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To obtain information on the number and kinds of issues identified by the FSCPE and bureau analysts and to determine how the bureau used the information developed during the Full Count Review program, we analyzed the work papers submitted by FSCPE members and other participants in the Full Count Review program. We also... | To ensure the completeness and accuracy of the 2000 census data, Bureau of the Census analysts were to identify, investigate, and document suspected data discrepancies or issues to clear census data files and products for subsequent processing or public release. They were to determine whether and how to correct the dat... |
Over the past several decades, sustainable energy and environmental issues have gained an increasing level of attention in international humanitarian and development assistance, as countries have tried to integrate poverty reduction and economic growth initiatives with a shared concern for the global environment. This ... | One in five people worldwide lack access to electricity. This is among the many challenges that financial institutions face when providing assistance to lower-income countries in order to promote economic and social development. Access to modern energy sources has the potential to substantially increase worldwide econo... |
Antibiotics are substances that destroy microorganisms or inhibit their growth; they have been used for 70 years to treat people who have bacterial infections. In this report, the term antibiotic is used to refer to any substance used to kill or inhibit microorganisms, also sometimes referred to as an antimicrobial. Re... | Antibiotics have saved millions of lives, but antibiotic use in food animals contributes to the emergence of resistant bacteria that may affect humans. The Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) are primarily responsible for ensuring food safety. GAO reviewed the issue in 2004 and recomme... |
Continuing a legislative effort that began in the 107th Congress, House and Senate confereeson November 17, 2003, reached agreement on an omnibus energy bill ( H.R. 6 , H.Rept.108-375 ), which would be the first comprehensive energy legislation in more than 10 years. OnNovember 18, the House approved the conference rep... | House and Senate conferees approved an omnibus energy bill ( H.R. 6 , H.Rept.108-375 ) on November 17, 2003, and the House approved the measure the following day (246-180).However, on November 21, 2003, a cloture motion to limit Senate debate on the conference reportfailed (57-40). On February 12, 2004, Senator Domenic... |
Congress continues to focus attention upon both medical innovation and the growing cost of health care. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, addresses each of these concerns. Through amendments to both the patent law and the food and drug law, the H... | Congress has for many years expressed interest in both medical innovation and the growing cost of health care. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, commonly known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, addressed each of these concerns. Through amendments to both the patent law and the food and drug law... |
BIA administers funding for the operation, maintenance, construction, and repair of school facilities at 171 elementary and secondary schools in 23 states. These schools are located primarily in rural areas and small towns and serve Indian students living on or near reservations. Many of these schools include not only ... | The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is responsible for providing over 48,000 children with a safe place to learn. In response to concerns that data in its old information system did not accurately reflect the condition of facilities, BIA acquired a new system, called the Facilities Management Information System (FMIS). ... |
Over the past five decades, mandatory spending has grown as a share of the total federal budget. For example, figure 1 shows that outlays from mandatory programs rose from approximately 49 percent of total federal spending in 1994 to about 54 percent in 2004, and to 60 percent in 2014. This growth is projected to conti... | In fiscal year 2014, federal agencies implemented the second consecutive year of sequestration reductions to mandatory spending, which are scheduled through fiscal year 2025. GAO was asked to review the implementation of sequestration on mandatory accounts and any related effects. This report examines 1) the designatio... |
As part of our data gathering efforts, we identified knowledgeable officials from selected federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies that had provided research funding for the Brain Fingerprinting technique, had explored use of the technique, or had engaged in related or direct research. Specifically, we spoke ... | Federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies are seeking to add new techniques to their arsenal of investigative tools. "Brain fingerprinting" measures brain wave responses to determine whether an individual recognizes certain details of an event or activity. Because the technique requires specific information abo... |
If IRS’s budget request is approved, IRS will have more than 3,400 staff years that can be assigned to new or existing activities in fiscal year 2003. These include the 1,179 additional staff years requested in the budget and the 2,287 staff years that IRS determined could be redirected elsewhere in the organization du... | This testimony discusses the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) fiscal year 2003 budget request for the 2002 tax filing season. GAO found that IRS's plans for hiring and redirecting staff may be optimistic because budgets are prepared so far in advance of the fiscal year involved. IRS assumed (1) labor and nonlabor savings... |
Federal government agencies and programs work to accomplish widely varying missions. These agencies and programs use a number of public policy approaches, including federal spending,tax laws, tax expenditures, (1) and regulation. (2) In FY2004, estimated federal spending was $2.3 trillion,and taxexpenditures totaled ap... | Federal government agencies and programs work to accomplish widely varying missions. These agencies and programs employ a number of public policy approaches, including federalspending, tax laws, tax expenditures, and regulation. Given the scope and complexity of theseefforts, it is understandable that citizens, their e... |
