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GSA operates EPLS through funds obtained from 24 federal agencies in support of the Integrated Acquisition Environment (IAE), a bundle of services established to streamline the federal government acquisition process. Agencies are required to report excluded parties by entering information directly into the EPLS databas... | To protect the government's interests, any agency can exclude (i.e., debar or suspend) parties from receiving federal contracts or assistance for a range of offenses. Exclusions of companies or individuals from federal contracts or other funding are listed in the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS), a Web-based system ... |
The U.S. Department of Education’s OCR is a law enforcement agency. Its primary responsibility is to ensure that recipients of federal financial assistance do not discriminate—on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age—against students, faculty, or other individuals in educational programs an... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights' (OCR) handling of discrimination cases involving Asian-Americans who applied to or were enrolled in postsecondary schools, focusing on: (1) whether OCR followed established policies and procedures in conducting comp... |
Each weekday, 11.3 million passengers in 35 metropolitan areas and 22 states use some form of rail transit (commuter, heavy, or light rail). Commuter rail systems typically operate on railroad tracks and provide regional service between a central city and adjacent suburbs. Commuter rail systems are traditionally associ... | The 2005 London subway bombings and 2006 rail attacks in Mumbai, India highlighted the vulnerability of passenger rail and other surface transportation systems to terrorist attack and demonstrated the need for greater focus on securing these systems. This testimony is based primarily on GAO's September 2005 passenger r... |
Private sector companies receive billions of dollars annually in federal government contracts for goods and services. Data from GSA show that federal contracts valued at $25,000 or more totaled almost $176 billion in fiscal year 1994. Approximately 22 percent of the labor force, 26 million workers, is employed by compa... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined federal contractors' compliance with federal occupational safety and health regulations. GAO found that: (1) federal contracts are awarded to employers violating the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA); (2) in fiscal year (FY) 1994, 261 federal contractors receive... |
More than two dozen federal agencies use grants and other mechanisms to fund research at universities and colleges, as well as at other nonprofit and for-profit organizations, in support of agency missions related to public health, energy security, and space exploration, among others. NIH provides more than half of all... | The federal government obligated over $27 billion for university research in fiscal year 2015, according to NSF. To allow for oversight of these funds, Congress and research funding agencies established administrative requirements that universities must comply with as part of grants they apply for and receive. Universi... |
Because of such emergencies as natural disasters, hazardous material spills, and riots, all levels of government have had some experience in preparing for different types of disasters and emergencies. Preparing for all potential hazards is commonly referred to as the “all-hazards” approach. While terrorism is a compone... | Federal, state, and local governments share responsibility in preparing for catastrophic terrorist attacks. Because the national security threat is diffuse and the challenge is highly intergovernmental, national policymakers must formulate strategies with a firm understanding of the interests, capacity, and challenges ... |
The traditional Medicare program does not have a comprehensive outpatient prescription drug benefit, but under part B (which covers physician and other outpatient services), it covers roughly 450 pharmaceutical products and biologicals. In 1999, spending for Medicare part B-covered prescription drugs totaled almost $4 ... | The pricing of Medicare's part B-covered prescription drugs--largely drugs that cannot be administered by patients themselves--has been under scrutiny for years. Most of the part B drugs with the highest Medicare payments and billing volume fall into three categories: those that are billed for by physicians and typical... |
As we reported in 2009, more than 5 million third parties submitted more than 82 million miscellaneous income information forms (Form 1099- MISC) to the IRS reporting more than $6 trillion in payments for tax year 2006. Third-party payers are businesses, governmental units, and other organizations that make payments to... | Third parties, often businesses, reported more than $6 trillion in miscellaneous income payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in tax year 2006 on Form 1099-MISC. Payees are to report this income on their tax returns. It has been long known that if these payments are not reported on 1099-MISCs, it is less likel... |
Inland ports along the section of the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Missouri, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, provide “on and off ramps” for shippers using the river, such as agricultural or chemical-processing companies, that need to move a large amount of bulk commodities. The 13 ports selected for our review vary... | Inland ports on the Mississippi River between St. Louis and Baton Rouge enable shippers to move millions of tons of agricultural and other bulk commodities. However, these ports' harbors can accumulate sediment that reduces their depth, width, and length, making it difficult for vessels to move. To address this, the Co... |
NMB is headed by a three-member board, with each member appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a term of 3 years. Day-to-day administration of the agency is provided by NMB’s General Counsel within the Office of Legal Affairs and the Chief of Staff (see fig. 1). NMB does not have an office of inspec... | NMB was established under the Railway Labor Act to facilitate labor relations for railroads and airlines by mediating and arbitrating labor disputes and overseeing union elections. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 included a provision for GAO to evaluate NMB programs and activities every 2 years. GAO's firs... |
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 extended the authority of the 1990 BRAC legislation, with some modifications, to authorize an additional BRAC round in 2005. Under section 2912 of the 1990 Act and as part of its fiscal year 2005 budget submission, DOD was required to submit a 20-year force st... | The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990, as amended, required the Department of Defense (DOD) to address several base realignment and closure (BRAC) issues in 2004 for the 2005 BRAC round to proceed. The requirements included reporting on a 20-year force structure plan, an inventory of military installatio... |
Employer-sponsored pension plans, in combination with Social Security and personal savings, provide millions of retirees and their families with retirement income. As we reported in our October 1996 report, most employers that sponsor pension plans provide benefits using a DC plan.For a DC plan, the employer establishe... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the general features of defined contribution (DC) plans in the private sector, focusing on: (1) eligibility requirements for employee participation; (2) arrangements for employer and participant contributions; (3) eligibility requirements for employee rights to accrued ... |
