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The Chugach National Forest was established in 1907 and is the second largest forest in the National Forest System. The forest extends for over 200 miles along the Alaska coastline southeast of Anchorage, encompasses over 5 million acres, and is bordered by two national parks, a state park, and a national wildlife refu... | The Chugach National Forest in Alaska is the second largest of the 155 forests in the National Forest System and stretches across an immensely varied and scenic area. The Forest Service revised the Chugach National Forest Plan in accordance with planning regulations that require the Forest Service to solicit and respon... |
Automating mail sorting with state-of-the-art technology is at the core of Postal Service initiatives to provide efficient, economically priced mail service. Mail addressed accurately and in the Postal Service’s standardized format is more compatible with these automated processes. However, the Manager of Address Manag... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the U.S. Postal Service's oversight of the National Change of Address (NCOA) program, focusing on: (1) how the Postal Service collects, disseminates, and uses NCOA data; and (2) whether the Postal Service adequately oversees the release of NCOA data in accordance with p... |
The F-35 program is a joint, multinational acquisition to develop and field an affordable, highly common family of stealthy, next-generation strike fighter aircraft for the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and eight international partners. The JSF is a single-seat, single-engine aircraft incorporating low-o... | The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), is the Department of Defense's (DOD) most costly and ambitious aircraft acquisition, seeking to simultaneously develop and field three aircraft variants for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and eight international partners. The JSF is critical for r... |
Energy audits typically identify information on projects that could address the consumption of fossil fuel and electricity as well as projects that could reduce emissions from other sources, such as leaks in refrigeration equipment. Energy audits also include information on the cost- effectiveness of projects and on th... | In April 2007, GAO reported that 96 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from the Capitol Hill Complex facilities--managed by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC)--resulted from electricity use throughout the complex and combustion of fossil fuels in the Capitol Power Plant. The report concluded that AOC and other leg... |
Energy oversees a nationwide network of 40 contractor-operated industrial sites and research laboratories that have historically employed more than 600,000 workers in the production and testing of nuclear weapons. In implementing EEOICPA, the President acknowledged that it had been Energy’s past policy to encourage and... | Subtitle D of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 allows the Department of Energy (Energy) to help its contractors' employees file state workers' compensation claims for illnesses determined by a panel of physicians to be caused by exposure to toxic substances while employed at an... |
USDA provides various programs that assist farmers and landowners through its subsidiary agencies FSA, NRCS, and RMA. FSA provides benefits to farmers through various programs, including farm commodity and crop disaster assistance programs authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. FSA has overall responsibility for administeri... | USDA spends about $20 billion annually on federal programs that support farm income, conserve natural resources, and help farmers manage risks from natural disasters, benefiting over 1 million participants. Given their cost and continuing nationwide budget pressures, these programs have come under increasing scrutiny. ... |
As of July 2014, about 60,000 community retail pharmacies in the United States dispensed prescription drugs of which approximately 66 percent were chain retail pharmacies and the remaining 34 percent were independent pharmacies, according to an industry study. In 2015, retail pharmacies dispensed about 4 billion prescr... | About 7.4 million Americans are blind or visually impaired and may face difficulty reading prescription drug container labels. FDASIA required the U.S. Access Board to develop best practices for accessible labels and NCD to conduct an informational campaign on these best practices. FDASIA also included a provision for ... |
The United States has for many years funded various USIA broadcasting, educational, and visitor programs in the former Soviet Union to promote democratic ideas. Beginning in the mid-1980s, NED, a U.S.-funded nongovernmental organization, provided small grants to dissident groups throughout the former Soviet Union and f... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed U.S.-funded democracy programs of the Agency for International Development (AID), U.S. Information Agency (USIA), Department of State, and the Department of Defense, focusing on whether democracy programs in Russia were meeting their developmental goals and contributing... |
Federal regulations set requirements for a small business to qualify as an SDVOSB. SDVOSB eligibility regulations mandate that a firm must be a small business and at least 51 percent-owned by one or more service- disabled veterans who control the management and daily business operations of the firm. Federal statutes an... | The SDVOSB program provides federal contracting opportunities to business-owning veterans who incurred or aggravated disabilities in the line of duty. SBA administers the government-wide program, while VA maintains databases of veterans and SDVOSBs and oversees its own contracts. GAO has reported several times since 20... |
DOD has acknowledged that long-standing deficiencies in its internal controls, business systems, and processes have prevented it from being able to demonstrate that its financial statements are reliable. DOD spends billions of dollars annually to maintain key business processes and operations and to acquire modern syst... | DOD remains on GAO's High-Risk List because of its long-standing financial management deficiencies. These deficiencies negatively affect DOD's audit readiness and its ability to make sound mission and operational decisions. The Army, Navy, and Air Force underwent their first Budgetary Schedule audits for fiscal year 20... |
Error! No text of specified style in document. to the Congress and the administration. Without reliable financial information, government leaders do not have the full facts necessary to make investments of scarce resources or direct programs. Creating a government that runs more efficiently and effectively has been a p... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed financial management at the Department of Education, focusing on: (1) Eduction's current financial management status as evidenced by its fiscal year (FY) 1999 financial audit results and the corrective actions it has taken to resolve weaknesses identified in that audit... |
American Samoa, the only inhabited U.S. insular area in the southern hemisphere, is located about 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii (see fig. 1). American Samoa consists of five volcanic islands and two coral atolls, covering a land area of 76 square miles—slightly larger than Washington, D.C. The capital of American Sam... | American Samoa is a U.S. insular area that operates its customs and immigration programs according to its own laws and independent of the United States. As such, U.S. agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have no roles in operating the customs or immigration programs in American Samoa. U.S. officials ha... |