Advances in telecommunications technology have the potential to provide new and improved services to people no matter where they live. For example, students in rural areas of Iowa are being taught Russian, music, and calculus by teachers in distant urban centers through two-way video communications. North Carolina has ... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on three states' initiatives to promote increased access and private investment in advanced telecommunications. GAO found that: (1) Iowa, Nebraska, and North Carolina encouraged telephone companies to make private investment in advanced telecommunications in... |
While IT can enrich people’s lives and improve organizational performance, we have previously reported that federal IT projects too frequently incur cost overruns and schedule slippages while contributing little to mission-related outcomes. For example, in July 2013, we testified that the federal government continued t... | OMB launched the Dashboard in June 2009 as a public Web site that reports performance for major IT investments--on which the federal government plans to invest over $38 billion in fiscal year 2014. The Dashboard is to provide transparency for these investments and to facilitate public monitoring of them. After its laun... |
Congress, Presidents, and executive branch agencies create federal advisory committees to gain expertise and policy advice from individuals outside the federal government. Federal advisory committees have historically been created on an ad hoc, provisional basis and are created to bring together various experts—often w... | Federal advisory committees—which may be designated as commissions, councils, or task forces—are created as provisional advisory bodies to collect viewpoints on various policy issues. Advisory bodies have been created to address a host of issues and can help the government manage and solve complex or divisive issues. C... |
The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations subcommittees are charged with drafting bills to provide annual appropriations for the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and related agencies. Typically, these bills are rep... | The House and Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) appropriations subcommittees are charged with providing annual appropriations for the Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and related agencies. The HUD budget generally acco... |
VA’s mission is to promote the health, welfare, and dignity of all veterans in recognition of their service to the nation by ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, social support, and lasting memorials. It is the second largest federal department and, in addition to its central office located in Washington,... | VA relies on IT to meet its mission and effectively serve the nation's veterans. Over the past several years, the department has expended billions of dollars to manage and modernize its information systems. However, VA has experienced challenges in managing its IT, raising questions about the effectiveness of its IT op... |
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) provides a statutory framework by which government agencies may, when gathering foreign intelligence for an investigation, obtain authorization to conduct electronic surveillance or physical searches, utilize pen registers and trap and trace devices, or access specified ... | Two amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) were enacted as part of the USA PATRIOT Act. Section 206 of the USA PATRIOT Act amended FISA to permit multipoint, or "roving," wiretaps by adding flexibility to the degree of specificity with which the location or facility subject to electronic surveil... |
An improper payment is any payment that should not have been made or that was made in an incorrect amount (including overpayments and underpayments) under statutory, contractual, administrative, or other legally applicable requirements. This definition includes any payment to an ineligible recipient, any payment for an... | CMS uses several types of claim review contractors to help reduce improper payments and protect the integrity of the Medicare program. CMS pays its contractors differently—the agency is required by law to pay RAs contingency fees from recovered overpayments, while other contractors are paid based on cost. Questions hav... |
The Constitution establishes that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and counsels, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for and wh... | Article II of the Constitution provides that the President "shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and counsels, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided... |
Medicaid enrollees across various eligibility categories may have access to private health insurance for a number of reasons. For example, some adults may be covered by employer-sponsored private health insurance even though they also qualify for Medicaid. Children similarly may be eligible for Medicaid while also bein... | In fiscal year 2013, Medicaid—jointly financed by states and the federal government—provided health care coverage to over 70 million individuals at a total cost of about $460 billion. Congress generally established Medicaid as the health care payer of last resort, meaning that if enrollees have another source of health... |
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95 ), specifies the requirements for the state assessments that states must incorporate into their state accountability systems to receive funding under Title I-A. Title I-A of the ESEA authorizes aid to loca... | The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95), specifies the requirements for assessments that states must incorporate into their state accountability systems to receive funding under Title I-A. While many of the assessment requirements of the ESEA h... |
The United States is unusual among contemporary presidential republics by providing for the indirect election of its President and Vice President. Election of these two officers by a group of electors, known collectively as the electoral college, was established in Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution. The st... | The electoral college method of electing the President and Vice President was established in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution and revised by the Twelfth Amendment. It provides for election of the President and Vice President by electors, commonly referred to as the electoral college. A majority of 270 of the 5... |
The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) defeated the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in August 30, 2009 elections for the Lower House of parliament. The DPJ won 308 seats, compared to 119 for the LDP in the 480-seat Lower House chamber (see Figure 1 below). The DPJ is now the main ruling party, in coalition with at l... | In a historic landslide victory, on August 30, 2009, Japan's largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), ousted the main ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in elections for control over Japan's Lower House of parliament. The LDP has had almost continuous control of the Japanese governm... |
