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gao_GAO-19-196 | gao_GAO-19-196_0 | Background
The Consumer Reporting Process
Information on consumers is exchanged through a consumer reporting process that includes consumers, CRAs, furnishers, and users of that information (see fig.1).
Consumers are individuals whose information is collected and shared to make eligibility decisions, such as fo... | Why GAO Did This Study
CRAs collect, maintain, and sell to third parties large amounts of sensitive data about consumers, including Social Security numbers and credit card numbers. Businesses and other entities commonly use these data to determine eligibility for credit, employment, and insurance. In 2017, Equifax, on... |
gao_GAO-18-190 | gao_GAO-18-190_0 | Background
DOD guidance states that the Air Force and other services are responsible for providing trained and ready forces to fulfill the current and future operational requirements of the combatant commands. The Air Force is specifically responsible for gaining and maintaining air superiority. The Air Force Str... | Why GAO Did This Study
The F-22 was designed and fielded as the Air Force's premier air-to-air fighter. The small fleet of 186 F-22s is central to the Air Force's ability to accomplish its air superiority mission in high threat areas. While the Air Force has focused on other missions over the last 15 years of conflict... |
gao_GAO-18-457 | gao_GAO-18-457_0 | Background
History of Conflict in the DRC and the Region
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 countri... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 partic... |
gao_GAO-18-696T | gao_GAO-18-696T_0 | Background
Historically, patient health information has been scattered across paper records kept by many different caregivers in many different locations, making it difficult for a clinician to access all of a patient’s health information at the time of care. Lacking access to these critical data, a clinician may... | Why GAO Did This Study
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 included provisions that VA and DOD jointly develop and implement electronic health record systems or capabilities and accelerate the exchange of health care information. The act also required that these systems be compliant with applic... |
gao_GAO-18-19 | gao_GAO-18-19_0 | Background
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC)
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) contains various provisions intended to protect the interests of plan participants and beneficiaries in workplace retirement plans. These protections ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Saving for retirement can be difficult. However, when participants lose their workplace retirement accounts when they change employers or participate in a workplace retirement plan abroad they can encounter additional challenges in securing adequate retirement savings. GAO was asked to review st... |
gao_GAO-18-563T | gao_GAO-18-563T_0 | Background
TSA Processes for Allocating TSOs across Airports
TSA allocates TSOs to airports using its Resource Allocation Plan, which is intended to provide each airport with the optimum number of TSOs needed to screen passengers for threats to aviation security, such as prohibited and other potentially dangero... | Why GAO Did This Study
TSA employs about 43,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSO) who screen over 2 million passengers and their property each day at airports in the United States. TSA allocates TSOs to airports using both a computer-based staffing model and information from airports intended to provide each airp... |
gao_GAO-18-620 | gao_GAO-18-620_0 | Background
Generally, the responsibility for reducing lead in drinking water and ensuring safe drinking water overall is shared by EPA, states, and local water systems. EPA is responsible for, among other things, national implementation of the Lead and Copper Rule, setting standards, overseeing states’ implementa... | Why GAO Did This Study
The crisis in Flint, Michigan, brought increased attention to lead in drinking water infrastructure. Lead in drinking water primarily comes from corrosion of service lines connecting the water main to a house or building. In 1991, EPA issued the Lead and Copper Rule that required water systems t... |
gao_GAO-19-89 | gao_GAO-19-89_0 | Background
Determining and Reporting on Core Capability Requirements
DOD Instruction 4151.20, Depot Maintenance Core Capabilities Determination Process, requires the military services to apply a methodology to determine their core capability requirements—that is, to identify what core capabilities are required ... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD uses both military depots and contractors to maintain its complex weapon systems and equipment. Recognizing the depots' key role and the risk of overreliance on contractors, section 2464 of title 10 of the U.S. Code requires DOD to maintain a core logistics capability that is government-owne... |
gao_GAO-18-634 | gao_GAO-18-634_0 | Background
Rural Hospitals and Areas
In 2017, about 2,250 general acute care hospitals in the United States were located in areas that met FORHP’s definition of rural; these rural hospitals represented approximately 48 percent of hospitals nationwide and 16 percent of inpatient beds. These hospitals were spread... | Why GAO Did This Study
Research has shown that hospital closures can affect rural residents' access to health care services and that certain rural residents—particularly those who are elderly and low income—may be especially affected by rural hospital closures.
