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This report provides background information and issues for Congress on multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC), which are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or defa... | [
"Multiyear procurement (MYP) and block buy contracting (BBC) are special contracting mechanisms that Congress permits the Department of Defense (DOD) to use for a limited number of defense acquisition programs. Compared to the standard or default approach of annual contracting, MYP and BBC have the potential for re... | 8,537 | gov_report | en | null | 4bd6930b3b65caf89aa127d679a80294f31f9cfa7cdab703 | |
The inventories of the selected Air Force and Navy fixed-wing aircraft in our review totaled 2,823 aircraft and required approximately $20 billion to operate and support in fiscal year 2016. The inventory, aircraft status, initial operational capability, and service life forecast for each of the 12 selected fixed-wing ... | [
"DOD spends billions of dollars annually to sustain its weapon systems to support current and future operations. The Air Force and Navy are operating many of their fixed-wing aircraft well beyond their original designed service lives and therefore are confronted with sustainment challenges. House Report 114-537 inc... | 12,207 | gov_report | en | null | e6030e255f6b8c70f7b3c9faf0320d4f7729b4eddacf727f | |
As reported by the United Nations, the International Criminal Police Organization, and other organizations, wildlife trafficking networks span the globe. These organizations have attempted to measure the value of illegally traded wildlife, but available estimates are subject to uncertainty. In 2016, for example, the Un... | [
"Wildlife trafficking—the poaching and illegal trade of plants, fish, and wildlife—is a multibillion-dollar, global criminal activity that imperils thousands of species. FWS and NOAA enforce laws prohibiting wildlife trafficking that authorize the agencies to pay financial rewards for information about such illegal... | 8,129 | gov_report | en | null | cbc3f7193f9fa873108c6ccc73a558eb1d2a97b249a1f930 | |
Cross-border data flows underlie today's globally connected world and are essential to conducting international trade and commerce. Data flows enable companies to transmit information for online communication, track global supply chains, share research, and provide cross-border services. One study estimates that digita... | [
"\"Cross-border data flows\" refers to the movement or transfer of information between computer servers across national borders. Such data flows enable people to transmit information for online communication, track global supply chains, share research, provide cross-border services, and support technological innova... | 7,088 | gov_report | en | null | 1b6b47fa851187e2eb91a700bfab672580beef5a1671dd5c | |
The federal government supports the development of airport infrastructure in three different ways. First, the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides federal grants to airports for planning and development, mainly of capital projects related to aircraft operations such as runways and taxiways. Second, Congress has a... | [
"There are five major sources of airport capital development funding: the federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP); local passenger facility charges (PFCs) imposed pursuant to federal law; tax-exempt bonds; state and local grants; and airport operating revenue from tenant lease and other revenue-generating activit... | 9,366 | gov_report | en | null | 14fff932d702f49ba8037e3853528f5c24952fea97e12075 | |
DOD’s MILCON appropriations are used to fund the acquisition, construction, installation, and equipping of temporary or permanent public works, military installations, facilities, and real property needed to support U.S. military forces in the United States and overseas. As with other DOD activities, no funds may be ap... | [
"Between fiscal years 2005 and 2016, Congress annually appropriated between $2.5 to $9.6 billion in MILCON funding for the active component of the U.S. military to use for projects worldwide. Reliable project construction cost estimates are of great importance, since those estimates drive these appropriations. Hous... | 6,142 | gov_report | en | null | cde0dd328fcfff44d9709e0e3b6e07100b1d23ebc8208f78 | |
To participate in federal student aid programs, postsecondary schools must be 1) certified by Education as eligible to participate in federal student aid programs, 2) accredited by a recognized accrediting agency— generally nongovernmental, nonprofit entities—and 3) authorized by the state in which the school is physic... | [
"Education provided over $122 billion in grants, loans and work study funds to help students pay for college at about 6,000 schools in fiscal year 2017. Education is responsible for certifying that these schools are eligible for and capable of properly administering federal student aid funds. Schools are required t... | 3,366 | gov_report | en | null | 81e845f35acd55c1f6b4edda428a0a52fd22bade5be9cf13 | |
Cybersecurity incidents continue to impact federal entities and the information they maintain. According to OMB’s 2018 annual FISMA report to Congress, agencies reported 35,277 information security incidents to DHS’s U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) in fiscal year 2017. As shown in figure 1, these incid... | [
"Federal agencies are dependent on information systems to carry out operations. The risks to these systems are increasing as security threats evolve and become more sophisticated. To reduce the risk of a successful cyberattack, agencies can deploy intrusion detection and prevention capabilities on their networks an... | 12,551 | gov_report | en | null | a6d311b6722cdf0fd1e95f07371162c59183a53db1fc5f62 | |
Since 1993, USAID has obligated more than $5 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, primarily using funds appropriated through the ESF. According to State officials, through the ESF, USAID provides project assistance and debt relief payments to PA creditors. USAID, with overall f... | [
"Since 1993, the U.S. government has committed more than $5 billion in bilateral assistance to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. According to the Department of State, this assistance to the Palestinians promotes U.S. economic and political foreign policy interests by supporting Middle East peace negotiati... | 3,091 | gov_report | en | null | 6f6b6187fc270471899d0ce86ec305328fcee442361be864 | |
Congressional interest in small business access to capital has increased in recent years because of concerns that small businesses might be prevented from accessing sufficient capital to enable them to start, continue, or expand operations and create jobs. Small businesses have played an important role in net job growt... | [
"Congressional interest in small business access to capital has increased in recent years because of concerns that small businesses might be prevented from accessing sufficient capital to enable them to start, continue, or expand operations and create jobs. Some have argued that the federal government should provid... | 11,426 | gov_report | en | null | 717196b201b32c40650297b1168ac3e629cdae29538b8cd4 | |
This report presents background information and issues for Congress concerning the Navy's force structure and shipbuilding plans. The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters fo... | [
"The current and planned size and composition of the Navy, the rate of Navy ship procurement, and the prospective affordability of the Navy's shipbuilding plans have been oversight matters for the congressional defense committees for many years. On December 15, 2016, the Navy released a force-structure goal that ca... | 14,630 | gov_report | en | null | a6b66279eee0135505b08462e35738e68080a9214e36f710 | |
Under SBA’s 7(a) loan program, SBA guarantees loans made by commercial lenders to small businesses for working capital and other general business purposes. These lenders are mostly banks, but some are non-bank lenders, including small business lending companies— lenders whose lending activities are not subject to regul... | [
"SBA's 7(a) program is required to serve creditworthy small business borrowers who cannot obtain credit through a conventional lender at reasonable terms. The Joint Explanatory Statement of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 includes a provision for GAO to review the 7(a) program. This report discusses, amon... | 8,215 | gov_report | en | null | 0a835927d5d2333bd2525d5f599e81781d951896cc64ad49 | |
Concerned that the federal government was more focused on program activities and processes than the results to be achieved, Congress passed the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA). GPRA sought to focus federal agencies on performance by requiring agencies to develop long-term and annual goals, and mea... | [