The term microcap security is not defined in the federal securities laws. Microcap securities include penny stocks and generally describe the low-priced securities of companies with market capitalizations of less than $300 million. Prices of microcap securities may be quoted on the NASD over-the-counter (OTC) Bulletin ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the actions taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the self-regulatory organizations (SRO) in response to GAO's and SEC's recommendations to reduce microcap fraud. GAO noted that: (1) SEC and the SROs have taken, or reported taking, 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 been provided since federal agencies began imp... | This report reviews the Department of Defense's (DOD) fiscal year 2000 performance report required by the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 and assesses the Department's progress in achieving selected outcomes that were identified as important mission areas for DOD. GAO found that shortfalls in DOD's curre... |
The Bioterrorism cooperative agreement program spans five budget periods and is scheduled to end August 30, 2005. Under this program, CDC has made funds available through cooperative agreements with all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three of the country’s largest municipalities—New York City, Chicago, and Lo... | In 1999, the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began funding jurisdictions' efforts to prepare for bioterrorism attacks through the Public Health Preparedness and Response for Bioterrorism program. After the events of September 11, 2001, and the 2001 anthrax... |
Increasing computer interconnectivity—most notably growth in the use of the Internet—has revolutionized the way that our government, our nation, and much of the world communicate and conduct business. While the benefits have been enormous, they are accompanied by significant risks to the nation’s computer systems and t... | Cyber analysis and warning capabilities are critical to thwarting computer-based (cyber) threats and attacks. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to, among other things, coordinate the nation's efforts to prepare for, prevent, and respond t... |
In October 2004, Congress included a provision in the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 that required the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive policy for DOD on the prevention of and response to sexual assaults involving members of the Armed Forces. The legislation requ... | In 2004, Congress directed the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a comprehensive policy to prevent and respond to sexual assaults involving servicemembers. Though not required to do so, the Coast Guard has established a similar policy. In response to congressional requests and Senate Report No. 110-77, GAO evalu... |
Lebanon is a small, religiously diverse country on the Mediterranean Sea that borders Israel and Syria (see fig. 1). Religious tensions among Lebanon’s Maronite Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shiite Muslims, and others, along with an influx of Palestinian refugees, for decades have underpinned Lebanon’s internal confli... | Since 2009, the United States has allocated $671 million in security-related assistance for Lebanon to train, modernize, and equip the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces. The U.S. government established end-use monitoring programs to ensure that defense equipment is safeguarded. The Foreign Assistance A... |
The RFS, as defined by EISA, distinguishes between ethanol derived from corn starch (known as corn ethanol) and advanced biofuels—defined as a renewable fuel other than corn ethanol that meets certain criteria. For example, to qualify as an advanced biofuel, a biofuel must reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by a... | U.S. transportation relies largely on oil for fuel. Biofuels can be an alternative to oil and are produced from renewable sources, like corn. In 2005, Congress created the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which requires transportation fuel to contain 36 billion gallons of biofuels by 2022. The most common U.S. biofuel is... |
The intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and strike capabilities provided by unmanned aircraft systems have proven to be a key asset in accomplishing combat missions in the Middle East. DOD is planning to expand unmanned aircraft capabilities to include persistent ground attack, electronic warfare, suppression o... | From 2008 through 2013, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to invest over $16 billion to develop and procure additional unmanned aircraft systems. To more effectively leverage its acquisition resources, DOD recognizes that it must achieve greater commonality among the military services' unmanned aircraft programs. D... |
By 1986, recruit quality was at historically high levels. All services had met or exceeded their overall enlistment objectives for percentages of recruits who held high school diplomas and scored in the top categories on the test taken to qualify for military service. Specifically, the percentage of recruits with high ... | GAO discussed: (1) the historical problem of attrition of enlisted personnel and its costs; (2) the Department of Defense's (DOD) lack of complete data on why enlistees are being separated early; (3) GAO's recommendations on ways to improve the screening of recruiters and recruits; and (4) DOD's actions thus far to res... |
Several Navy organizations share responsibilities for scheduling, planning, budgeting, overseeing, and setting policy for the repair, maintenance, and modernization of non-nuclear surface ships: The Secretary of the Navy, as directed by the Secretary of Defense, is responsible for conducting, and has the authority unde... | The Navy has over 150 non-nuclear surface ships that it repairs, maintains, and modernizes using privately owned shipyards. The Navy concluded in 2010 that readiness of the surface ship force was below acceptable levels. This, in addition to the concerns of leadership about cost and schedule growth, led to a revised re... |
U.S.-flag fleet participants in cargo preference food aid shipments comprise two general categories of carriers: charter service and liner service. The cargo preference and Maritime Security Programs are intended to support both as part of the U.S.-flag fleet. These programs are administered by MARAD, while the food ai... | Food aid cargo must generally be carried on U.S.-flag ships under requirements set by the cargo preference program. Two groups of carriers compete for this cargo: (1) those that participate in the Maritime Security Program and receive an annual government subsidy--generally liners operating on scheduled routes and (2) ... |
To carry out its responsibilities under the nation’s environmental laws, EPA conducts an array of activities, such as promulgating regulations; issuing and denying permits; approving state programs; and issuing enforcement orders, plans, and other documents. Many of these activities may be subject to legal challenge. G... | The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) faces numerous legal challenges as it implements the nation's environmental laws. Several statutes, such as the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, allow citizens to file suit against EPA to challenge certain agency actions. Where EPA is named as a defendant, the Department of Just... |
From fiscal years 2007 through 2012, DOE’s budget requests rose in nominal terms from about $23.6 billion to $29.5 billion, and its appropriations rose over that time from about $23.8 billion to $26.3 billion, increasing to almost $33.9 billion in fiscal year 2009. DOE requested approximately $27.2 billion for fiscal y... | Understanding the impact of budget-related considerations has become particularly important as Congress and the administration seek to decrease the cost of government while improving its performance. In recent years, Congress has authorized large increases in funding for DOE. For example, the Recovery Act, which Congre... |