Reservists are members of the seven reserve components, which provide trained and qualified persons available for active duty in the armed forces in time of war or national emergency. The Selected Reserve is the largest category of reservists and is designated as essential to wartime missions. The Selected Reserve is a... | TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) provides certain members of the Selected Reserve--reservists considered essential to wartime missions--with the ability to purchase health care coverage under the Department of Defense's (DOD) TRICARE program after their active duty coverage expires. TRS is similar to TRICARE Standard, a fe... |
Because no drug is absolutely safe, FDA approves a drug for marketing when the agency judges that its known benefits outweigh its known risks. After a drug is on the market, FDA continues to assess its risks and benefits. FDA reviews reports of adverse drug reactions (adverse events) related to the drug and information... | In 2004, several high-profile drug safety cases raised concerns about the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) ability to manage postmarket drug safety issues. In some cases there were disagreements within FDA about how to address these issues. GAO was asked to testify on FDA's oversight of drug safety. This testimony ... |
Individuals needing long-term care have varying degrees of difficulty in performing some activities of daily living without assistance, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, and moving from one location to another. They may also have trouble with instrumental activities of daily living, which include such tasks... | As the baby boomers age, spending on long-term care for the elderly could quadruple by 2050. The growing demand for long-term care will put pressure on federal and state budgets because long-term care relies heavily on public financing, particularly Medicaid. Nursing home care traditionally has accounted for most Medic... |
SB/SE was formed to address various issues affecting small business and self-employed taxpayers, such as filing tax returns and paying taxes. SB/SE’s strategic goals include increasing compliance and also reducing burden among SB/SE taxpayers. As part of SB/SE, TEC is to use various strategies, including providing educ... | Strategic workforce planning helps ensure that agencies have the right people with the right skills in the right positions to carry out the agency mission both in the present and future. The Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) Taxpayer Education and Communication (TEC) unit within its Small Business and Self- Employed Div... |
CPSA created CPSC to regulate consumer products and address those that pose an unreasonable risk of injury; assist consumers in evaluating the comparative safety of consumer products; and promote research and investigation into the causes and prevention of product-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses. CPSC’s jurisdi... | CPSC is responsible for ensuring the safety of thousands of consumer products, including imports, after they enter the U.S. market. Its jurisdiction covers a range of products–from children's toys to off-road recreational vehicles. Identifying and assessing new and emerging consumer product risks can present challenges... |
SSA is the largest operating division within HHS. As such, it accounts for approximately 65,000 FTE employees or about 51 percent of HHS’ FTE positions. SSA’s fiscal year 1995 budget of about $371 billion accounts for over one-half of HHS’ total budget for that year. SSA administers three major federal programs and ass... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO: (1) evaluated the Social Security Administration's (SSA) and Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) transition plans; and (2) identified some of the policy changes SSA will face as an independent agency. GAO found that: (1) SSA and HHS have progressed towards the goal... |
According to IAEA, between 1993 and 2006, there were 1,080 confirmed incidents of illicit trafficking and unauthorized activities involving nuclear and radiological materials worldwide. Eighteen of these cases involved weapons-usable material—plutonium and highly enriched uranium (HEU)—that could be used to produce a n... | In April 2005, a Presidential Directive established the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) within the Department of Homeland Security to enhance and coordinate federal, state, and local efforts to combat nuclear smuggling domestically and abroad. DNDO was directed to develop, in coordination with the departments ... |
DOD Instruction 5100.73, Major DOD Headquarters Activities, defines major headquarters activities as those headquarters (and the direct support integral to their operation) whose primary mission is to manage or command the programs and operations of DOD, its components, and their major military units, organizations, or... | Facing budget pressures, DOD is seeking to reduce headquarters activities of OSD, the Joint Staff, and the military services' secretariats and staffs, which primarily perform policy and management functions. GAO was mandated to review personnel resources devoted to these headquarters organizations from fiscal years 200... |
Any discussion of readiness measurement must start with SORTS. This automated system, which functions as the central listing for more than 9,000 military units, is the foundation of DOD’s unit readiness assessment process and is a primary source of information used for reviews at the joint and strategic levels. The sys... | GAO discussed the Department of Defense's (DOD) process for assessing and reporting on military readiness, focusing on: (1) what corrective action DOD has taken to improve its readiness assessment system; (2) whether military readiness reports provided quarterly to Congress effectively support congressional oversight; ... |
We at GAO use the term “human capital” because—in contrast to traditional terms such as personnel and human resource management—it focuses on two principles that are critical in a modern, results-oriented management environment. First, people are assets whose value can be enhanced through investment. As the value of pe... | This testimony discusses the federal government's strategic human capital management challenges, particularly in the information technology (IT) area. No management issue facing federal agencies could be more critical to the nation than their approach to attracting, retaining, and motivating people. Having enough peopl... |
In May 2009, the President announced the creation of a new Global Health Initiative (GHI) and proposed $63 billion in funding for all global health programs, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and maternal and child health, through 2014. According to the proposal, the majority of this funding—$51 billion, or 81... | U.S. funding for global HIV/AIDS and other health-related programs rose significantly from 2001 to 2008. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), reauthorized in 2008 at $48 billion through 2013, has made significant investments in support of prevention of HIV/AIDS as well as care and treatment for thos... |
The Office of Acquisition and Materiel Management is the principal office within VA headquarters responsible for supporting the agency’s programs. The OA&MM includes an Office of Acquisitions that, among other things, provides acquisition planning and support, helps develop statements of work, offers expertise in the a... | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is among the largest federal acquisition agencies, spending $7.3 billion on product and service acquisitions in 2004 alone. Recent reports by VA and other organizations identified weaknesses in the agency's acquisition function that could result in excess costs to the taxpayer. O... |
As figure 1 shows, services spending for the federal government has accounted for over half the annual procurement spending since fiscal year 2008. In fiscal year 2012, the federal government obligated about $307 billion to acquire services. Table 1 lists the top services purchased by federal agencies in fiscal year 20... | In fiscal year 2012, the federal government spent $307 billion to acquire services. The private sector is also reliant on services. Over the last 5-7 years, leading companies have been examining ways to manage their services in order to maximize returns and minimize inefficiencies. Given the amount of federal spending ... |