"To reform the federal government and make it more efficient and effective, agencies need to use data about program performance. The benefit of collecting performance information is only fully realized when it is used by managers to make decisions aimed at improving results. GAO was asked to review agencies' use of... | 8,501 | gov_report | en | null | 7a1cc68b12da91958bd7ebe2c25c69bae3cf95aee04b5e52 | |
Implementing Telework: The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (the Act) establishes telework implementation requirements for agencies, including, for example, that each agency designate a Telework Managing Officer and that each agency incorporate telework into its continuity of operations plans. The Act does not mention ... | [
"Federal agencies are exploring ways to use telework as a tool to reduce the federal footprint and use space more efficiently. GAO was asked to examine the effects of telework on agencies' space-planning efforts. In this report, GAO reviewed: (1) how the 23 civilian CFO Act agencies reported using telework in offic... | 6,903 | gov_report | en | null | 780de001e250947c102e770515de8b924ff9ee35597b7533 | |
IT systems supporting federal agencies and our nation’s critical infrastructures are inherently at risk. These systems are highly complex and dynamic, technologically diverse, and often geographically dispersed. This complexity increases the difficulty in identifying, managing, and protecting the numerous operating sys... | [
"Federal agencies and the nation's critical infrastructures—such as energy, transportation systems, communications, and financial services—are dependent on information technology systems to carry out operations. The security of these systems and the data they use is vital to public confidence and national security,... | 14,863 | gov_report | en | null | 4cb713e43fe0e8e6185cec6d49636297caf933ab15697ef8 | |
With the passage of the NDAA in December 2016, PLCY is to be led by an Under Secretary for Strategy, Policy, and Plans, who is appointed by the President with advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Secretary is to report directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Prior to the NDAA, the office was headed by an... | [
"GAO has designated DHS management as high risk because of challenges in building a cohesive department. PLCY supports cohesiveness by, among other things, coordinating departmentwide policy and strategy. In the past, however, questions have been raised about PLCY's efficacy. In December 2016, the NDAA codified PLC... | 6,229 | gov_report | en | null | eaf2acd9c4a757fefc0b0933bd274cccefa900eb9790f6aa | |
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), as amended, establishes the process for states or tribal entities to request a presidential disaster declaration. The act also generally defines the federal government’s role during the response and recovery after a disaster and establi... | [
"FEMA's IA program provides help to individuals to meet their immediate needs after a disaster, such as shelter and medical expenses. When a state, U.S. territory, or tribe requests IA assistance through a federal disaster declaration, FEMA evaluates the request against regulatory factors, such as concentration of ... | 4,428 | gov_report | en | null | caf5073d724df260e53ec2cab2e8cc627e97c0f93798cdba | |
The Forest Service’s mission includes sustaining the nation’s forests and grasslands; managing the productivity of those lands for the benefit of citizens; conserving open space; enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities; and conducting research and development in the biological, physical, and social sciences. The age... | [
"The Forest Service, an agency within USDA, performs a variety of tasks as steward of 193 million acres of public forests and grasslands. Its budget execution process for carrying out its mission includes (1) allotments, which are authorizations by an agency to incur obligations within a specified amount, and (2) u... | 8,760 | gov_report | en | null | 7decb8feac7c313ba51e5813869dc0723e029c13c3a6aed1 | |
Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution provides that the President shall appoint officers of the United States "by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate." The method by which the Senate provides advice and consent on presidential nominations, referred to broadly as the confirmation process, serves several p... | [
"Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution provides that the President shall appoint officers of the United States \"by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.\" This report describes the process by which the Senate provides advice and consent on presidential nominations, including receipt and referral of n... | 5,595 | gov_report | en | null | df430577a7eaa9e6745391a4fe8c576cac1cad10fde42515 | |
The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) requires that private-sector firms provide workers' compensation coverage for their employees engaged in longshore, harbor, or other maritime occupations on or adjacent to the navigable waters of the United States. Although the LHWCA program is administered by ... | [
"The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal workers' compensation program that covers certain private-sector maritime workers. Firms that employ these workers are required to purchase workers' compensation or self-insure and are responsible for providing medical and disability benefits ... | 3,317 | gov_report | en | null | 16ff170b05fee2ae75fd88537151adb7172c5aee0b809511 | |
This report describes and analyzes annual appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for FY2019. It compares the enacted FY2018 appropriations for DHS, the Donald J. Trump Administration's FY2019 budget request, and the appropriations measures developed and considered by Congress in response to it. Th... | [
"This report provides an overview and analysis of FY2019 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary focus of this report is on congressional direction and funding provided to DHS through the appropriations process. It includes an Appendix with definitions of key budget terms used thro... | 5,686 | gov_report | en | null | 3f0558c30e60591ddf9f0e401f8c86c7e1b5be72c90ba50a | |
The last several years have seen renewed debate over the role that race plays in higher education—a debate over "affirmative action." A high-profile lawsuit challenging Harvard University's consideration of race in admitting its incoming classes, and the recent withdrawal of Obama Administration-era guidance addressing... | [
"When federal courts have analyzed and addressed \"affirmative action\" in higher education, they have done so in two distinct but related senses, both under the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of \"equal protection.\" The first has its roots in the original sense of \"affirmative action:\" the mandatory use of ra... | 12,474 | gov_report | en | null | 96b798b0de90fbfdfec8755d41a218bde7e0439dd5a8bc98 | |
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by WIOA, authorizes a number of grant programs to support employment and independent living for persons with disabilities, including the State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program. This program is the primary federal government effort to help individ... | [
"WIOA requires states to reserve at least 15 percent of their total State Vocational Rehabilitation Services program funds to provide pre-employment transition services to help students with disabilities transition from school to work. GAO was asked to review how states were implementing these services. This report... | 9,550 | gov_report | en | null | c325a40777333d0e9c79489ab40a509f45e261d2054ea3d7 | |
Medicare is a federal program that pays for covered health care services of qualified beneficiaries. It was established in 1965 under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide health insurance to individuals 65 and older, and has been expanded over the years to include permanently disabled individuals under 65.... | [
"Medicare is a federal program that pays for covered health care services of qualified beneficiaries. It was established in 1965 under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide health insurance to individuals 65 and older, and has been expanded over the years to include permanently disabled individuals unde... | 13,111 | gov_report | en | null | 41203c9bcb9e82d6bfa289c0641ca1ef08073d52ceeec7f5 | |
U.S. foreign aid is the largest component of the international affairs budget, for decades viewed by many as an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy. Each year, the foreign aid budget is the subject of congressional debate over the size, composition, and purpose of the program. The focus of U.S. foreign aid poli... | [
"Foreign assistance is the largest component of the international affairs budget and is viewed by many as an essential instrument of U.S. foreign policy. On the basis of national security, commercial, and humanitarian rationales, U.S. assistance flows through many federal agencies and supports myriad objectives. Th... | 9,677 | gov_report | en | null | 499063cd2175dac8478f1c5c767a53c7dfc5fc13747b4be5 | |
