that allow websites to recognize returning users, track on-line purchases, or maintain and serve custom... |
In July 1997, the FCC estimated that U.S. consumers could choose from over 500 long-distance service providers. Slamming subverts that choice because it changes a consumer’s long-distance provider without the consumer’s knowledge and consent. It distorts telecommunications markets by enabling companies engaged in misle... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on: (1) which entities or companies engage in telephone slamming violations; (2) the process by which the providers defraud consumers; and (3) what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), state regulatory entities, and the telecommunications industry ha... |
Information security is a critical consideration for any organization reliant on information technology (IT) and especially important for government agencies, where maintaining the public’s trust is essential. The dramatic expansion in computer interconnectivity, and the rapid increase in the use of the Internet, have ... | The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) relies extensively on information systems and networks to pioneer space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. Many of these systems and networks are interconnected through the Internet, and may be targeted by evolving and growing cyber thre... |
The Recovery Act provided DOE more than $43.2 billion, including $36.7 billion for projects and activities and $6.5 billion in borrowing authority. Of the $36.7 billion for projects and activities, almost half—$16.8 billion— was provided to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for projects intended to i... | The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)--initially estimated to cost $787 billion in spending and tax provisions--aims to promote economic recovery, make investments, and minimize or avoid reductions in state and local government services. The Recovery Act provided the Department of Energy (DO... |
The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 established the Federal Reserve System as the country’s central bank. The Federal Reserve System consists of the Federal Reserve Board located in Washington, D.C.; 12 Reserve Banks, which have 24 branches located throughout the nation; and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which ... | The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act directed GAO to conduct a one-time audit of the emergency loan programs and other assistance authorized by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve Board) during the recent financial crisis. This testimony summarizes the results ... |
The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2007 states that “none of the funds appropriated…shall be obligated for full scale procurement of monitors until the Secretary of Homeland Security has certified…that a significant increase in operational effectiveness will be achieved.” DNDO noted ... | The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) is responsible for addressing the threat of nuclear smuggling. Radiation detection portal monitors are key elements in our national defenses against such threats. DHS has sponsored testing to develop new monitors, known as advanced spe... |
When a business hires an employee, the business generally becomes responsible for collecting and paying three federal taxes—the personal income tax (withholding), FICA, and FUTA. It also becomes liable for state and local employment taxes: in most states, these include a state income tax and a state unemployment tax. F... | GAO discussed the impact of various employment tax laws and regulations on small businesses hiring their first employees and all employees thereafter. GAO noted that: (1) employment tax compliance can be particularly burdensome to employers because of multiple federal, state, and local taxes; (2) each tax generally req... |
Under a demonstration project established by VBIA, from February 8, 2005, through September 30, 2007, and subsequently extended through November 16, 2007, OSC and DOL share responsibility for receiving and investigating USERRA claims and seeking corrective action for federal employees. While the legislation did not est... | The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) protects the employment and reemployment rights of federal and nonfederal employees who leave their employment to perform military or other uniformed service. Under a demonstration project from February 8, 2005, through September 30, 2007, a... |
To assist workers who are laid off as a result of international trade, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 created the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Historically, the main benefits available through the program have been extended income support and training. Participants are generally entitled to income support, but... | The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Reform Act of 2002 consolidated two programs serving trade-affected workers and made changes to expand benefits and decrease the time it takes for workers to get services. GAO was asked to provide information on (1) how key reform provisions have affected program services, (2) what... |
From fiscal years 2005 through 2011, the physical condition of the Coast Guard’s legacy vessels was generally poor. A primary Coast Guard measure of a vessel’s condition—the operational percent of time free of major casualties—shows that the high endurance cutters, medium endurance cutters, and patrol boats generally r... | This testimony discusses the condition of the Coast Guard's legacy vessel fleet, and challenges the Coast Guard faces in sustaining these vessels and meeting mission requirements. The Coast Guard, within the Department of Homeland Security, is the principal federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and ... |
The 1986 amendments to RCRA established the LUST Trust Fund to, among other things, finance the cleanup of petroleum releases from underground storage tanks. Until recently, states could use these funds only for cleanup and related administrative and enforcement activities. Within this restriction, trust fund money cou... | Underground storage tanks that leak hazardous substances can contaminate nearby groundwater and soil. Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), tank owners and operators are primarily responsible for paying to clean up releases from their tanks. They can demonstrate their financial responsibility by usin... |
Since 1982, the federal government has passed a number of laws that address the role of the crime victim in the criminal justice system, including the Victim and Witness Protection Act of 1982, Victims of Crime Act of 1984, Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990, Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 19... | On October 30, 2004, the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA) was enacted, establishing eight rights for federal crime victims and two mechanisms to enforce those rights. The legislation also directed GAO to evaluate the implementation of the CVRA. To address this mandate, GAO reviewed, among other things: (1) efforts made... |
The shuttle is the only U.S. launch vehicle capable of carrying humans into space. As a result, it will be critical to the space station’s assembly and operation. From December 1997 to June 2002, NASA plans to use the shuttle primarily to transport station components into orbit for assembly. During this period, 27 of t... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the extent to which the space shuttle program can support the space station's assembly requirements, focusing on the: (1) impacts of the declining shuttle budget; and (2) demanding schedule to support the space station. GAO found that: (1) the National Aeronautics and S... |