The Department of Defense’s 2001 Defense Planning Guidance tasked the Department of the Navy to conduct a comprehensive review to assess the feasibility of fully integrating Navy and Marine Corps aviation force structure to achieve both effectiveness and efficiency. The Department of the Navy narrowed the study to incl... | The Fiscal Year 2004 Defense Appropriations Act and the Senate Report for the 2004 National Defense Authorization Act mandated that GAO examine the Navy and Marine Corps' Tactical Aviation Integration Plan. In response to these mandates, this report addresses (1) how Navy and Marine Corps operational concepts, force st... |
Federal Medigap standards were first established by section 507 of the Social Security Disability Amendments of 1980 (P.L. 96-265), which added section 1882 to the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 ss). Section 1882 set forth federal requirements that insurers must meet for marketing policies as supplements to Medica... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed insurers' compliance with Medigap loss ratios and standards, focusing on: (1) the overall Medigap market; (2) which Medigap policies had loss ratios below the standards in 1994 and 1995; and (3) which policies resulted in refunds or credits, or, if not, why. GAO noted... |
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 required EPA to issue a series of new or stricter regulations to address some of the more serious air pollution problems, including acid rain, toxic air pollutants, motor vehicle emissions, and stratospheric ozone depletion. In view of the estimated billions of dollars in annual cos... | GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 23 regulatory impact analyses (RIA) supporting air quality regulations, focusing on whether the RIAs clearly describe: (1) key economic assumptions subject to uncertainty and the sensitivity of the results to these assumptions; (2) the extent to which benefits an... |
OMB and Treasury have established a new Data Standards Committee that will be responsible for maintaining established standards and developing new data elements or data definitions that could affect more than one functional community (e.g., financial management, financial assistance, and procurement). Although this rep... | The DATA Act requires OMB and Treasury to establish government-wide data standards and requires federal agencies to begin reporting financial and payment data in accordance with these standards by May 2017. The act also requires establishment of a pilot program to develop recommendations for simplifying federal award r... |
Ships’ crews are often able to complete voyage repairs while the ship or battle group is underway. According to Navy officials, because ships often include redundant systems, repairs can usually be undertaken without interrupting the ship’s mission or be postponed until the ship reaches a repair facility or its home po... | Unscheduled ship maintenance, known as voyage repairs, is a high priority for the U.S. Navy. Such repairs are sometimes beyond the capability of the ship's crew to perform; cannot be deferred; and must be made at a remote location. After the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended closing the former Na... |
In fiscal year 2003, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) expended about $28 billion in rental assistance—about 75 percent of the department’s total expenditures—to help almost 5 million low- income tenants afford decent housing. HUD provides rental assistance through three major programs: Housing Choi... | In fiscal year 2003, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) paid about $28 billion to help some 5 million low-income tenants afford decent rental housing. HUD has three major programs: the Housing Choice Voucher (voucher) and public housing programs, administered by public housing agencies; and project-b... |
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was enacted to better protect participants in private pension plans. Among other things, it established an insurance program, administered by PBGC, to protect the benefits of participants in most private defined benefit pension plans. PBGC was created as a gov... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the long-term financial viability of the pension insurance programs, focusing on: (1) the financial condition of the insurance programs and trends in the plans they insure; (2) the impact the Retirement Protection Act of 1994 has had on the financial condition of the Pe... |
In managing the funds that flow through the federal government’s account, Treasury frequently accumulates cash due to timing differences in when borrowing occurs, taxes are received, and agency payments are made. Treasury often receives large cash inflows in the middle of the month and makes large, regular payments in ... | Growing debt and net interest costs are a result of persistent fiscal imbalances, which, if left unchecked, threaten to crowd out spending for other national priorities. The return on every federal dollar that the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) is able to invest represents an opportunity to reduce interest costs... |
Under Medicaid managed care, states contract with health plans and prospectively pay the plans a fixed monthly rate per enrollee to provide or arrange for most health services. These contracts are known as “risk” contracts because plans assume the risk for the cost of providing covered services. States’ processes for d... | Medicaid managed care rates are required to be actuarially sound. A state is required to submit its rate-setting methodology, including a description of the data used, to the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for approval. The Children's Health Insurance Progr... |
The service academies are one of the main sources of newly commissioned officers. Over the last 20 years, the academies have provided about 10 percent of annual new officer accessions, with the bulk of the remainder coming from the Reserve Officers Training Corps and officer candidate schools. Each of the academies ope... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the honor and conduct adjudicatory systems at the Department of Defense (DOD) service academies, focusing on: (1) how the systems at each academy compare; (2) the due process protections of these systems; and (3) the students' attitudes and perceptions toward these syst... |
The CH-53K helicopter mission is to provide combat assault transport of heavy weapons, equipment, and supplies from sea to support Marine Corps operations ashore. The CH-53K is a new-build design evolution of the existing CH-53E and is expected to maintain the same shipboard footprint, while providing significant lift,... | The United States Marine Corps is facing a critical shortage of heavy-lift aircraft. In addition, current weapon systems are heavier than their predecessors, further challenging the Marine Corps's current CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters. To address the emerging heavy-lift requirements, the Marine Corps initiated the CH-5... |
Over the past year, VA has clearly benefited from the commitment of the secretary and other top leaders to addressing critical weaknesses in the department’s management of information technology. As a result of their leadership, VA has made important strides in raising corporate awareness of the department’s needs and ... | The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has laid the groundwork for an integrated, departmentwide enterprise architecture--a blueprint for evolving its information systems and developing new systems to optimize their mission value. Crucial executive support is in place and the department has a strategy to define produc... |