Recent national policies and federal preparedness efforts have highlighted the importance of enhancing the resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure, including the electricity grid. Presidential Policy Directive 21, issued in February 2013, established national policy on critical infrastructure security and re... | In light of increasing threats to the nation's electricity grid, national policies have stressed the importance of enhancing the grid's resilience—its ability to adapt to changing conditions; withstand potentially disruptive events, such as the loss of power lines; and, if disrupted, to rapidly recover. Most of the ele... |
The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 combined seven categorical programs to form the CDBG program. The objective of the program is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moder... | The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides funding for housing, economic development, and other community development activities. In fiscal year 2006, Congress appropriated about $4.2 billion for the program. Administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the CDBG program prov... |
Reading First, which was enacted as part of NCLBA, aims to assist states and local school districts in establishing reading programs for students in kindergarten through third grade by providing funding through 6-year formula grants. The goal of the program is to ensure that every student can read at grade level or abo... | The Reading First program was designed to help students in kindergarten through third grade develop stronger reading skills. This report examines the implementation of the Reading First program, including (1) changes that have occurred to reading instruction; (2) criteria states have used to award sub-grants to distric... |
The broad objectives of PFM are to achieve overall fiscal discipline, allocation of resources to priority needs, and efficient and effective allocation of public services, according to OECD. While donors may use different definitions of PFM, most definitions focus on a country’s budget cycle, the process used to manage... | Effective management of public resources can play an important role in a countrys development. In recent years, developing countries committed to strengthen their PFM systems and donors committed to use those systems as much as possible. The United States provides assistance to strengthen PFM systems primarily through... |
The E-10A program comprises three primary elements: the aircraft, radar, and battle management command and control subsystem. The aircraft is a Boeing 767-400ER, the largest 767 variant Boeing makes. The Air Force has only contracted for one aircraft to date, because a final decision on the operational platform has not... | The Air Force is on the verge of making a major commitment to the multi-billion dollar E-10A Multi-sensor Command and Control Aircraft program. Due to the substantial investment needed and technological challenges in developing the aircraft, the Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces asked GAO to examine the soun... |
NIEs analyze issues of major importance and long-term interest to the United States and are the IC’s most authoritative projection of future developments in a particular subject area. NIEs are intended to help policymakers and military leaders think through critical issues by presenting the relevant key facts, judgment... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO analyzed the soundness of certain national intelligence estimates (NIE) on the threat to the United States from foreign missile systems, focusing on comparing the content and conclusions of NIE 95-19, which analyzed emerging threats to North America during the next 15 years, wit... |
Insurance is a mechanism for spreading risk over time, across large geographical areas, and among industries and individuals. While private insurers assume some financial risk when they write policies, they employ various strategies to manage risk so that they earn profits, limit potential financial exposure, and build... | Weather-related events in the United States have caused tens of billions of dollars in damages annually over the past decade. A major portion of these losses is borne by private insurers and by two federal insurance programs-- the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which insu... |
Crude oil prices are the fundamental determinant of gasoline prices. As figure 1 shows, crude oil and gasoline prices have generally followed a similar path over the past three decades and have risen considerably over the past few years. Refining capacity also plays a role in determining how gasoline prices vary across... | Soaring retail gasoline prices, increased oil company profits, and mergers of large oil companies have garnered extensive media attention and generated considerable public concern. Gasoline prices impact the economy because of our heavy reliance on motor vehicles. According to the Department of Energy's Energy Informat... |
Homeowners insurance provides consumers with financial protection against unexpected losses. Most homeowners policies provide a package of coverage that protects against damage to different types of property and liability for injuries and property damage policyholders cause to others. The following are the main types o... | Homeowners insurance protects against a range of perils, but policies do not insure against all risks. Owners whose homes are damaged by natural and other disasters not covered by their insurance can be exposed to serious financial losses. Federal and state initiatives provide some assistance for catastrophes, which ca... |
PBMs administer the prescription drug part of health insurance plans on behalf of plan sponsors, such as self-insured employers, insurance companies, and health maintenance organizations (HMO). In 1989, PBMs managed prescription drug benefits for about 60 million people. In 1993, they managed drug benefits for about 10... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed mergers between pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) and pharmaceutical manufacturers, focusing on: (1) PBM role in the health care industry; (2) the mergers' objectives and effect on competition; and (3) the extent to which PBM have given preference to their manufacturer pa... |
The current ERISA debate stems primarily from the act’s preemption of state laws that “relate to” employer- or union-sponsored health plans, which provide coverage for about 140 million Americans. In general, ERISA prevents states from regulating employer health plans but allows them to regulate the terms and condition... | Pursuant to congressional requests, GAO provided information on the: (1) Employee Retirement Income Security Act's (ERISA) relationship to the current system of employer-based health coverage; (2) implications of the trend toward employer self-funding on the oversight of employees' health care coverage; (3) kinds of st... |
The nation’s interstate commercial motor carrier industry is extensive and includes a number of stakeholders, including carriers, shippers, receivers, and intermediaries. Motor carriers are companies or individuals that transport cargo using motor vehicles. According to FMCSA officials, there are about 737,000 intersta... | The interstate commercial motor carrier industry moves thousands of truckloads of goods every day, and any disruption in one truckload's delivery schedule can have a ripple effect on others. Some waiting time at shipping and receiving facilities--commonly referred to as detention time--is to be expected in this complex... |
Pesticides are used extensively in agricultural production throughout the world to control or kill insects, fungi, or other pests and to increase crop yields. But pesticides can also harm human health and the environment. As the types and number of pesticides have grown over the past 30 years, their effects on health a... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed: (1) whether marketed foods contain unsafe levels of residues from cancelled pesticides; and (2) the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) procedures for revoking tolerances for cancelled food-use pesticides. GAO found that: (1) EPA believes that most marketed foods d... |