The congressional “power of the purse” refers to the power of Congress to appropriate funds and to prescribe the conditions governing the use of those funds. Congress exercises this power by providing budget authority, which is authority provided by federal law to enter into financial obligations that will result in im... | DOJ is composed of approximately 40 components that carry out its activities and functions. The majority of DOJ’s budget authority is provided through annual appropriations, but, in some cases, DOJ has the ability to fund its programs by using money it collects through alternative sources, such as fines, fees, and pena... |
Federal excess and underutilized property is an ongoing challenge facing the government due in part to unreliable data. In June 2012, we found that the FRPC did not ensure that key data elements—including buildings’ utilization, condition, annual operating costs, mission dependency, and value—were defined and reported ... | The federal real property portfolio, comprising approximately 900,000 buildings and structures and worth billions of dollars, presents several key management challenges. GAO has designated federal real property management as a high risk issue since 2003 due to long-standing challenges including unreliable data on this ... |
The Navy procured 18 Ohio (SSBN-726) class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) between FY1974 and FY1991 to serve as part of the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent force. They are commonly called Trident submarines because they carry Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The first Triden... | The FY2006 budget completed the funding required in the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy (SCN) account for the Navy's program to refuel and convert four Trident ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) into cruise-missile-carrying and special operations forces (SOF) support submarines (SSGNs). Initial Operational Capabili... |
In fiscal year 1993, GAO made over 1,600 recommendations. This report includes summaries highlighting the impact of GAO’s work and information on the status of all GAO recommendations that have not been fully implemented. This information should help congressional and agency leaders prepare for upcoming appropriations ... | GAO reported on the conclusions and recommendations resulting from its audits and other reviews of federal departments and agencies. Information is presented on recommendations in the areas of national security, international affairs, natural resources, economic development, human resource management, justice, general ... |
The Summer Food Service Program is a federal entitlement program that provides funds for program sponsors to serve free, nutritious meals to low-income children when school is not in session. It is administered by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, which provides money to state agencies to operate the program and to re... | Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reported on the changes made to the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Summer Food Service Program, focusing on the: (1) effects these changes had on the number of sponsors and children participating in the program in 1997; and (2) potential effect of the reduced subsidies for t... |
T he Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148 , as amended) expanded insurance coverage in the United States through its "shared responsibility" provisions: Employers either provide health coverage or face potential employer tax penalties; likewise, individuals purchase health coverage or face pote... | The Affordable Care Act (ACA) creates shared responsibilities for both employers and individuals with regard to health insurance coverage. The ACA expands federal private health insurance market requirements and requires the creation of health insurance exchanges to provide individuals and small employers with access t... |
Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( P.L. 93-288 ) there are two principal forms of presidential action to authorize federal supplemental assistance: emergency declarations and major disaster declarations. Emergency declarations are made to protect property and public health and s... | The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (referred to as the Stafford Act—42 U.S.C. 5721 et seq.) authorizes the President to issue "major disaster" or "emergency" declarations before or after catastrophes occur. Emergency declarations trigger aid that protects property, public health, and sa... |
The European Union (EU) is a unique political and economic partnership that currently consists of 28 member states (see the map in the Appendix ). Built through a series of binding treaties, the Union is the latest stage in a process of integration begun after World War II to promote peace and economic recovery in Euro... | The European Union (EU) is a political and economic partnership that represents a unique form of cooperation among sovereign countries. The EU is the latest stage in a process of integration begun after World War II, initially by six Western European countries, to foster interdependence and make another war in Europe u... |
Congress appropriates operations and maintenance funds for DOD, in part, for the purchase of spare and repair parts. DOD distributes operations and maintenance funding to major commands and military units. The latter use operations and maintenance funding to buy spare parts from the Department’s central supply system. ... | GAO was asked by the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify ways to improve DOD's availability of high-quality spare parts for aircraft, ships, vehicles, and weapons systems. DOD's recent reports do not provide an accurate and complete picture of spare parts funding as required by financial management regulation. As a... |
In 1988, Congress enacted the Military Whistleblower Protection Act to provide protection to servicemembers who report wrongdoing within DOD. According to DOD policy, a military whistleblower is a servicemember who makes, prepares to make, or is perceived as making or preparing to make a protected communication—that is... | Whistleblowers play an important role in safeguarding the federal government against waste, fraud, and abuse. However, reporting wrongdoing outside the chain of command conflicts with military guidance, which emphasizes using the chain of command to resolve problems. Whistleblowers who make a report risk reprisal from ... |
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