Since its founding in 2006, the National Popular Vote (NPV) initiative has promoted an agreement among the states, an interstate compact that would effectively establish direct popular election of the President and Vice President without a constitutional amendment, while retaining the structure of the electoral college... | [
"The National Popular Vote (NPV) initiative proposes an agreement among the states, an interstate compact that would effectively achieve direct popular election of the President and Vice President without a constitutional amendment. It relies on the Constitution's grant of authority to the states in Article II, Sec... | 10,755 | gov_report | en | null | b685812d90230eb593103d16207df42759bc6e12af94148f | |
According to the President’s budget, the federal government plans to invest more than $96 billion for IT in fiscal year 2018—the largest amount ever budgeted. Despite such large IT expenditures, we have previously reported that investments in federal IT too often result in failed projects that incur cost overruns and s... | [
"The federal government plans to invest almost $96 billion in IT in fiscal year 2018. Historically, IT investments have too often failed or contributed little to mission-related outcomes. Further, increasingly sophisticated threats and frequent cyber incidents underscore the need for effective information security.... | 6,259 | gov_report | en | null | 490f14d293ac1c261a07bd50aeac2e86a9e76c726d7883a2 | |
Many Members of Congress became actively engaged in foreign policy debates over U.S. intervention in the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereafter, "Bosnia"). Congress monitored and at times challenged the Bush and Clinton Administrations' response to the conflict through numerous hearings, resolutions, and le... | [
"Bosnia and Herzegovina (hereafter, \"Bosnia\") drew heavily on U.S. support after gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1992. The United States helped end the Bosnian war (1992-1995), one of the most lethal conflicts in Europe since the Second World War, by leading NATO airstrikes against Bosnian Serb forces, br... | 8,598 | gov_report | en | null | f8113f184e34b1df24257645d9db41dbec8c2c4e6e4e7e1b | |
DOJ and its components, as well as the judiciary, play important roles in requesting and collecting restitution. DOJ and select components: Prosecutors in DOJ’s Criminal Division and the Criminal Divisions of the 94 USAOs are responsible for overseeing criminal matters, including identifying and notifying victims, dete... | [
"One of the goals of federal criminal restitution is to restore victims of federal crimes to the position they occupied before the crime was committed by providing compensation. Various entities within the federal government are involved in the process of requesting, ordering, and collecting restitution for crime v... | 8,541 | gov_report | en | null | b80f0f072c417b7475ceaee6fa5c2f708d36a7d31a2570a4 | |
Beginning the summer 2013 through 2016, there were numerous reports in the media on sexual assault incidents in the U.S. armed services. In many cases, such reports were followed by questions on what actions were taken by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Obama Administration, and Congress to address the issue. This... | [
"This report focuses on previous activity in Congress regarding high profile incidents of sexual assault in the military during the summer 2013 through 2016. Included are separate sections on the official responses related to these incidents by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Obama Administration, and Congress... | 12,479 | gov_report | en | null | 00dfb31b36bf405150303a6ef755b72997e486d594da1a10 | |
Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( P.L. 93-288 , hereinafter the Stafford Act) authorizes the President to "declare" a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). The current FMAG system was established by regulation in October of 2001. These grants provide federal assista... | [
"Section 420 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, hereinafter the Stafford Act) authorizes the President to \"declare\" a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). In the interest of saving time, the authority to make the declaration has been delegated to the Federal E... | 2,096 | gov_report | en | null | 526d812057ca29c7ad0e6b1e48a0fc3a63a2a4ecd914c4f8 | |
IHS was established within the Public Health Service in 1955 to provide health services to members of AI/AN tribes, primarily in rural areas on or near reservations. IHS provides these services directly through a network of hospitals, clinics and health stations, while also providing funds to tribally operated faciliti... | [
"IHS is charged with providing health care to AI/AN people who are members or descendants of 573 tribes. According to IHS, AI/AN people born today have a life expectancy that is 5.5 years less than all races in the United States, and they die at higher rates than other Americans from preventable causes. The ability... | 6,957 | gov_report | en | null | 0f6c000c1653bd9ad797ec6f7ab49051531cf0181ac1c572 | |
The Navy currently has 51 attack submarines—comprising 33 Los Angeles class, 3 Seawolf class, and 15 Virginia class submarines (see fig. 1). Attack submarines are homeported at bases in the United States: in New London, Connecticut; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Norfolk, Virginia; San Diego, California; and Bangor, Washington;... | [
"According to the Navy, its 51 attack submarines provide the United States an asymmetric advantage to gather intelligence undetected, attack enemy targets, and insert special forces, among others. These capabilities make attack submarines some of the most–requested assets by the global combatant commanders. GAO was... | 3,817 | gov_report | en | null | 63bfe4332c2b9854797561b506336d4a5f5b878b005b6b0b | |
This report provides background information and issues for Congress on the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, and gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. The issue for Congress is whether to a... | [
"The Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, gives Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. Under the FY2020 budget submission, the number of BMD-capable Navy Aegis ships is projected to increase from... | 6,599 | gov_report | en | null | 20b5876304722f112df8dc629cf778d75beae3ca7887d6fd | |
U.S. agencies perform a wide variety of activities that contribute to export promotion, and responsibility for these activities is widely dispersed. Some of the services these agencies provide are intended, at least in part, to assist U.S. companies in entering foreign markets or expanding their presence abroad. For ex... | [
"The World Health Organization estimates that tobacco use kills over 7 million people each year, more than tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and malaria combined. Since the 1990s, Congress has enacted restrictions regarding the use of certain appropriated funds to promote U.S. tobacco exports. GAO was asked to review the imp... | 5,128 | gov_report | en | null | 62d13b7a4d82174165aff7eb6ed3bd7b4cb0b87255a7173e | |
We found that from October 2013 through March 2017, the five selected VA medical centers required reviews of a total of 148 providers’ clinical care after concerns were raised about their care, but officials at these medical centers could not provide documentation to show that almost half of these reviews were conducte... | [
"This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's November 2017 report, entitled VA Health Care: Improved Policies and Oversight Needed for Reviewing and Reporting Providers for Quality and Safety Concerns ( GAO-18-63 ). Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical center (VAMC) officials are responsible... | 1,743 | gov_report | en | null | bced7d8c4f573d1008fbdd146e9671ebbcea8251a2432687 | |
T he Congressional Review Act (CRA) allows Congress to review certain types of federal agency actions that fall under the statutory category of "rules." Enacted in 1996 as part of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, the CRA requires agencies to report the issuance of "rules" to Congress and provides... | [
"The Congressional Review Act (CRA) allows Congress to review certain types of federal agency actions that fall under the statutory category of \"rules.\" The CRA requires that agencies report their rules to Congress and provides special procedures under which Congress can consider legislation to overturn those rul... | 12,318 | gov_report | en | null | 64783ddf48e7a912be7c5d5b7e10f3ac6cad81444d8aff62 | |
Geographic shifts in the veterans’ population, changes in health care delivery, an aging infrastructure, and limited stakeholder involvement affect VA’s efforts to align its services and real property portfolio to meet the needs of veterans. For example, there has been a shift over time from inpatient to outpatient car... | [