Down syndrome is most frequently caused by a chromosomal error that produces an extra copy of chromosome 21. The extra chromosomal material causes children with Down syndrome to have mental and physical differences and a greater risk of developing certain medical problems, such as hearing loss, eye disease, and congeni... | On October 8, 2008, the Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act was signed into law, requiring GAO to submit a report concerning the effectiveness of current health care and family support programs for the families of children with disabilities. In this report, GAO focused on Down syndrome because... |
As Southeast Asian countries, Indonesia and Vietnam are in a region of growing economic power. ASEAN, to which both countries belong, is seeking to form an economic community by the end of 2015 that would deepen economic integration among the 10 ASEAN member states (see fig. 1). World Bank data show that from 2000 thro... | The United States and China have each sought to increase their economic engagement in Southeast Asia. U.S. agencies have identified Indonesia and Vietnam as important emerging U.S. partners that contribute to regional stability and prosperity. Indonesia has the world's 10th largest economy in terms of purchasing power,... |
The U.S. government maintains more than 260 diplomatic posts—including embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic offices—in about 180 countries worldwide. In addition, according to various estimates, there are over 66,000 personnel overseas, including both U.S. direct hires and locally employed staff under chief of m... | In 2001, the administration identified the rightsizing of embassies and consulates as one of the President's management priorities. Rightsizing initiatives include: aligning staff overseas with foreign policy priorities and security and other constraints; demonstrating results by moving administrative functions from po... |
H.R. 3947 would require the GSA administrator to take a leadership role, in consultation with the heads of other federal agencies and the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in establishing and maintaining a current set of real property asset management principles. We support this provision. Agencies... | The Federal Property Asset Management Reform Act of 2002, will enhance federal real and personal property management and bring the policies and business practices of federal agencies into the 21st century. Available data show that the federal government owns hundreds of thousands of properties worldwide, including mili... |
In 1978, under the Airline Deregulation Act, the United States deregulated its domestic airline industry. The main purpose of deregulation was to remove government control and open the air transport industry to market forces. Previously, the Civil Aeronautics Board regulated all domestic air transport, controlling fare... | Since 2001 the U.S. airline industry has lost over $30 billion. Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways have filed for bankruptcy, the latter two terminating and transferring their pension plans to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). The net claim on PBGC from these terminations was $9.7 billion; plan par... |
CERCLA, often referred to as the “Superfund” law, gave the federal government the authority to respond to actual and threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants that may endanger public health and the environment. EPA established the Superfund program to carry out these responsibilities. D... | Under the Superfund program, EPA has the authority to enter into agreements with potentially responsible parties for them to conduct a cleanup at hazardous waste sites or compel potentially responsible parties to do so. EPA can also conduct cleanups itself and then seek reimbursement. EPA is authorized to retain and us... |
The military’s disability evaluation process begins with the identification of a medical condition that could render the servicemember unfit for duty. On the basis of medical examinations, a medical evaluation board (MEB) documents any conditions that may limit a servicemember’s ability to serve in the military. The se... | In February 2007, a series of articles in The Washington Post about conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center highlighted problems in the military's disability evaluation system. Subsequently, the Department of the Army, Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) undertook initiatives to a... |
According to the Service, approximately 855,000 customers generate business mail, and over 4,600 Service employees handle that mail at 1,900 Business Mail Entry Units and 850 Detached Mail Units nationwide. In fiscal year 1998, business mail was the largest contributor to the Service’s total mail revenue and total mail... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Postal Service's acceptance controls for business mail, focusing on whether the Service had made the changes GAO recommended previously and whether those changes were working. GAO noted that: (1) the Service made changes to its controls over the accep... |
The services and combatant commands both have responsibilities for ensuring servicemembers are trained to carry out their assigned missions. As a result, both the services and combatant commands have developed specific training requirements. Combatant commanders and service secretaries both have responsibilities relate... | In conventional warfare, support forces such as military police, engineers, and medical personnel normally operate behind the front lines of a battlefield. But in Iraq and Afghanistan--both in U.S. Central Command's (CENTCOM) area of responsibility--there is no clear distinction between front lines and rear areas, and ... |
The purpose of SORNA is to protect the public from sex offenders and offenders against children by providing a comprehensive set of sex offender registration and notification standards. These standards require convicted sex offenders, prior to their release from imprisonment or within 3 days of their sentencing if the ... | ICE-ERO uses orders of supervision to release from custody criminal aliens--including sex offenders--who have been ordered to be removed from the United States, but cannot be removed for various reasons or detained indefinitely under U.S. Supreme Court precedent. In July 2006, SORNA was enacted, which established minim... |
The Navy uses a multilevel approach to ship repair and maintenance that, depending on the type and complexity of work, places responsibility at three different levels: organizational, intermediate, and depot. Depot-level repairs are the most complex, requiring the capabilities and technical skills of naval or private s... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Navy's practice of using temporary duty assignments of naval personnel to perform ship maintenance and repair work at homeports without nearby naval shipyard capability, focusing on the: (1) rationale supporting the Navy's practice; (2) cost-effectiveness of these... |
The FSM and the RMI are located in the Pacific Ocean just north of the equator, about 3,000 miles southwest of Hawaii and about 2,500 miles southeast of Japan. The FSM is a federation of four states and has a population of approximately 103,000 (as of 2010) scattered over many small islands and atolls. The RMI comprise... | In 2003, the U.S. government approved amended Compacts of Free Association with the FSM and the RMI, providing for a total of $3.6 billion in assistance over 20 years. This testimony draws from GAO's September 2013 report on the use and accountability of these funds to review (1) the FSM's and RMI's use of compact fund... |