The South Florida ecosystem covers about 18,000 square miles in 16 counties. It extends from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes south of Orlando to Lake Okeechobee, and continues south past the Florida Bay to the reefs southwest of the Florida Keys. The ecosystem is in jeopardy today because of past efforts that diverted wat... | The South Florida ecosystem covers about 18,000 square miles, and is home to the Everglades, one of the world's unique environmental resources. Historic efforts to redirect the flow of water through the ecosystem have jeopardized its health and reduced the Everglades to about half of its original size. In 1993, the Uni... |
In recent years, we, Congress, the 9/11 Commission, and others have recommended that federal agencies with homeland security responsibilities utilize a risk management approach to help ensure that finite resources are dedicated to assets or activities considered to have the highest security priority. The purpose of ris... | Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the nation's ports and waterways have been viewed as potential targets of attack. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has called for using risk-informed approaches to prioritize its investments, and for developing plans and allocating resources that balance secur... |
While high-speed passenger rail has been in operation in Europe and Asia for several decades, it is in its relative infancy in the United States. The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) called for development of high-speed rail corridors in the United States and led to establishment of the HSI... | The California high-speed rail project is the single largest recipient of federal funding from the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) grant program. The 520-mile project (see map) would link San Francisco to Los Angeles at an estimated cost of $68.4 billion. Thus far, FR... |
Task Force Hawk deployed to Albania in April 1999 as part of Operation Allied Force. Originally, the task force was to deploy to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. However, the government of Macedonia would not allow combat operations to be conducted from its territory. The United States subsequently obtained a... | The Army deployed its team, called Task Force Hawk, to participate in a Kosovo combat operation known as Operation Allied Force. This report (1) examines how Task Force Hawk's concept of operation compared to Army and joint doctrine, (2) reviews the lessons learned identified from the operation and determines the statu... |
Each weekday, 11.3 million passengers in 35 metropolitan areas and 22 states use some form of rail transit (commuter, heavy, or light rail). Commuter rail systems typically operate on railroad tracks and provide regional service between a central city and adjacent suburbs. Commuter rail systems are traditionally associ... | The July 2005 London subway bombings and July 2006 rail attacks in Mumbai, India dramatically revealed the vulnerability of passenger rail and other surface transportation systems worldwide to terrorist attack and demonstrated the need for increased focus on the security of these systems. This testimony, which is based... |
Through OoC, USCIS manages the programs and activities within DHS that are most directly associated with the civic integration of immigrants. Created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, OoC’s mandate is to promote instruction and training on citizenship responsibilities for immigrants interested in becoming naturaliz... | In 2009, about 39 million foreign-born people lived in the United States. Immigrant integration is generally described as a process that helps immigrants achieve self-sufficiency, political and civic involvement, and social inclusion. The Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services... |
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee: We are pleased to be here today to discuss the subject of internal control. Its importance cannot be understated, especially in the large, complex operating environment of the federal government. Internal control is the first line of defense against fraud, waste, and abuse ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the subject of internal control, focusing on: (1) what internal control is; (2) its importance; and (3) what happens when it breaks down. GAO noted that: (1) internal control is concerned with stewardship and accountability of resources consumed while striving to accom... |
The 911 emergency call system is intended to give individuals a simple, easy-to-remember, routinely available number that can be used to reach an appropriate public safety provider during any life-threatening situation. Using a landline, wireless, mobile telephone, or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) system, a calle... | Individuals can contact fire, medical, and police first responders in an emergency by dialing 911. To provide effective emergency services, public safety entities such as 911 call centers use technology including databases that identifies phone number and location data of callers. Because these critical systems are bec... |
Currently, DOD has five major unmanned aircraft systems in use: the Air Force’s Predator A and Global Hawk, the Marine Corps’ Pioneer, and the Army’s Hunter and Shadow. The services also have developmental efforts underway, for example, the Air Force’s Predator B, the Army and Navy’s vertical take-off and landing syste... | Through 2011, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to spend $20 billion on unmanned aircraft systems, including the Army's "Warrior." Because of congressional concerns that some systems have been more costly and taken more time to produce than predicted, GAO reviewed the Warrior program. This report (1) describes the ... |
Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to combat trafficking in persons. As the centerpiece for U.S. antitrafficking efforts, the TVPA advanced a three-pronged victim-centered approach— prevention of trafficking, protection and assistance for victims of trafficking, and prosecution and punishmen... | Human trafficking is a transnational crime whose victims include men, women, and children and may involve violations of labor, immigration, antislavery, and other criminal laws. To ensure punishment of traffickers and protection of victims, Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), which is... |
Before enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, few rules governed the funding of defined benefit pension plans, and participants had no guarantees that they would receive the benefits promised. Among other things, ERISA established rules for funding defined benefit pension plans and created th... | More than 34 million workers and retirees in about 30,000 singleemployer defined benefit plans rely on a federal insurance program managed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to protect their pension benefits. However, the insurance program's long-term viability is in doubt and in July 2003 we placed the... |
Currently located within the Department of the Treasury, the CDFI Fund was authorized in 1994 and has received appropriations totaling $225 million through fiscal year 1998. The 1995 Rescissions Act limited the Fund to 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff for fiscal years 1995 and 1996, but for fiscal year 1998, the Fun... | GAO discussed the results of its ongoing review of the administration of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, focusing on the first year's performance of the CDFI and the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA) programs and opportunities for improving their effectiveness. GAO noted that: (1) as of January ... |
Large banking organizations typically establish ongoing relationships with their corporate customers and evaluate the overall profitability of these relationships. They use company-specific information gained from providing certain products and services—such as credit or cash management—to identify additional products ... | Investment affiliates of large commercial banks have made competitive inroads in the annual $1.3 trillion debt-underwriting market. Some corporate borrowers and officials from unaffiliated investment banks have alleged that commercial banks helped their investment affiliates gain market share by illegally tying and und... |