"VA operates one of the largest health care systems in the United States, utilizing more than 6,000 federally owned and 1,500 leased buildings. DOD has repeatedly applied the BRAC process to reduce the amount of unneeded property that it owns and leases and to save billions of dollars that could be applied to highe... | 2,561 | gov_report | en | null | 174556232f2d7bf5ab477491480b96a74d365e7497069e2a | |
Since DHS’s creation in 2003, significant internal control and financial management system deficiencies have hampered its ability to reasonably assure effective financial management and to manage operations. These deficiencies contributed to our decision to designate DHS’s management functions, including financial mana... | [
"To help address long-standing financial management system deficiencies, DHS initiated its TRIO project, which has focused on migrating three of its components to a modernized financial management system provided by IBC, an OMB-designated, federal SSP. House Report Number 3128 included a provision for GAO to assess... | 10,649 | gov_report | en | null | 75e7f2ffc9c09f0868bfe03fab087139f2c0c5da17f6887f | |
The United States has many international agreements that require treaty partners to provide certain information to IRS, which can help prevent the use of foreign bank accounts to facilitate tax evasion. FATCA goes much further, requiring FFIs to report more detailed information to IRS about their U.S. customers annuall... | [
"Concerns over efforts by U.S. taxpayers to use offshore accounts to hide income or evade taxes contributed to the passage of FATCA in 2010, which sought to create greater transparency and accountability over offshore assets held by U.S. taxpayers. House Report 114-624 included a provision for GAO to evaluate FATCA... | 13,388 | gov_report | en | null | 21a88b8ac5c42a6f566eadadaeaf2f727d9d01024b2dcd3b | |
This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on war-related and other international emergency or contingency-designated funding since FY2001. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress has appropriated approximately $2 trillion in discretionary budget authorit... | [
"Congressional interest in Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding has continued as Members debate ways of funding priorities without breaching discretionary spending limits set in law. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress has appropriated approximately $2 trillion in discretionary budge... | 9,854 | gov_report | en | null | 8be9961b3148717dd324148abf0ab947fb11adb0b9ca3fc6 | |
The DRC is a vast, mineral-rich nation with an estimated population of about 83 million people and an area that is roughly one-quarter the size of the United States, according to the United Nations. Figure 1 shows the DRC’s provinces and adjoining countries. Since gaining its independence from Belgium in 1960, the DRC ... | [
"Over the past decade, the United States and the international community have sought to improve security in the DRC. In the eastern DRC, armed groups have committed severe human rights abuses, including sexual violence, and reportedly profit from the exploitation of “conflict minerals”— in particular, tin, tungsten... | 3,558 | gov_report | en | null | 0867ce8275f7a6d527058c76ff165eb872f89416e4acdf0c | |
Several U.S. agencies have roles and responsibilities related to the screening and vetting of NIV applicants, as shown in table 1. Key Visa Adjudication Process Terms Validity period: The length of time during which a nonimmigrant visa (NIV) is valid for use by a foreign national seeking to travel to a U.S. port of ent... | [
"Previous attempted and successful terrorist attacks against the United States have raised questions about the security of the U.S. government's process for adjudicating NIVs, which are issued to foreign nationals, such as tourists, business visitors, and students, seeking temporary admission into the United States... | 11,506 | gov_report | en | null | aa553d37bf5e68ec9f38976761e2c37ea3495ef11650ce0d | |
The federal government has recognized 573 Indian tribes as distinct, independent political communities with tribal sovereignty. There are different categories of tribal lands, with differing implications with respect to ownership and administration. Reservations are defined geographic areas with established boundaries ... | [
"Broadband furthers economic development, educational attainment, and public health and safety; however, residents of tribal lands have lower levels of broadband access relative to the U.S. population. Congress has prioritized identifying and targeting funds to unserved areas. FCC uses data from broadband providers... | 8,882 | gov_report | en | null | ba50360a6669fb0e2fbd41a020483b9bab271b5ce69b5c87 | |
While no commonly accepted definition of a community bank exists, they are generally smaller banks that provide banking services to the local community and have management and board members who reside in the local community. In some of our past reports, we often defined community banks as those with under $10 billion i... | [
"In recent decades, many new regulations intended to strengthen financial soundness, improve consumer protections, and aid anti-money laundering efforts were implemented for financial institutions. Smaller community banks and credit unions must comply with some of the regulations, but compliance can be more challen... | 18,098 | gov_report | en | null | 0708332f2b27ef8843c261a207213212e80322ad79286259 | |
FEMA’s mission is to help people before, during, and after disasters. It provides assistance to those affected by emergencies and disasters by supplying immediate needs (e.g., ice, water, food, and temporary housing) and providing financial assistance grants for damage to personal or public property. FEMA also provides... | [
"FEMA, a component of DHS, annually awards billions of dollars in grants to help communities prepare for, mitigate the effects of, and recover from major disasters. However, FEMA's complex IT environment supporting grants management consists of many disparate systems. In 2008, the agency attempted to modernize thes... | 14,516 | gov_report | en | null | 217e94f10e4c8ed084bf7e22681c4bbd75d5aa35d3480edd | |
The Clean Water Act (CWA) authorizes the principal federal program to aid municipal wastewater treatment plant construction and related eligible activities. Congress established this program in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-500) (although prior versions of the act had authorized le... | [
"The principal federal program to aid municipal wastewater treatment plant construction is authorized in the Clean Water Act (CWA). Established as a grant program in 1972, it now capitalizes state loan programs through the clean water state revolving loan fund (CWSRF) program. Since FY1972, appropriations have tota... | 18,229 | gov_report | en | null | cbdd4b937972c65f6d9de2ef403bbacbc169a5155ecef22a | |
Many consumer products—such as deodorants, shaving products, and hair care products—are differentiated to appeal specifically to men or women through differences in packaging, scent, or other product characteristics (see fig. 1). These differences related to gender can affect manufacturing and marketing costs that may ... | [
"Gender-related price differences occur when consumers are charged different prices for the same or similar goods and services because of factors related to gender. While variation in costs and consumer demand may give rise to such price differences, some policymakers have raised concerns that gender bias may also ... | 8,377 | gov_report | en | null | f9c3887bcf4a8492d37350d51247c096a94d6703bbdee13b | |
According to the National Inventory of Dams, as of January 2016 there are approximately 90,500 dams in the United States and about 2.5 percent of these (approximately 2,100 dams) are associated with hydropower projects. Hydropower projects are owned and operated by both non-federal entities—such as private utility comp... | [
"In February 2017, components of California's Oroville Dam failed, leading to the evacuation of nearly 200,000 nearby residents. FERC is the federal regulator of the Oroville Dam and over 2,500 other dams associated with nonfederal hydropower projects nationwide. FERC issues and renews licenses—which can last up to... | 8,621 | gov_report | en | null | 0371cc1b07fbeda7a45b02063ca36c1d740834ac14eb2b5f | |
The federal child nutrition programs provide assistance to schools and other institutions in the form of cash, commodity food, and administrative support (such as technical assistance and administrative funding) based on the provision of meals and snacks to children. In general, these programs were created (and amended... | [
"The \"child nutrition programs\" refer to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) programs that provide food for children in school or institutional settings. The best known programs, which serve the largest number of children, are the school meals programs: the National School L... | 8,317 | gov_report | en | null | cbeec70bcfb72047d4e6c61220081a119adaa31560983e53 | |