The IDES process begins at a military treatment facility when a physician identifies one or more conditions that may interfere with a servicemember’s ability to perform his or her duties. The process involves four main phases: the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB), the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB), transition out of mi... | Since 2007, DOD and VA have jointly operated IDES--which is intended to expedite benefits for injured servicemembers. IDES replaced the departments' separate processes for evaluating servicemembers for fitness and disability. Initially a pilot at 3 military treatment facilities, IDES is now in place at military treatme... |
The Forest Service is responsible for managing over 192 million acres of public lands—about 30 percent of all federal lands in the United States. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Forest Service traditionally has administered its programs through 9 regional offices, 155 national forests, 20 national grasslands,... | The Forest Service manages over 192 million acres of land, in part through vegetation management projects such as thinning trees. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires the Forest Service to prepare either an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) before approving a proj... |
The rising costs of natural hazard events have led many to recognize the benefits of hazard mitigation. Obligations from FEMA’s disaster relief fund grew from $2.8 billion in 1992 to $34.4 billion in 2005 as a result of a series of unusually large events and the increasing federal role in assisting communities and indi... | The nation has experienced vast losses from natural hazards. The potential for future events, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, demonstrates the importance of hazard mitigation--actions that reduce the long-term risks to life and property from natural hazard events. GAO was asked to examine (1) natural hazards that p... |
Several actions—both by the Service and the Congress—led us to remove the Service’s transformation efforts and long-term outlook from our high- risk list. In 2001, we made this designation because the Service’s financial outlook had deteriorated significantly. The Service had a projected deficit of $2 billion to $3 bil... | When GAO originally placed the U.S. Postal Service's (the Service) transformation efforts and long-term outlook on its high-risk list in early 2001, it was to focus urgent attention on the Service's deteriorating financial situation. Aggressive action was needed, particularly in cutting costs, improving productivity, a... |
Internet-based services using Web 2.0 technology have become increasingly popular. Web 2.0 technologies are a second generation of the World Wide Web as an enabling platform for Web-based communities of interest, collaboration, and interactive services. These technologies include Web logs (known as “blogs”), which allo... | Federal agencies increasingly use recently developed Internet technologies that allow individuals or groups to create, organize, comment on, and share online content. The use of these social media services-- including popular Web sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube-- has been endorsed by President Obama and provi... |
Symptoms of temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders vary but typically include pain of the jaw joint and surrounding muscles. Other symptoms include limited or no movement of the jaw joint, clicking or grating in the jaw joint when opening or closing the mouth, headaches, and shoulder or back pain. According to th... | It is estimated that over 10 million people in the United States suffer from jaw joint and muscle disorders. Artificial temporomandibular joint (TMJ) implants have been used to replace the jaw joint in some patients in an effort to decrease pain and increase jaw function. The safety and effectiveness of these implants,... |
In fiscal year 1996, the Forest Service reported that, for the first time, the expenses associated with preparing and administering timber sales exceeded the receipts generated by the sale of the timber. This loss heightened the interest in the financial status and spending practices of the Forest Service. After we rep... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on overhead costs for the Forest Service's Brush Disposal Fund, Salvage Sale Fund, Reforestation Trust Fund, Cooperative Work--Other Fund, and Cooperative Work--Knutson-Vandenberg Fund, focusing on: (1) the reasons why indirect costs rose; (2) actions taken ... |
In fiscal year 2012, BOP had a budget of about $6.6 billion for salaries and expenses and as of December 2011, BOP had a staff of about 38,000, which includes administrative, program, and support staff responsible for all of BOP’s activities nationwide. BOP houses inmates across six geographic regions in 117 federal in... | The Department of Justices Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is responsible for the custody and care of federal offenders. BOPs population has increased from about 145,000 in 2000 to about 217,000 in 2011 and BOP is operating at 38 percent over capacity. There is no longer parole for federal offenders and BOP has limit... |
On average, about 450 people have been injured and 14 people have been killed in train accidents each year over the past decade, from 1996 through 2005, exclusive of highway-railroad grade crossing and trespassing accidents. In recent years, a number of serious accidents raised concerns about the level of safety in the... | Although the overall safety record of the railroad industry, as measured by the number of train accidents per million miles traveled, has improved markedly since 1980, there has been little or no overall improvement over the past decade. Serious accidents resulting in injuries and deaths continue to occur, such as one ... |
The goal of SNAP, formerly known as the federal Food Stamp Program, is to help low-income individuals and households obtain a more nutritious diet. It does so by supplementing their income with benefits to purchase allowable food items. The federal government pays the full cost of the benefits and shares the responsibi... | In fiscal year 2013, SNAP, the nation's largest nutrition support program, provided about 47 million people with $76 billion in benefits. Fraud, including trafficking—the misuse of program benefits to obtain non-food items—has been a long-standing concern, and technology has provided additional opportunities to commit ... |
Viewed broadly, IDT refund fraud is composed of two crimes: (1) the theft or compromise of PII, and (2) the use of stolen (or otherwise compromised) PII to file a fraudulent tax return and collect a fraudulent refund. Identity theft. The sources of stolen identities are limitless, according to an official in IRS’s Crim... | IRS estimates that, in 2014, it prevented or recovered $22.5 billion in attempted IDT refund fraud, but paid $3.1 billion in fraudulent IDT refunds. Because of the difficulties in knowing the amount of undetected fraud, the actual amount could differ from these point estimates. IDT refund fraud occurs when a refund-see... |
The nation’s small community airports, while large in number, serve only a small portion of the nation’s air travelers and face issues very different from those of larger airports. Airports that are served by commercial airlines in the United States are categorized into four main groups based on the annual number of pa... | Small communities have long faced challenges in obtaining or retaining the commercial air service they desire. These challenges are increasing as many U.S. airlines try to stem unprecedented financial losses through numerous cost-cutting measures, including reducing or eliminating service in some markets, often small c... |
Pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive 6, TSC was established to create and maintain the U.S. government’s consolidated watchlist—the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB)—and to provide for the use of watchlist records during security-related and other screening processes. The watchlisting and screening pr... | The December 25, 2009, attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 exposed weaknesses in how the federal government nominated individuals to the terrorist watchlist and gaps in how agencies used the list to screen individuals to determine if they posed a security threat. In response, the President tasked agencies to take... |