A decade after the cold war ended, the Army recognized that its combat force was not well suited to perform the operations it faces today and is likely to face in the future. The Army’s heavy forces had the necessary firepower but required extensive support and too much time to deploy. Its light forces could deploy rap... | FCS is the core of Army efforts to create a lighter, more agile, capable force: a $108 billion investment to provide a new generation of 18 manned and unmanned ground vehicles, air vehicles, sensors, and munitions linked by an information network. Although system development and demonstration began in May 2003, the pro... |
FDA’s mission is to protect the public health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of human drugs marketed in the United States. The agency’s responsibilities begin years before a drug is marketed and continue after a drug’s approval. FDA oversees the drug development process. Among other things, FDA reviews drug s... | Antibiotics are critical drugs that have saved millions of lives. Growing bacterial resistance to existing drugs and the fact that few new drugs are in development are public health concerns. The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA) required the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an agency withi... |
ANCs, Indian tribes and NHOs—i.e., the parent entities of tribal 8(a) firms—can be large, with worldwide operations and revenues in the hundreds of millions of dollars. They can own 8(a) and non-8(a) subsidiaries and sometimes form complicated corporate structures. Figure 1 illustrates a notional corporate structure of... | Federal dollars obligated to tribal 8(a) firms grew from $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2005 to $5.5 billion in 2010, a greater percentage increase than non-tribal 8(a) obligations (160 percent versus 45 percent). Obligations to 8(a) firms owned by Alaska Native Corporations (ANC) represented the majority of tribal obliga... |
The Army classifies its vehicles on the basis of such factors as function and physical characteristics. For example, tracked vehicles (Abrams Tanks and Bradley Fighting Vehicles) are classified as Army combat vehicles; wheeled vehicles (trucks, automobiles, cycles, and buses) are classified as Army motor vehicles. With... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Army's M939 series 5-ton tactical cargo truck, focusing on the: (1) extent to which accidents involving the truck have occurred; and (2) results of Army studies on the truck's design and its plans to address any identified deficiencies. GAO noted that: (1) GAO's ana... |
In January 2001, we reported on Department of Defense management challenges and noted that the Department has had serious weaknesses in its management of logistics functions and in particular inventory management. We have identified inventory management as a high-risk area since 1990. In 1996 and again in 1998, we repo... | The military's ability to carry out its mission depends on having adequate supplies of spare parts on hand for equipment maintenance. Shortages are a key indicator of whether the billions of dollars spent on these parts each year are used effectively, efficiently, and economically. The Navy has acknowledged in recent y... |
Innovation is a dynamic process through which problems and challenges are defined, new and creative ideas are developed, and new solutions are selected and implemented. It is also a complex process that involves taking iterative steps to solve problems. Innovation requires an environment that encourages participants to... | Organizations from around the globe are emphasizing that strategies promoting innovation are vital to solving complex problems. To try to instill a culture of innovation in its agency, OPM followed the lead of a number of private sector companies, nonprofit organizations, and government bodies by creating an innovation... |
Foreign nationals who wish to come to the United States on a temporary basis and are not citizens of countries that participate in the Visa Waiver Program must generally obtain an NIV. U.S. law provides for the temporary admission of various categories of foreign nationals, who are known as nonimmigrants. Nonimmigrants... | International travel and tourism contributed $220 billion to the U.S. economy and supported 1.1 million jobs in 2014, according to the Department of Commerce. A portion of those travelers to the United States were required to obtain an NIV. After a period in which travelers experienced extensive waits in obtaining a re... |
PEBES legislation required SSA to begin sending benefit estimate statements to workers aged 60 and older in fiscal year 1995 and to those turning 60 during each fiscal year from 1996 through 1999; starting in fiscal year 2000, SSA must send the PEBES annually to almost every worker aged 25 and older. However, to better... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the recent proposal that would require the Social Security Administration (SSA) to place on the Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statements (PEBES) an individualized estimate of the rates of return workers receive on their contributions to the Social Security prog... |
Community policing is a philosophy under which local police departments develop strategies to address the causes of and reduce the fear of crime through problemsolving tactics and community-police partnerships. According to the COPS Office program regulations, there is no one approach to community policing implementati... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Justice Office of Community Policing Services (COPS) grant program, focusing on: (1) Justice's implementation of the Community Policing Act with special attention to statutory requirements for implementing the COPS grants; (2) how COPS monitored the us... |
The St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, and Lake St. Clair, provide multiple benefits to residents of Michigan and Ontario, Canada, who use the water bodies as their primary source of drinking water as well as for recreation such as boating and fishing. Sensitive ecological areas located along the corridor include Humbug Mar... | Spills of oil and hazardous substances in the St. Clair-Detroit River corridor have degraded this border area between the United States and Canada and are a potential threat to local drinking water supplies. Within the United States such spills are reported to the National Response Center (NRC), and in Canada to the On... |
SSI provides financial assistance to people who are age 65 or older, blind or disabled, and who have limited income and resources. The program provides individuals with monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Last year, about 6.8 million recipients were paid about $33 billion in SSI b... | The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program is the nation's largest cash assistance program for the poor. The program paid $33 billion in benefits to 6.8 million aged, blind, and disabled persons in fiscal year 2001. Benefit eligibility and payment amounts for the SSI population are determined by complex and often d... |
In 1979, the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) issued Policy Letter No. 79-1 to guide federal agencies in implementing Public Law 95-507. The letter provides uniform policy guidance to federal agencies regarding the organization and functions of OSDBUs. In September 199... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) at eight federal agencies, focusing on: (1) whether OSDBU directors report to the required agency official and, if not, the rationale for the deviation; and (2) OSDBU activities to assist small and disad... |