T he federal government pays benefits to coal miners affected by coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP, commonly referred to as black lung disease) and other lung diseases linked to coal mining in cases where the responsible mine operators are not able to pay. Benefit payments and related administrative expenses are paid o... | [
"The federal government pays benefits to coal miners affected by coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP, commonly referred to as black lung disease) and other lung diseases linked to coal mining in cases where responsible mine operators are not able to pay. In 2019, the monthly benefit for a miner with no dependents is ... | 7,218 | gov_report | en | null | 1ebf280f607e6a5b65e277b3c2960537006c9860b5325957 | |
Puerto Rico, which has approximately 3.3 million residents according to U.S. Census Bureau (Census) estimates, is the largest and most populous territory of the United States. As a territory, Puerto Rico is subject to congressional authority, though Congress has granted it broad authority over matters of internal gover... | [
"Puerto Rico has roughly $70 billion in outstanding debt and $50 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and since August 2015 has defaulted on over $1.5 billion in debt. The effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria will further affect Puerto Rico's ability to repay its debt, as well as its economic condition. In respo... | 6,356 | gov_report | en | null | 02205a009a0372f40788ffee246ca81298f2cd5a0e622748 | |
CMS has four principal programs: Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and the health-insurance marketplaces. See table 1 for information about the four programs. As discussed earlier, Medicare and Medicaid are CMS’s largest programs and have been growing steadily (see fig. 1). CBO projects that, in 2026, under current law, Medica... | [
"CMS, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health coverage for over 145 million Americans through its four principal programs, with annual outlays of about $1.1 trillion. GAO has designated the two largest programs, Medicare and Medicaid, as high risk partly due to their vuln... | 10,615 | gov_report | en | null | ff191f2d1d1e910150ba1af73d4d17215693b438f9cd5787 | |
The RAD program was authorized by Congress and signed into law by the President in November 2011 under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 with amendments in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. The RAD program consists of two components. The first component of the RAD program—and the focus of our r... | [
"HUD administers the Public Housing program, which provides federally assisted rental units to low-income households through PHAs. In 2010, HUD estimated its aging public housing stock had $25.6 billion in unmet capital needs. To help address these needs, the RAD program was authorized in fiscal year 2012. RAD allo... | 12,616 | gov_report | en | null | cb5aaab1a10d7734da9f3f8aeec55f2679a1261cae6dee7a | |
Agencies generally acquire equipment from commercial vendors and through GSA, which contracts for the equipment from commercial vendors. In acquiring heavy equipment from a commercial vendor or GSA, agencies can purchase or lease the equipment. Generally, agencies use the term “lease” to refer to acquisitions that are ... | [
"Federal agencies use heavy equipment such as cranes and forklifts to carry out their missions, but there is no government-wide data on federal agencies' acquisition or management of this equipment. GAO was asked to review federal agencies' management of heavy equipment. This report, among other objectives, examine... | 6,750 | gov_report | en | null | ad1e97265c4148aa84685bcfffe30b9009fb9f1788a0b7ff | |
Since 2001, DOD’s total workforce has changed in size and composition. DOD’s military, civilian, and contractor workforces peaked around 2011 and have since decreased in size, as shown in figure 1. Several factors have contributed to changes in the size of the workforces including varying levels of U.S. involvement in ... | [
"In addition to more than 2.2 million active duty and reserve personnel, DOD employs about 760,000 federal civilians and more than 560,000 contractors. In the Senate Report 114-49 accompanying a bill for the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 included a provision for DOD to issue a report (1) a... | 4,582 | gov_report | en | null | f5f68ded1b0f845b033d85fd29a0180cc1d1a25fd2b57916 | |
To help manage its multi-billion dollar acquisition investments, DHS has established policies and processes for acquisition management, requirements development, test and evaluation, and resource allocation. The department uses these policies and processes to deliver systems that are intended to close critical capabili... | [
"Each year, the DHS invests billions of dollars in a diverse portfolio of major acquisition programs to help execute its many critical missions. DHS's acquisition activities are on GAO's High Risk List, in part, because of management and funding issues. The Explanatory Statement accompanying the DHS Appropriations ... | 30,427 | gov_report | en | null | 864c2b03ab84ceb4179238296a7e923b7b82da0708259071 | |
We testified before the Senate Committee on Armed Services in September 2017 after four significant mishaps at sea resulted in the loss of 17 sailors’ lives and serious damage to Navy ships. We reported on some of the Navy’s challenges, including the degraded condition and expired training certifications of ships homep... | [
"The 2018 National Defense Strategy emphasizes that restoring and retaining readiness is critical to success in the emerging security environment. The Navy and Marine Corps are working to rebuild the readiness of their forces while growing and modernizing their aging fleet of ships and aircraft. However, achieving ... | 5,894 | gov_report | en | null | b90ab633bbaa4cdfda68a50708893ed002d6501ee51935b2 | |
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is an agency of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that insures private mortgage lenders against the possibility of borrowers defaulting on certain mortgage loans. If a mortgage borrower defaults on a mortgage—that is, does not repay the mortgage as promised—a... | [
"The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), an agency of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was created by the National Housing Act of 1934. FHA insures private lenders against the possibility of borrowers defaulting on mortgages that meet certain criteria, thereby expanding the availability of m... | 5,182 | gov_report | en | null | 38b8e4cacdb00469ee30fe44f4b285ce26e6d34d65883186 | |
This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class aircraft carrier program. The Navy's proposed FY2019 budget requests a total of $2,347 million (i.e., about $2.3 billion) in procurement funding for the CVN-78 program. Congress's decisions on th... | [
"CVN-78, CVN-79, CVN-80, and CVN-81 are the first four ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs). CVN-78 (Gerald R. Ford) was procured in FY2008. The Navy's proposed FY2020 budget estimates the ship's procurement cost at $13,084.0 million (i.e., about $13.1 bi... | 32,726 | gov_report | en | null | 6b904be52b37799ba0fe353800ac1a5246d263927387b6f1 | |
Risk management, as applied to security of federal facilities, entails a continuous process of applying a series of mitigating actions—assessing risk through the evaluation of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences; responding to risks with appropriate countermeasures; and monitoring risks using quality information... | [
"Protecting federal employees and facilities from security threats is of critical importance. Most federal agencies are generally responsible for their facilities and have physical security programs to do so. GAO was asked to examine how federal agencies assess facilities' security risks. This report examines: (1) ... | 6,755 | gov_report | en | null | b21cef508a0fd9406275823c8b44fc80175adadf8c8ac88e | |
In accordance with the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA), as amended, and OMB guidance, CMS developed the PERM to estimate the national Medicaid improper payment rate. CMS has other mechanisms to review and assess program integrity risks in state Medicaid managed care programs, and it uses information fr... | [
"The improper payment rate is a sentinel measure of program integrity risks for the Medicaid program. CMS and the states oversee Medicaid, whose size, structure, and diversity make it vulnerable to improper payments. CMS estimates the Medicaid improper payment rate annually through its PERM, which includes an estim... | 4,469 | gov_report | en | null | b2fe8963e0f2c588e236ef7b7eaafd3334407c176e9db530 | |
The Federal Reserve's (the Fed's) responsibilities as the nation's central bank fall into four main categories: monetary policy, provision of emergency liquidity through the lender of last resort function, supervision of certain types of banks and other financial firms for safety and soundness, and provision of payment... | [