SBI is a comprehensive, multiyear, multibillion dollar program established in November 2005 by the Secretary of Homeland Security to secure U.S. borders and reduce illegal immigration. SBI’s mission is to promote border security strategies that help protect against and prevent terrorist attacks and other transnational ... | This testimony summarizes GAO's February 2007 report on SBInet, one element of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Secure Border Initiative (SBI). SBInet is responsible for developing a comprehensive border protection system. By legislative mandate, GAO reviewed SBInet's fiscal year 2007 expenditure plan. This ... |
Network 9 (Nashville) is composed of a network office in Nashville, Tennessee; six medical centers located in three states; and 27 community based outpatient clinics. In fiscal year 2002, about 1 million veterans lived in the area served by the network. In that year, the six medical centers in the network treated abou... | Since fiscal year 1997, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has relied primarily on its 21 health care networks to allocate resources to its medical centers. VA headquarters also directly allocates some resources to the medical centers. In addition, medical centers collect resources from third-party insurance payme... |
In December 2010, the QDDR recommended the creation of the CT Bureau, to supersede the CT Office. State elevated the CT Office to the CT Bureau in January 2012. According to State, one reason for elevating the CT Office to a bureau was that the office’s responsibilities for counterterrorism strategy, policy, operations... | Terrorism and violent extremism continue to pose a global threat, and combating these at home and abroad remains a top priority for the U.S. government. In 2010, the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR), conducted at the direction of the Secretary of State, highlighted these global threats and, amo... |
Congress authorized the Emergency Relief program in Title 23, United States Code, Section 125, to provide for the repair or reconstruction of federal-aid highways and roads on federal lands that have sustained serious damage resulting from natural disasters or catastrophic failures from an external cause. Natural disas... | Since 1972, Congress has authorized $100 million a year for highway disaster recovery needs through the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Emergency Relief (ER) program. Increasingly, the program's actual costs have exceeded this amount, and Congress has provided additional funding. Because of this fiscal imbalanc... |
The U.S. Information Agency’s (USIA) missions are to explain and advocate U.S. policy, provide information about the United States, build lasting relationships and mutual understanding among the peoples of the world, and advise U.S. decisionmakers on foreign public opinion and its implications for the United States. Ov... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the U.S. Information Agency's (USIA) reform and cost-cutting efforts and options that could enable USIA to adjust to reduced budgets. GAO found that: (1) USIA believes that reaching out to foreign publics and telling America's story remains critical to U.S. foreign poli... |
As the primary federal agency that is responsible for protecting and securing GSA facilities and federal employees across the country, FPS has the authority to enforce federal laws and regulations aimed at protecting federally owned and leased properties and the persons on such property, and, among other things, to con... | The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is responsible for providing physical security and law enforcement services to about 9,000 General Services Administration (GSA) facilities. To accomplish its mission of protecting GSA facilities, FPS currently has an annual budget of about $1 billion, about 1,100 employees, and 15,... |
Taxol is currently used to treat several types of cancer, including advanced ovarian and breast cancer, certain lung cancers (non-small cell) in patients who cannot have surgery or radiation therapy, and AIDS- related Kaposi’s sarcoma. The bioactive compound in Taxol was first extracted from the bark of the slow-growin... | The transfer of technology from government-funded medical research laboratories to the private sector aims to have new pharmaceuticals brought to market more efficiently than would be possible for a federal agency acting alone. Much of the pharmaceutical-related technology transfer originates with research funded by th... |
The Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, which authorized the SBIR Program, designated 4 major goals for the program: to stimulate technological innovation, to use small business to meet federal R&D needs, to foster and encourage participation by minority and disadvantaged persons in technological innovat... | GAO discussed the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Pilot Program. GAO noted that: (1) the quality of winning SBIR and STTR proposals appears to be good, but it is too early to assess the programs' actual results; (2) the increase in available SBIR fundi... |
To achieve national objectives, the federal government relies on complex networks and partnerships across federal, state, and local governments. Grants are one tool the federal government uses to achieve national priorities through nonfederal parties, including state and local governments, educational institutions, and... | To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of grant-making in the federal government, in 2011 OMB created COFAR, and in 2014 OMB's Uniform Guidance came into effect. This included requirements for federal agencies to establish a merit-based review process for competitive grants and to assess grant applicants' risk. GA... |
Corporate tax expenditures are special tax provisions that are exceptions to the normal structure of the corporate income tax system. They represent revenue the federal government forgoes from these tax provisions. The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 identified six types of tax provisions that ... | Tax expenditures--special exemptions and exclusions, credits, deductions, deferrals, and preferential tax rates claimed by corporations, individuals, or both--support federal policy goals but result in revenue forgone by the federal government. Congress and the administration are reexamining tax expenditures used by co... |
Woody biomass—small-diameter trees, branches, and the like—is generated as a result of timber-related activities in forests or on rangelands. Small-diameter trees may be removed to reduce the risk of wildland fire or to improve forest health, while treetops, branches, and limbs, collectively known as “slash,” are often... | The federal government is placing greater emphasis on thinning vegetation on public lands to reduce the risk of wildland fire. To help defray the cost of thinning efforts, it also is seeking to stimulate a market for the resulting material, including the smaller trees, limbs, and brush--referred to as woody biomass--th... |
The HCTC, which pays a portion of health plan premiums for certain eligible workers and retirees, is set to expire at the end of 2013 when certain PPACA provisions, including PPACA premium tax credits, cost- sharing subsidies, and expansion of Medicaid eligibility, are implemented. The HCTC program is administered by t... | The HCTC pays 72.5 percent of health plan premiums for certain workers who lost their jobs due to foreign import competition and for certain retirees whose pensions from their former employers were terminated and are now paid by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. A small share of individuals who are potentially ... |