Perchlorate is a primary ingredient in solid rocket propellant and has been used for decades by DOD, NASA, and the defense industry in the manufacturing, testing, and firing of rockets and missiles. On the basis of 1998 manufacturer data, EPA estimated that 90 percent of the perchlorate produced in the United States is... | Perchlorate, a primary ingredient in propellant, has been used for decades in the manufacture and firing of rockets and missiles. Other uses include fireworks, flares, and explosives. Perchlorate has been found in drinking water, groundwater, surface water, and soil in the United States. The National Academy of Science... |
Since the early 1900s, female life expectancy has exceeded male life expectancy, resulting in women outnumbering men in the older age groups. Although gender differences in life expectancy have been decreasing, women age 65 and over continue to outnumber men age 65 and over. This trend is projected to continue over the... | Elderly women, who comprise a growing portion of the U.S. population, have historically been at greater risk of living in poverty than elderly men. Several factors contribute to the higher rate of poverty among elderly women including their tendency to have lower lifetime earnings, take time out of the workforce to car... |
LTCI helps pay for the costs associated with long-term care services, which can be expensive. However, the number of LTCI policies sold has been relatively small—about 9 million as of the end of 2002, the most recent year of data available. To receive benefits under an LTCI policy, the consumer must not only obtain the... | As the baby boom generation ages, the demand for long-term care services is likely to grow and could strain state and federal resources. The increased use of long-term care insurance (LTCI) may be a way of reducing the share of long-term care paid by state and federal governments. Oversight of LTCI is primarily the res... |
In 1982, the Congress enacted The Veterans’ Administration and Department of Defense Health Resources Sharing and Emergency Operations Act (Public Law 97-174) to promote greater sharing of health care resources and thus achieve greater efficiencies in the DOD and VA health care systems. One of the main objectives of th... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the extent to which Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) funds are being used for health care resource-sharing agreements between the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Defense (DOD). GAO found that: (1) in February 1994, after n... |
Of the 45 IHS hospitals, 28 are directly operated by IHS, and 17 are operated by tribes through funds provided by IHS (see fig. 3). Specifica under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, as amended, IHS provides funds to tribes to run their own hospitals through self-determination contracts or self... | The Justice Department has reported that Indians are at least twice as likely to be raped or sexually assaulted as all other races in the United States. Indians living in remote areas may be days away from health care facilities providing medical forensic exams, which collect evidence related to an assault for use in c... |
In 2000, the Council of State Governments reported that more than 40 states offered tax and financial incentives to businesses for activities such as relocating, expanding, buying equipment, or creating and maintaining jobs. The use of incentives to attract and retain businesses has been an issue of debate for many yea... | Congress imposed restrictions on some federal programs to prevent funding of business relocations. Congress expressed concerns about state and local governments using federal funds to attract jobs to one community at a loss of jobs to another and about compliance with relocation restrictions. This report (1) identifies... |
The primary cause of ocean acidification is an increase in carbon dioxide in the oceans that is caused by increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Human activities—including the burning of fossil fuels, cement production, deforestation, and agriculture—release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since the... | Increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and oceans are resulting in chemical changes referred to as ocean acidification. These changes may pose risks for some marine species and ecosystems, as well as for the coastal communities that rely on them for food and commerce. FOARAM requires various federal entitie... |
DOD officials have expressed concern that servicemembers are often the victims of predatory lending practices by certain types of lenders who typically lie outside the system of traditional financial institutions such as banks. These lenders offer alternative access to cash for consumers with low incomes or poor credit... | The Department of Defense (DOD) has expressed concerns about servicemembers' use of predatory consumer loans as well as their overall financial conditions. "Predatory lending" has no precise definition but describes cases where a lender takes unfair advantage of a borrower, sometimes through deception, fraud, or terms ... |
While income in retirement varies widely by source, Social Security benefits are the foundation of income for nearly all retiree households. In aggregate, Social Security is the largest source of retirement income for households with someone aged 65 or older, but other financial assets such as pension income from DB an... | As life expectancy increases, the risk that retirees will outlive their assets is a growing challenge. The shift from defined benefit (DB) pension plans to defined contribution (DC) plans also increases the responsibility for workers and retirees to make difficult decisions and manage their pension and other financial ... |
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 heightened U.S. policymakers’ concerns about the dangers posed by the Soviet Union’s arsenal of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The U.S. government is concerned that unemployed former Soviet Union weapons scientists pose a significant risk to nonproliferation goals be... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to create jobs for displaced former Soviet Union scientists through its Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention program, focusing on: (1) the costs to implement the program for fiscal years 1994-98, including the amount of funds... |
The best method known to reduce breast cancer mortality is early detection. Detection of breast cancer is accomplished through a combination of self-examination, physical examination by a physician, and mammography. Of these methods, mammography is the single most effective tool for detection of early-stage breast canc... | Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) program for implementing the requirements of the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992, focusing on: (1) the extent to which facilities are complying with the new mammography standards; (2) whether FDA's procedures for eval... |
The mission of NWS—an agency within the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—is to provide weather, water, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, and its adjacent waters and oceans, in order to protect life and property and to enhance the na... | To provide accurate and timely weather forecasts, the National Weather Service (NWS) uses systems, technologies, and manual processes to collect, process, and disseminate weather data to its nationwide network of field offices and centers. After completing a major modernization program in the 1990s, NWS is seeking to u... |
The basic process by which all federal agencies typically develop and issue regulations is set forth in the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), and is generally known as the rulemaking process. Rulemaking at most regulatory agencies follows the APA’s informal rulemaking process, also known as “notice and comment” rulem... | This testimony discusses the challenges the Department of Labors (Labor) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) faces in developing and issuing safety and health standards. Workplace safety and health standards are designed to help protect over 130 million public and private sector workers from hazards a... |