This report describes (1) how HHS supports and monitors r... |
gao_GAO-18-264 | gao_GAO-18-264_0 | Background
The federal government’s increasing demand for IT has led to an increase in the number of federal data centers and a corresponding increase in operational costs. According to OMB, the federal government had 432 data centers in 1998, 2,094 in July 2010, and 9,995 in August 2016.
Operating such a large n... | Why GAO Did This Study
In December 2014, Congress enacted federal IT acquisition reform legislation that included provisions related to ongoing federal data center consolidation efforts. OMB's Federal Chief Information Officer launched DCOI to build on prior data center consolidation efforts; improve federal data cent... |
gao_GAO-19-24 | gao_GAO-19-24_0 | Background
Composition of Agent Orange
Agent Orange is composed of two different chemical components—the n- butyl ester forms of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (hereinafter referred to as n-butyl 2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (hereinafter referred to as n-butyl 2,4,5-T)—that are manufactured separ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The tactical herbicide Agent Orange was first produced in 1964, and some 12 million gallons were shipped from U.S. ports to Southeast Asia from 1965 to 1970. DOD suspended its use in 1970 and incinerated remaining stockpiles at sea in 1977. Congress has expressed long-standing interest in the ef... |
gao_GAO-18-636T | gao_GAO-18-636T_0 | Background
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 del... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA provides health care services to almost 9 million veterans and their families and relies on its health information system—VistA—to do so. However, the system is more than 30 years old, is costly to maintain, and does not support interoperability with DOD and private health care providers. Sin... |
gao_GAO-18-429 | gao_GAO-18-429_0 | Background
Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs
HUD administers its public housing and HCV programs—which serve eligible low- and very-low income households, the elderly, and persons with disabilities—through local PHAs. PHAs are typically municipal, county, or state agencies created under state l... | Why GAO Did This Study
HUD has encouraged PHAs to balance resident safety with the housing needs of persons with criminal records when administering its rental assistance programs. PHAs are responsible for screening program applicants. The HUD OIG and the FBI implement the Fugitive Felon Initiative to identify and app... |
gao_GAO-18-67 | gao_GAO-18-67_0 | Background
Electricity Operation and Delivery in the United States and Canada
The electricity operation and delivery system—collectively referred to as the grid—in the United States and Canada includes four functions: generation, transmission, distribution, and system operations (see fig. 1). Electricity is gen... | Why GAO Did This Study
A severe GMD or HEMP event could potentially have significant impacts— including power outages—on the nation's electric grid, which could affect other sectors that depend on electricity, such as communications. In response, NERC created two regulatory standards requiring certain U.S. and Canadia... |
gao_GAO-18-101 | gao_GAO-18-101_0 | Background
MILCON Appropriation and Obligation Process
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... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 a... |
gao_GAO-18-210 | gao_GAO-18-210_0 | Background
Information security is a critical consideration for any organization that depends on information systems and computer networks to carry out its mission or business, and is especially important for government agencies, where maintaining the public’s trust is essential. Concerns about cyber threats to g... | Why GAO Did This Study
Recent data breaches have highlighted the importance of ensuring the security of health information, including Medicare beneficiary data. Such data are created, stored, and used by a wide variety of entities, such as health care providers, insurance companies, financial institutions, researchers... |
gao_GAO-18-47 | gao_GAO-18-47_0 | Background
Defense Support of Civil Authorities
Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act), when state capabilities and resources are overwhelmed and the President of the United States declares an emergency or disaster, the governor of an affected state can requ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Presidential Policy Directive on United States Cyber Incident Coordination states that significant cyber incidents are occurring with increasing frequency impacting public and private infrastructure in the United States. Section 1648 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year ... |
gao_GAO-18-574 | gao_GAO-18-574_0 | Background
Health Care Quality Measures
As we have previously reported in reviews of health care quality outside of the MHS, health care quality measures are standard, evidence-based metrics designed to assess the extent to which patients receive health care that increases the likelihood of desired health outco... | Why GAO Did This Study
The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2016 contains provisions for GAO to review DOD's plans to (1) improve the experience of beneficiaries who receive care through military hospitals and clinics or from civilian providers and (2) reduce variation in the quality of care.