The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 authorized a comprehensive regulatory program to permit private industry to develop and apply atomic energy for peaceful uses, such as generating electricity from privately owned nuclear power plants. Soon thereafter, government and industry experts identified a major impediment to accompl... | An accident at one the nation's commercial nuclear power plants could result in human health and environmental damages. To ensure that funds would be available to settle liability claims in such cases, the Price-Anderson Act requires licensees for these plants to have primary insurance--currently $300 million per site.... |
As we have previously reported, DOD began the F-35 acquisition program in October 2001 without adequate knowledge about the aircraft’s critical technologies or design. In addition, DOD’s acquisition strategy called for high levels of concurrency or overlap among development, testing, and production. In our prior work, ... | The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is DOD's most expensive and ambitious acquisition program. Acquisition costs alone are estimated at nearly $400 billion, and beginning in 2022, DOD expects to spend more than $14 billion a year on average for a decade. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 included a ... |
The federal government’s response to major disasters and emergencies in the United States is guided by the Department of Homeland Security’s National Response Framework. The framework is based on a tiered, graduated response; that is, incidents are managed at the lowest jurisdictional level and supported by additional ... | The United States continues to face an uncertain and complicated security environment, as major disasters and emergencies, such as the Boston Marathon bombings and Hurricane Sandy illustrate. DOD supports civil authorities' response to domestic incidents through an array of activities collectively termed civil support.... |
Congress authorized the President to establish NDF in 1992 under section 504 of the FREEDOM Support Act. The legislation authorized the President to use NDF to promote a variety of bilateral and multilateral nonproliferation and disarmament activities. In 1994, the President delegated authority for the program to the S... | The proliferation of weapons of massdestruction and advanced conventionalweapons poses significant threats toU.S. and international security. StatesNDF began operating in 1994 to helpcombat such threats by funding a variety of nonproliferation and disarmament projects. NDFs legal authorities provide it significant fl... |
Before 1978, the former Civil Aeronautics Board regulated airlines, controlling the fares they could charge and the routes they could fly. Concerned that these practices caused economic inefficiencies and inhibited the growth of domestic air transportation, the Congress deregulated the industry in 1978. Deregulation wa... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed and updated its previous work on airfares and service and reexamined the effect that certain barriers have had on these measures, focusing on: (1) how airfares have changed since 1990 for travel to and from 171 airports serving various U.S. communities; (2) how the qual... |
The roles of certain key federal officials initially involved in the advisory board’s review of the dose reconstructions may not have been sufficiently independent and actions were taken to replace these officials. Nonetheless, continued diligence by HHS is required to prevent such problems from recurring as new candid... | For the last several decades, the Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies and contractors have employed thousands of individuals in secret and dangerous work in the atomic weapons industry. In 2000, Congress enacted the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act to compensate those individ... |
Information security is a critical consideration for any organization that depends on information systems and computer networks to carry out its mission or business and is especially important for government agencies, where maintaining the public’s trust is essential. While the dramatic expansion in computer interconne... | The SEC is responsible for enforcing securities laws, issuing rules and regulations that provide protection for investors, and helping to ensure that the securities markets are fair and honest. In carrying out its mission, the SEC relies on computerized information systems to collect, process, and store sensitive infor... |
SNAP is the largest of the 15 domestic food and nutrition assistance programs overseen by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). FNS jointly administers SNAP with the states. FNS pays the full cost of SNAP benefits and pays approximately half of states’ administrative costs.is also responsible for promulgating progra... | Over the last 10 years, participation in the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) SNAP, previously known as the Food Stamp Program, has more than doubled, and costs have quadrupled. Since 1999, USDA has allowed states to expand SNAP eligibility by adopting BBCE policies, which make households that receive services f... |
Basic wireline 911 service provides an easily remembered universal number that connects the caller with an emergency response center, known as a public safety answering point (PSAP) (see fig. 1). The next step after basic wireline 911 service is “enhanced 911” (E911), which automatically routes the emergency call to th... | When an emergency call is placed to 911, prompt response depends on knowing the location of the caller. Enhanced 911 (E911) service automatically provides this critical information. E911 is in place in most of the country for traditional wireline telephone service, where the telephone number is linked to a street addre... |
USPS is an independent establishment of the executive branch mandated to provide postal services to bind the nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. Established by the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, USPS is one of the largest organizations in the natio... | The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) faces major financial, operational, and human capital challenges that call for a transformation if USPS is to remain viable in the 21st century. Given these challenges, the President established a commission to examine the state of USPS and submit a report by July 31, 2003, with a propose... |
Financial literacy, which is sometimes also referred to as financial capability, has been defined as the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively for a lifetime of well-being. Financial literacy encompasses financial education—the process whereby individuals improve their knowledge ... | Financial literacy—the ability to use knowledge and skills to manage financial resources effectively—plays an important role in helping to ensure the financial health and stability of individuals and families. Federal agencies promote financial literacy through activities including print and online materials, broadcast... |
As we have reported in the past, the impact of invasive species in the United States is widespread, and their consequences for the economy and the environment are profound. They affect people’s livelihoods and pose a significant risk to industries such as agriculture, ranching, and fisheries. The cost to control invasi... | Harmful invasive species--nonnative plants and animals that are spreading throughout the United States--have caused billions of dollars in damage to natural areas, businesses, and consumers. In 2001, the federal government issued a National Invasive Species Management Plan to focus attention on invasive species and coo... |
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.