Federal funding for highways is provided to the states mostly through a series of grant programs collectively known as the Federal-Aid Highway Program. Periodically, Congress enacts multiyear legislation that authorizes the nation’s surface transportation programs. In 2005, Congress enacted SAFETEA-LU, which authorized... | Federal funding for highways is provided to the states mostly through a series of grant programs known as the Federal-Aid Highway Program, administered by the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Lega... |
DHS has begun to take action to work with other agencies to identify facilities that are required to report their chemical holdings to DHS but may not have done so. The first step of the CFATS process is focused on identifying facilities that might be required to participate in the program. The CFATS rule was published... | Facilities that produce, store, or use hazardous chemicals could be of interest to terrorists intent on using toxic chemicals to inflict mass casualties in the United States. As required by statute, DHS issued regulations establishing standards for the security of these facilities. DHS established the CFATS program to ... |
The FCS concept is part of a pervasive change to what the Army refers to as the Future Force. The Army is reorganizing its current forces into modular brigade combat teams, meaning troops can be deployed on different rotational cycles as a single team or as a cluster of teams. The Future Force is designed to transform ... | The Future Combat System (FCS) is a networked family of weapons and other systems in the forefront of efforts by the Army to become a lighter, more agile, and more capable combat force. When considering complementary programs, projected investment costs for FCS are estimated to be on the order of $200 billion. FCS's co... |
In addition to the 50-50 requirement in 10 U.S.C. § 2466, the following provisions directly affect the reporting of workload funding allocations to the public and private sectors: Section 2460(a) of Title 10 defines “depot-level maintenance and repair” as material maintenance or repair requiring the overhaul, upgrading... | Under 10 U.S.C. 2466, the military departments and defense agencies may use no more than 50 percent of annual depot maintenance funding for work performed by private-sector contractors. The Department of Defense (DOD) must submit a report to Congress annually on the allocation of depot maintenance funding between the p... |
According to information contained in the mandate for this report, the number of WOSBs in the United States increased by 78 percent between 1987 and 1996, almost twice the rate of growth of all U.S. businesses. Also, approximately 8 million WOSBs in the United States provide jobs for over 15 million individuals and gen... | Procurement regulations implemented in 1996 mandated that women-owned small businesses (WOSB) receive five percent of governmentwide contracts. Although the number of contracts awarded to WOSBs has risen more than four times as fast as other federal contracting efforts since 1996, the goal of awarding five percent of f... |
Economic growth is one of the indicators by which the well-being of the nation is typically measured, although recent discussions have focused on a broader set of indicators, such as poverty. Poverty in the United States is officially measured by the Census Bureau, which calculates the number of persons or households l... | In 2005, 37 million people, approximately 13 percent of the total population, lived below the poverty line, as defined by the Census Bureau. Poverty imposes costs on the nation in terms of both programmatic outlays and productivity losses that can affect the economy as a whole. To better understand the potential range ... |
The A-10 is a single seat fixed-wing platform specifically designed for close air support and defeating enemy armor. According to the Air Force, this fourth generation fighter achieved its initial operational capability in 1977, but the aircraft has received many upgrades since that time, including a major modernizatio... | DOD faces difficult decisions on how to best balance current demands and future needs within fiscal constraints. Decisions regarding the A-10 aircraft exemplify the difficulty. In the fiscal year 2015 budget request, DOD and the Air Force prioritized modern multi-role aircraft and proposed divesting the A-10 fleet, but... |
DOD’s Real Property Management Program is governed by statute and by DOD guidance documents that establish accountability for real property and requirements for financial reporting. These laws and guidance documents require DOD and the military departments to maintain certain data elements about their facilities to ens... | Overreliance on costly leasing is one of the major reasons that federal real property management remains on GAO's high-risk list. GAO's prior work has shown that owning buildings often costs less than operating leases, especially where there are long-term needs for space. House Report 113-102 included a provision that ... |
The dramatic expansion in computer interconnectivity and the rapid increase in the use of the Internet are changing the way our government, the nation, and much of the world communicate and conduct business. Because of the concern about attacks from individuals and groups, protecting the computer systems that support c... | The Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) mission is, in part, to provide food, fuel, medical supplies, clothing, spare parts for weapon systems, and construction materials to sustain military operations and combat readiness. To protect the information and information systems that support its mission, it is critical that DL... |
The nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile remains a cornerstone of U.S. national security policy. As a result of changes in arms control, arms reduction, and nonproliferation policies, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1994 required that DOE develop a science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program to mai... | As a separately organized agency within the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) administers the Stockpile Life Extension Program, whose purpose is to extend, through refurbishment, the operational lives of the weapons in the nuclear stockpile. NNSA encountered significant managemen... |
MCC is managed by a chief executive officer (CEO), appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, and is overseen by a Board of Directors. The Secretary of State serves as board chair and the Secretary of the Treasury serves as vice-chair. MCC’s model is based on a set of core principles deemed e... | MCC was established in 2004 to help developing countries reduce poverty and stimulate economic growth through multiyear compact agreements. As of June 2012, MCC had signed 26 compacts totaling about $9.3 billion in assistance. Seven compacts, including those with Georgia and Benin, closed in 2010 or 2011. Most had a tr... |
Global exports of defense equipment have decreased significantly since the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s. Major arms producing countries, such as the United States and those in Western Europe, have reduced their procurement of defense equipment by about one-quarter of 1986 levels based on constant dollars. Over... | GAO reviewed the changes that have taken place in the European defense market over the past 5 years, focusing on: (1) what actions European governments and industry have taken to unify the European defense market; (2) how key European countries' defense procurement practices have affected U.S. defense companies' abilit... |