In this... |
gao_GAO-19-4 | gao_GAO-19-4_0 | Background
Statutory Provisions for Entering into IGSAs
The IGSA statute (10 U.S.C. § 2679) authorizes such agreements based on a determination that the agreement will serve the best interests of the department by creating efficiencies or economies of scale, including by reducing costs, or by enhancing mission ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Department of Defense (DOD) budgets about $25 billion annually to operate and support its installations. GAO has designated DOD support infrastructure management as a high-risk area since 1997, in part because DOD has needed to reduce its installation support costs. In 2013, Congress authori... |
gao_GAO-18-75 | gao_GAO-18-75_0 | Background
The F-35 Lightning II program, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter program, is a joint, multinational acquisition intended to develop and field a family of next-generation strike fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps (hereinafter referred to as the services), eight internat... | Why GAO Did This Study
The F-35 aircraft represents the future of tactical aviation for the U.S. military, and is DOD's most expensive weapon system, with sustainment costs alone estimated at more than $1 trillion over a 60-year life cycle. As the F-35 program approaches full-rate production, DOD is working to deliver... |
gao_GAO-18-219 | gao_GAO-18-219_0 | Background
Inter-American Organizations
The U.S. government engages with the governments of other countries in the Western Hemisphere through various inter-American organizations including the OAS, PAHO, IICA, and PAIGH. According to State, the OAS is the primary inter-American political forum through which the... | Why GAO Did This Study
The United States is a member of the OAS, PAHO, IICA, and PAIGH, which promote democracy, health care, agricultural development, and scientific exchange.
GAO was asked to review U.S. assistance to these four organizations. In this report, GAO (1) assesses the extent to which the organizations' s... |
gao_GAO-19-87 | gao_GAO-19-87_0 | Background
Indian tribes and nations are recognized as “distinct, independent political communities” that are part of the unique political structure of layered sovereigns and internal governments that comprise the U.S. system of government. Tribal powers of self-government are recognized by the Constitution, legi... | Why GAO Did This Study
For more than 4 decades, federal Indian policy has promoted tribal self-government—the practical exercise of Indian tribes and nations' inherent sovereign authority. Under ISDEAA, federally recognized tribes may request to enter into self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts with... |
gao_GAO-18-415 | gao_GAO-18-415_0 | Background
The FSM and the RMI are independent countries located about 3,000 miles southwest of Hawaii (see fig. 1).
The FSM is a federation of four semiautonomous states—Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap—whose population and income vary widely. Chuuk, the largest state by population, has the lowest per capita gross... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2003, the United States approved amended compacts of free association with the FSM and RMI, providing a total of $3.6 billion in economic assistance in fiscal years 2004 through 2023 and access to several U.S. programs and services. Compact grant funding, overseen by the Department of the Int... |
gao_GAO-18-119 | gao_GAO-18-119_0 | Background
Border Patrol Organization
Border Patrol has divided geographic responsibility for the southwest border among nine sectors, as shown in figure 1.