The nation’s 3,600 colleges, universities, and teaching hospitals continually need to construct new facilities or renovate obsolete or aging facilities. While it has been long recognized that replacing or repairing facilities is a critical problem for these schools, there are no reliable data on the extent of needed co... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on how the College Loan Insurance Association (Connie Lee) has served the needs of 102 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). GAO found that: (1) Connie Lee insured 95 bonds totalling $2.6 billion from October 1991 through September 1995, 90 of... |
Biofuels are an alternative to petroleum-based transportation fuels and derived from renewable resources. Currently, most biofuels are derived from corn and soybeans. Ethanol is the most commonly produced biofuel in the United States, and about 98 percent of it is made from corn that is grown primarily in the Midwest. ... | Water and energy are inexorably linked--energy is needed to pump, treat, and transport water and large quantities of water are needed to support the development of energy. However, both water and energy may face serious constraints as demand for these vital resources continues to rise. Two examples that demonstrate the... |
The Bureau puts forth tremendous effort to conduct a complete and accurate count of the nation’s population; nonetheless, some degree of coverage error is inevitable because of the inherent complexity of counting the nation’s large and diverse population and limitations in census-taking methods. These census coverage e... | Assessing the accuracy of the census is essential given that census data are used to apportion seats in Congress, to redraw congressional districts, and for many other public and private purposes. The U.S. Census Bureau's (Bureau) Census Coverage Measurement program (CCM) is to assess the accuracy of the 2010 Census an... |
According to its 2010 Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap: A Report to Congress, NE’s primary mission is to advance nuclear power as a resource capable of meeting the nation’s energy supply, environmental, and energy security needs by resolving technical, cost, safety, proliferation resistance, and security... | NE conducts R&D on advanced nuclear reactor technologies with multiple aims, including (1) improving the economic competitiveness of nuclear technology to ensure that nuclear power continues to play a role in meeting our nation's energy needs; (2) increasing safety; (3) minimizing the risk of nuclear proliferation and ... |
DOD must be capable of rapidly deploying armed forces to respond to contingency and humanitarian operations around the world. Airlift and tanker aircraft play a vital role in providing this capability. Over the past 25 years, DOD has invested almost $141 billion to develop, procure, and modify its airlift and tanker fo... | The Department of Defense (DOD) has continuing efforts to modernize its airlift and tanker fleets by investing billions of dollars to modify legacy airlift systems, such as the C-5 and C-130, and procure new aircraft, such as a tanker replacement. Acquisition has been on GAO's list as a high risk area since 1990. GAO h... |
In 2007, VA established the VCL, a 24-hour crisis line staffed by responders trained to assist veterans in emotional crisis. Through an interagency agreement, VA collaborated with SAMHSA to use a single, national toll-free number for crisis calls that serves both Lifeline and the VCL. Through this interagency agreement... | VA established the VCL in July 2007 to provide support to veterans in emotional crisis. Between fiscal years 2008, its first full year of operation, and 2015, the number of calls received by the VCL increased almost 700 percent, exceeding VA's expectations. As VA began to address increasing numbers of requests for assi... |
Many individuals suffering from advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other respiratory and cardiac conditions are unable to meet their bodies’ oxygen needs through normal breathing. Supplemental oxygen has been shown to assist many of these patients and is considered a life-sustaining therapy. Physicians p... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO provided information on Medicare beneficiaries' access to home oxygen equipment, focusing on: (1) changes in access to home oxygen for Medicare patients since the payment reduction mandated by the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 took effect; and (2) actions taken by the Heal... |
According to State, a terrorist safe haven is an area of relative security that can be exploited by terrorists to undertake activities such as recruiting, training, fundraising, and planning operations. The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9/11 Commission) noted that the physical safe ha... | Denying safe haven to terrorists has been a key national security concern since 2002. Safe havens allow terrorists to train recruits and plan operations against the United States and its interests across the globe. As a result, Congress has required agencies to provide detailed information regarding U.S. efforts to add... |
Contracts are generally considered to be physically complete once all option provisions have expired, the contractor has completed performance, and the government has accepted the final delivery of supplies or services. Physically completed contracts should then be closed within time frames set by the FAR—6 months for ... | Closing contracts is a key step in the contracting process. GAO and others have previously reported that large numbers of contracts were not closed within time frames set by federal regulations, which can expose the government to financial risk. DCAA's backlog of audits of contractors' incurred cost proposals contribut... |
DOD is one of the largest and most complex organizations in the world to manage effectively. While DOD maintains military forces with unparalleled capabilities, it continues to confront pervasive, decades-old management problems related to its business operations—which include outdated systems and processes—that suppor... | Military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have focused attention on the performance of the Department of Defense's (DOD) supply chain management. According to DOD, it spent approximately $178 billion on its supply chain in fiscal year 2007. As a result of weaknesses in DOD's management of its supply chain, this area ... |
The mailing industry includes businesses, organizations, and other parties that send and rely on mail to maintain contact with their customers. The industry also encompasses mail preparers, including printers and businesses that send or receive mail on behalf of a third party. Collectively, we refer to these two groups... | Over 80 percent of the approximately 200 billion mail pieces processed and delivered by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) last year was sent by commercial mailers that barcode, sort, or transport mail to get lower postage rates. Starting in May 2009, USPS will encourage these mailers to use new barcodes that have increase... |
Today, federal employees are issued a wide variety of identification (ID) cards, which are used to access federal buildings and facilities, sometimes solely on the basis of visual inspection by security personnel. These cards often cannot be used for other important identification purposes—such as gaining access to an ... | Smart cards--plastic devices about the size of a credit card--use integrated circuit chips to store and process data, much like a computer. Among other uses, these devices can provide security for physical assets and information by helping to verify the identity of people accessing buildings and computer systems. They ... |