"Congress has delegated responsibility for monetary policy to the Federal Reserve (the Fed), the nation's central bank, but retains oversight responsibilities for ensuring that the Fed is adhering to its statutory mandate of \"maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.\" To meet its p... | 7,241 | gov_report | en | null | 869b783e558515d3f1f318298e103eb58c947be52d085c71 | |
The Buy American Act of 1933 was enacted during the Great Depression when there was a need to create and preserve jobs for American workers, and it established a preference for the federal government to buy domestic end products. Many of the products the federal government buys—including aircraft engines and medical su... | [
"The Buy American Act of 1933, as amended, is the main U.S. law promoting domestic purchasing. The Act permits agencies to buy foreign end products only under certain exceptions, such as when domestic items are not available at a reasonable cost. Further, U.S. trade agreements waive the Buy American restrictions fo... | 9,745 | gov_report | en | null | fec1c70a413abe04d2f8ef06d9ac6af139f6569e5fdda2b1 | |
As we have previously reported, 911 services have evolved from basic 911—which provided Americans with a universally recognized emergency number—to Enhanced 911 which also routes calls to the appropriate call center and provides information about the caller’s location and a call back number. NG911 represents the next e... | [
"Each year, millions of Americans call 911 for help during emergencies. However, the nation's legacy 911 system relies on aging infrastructure that is not designed to accommodate modern communications technologies. As a result, states and localities are upgrading to NG911, which offers improved capabilities, such a... | 6,694 | gov_report | en | null | 00cee8bad9ec18d013af6d0e731f1bc7af22da0d06bf6d00 | |
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), an independent federal agency, administers retirement, survivor, disability, unemployment, and sickness insurance for railroad workers and their families under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA). These acts cover workers who are empl... | [
"The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), an independent federal agency, administers retirement, survivor, disability, unemployment, and sickness insurance for railroad workers and their families. During FY2017, the RRB paid nearly $12.5 billion in retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to approximately 548,000 ... | 3,573 | gov_report | en | null | 8b4549b580441e95fa54e11cc68671baf1466b257a88c444 | |
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. In carrying out this mission, the department operates one of the largest health care delivery systems in ... | [
"The use of IT is crucial to helping VA effectively serve the nation's veterans and, each year, the department spends billions of dollars on its information systems and assets. However, VA has faced challenges spanning a number of critical initiatives related to modernizing its major systems. To improve all major f... | 5,865 | gov_report | en | null | 99f4c9b3ae17f0f11db1ec1965778c695a021407717a969a | |
According to international and U.S. government sources, climate change poses serious risks to many of the physical and ecological systems upon which society depends, although the exact details of these impacts are uncertain. Climate change may intensify slow-onset disasters, such as drought, crop failure, and sea level... | [
"The effects of climate change, combined with other factors, may alter human migration trends across the globe, according to the International Organization for Migration. For example, climate change can increase the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, causing populations to move from an area. Climate chan... | 14,011 | gov_report | en | null | 8df98281be571d77d1b26cfe285fdc4072e43607dd793980 | |
The issue of executive discretion has been at the center of constitutional debates in liberal democracies throughout the twentieth century. How to balance a commitment to the rule of law with the exigencies of modern political and economic crises has engaged legislators and scholars in the United States and around the ... | [
"The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) provides the President broad authority to regulate a variety of economic transactions following a declaration of national emergency. IEEPA, like the Trading with the Enemy Act (TWEA) from which it branched, sits at the center of the modern U.S. sanctions regi... | 14,753 | gov_report | en | null | f8a0313fccf5acb9eed57e3363eecb4d2b0b7f72639a82f4 | |
The national pipeline system consists of more than 2.7 million miles of networked pipelines transporting oil, natural gas, and other hazardous liquids. Hazardous liquid and natural gas pipelines—primarily buried underground in the continental United States—run under remote and open terrain, as well as densely populated... | [
"More than 2.7 million miles of pipeline transport and distribute oil, natural gas, and other hazardous products throughout the United States. Interstate pipelines run through remote areas and highly populated urban areas, and are vulnerable to accidents, operating errors, and malicious physical and cyber-based att... | 15,361 | gov_report | en | null | 37467ea4bcf78ffd3bd34e630bc61477f73142fa0dce8cd5 | |
Global defense posture is an enabler of U.S. defense activities and military operations overseas and is a central means of defining and communicating U.S. strategic interests to allies, partners, and adversaries. It is driven by a hierarchy of national-level and DOD-specific guidance, which includes the National Defens... | [
"In response to Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014, the President announced the ERI, to reassure allies in Europe of U.S. commitment to their security. This initiative has been funded using OCO appropriations, which Congress provides in addition to DOD's base budget appropriations. The Joint Explanatory St... | 5,106 | gov_report | en | null | d4f5454b64bf353d6cb971ab69def4910ee970b07733fe60 | |
Federal and state Medicaid spending on long-term care continues to increase; for example it increased from $146 billion in 2013 to $158 billion in 2015. Individuals seeking long-term care generally need care that is, by definition, longer term in nature and more costly than other types of care. Spending on long-term ca... | [
"The number of individuals receiving long term care services from Medicaid in community residential settings is expected to grow. These settings, which include assisted living facilities, provide a range of services that allow aged and disabled beneficiaries, who might otherwise require nursing home care, to remain... | 6,063 | gov_report | en | null | 27d885cb5ea10bfe6a9123867b285a9850aa8415d960493b | |
In the United States, both FRA and FTA regulate rail transportation safety. FRA oversees safety of railroads operating on what is known as the general system, a network of standard gage track over which goods may be transported and passengers may travel. This system includes freight railroads, which typically own their... | [
"In 2012 and 2015, DOT was provided with additional authority to oversee the safety of rail transit. Within DOT, FTA is now implementing this authority. The DOT's Office of Inspector General has reported, though, that FTA faces challenges in carrying out its enhanced safety oversight. FRA, also in DOT, has long car... | 8,086 | gov_report | en | null | 883edf7565d5edca481345d4c0362e08adbcc64a9a665794 | |
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is a multi-phased effort that began in 2010. Across the phases, NASA has engaged several companies, using both agreements and contract vehicles to develop and demonstrate crew transportation capabilities. As the program has passed through these phases, NASA has generally narrowed down the... | [
"In 2014, NASA awarded two firm-fixed-price contracts to Boeing and SpaceX, worth a combined total of up to $6.8 billion, to develop crew transportation systems and conduct initial missions to the ISS. In February 2017, GAO found that both contractors had made progress, but their schedules were under mounting press... | 9,763 | gov_report | en | null | 8e6583b38d624cfe487c0bb7445e9d35cca888a11f28ee4f | |
The leaders of the eight legislative branch agencies and entities—the Government Accountability Office, the Library of Congress, the Government Publishing Office (formerly Government Printing Office), the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional... | [
"The leaders of the legislative branch agencies and entities—the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Library of Congress (LOC), the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Government Publishing Office (GPO, formerly Government Printing Office), the Office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), the U.S. Ca... | 2,992 | gov_report | en | null | 8c3ed82219b5ce824caa122936cd075839906e8c3d81d3af | |