The CDC’s National Immunization Program provides grants to states and 28 urban IAP areas for the purpose of controlling vaccine-preventable diseases. The Congress made available at least $142 million for these grants in fiscal 1995. The portion of these funds received by a particular grantee is based largely upon the a... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO assessed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Immunization Survey (NIS), focusing on: (1) survey costs; (2) survey methods; and (3) use in identifying groups of children in need of more timely immunization. GAO found that: (1) CDC designed NIS for moni... |
VA’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) has overall responsibility for the verification program. OSDBU’s Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) maintains the mandated database of verified SDVOSBs and VOSBs and is responsible for verification operations, such as application processing. ... | VA must give contracting preferences to service-disabled and other veteran-owned small businesses and verify the ownership and control of firms seeking such preferences. GAO found in 2013 ( GAO-13-95 ) that VA faced challenges in verifying firms on a timely and consistent basis, developing and implementing long-term st... |
AOC and its contractors have continued to make progress on the project since the Subcommittee’s July 14 hearing. However, mostly because some key activities associated with the HVAC and fire protection systems were not included in earlier schedules and because delays occurred in installing stonework and excavating the ... | This testimony discusses progress on the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) project. Our remarks will focus on (1) the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) progress in managing the project's schedule since the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, Senate Committee on Appropriations' July 14 hearing on the project; (2) our esti... |
Mobilization is the process of assembling and organizing personnel and equipment, activating or federalizing the reserve component, and bringing the armed forces to a state of readiness for war or other national emergency. It is a complex undertaking that requires constant and precise coordination among a number of com... | On September 14, 2001, President Bush proclaimed that a national emergency existed by reason of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Under section 12302 of title 10, United States Code, the President is allowed to call up to 1 million National Guard and Reserve members to active duty for up to 2 years. GAO was as... |
Under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, is authorized to designate an organization as an FTO. For State to designate an organization as an FTO, the Secretary of State must find that the org... | The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, has the authority to designate a foreign organization as an FTO. Designation allows the United States to impose legal consequences on the FTO or on individuals who support the FTO. As of June 1, 2015, 59 organizations w... |
USMS operations cover five broad mission areas, including prisoner security and transportation, which is overseen by its Prisoner Operations Division (POD). The POD at USMS headquarters is responsible for managing the prison-related expenses, developing policy for district personnel when conducting prisoner-related ope... | The Department of Justice's (DOJ) USMS is responsible for managing more than 50,000 federal prisoners during criminal proceedings until their acquittal or their conviction and transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to serve their sentence. USMS provides housing, clothing, food, transportation, and medical care. The ... |
FFMIA is part of a series of management reform legislation passed by Congress over the past two decades. This series of legislation started with the Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (FMFIA), which Congress passed to strengthen internal controls and accounting systems throughout the federal government, ... | The ability to produce the data needed to efficiently and effectively manage the day-to-day operations of the federal government and provide accountability to taxpayers continues to be a challenge for most federal agencies. To help address this challenge, the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act of 1996 (FFMIA)... |
The Forest Service, within the Department of Agriculture, manages for multiple uses 191 million acres of national forests and grasslands under a wide and complex set of laws and regulations. For fiscal year 1993, the Forest Service reported selling 4.5 billion board feet of timber from the lands for a total bid value o... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on timber sales in five national forests between 1991 and 1993, focusing on: (1) whether the Forest Service met its allowable sale quantity (ASQ) for the five forests; and (2) why the quantity of timber sold from the national forests was sometimes substantia... |
DHS is the lead department involved in securing our nation’s homeland. Its mission includes, among other things, leading the unified national effort to secure the United States, preventing and deterring terrorist attacks, and protecting against and responding to threats and hazards to the nation. As part of its mission... | The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for coordinating the federal government's homeland security communications with all levels of government, the private sector, and the public. In support of its mission, the department has deployed a Web-based information-sharing application--the Homeland Security... |
The term “STEM education” refers to teaching and learning in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It includes educational activities across all grade levels—from pre-school to post- doctorate—in both formal (e.g., classrooms) and informal (e.g., afterschool programs) settings. In 2012, we re... | Federal STEM education programs help enhance the nation's global competitiveness by preparing students for STEM careers. Researchers disagree about whether there are enough STEM workers to meet employer demand. GAO was asked to study the extent to which STEM education programs are aligned with workforce needs. GAO exam... |
Air traffic controllers monitor and direct traffic in a designated volume of airspace called a sector. Each sector requires a separate channel assignment for controllers to communicate with aircraft flying in that sector. As the amount of air traffic grows, the need for additional sectors and channel assignments also i... | The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides air-ground voice and data communications for pilots and air traffic controllers to safely coordinate all flight operations, ground movement of aircraft at airports, and in-flight separation distances between aircraft. However, the anticipated growth in air traffic, cou... |
PRWORA ended AFDC, which provided states with federal funds to share states’ costs for monthly cash assistance to eligible low-income families, and created TANF. Congress has provided states with $16.5 billion per year in fixed federal TANF funding to cover cash benefits, administrative expenses, and services primarily... | The TANF block grant, created as part of the 1996 welfare reforms, gives states flexibility to make key decisions about how to allocate funds to provide services to low-income families. The number of families receiving cash assistance declined by over half within the first 5 years of TANF, and states shifted their TANF... |
In December 1991, after more than 70 years of Communist rule, the Soviet Union came to an abrupt end, and the 12 new independent states emerging from the breakup started their transition to market-based democracies (see fig. 1 for a map of the 12 states). According to a 1993 study prepared for the U.S. Agency for Inter... | For fiscal years 1992 through 2000, the U.S. government provided assistance to help the 12 newly independent states of the former Soviet Union develop the sustainable institutions, traditions, and legal foundations that ensure a strong rule of law. This report (1) assesses the extent to which the program has had an imp... |
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.