As part of VA’s mission, VHA is to serve the needs of America’s veterans and their families (spouses and children) by providing primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services. VHA provides health services through more than 1,500 sites of care, including 153 hospitals, 995 outpatient cli... | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides medical care, disability compensation, and vocational rehabilitation to veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA)--a component of VA--provides care to over 5 million patients in more than 1,500 facilities. VHA relies on an outpatient scheduling system that is ov... |
Major capital investment in highways, public transportation systems, waterways, and airports are currently funded, in part, through various taxes and fees on users, such as fuel taxes or sales taxes; landing fees and docking fees; and tolls on certain roads, tunnels, and bridges. However, these revenue-raising instrume... | The nation's transportation systems have become increasingly congested, and pressure on them is expected to grow substantially in the future. Most transportation experts think a multifaceted approach is needed to address congestion and improve mobility. One potential tool is congestion pricing, that is, charging users ... |
CNCS provides grants and technical assistance to organizations throughout the United States to strengthen communities and foster civic engagement. In fiscal year 2015, CNCS received appropriations totaling over $750 million to fund a variety of grant programs, as shown in table 1. CNCS grants are typically for multiple... | Created in 1993, CNCS distributes about $750 million in grants annually to volunteer and national service programs for needs ranging from disaster recovery to improving education. A 2014 CNCS Office of Inspector General (OIG) report cited problems with grant management. GAO was asked to review CNCS's efforts to improve... |
While the majority of nonprofits individually have relatively small operating budgets, as a whole, the nonprofit sector has a significant presence in the U.S. economy, according to researchers of the nonprofit sector. For example, In 2004, nonprofit organizations that submitted Forms 990 to IRS held an estimated $3 tri... | The nonprofit sector is an important means through which public services are delivered and national goals addressed. The federal government increasingly relies on networks, often involving nonprofits that address many issues--health care, education, and human services, for example. Because nonprofit organizations play ... |
Administered by SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance (ODA), the Disaster Loan Program is the primary federal program for funding long-range recovery for nonfarm businesses that are victims of disasters and is the only form of SBA assistance not limited to small businesses. SBA can make available several types of disaste... | With an estimated $67 billion in damage, Hurricane Sandy (October 2012) was the costliest Atlantic storm since Katrina in 2005. SBA administers the Disaster Loan Program, which provides physical disaster loans (to rebuild or replace damaged property) and economic injury loans (for working capital until normal operation... |
This section describes the manner in which the U.S. military is organized to carry out its missions, how the military uses contractors to perform many essential services during contingency operations, and the existing air quality in Afghanistan and Iraq. The U.S. command structure in each nation has evolved over time. ... | From the start of military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. military and its contractors have burned solid waste in open burn pits on or near military bases. According to the Department of Defense (DOD), burn pit emissions can potentially harm human health. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) guidance directs th... |
air, each operating under the terms of a license granted by the FCC. These stations are owned and operated by 176 entities that, under FCC rules, must either be: (1) a nonprofit educational institution, such as a university or a local school board (shown separately below as “university” and “local authority”); (2) a go... | For fiscal year 2002 (the most recent data), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting provided about 16 percent of public television's revenues of $1.63 billion. GAO agreed to review the statutory allocations for federal funding of public television, the Corporation's distribution of funds through its Community Service ... |
In September 2010, allegations surfaced that several servicers’ documents accompanying judicial foreclosures may have been inappropriately signed or notarized. In response to this and other servicing issues, federal banking regulators conducted a coordinated on- site review of 14 of the largest mortgage servicers to ev... | This testimony discusses the Independent Foreclosure Review process. In April 2011, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve), and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) issued consent orders against 14 mortgage servicers. These orders re... |
The public faces the risk that critical services could be severely disrupted by the Year 2000 computing crisis. Financial transactions could be delayed, airline flights grounded, and national defense affected. The many interdependencies that exist among the levels of governments and within key economic sectors of our n... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed its views on what additional actions must be taken to reduce the nation's year 2000 risks, focusing on: (1) an overview of the potential impact of the century change on the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) mission; (2) how the department is structured to address the ... |
Under the IPPS, hospitals are not paid separately for each item or service they provide. Rather, payment is based on the DRG to which the entire inpatient stay is assigned. Each of the 538 DRGs has a classification, that is, an assigned combination of any of the approximately 17,000 diagnoses and procedures codes. When... | Under Medicare, hospitals generally receive fixed payments for inpatient stays based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG), a system that classifies stays by patient diagnoses and procedures. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) annually uses its own data to reclassify DRGs. CMS also makes add-on payments for... |
Since the 1960s, the United States has operated two separate operational polar-orbiting meteorological satellite systems: the Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) series— managed by NOAA—and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)—managed by the Air Force. These satellites obtain enviro... | The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) is a tri-agency acquisition--managed by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)--which has experience... |
Information systems are critical to the health, economy, and security of the nation. To support these systems, the federal government plans to invest more than $89 billion on IT in fiscal year 2017. However, prior IT expenditures too often have produced failed projects—that is, projects with multimillion dollar cost ov... | In 2014, Congress enacted IT reform legislation, referred to as FITARA, which includes provisions related to seven areas of IT acquisition management. In 2015, OMB released FITARA implementation guidance that outlined agency CIO responsibilities and required agencies to develop action plans for implementing the guidanc... |
In keeping with the FRA, IRS established a Records Management Program. The program provides for the application of management practices in the creation, maintenance, retrieval, preservation, and disposition of records. Although the mission of the Records Management Program is to document, protect, and efficiently manag... | Proper paper case file management is a significant issue for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) because its staff investigate and close millions of case files every year. In addition, IRS employees depend heavily on case files when pursuing enforcement actions. GAO was asked to review IRS's case file storage, tracking,... |
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.