Banks play a central role in the financial system by connecting borrowers to savers and allocating available funds across the economy. As a result, banking is vital to the U.S. economy's health and growth. Nevertheless, banking is an inherently risky activity involving extending credit and undertaking liabilities. Ther... | [
"Regulation of the banking industry has undergone substantial changes over the past decade. In response to the 2007-2009 financial crisis, many new bank regulations were implemented pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act; P.L. 111-203) or under the existing... | 12,828 | gov_report | en | null | 2c913d1165908b4ac453f06f423bfd592d01adf5894ca7e3 | |
Colombia, one of the oldest democracies in the Western Hemisphere and the third most populous Latin American country, has endured a multisided civil conflict for more than five decades until President Juan Ma nuel Santos declared the conflict over in August 2017 at the end of a U.N.-monitored disarmament. According to ... | [
"A key U.S. ally in the Latin American region, Colombia endured an internal armed conflict for half a century. Drug trafficking fueled the violence by funding both left-wing and right-wing armed groups. Some analysts feared Colombia would become a failed state in the late 1990s, but the Colombian government devised... | 17,045 | gov_report | en | null | 9086b2ec6e1781a140d5062644f111e70fd4b738427c2250 | |
The Commercial Space Launch Act Amendments of 1988 established the foundation for the current U.S. policy to potentially provide federal payment for a portion of claims by third parties for injury, damage, or loss that results from a commercial launch or reentry accident. A stated goal of the act was to provide a compe... | [
"The federal government shares liability risks with the commercial space launch industry for accidents that result in damages to third parties or federal property. This arrangement requires space launch companies to have a specific amount of insurance to cover these damages. The government is potentially liable for... | 4,125 | gov_report | en | null | a4a543df9ee25924cdf5f2f108147d2d11682f7611d612e2 | |
With a staff of over 47,000 members, the Coast Guard operates a multimission fleet of 201 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft and over 1,400 boats and ships. Operational control of surface and air assets is divided into two geographic Areas (Pacific and Atlantic), within which are nine Districts consisting of 37 sectors and... | [
"The Coast Guard, a component of DHS, serves as the principal federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports and waterways. To ensure that the Coast Guard is effectively fulfilling its missions, agency managers must have accurate information and base decisions ... | 2,542 | gov_report | en | null | d3dedd9756867e93c15a573a1aea5f100b4596a165869684 | |
During World War II and then again after the outbreak of fighting in Korea, Congress found that the existence of thousands of small business concerns was being threatened by war-induced shortages of materials coupled with an inability to obtain defense contracts or financial assistance. Concerned that many small busine... | [
"Congress has broad authority to impose requirements upon the federal procurement process, that is, the process whereby agencies obtain goods and services from the private sector. One way in which Congress has exercised this authority is by adopting measures to promote contracting and subcontracting between \"small... | 9,547 | gov_report | en | null | c2a4cfdac819a761d81184d9708cd683900944d37dbc8696 | |
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 was enacted to "assist in preserving, developing, and assuring accessibility to ... outdoor recreation resources." Two main goals of the law were to facilitate participation in recreation and "to strengthen the health and vitality" of U.S. citizens. To accomplish ... | [
"The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Act of 1965 (P.L. 88-578) created the LWCF in the Treasury as a funding source to implement the outdoor recreation goals set out by the act. The LWCF Act authorizes the fund to receive $900 million annually, with the monies available only if appropriated by Congress (i.e... | 2,138 | gov_report | en | null | 81d4538e2ed46409ef2da09c7229d82d94dec1b4487d3481 | |
Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that have resulted in serious damage to Navy ships and the loss of 17 sailors (see figure 1). Three of the four at sea mishaps that have occurred—two collisions and one grounding—have involved ships homeported overseas in Yokosuka, Japan. Appendi... | [
"Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that resulted in serious damage to its ships and the loss of 17 sailors. Three of these incidents involved ships homeported in Japan. In response to these incidents, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered an operational pause for all fleets w... | 3,534 | gov_report | en | null | 3e8ad49dcf944a40c33361105c7fda3e4e569af90ba6da05 | |
T he term digital economy has fluid meaning in different policy contexts. Broadly speaking, this term can refer to any number of everyday economic activities that are connected over computers, mobile phones, or other internet-connected devices. In the realm of international tax policy, though, certain types of activiti... | [
"Several countries, primarily in Europe, and the European Commission have proposed or adopted taxes on revenue earned by multinational corporations (MNCs) in certain \"digital economy\" sectors from activities linked to the user-based activity of their residents. These proposals have generally been labeled as \"dig... | 12,505 | gov_report | en | null | a2695a1634a21be4b087d1d940152b0bc4dd114d96034f3b | |
Disclosure provisions that require commercial actors to convey specified information to consumers occupy an uneasy and shifting space in First Amendment jurisprudence. The First Amendment's Free Speech Clause protects the right to speak as well as the right not to speak, and at least outside the context of commercial s... | [
"Federal law contains a wide variety of disclosure requirements, including food labels, securities registrations, and disclosures about prescription drugs in direct-to-consumer advertising. These disclosure provisions require commercial actors to make statements that they otherwise might not, compelling speech and ... | 9,534 | gov_report | en | null | 915e6d5d6f6cbeeba77c26faa8bb21d3361458f21d6b64a0 | |
Since 2001, the United States has made a commitment to building Afghanistan’s security and governance in order to prevent the country from once again becoming a sanctuary for terrorists. To achieve its security objectives, the United States currently has two missions in Afghanistan: a counterterrorism mission that it l... | [
"Developing independently capable ANDSF is a key component of U.S. and coalition efforts to create sustainable security and stability in Afghanistan under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-led Resolute Support mission. The United States is the largest contributor of funding and personnel to Resolute Sup... | 4,887 | gov_report | en | null | c0242b90fd33c985d1009f9f811f5de8aa911155603f77f5 | |
CAPTA, originally enacted in 1974, provides formula grants to states to improve child protective service systems. ACF administers the CAPTA state grant program and provides guidance and oversight to states. In fiscal year 2017, Congress provided about $25 million for the program. As part of the CAPTA state grant progra... | [
"Under CAPTA, states perform a range of prevention activities, including addressing the needs of infants born with prenatal drug exposure. The number of children under the age of 1 entering foster care increased by about 15 percent from fiscal years 2012 through 2015. Child welfare professionals attribute the incre... | 8,623 | gov_report | en | null | 052f22dafd736b1df286b3b4188184d3ee213281295b3ea0 | |
International financial transactions, including the transfer of U.S. humanitarian assistance funds, rely on a system of correspondent banking relationships. State and USAID provide humanitarian assistance through funding awards to partners. Funds to U.S. partners are deposited into the partners’ bank accounts located i... | [
"Since 2012, the United States has provided approximately $36 billion in humanitarian assistance to save lives and alleviate human suffering. Much of this assistance is provided in areas plagued by conflict or other issues that increase the risk of financial crimes. The World Bank and others have reported that huma... | 9,618 | gov_report | en | null | ff5d156dbe5573a39111878520f208567e4c0d6dfe1a2767 | |
The EFMP provides support to families with special needs at their current and proposed locations. Servicemembers relocate frequently, generally moving every 3 years if in the Army, Marine Corps, and Navy, and every 4 years if in the Air Force. In fiscal year 2016, the Military Services relocated approximately 39,000 se... | [
"Military families with special medical and educational needs face unique challenges because of their frequent moves. To help assist these families, DOD provides services plans, which document the support a family member requires. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 included a provision for ... | 6,288 | gov_report | en | null | 83194d3e3da7860a5887ebb02d707d755797744545a1bb31 | |
JWST is envisioned to be a large deployable space telescope, optimized for infrared observations, and the scientific successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. JWST is being designed for a 5-year mission to find the first stars, study planets in other solar systems to search for the building blocks of life elsewher... | [
"JWST, a large, deployable telescope, is one of NASA's most complex projects and top priorities. The project has delayed its planned launch three times since September 2017 due to problems discovered in testing. In June 2018, NASA approved new cost and schedule estimates for JWST. Since the project established its ... | 5,967 | gov_report | en | null | f17865b61a0db810e83eb6339a3f8676f648b3676fc7f317 | |
The term child nutrition programs refers to several U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) programs that provide food to children in institutional settings. The largest are the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP), which subsidize free, reduced-price, and... | [
"The term child nutrition programs refers to several U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) programs that provide food for children in institutional settings. These include the school meals programs—the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program—as well as the Child and... | 5,157 | gov_report | en | null | 666d82617c32878d418693bdd0e7f4ff8716b26017869185 | |
CSPF is a defined benefit multiemployer pension plan. Multiemployer plans are often created and maintained through collective bargaining agreements between labor unions and two or more employers, so that workers who move from job to job and employer to employer within an industry can continue to accrue pension benefits... | [
"Multiemployer plans are collectively bargained pension agreements often between labor unions and two or more employers. CSPF is one of the nation's largest multiemployer defined benefit pension plans, covering about 385,000 participants. Since 1982, the plan has operated under a court-enforceable consent decree wh... | 15,605 | gov_report | en | null | ce19441feee1de58a5c147dc4e878d4cf00f1cce6b945e05 | |
The Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 provided up to $10 billion in funding for veterans to obtain health care services from community providers through the Choice Program when veterans faced long wait times, lengthy travel distances, or other challenges accessing care at VA medical facilities. Th... | [
"Questions have been raised about the lack of timeliness of TPAs' payments to community providers under the Choice Program and how this may affect the willingness of providers to participate in the program as well as in the forthcoming Veterans Community Care Program. You asked GAO to review issues related to the t... | 5,443 | gov_report | en | null | dc4d20da774e559790d83f40bc02e80ae9176495947a625a | |
WMATA was created in 1967 through an interstate compact—matching legislation passed by the District of Columbia, state of Maryland, and Commonwealth of Virginia, and then ratified by Congress—to plan, develop, finance, and operate a regional transportation system in the National Capital area. A board of eight voting di... | [
"Safety incidents in recent years on WMATA's rail system have raised questions about its processes for performing critical maintenance and replacing capital assets. WMATA initiated a new preventive maintenance program for its rail track in 2017, and is currently implementing a new capital planning process. GAO was ... | 10,886 | gov_report | en | null | 45c9d84fac2d35cc13b5a0b6716a3d1a9a5ccff921c4dd6a | |
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international organization that administers the trade rules and agreements negotiated by its 164 members to eliminate trade barriers and create nondiscriminatory rules to govern trade. It also serves as an important forum for resolving trade disputes. The United States was a maj... | [
"Historically, the United States' leadership of the global trading system has ensured the United States a seat at the table to shape the international trade agenda in ways that both advance and defend U.S. interests. The evolution of U.S. leadership and the global trade agenda remain of interest to Congress, which ... | 21,561 | gov_report | en | null | 8ea6dbec3f301d7d0fc538441e0a776832f777a928c44666 | |
Executive branch agencies are required to take various steps regarding improper payments under IPIA, as amended by IPERA and IPERIA, and related OMB guidance. The steps include the following: 1. reviewing all programs and activities and identifying those that may be susceptible to significant improper payments (commonl... | [
"Improper payments—which include payments that should not have been made or were made in an incorrect amount—are a long-standing, significant problem in the federal government, estimated at almost $141 billion for fiscal year 2017. Executive branch agencies are required to annually estimate improper payments for ce... | 4,147 | gov_report | en | null | 001a23a1f95252057227d5728ed820bfa446b91f46dbb394 | |
Coast Guard staffing for the TAP program reflects the organizational structure of its Health, Safety, and Work-Life Directorate, which oversees TAP policy. The Coast Guard’s TAP managers are assigned to 13 installations where Health, Safety, and Work-Life offices are located. One or two TAP managers are assigned to eac... | [
"Thousands of Coast Guard servicemembers have left the military and transitioned into civilian life, and some of these new veterans may face significant challenges, such as finding and maintaining employment. To help them prepare, federal law mandated that DHS provide separating Coast Guard servicemembers with coun... | 5,657 | gov_report | en | null | 7f21e3c570659ad20f8f3fd0d75185871326886b253a3f92 | |
According to NRC’s website, the higher the radiation dose, the sooner the effects of radiation will appear, and the higher the probability of death. Radiation doses such as those received by survivors of the atomic bombs in Japan can cause cancers such as leukemia and colon cancer and, if levels are high enough, acute ... | [
"This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's September 2017 report, entitled Low-Dose Radiation: Interagency Collaboration on Planning Research Could Improve Information on Health Effects ( GAO-17-546 ). The Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Environmental Protection A... | 2,125 | gov_report | en | null | f7ab1326e80935ff0a1a0a048a074a9807500a4efb0caec6 | |
Congress passed the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (CRA; P.L. 95-128 , 12 U.S.C. §§2901-2908) in response to concerns that federally insured banking institutions were not making sufficient credit available in the local areas in which they were chartered and acquiring deposits. According to some in Con gress, the gr... | [
"The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA; P.L. 95-128, 12 U.S.C. §§2901-2908) addresses how banking institutions meet the credit needs of the areas they serve, particularly in low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods. The federal banking regulatory agencies—the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the ... | 7,111 | gov_report | en | null | 94f563e56143c3d06aefcf8e166786722d595c1f4d83cd2a | |
VA comprises a Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO) and over 1,000 facilities and offices throughout the nation, as well as the U.S. territories and the Philippines. As shown in figure 1, VA’s three major administrations are the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and Nationa... | [
"VA provides services and benefits to veterans through hospitals and other facilities nationwide. Misconduct by VA employees can have serious consequences for some veterans, including poor quality of care. GAO was asked to review employee misconduct across VA. This report reviews the extent to which VA (1) collects... | 22,296 | gov_report | en | null | 8b518fb560a869de24be330b84a60e48e977392f6f9877b5 | |
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent federal agency, with its five members appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. It was established by the Communications Act of 1934 (1934 Act, or "Communications Act") and is charged with regulating interstate and international comm... | [
"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent federal agency established by the Communications Act of 1934 (1934 Act, or \"Communications Act\"). The agency is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. The mission of the FC... | 3,388 | gov_report | en | null | 494cc4ce8a3c65fd0c1284427d08e9305acb10313708e4e9 |
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