Each sector has a varying number of stations, which serve as bases of operation for agents, and agents are responsible for patrolling within defined geogra... | Why GAO Did This Study
The southwest border has long been vulnerable to cross-border illegal activity. In fiscal year 2016, Border Patrol apprehended over 409,000 illegal entrants. Border Patrol has employed a variety of land-based surveillance technologies to assist in securing the border. GAO has reported regularly ... |
gao_GAO-18-369 | gao_GAO-18-369_0 | Background
Created in 1968, the SFSP is authorized under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and generally provides free meals to children age 18 and under in low-income areas during certain periods when school is not in session. Specifically, the SFSP operates during school summer vacation periods b... | Why GAO Did This Study
The SFSP, a federal nutrition assistance program, is intended to provide food to children in low-income areas during periods when area schools are closed for vacation. In the last decade, federal expenditures for SFSP have increased as the program has expanded, according to USDA data. GAO was as... |
gao_GAO-18-533 | gao_GAO-18-533_0 | Background
NSF relies on two programs for bringing rotators into the agency: (1) the IPA program and (2) the VSEE program. The Office of Personnel Management develops policies on agencies’ use of the IPA program and promulgates program regulations.
Rotators in NSF’s IPA and VSEE programs differ in key respects, i... | Why GAO Did This Study
NSF has identified potential benefits and challenges associated with its use of rotators. Benefits include fresh perspectives and close connections to the scientific community, while challenges include staffing turnover and higher costs for some rotators compared with permanent employees.
GAO wa... |
gao_GAO-18-252 | gao_GAO-18-252_0 | Background
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 repr... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 c... |
gao_GAO-19-56 | gao_GAO-19-56_0 | Background
SNAP Work Requirements
All SNAP recipients ages 16 through 59, unless exempted by law or regulation, must comply with general work requirements. (See fig. 1.) These requirements generally include registering for work, reporting to an employer if referred by a state agency, accepting an offer of a sui... | Why GAO Did This Study
SNAP is the nation's largest federally funded nutrition assistance program. In fiscal year 2017, it provided about $64 billion in benefits. To maintain eligibility for benefits, certain SNAP recipients must comply with the program's work requirements, which may include participating in a state's... |
gao_GAO-18-456 | gao_GAO-18-456_0 | Background
This section describes (1) the purpose of LEPs and the process that NNSA and DOD use to manage them, known as the phase 6.X process; (2) the management of the ongoing LEP for the W76 warhead—an important historical reference for the B61-12 LEP—and the status of the two other ongoing LEPs; (3) future nu... | Why GAO Did This Study
Weapons in the U.S. nuclear stockpile are aging. To refurbish or replace nuclear weapons' aging components, NNSA and DOD undertake LEPs. The B61-12 LEP is the most complex and expensive LEP to date. In October 2016, NNSA formalized a program cost estimate of about $7.6 billion, which is lower th... |
gao_GAO-18-589 | gao_GAO-18-589_0 | Background
A reliable schedule is critically important for a successful 2020 Census. In February 2017, we added the 2020 Census to our High-Risk List because operational and other issues including scheduling are threatening the Bureau’s ability to deliver a cost-effective enumeration. We reported on concerns abou... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Bureau is required by law to count the population as of April 1, 2020; deliver state apportionment counts to the President by December 31, 2020; and provide redistricting data to the states within 1 year of Census Day, April 1, 2021. To meet these statutory deadlines, the Bureau carries out ... |
gao_GAO-18-526 | gao_GAO-18-526_0 | Background
History of Civil Aviation between the United States and Cuba
In January 1961, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, followed by a total economic embargo declared by President Kennedy in February 1962. The resulting restrictions, including prohibitions on civil aviation between the... | Why GAO Did This Study
On August 31, 2016, as part of a shift in U.S. policy toward Cuba, air carriers resumed scheduled commercial flights between the United States and Cuba, a route previously only open to public and private charter carrier operations. In June 2017, travel restrictions were revised to require U.S. t... |
gao_GAO-18-214 | gao_GAO-18-214_0 | Background
Radiological material is used throughout the world for medical and industrial purposes. Possession of this material within the United States requires a license from NRC or from one of the 37 Agreement States to which NRC has relinquished regulatory responsibility. NRC and Agreement States issue two typ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Thousands of shipments containing radiological material enter the United States each year through airports across the country. Radiological material is used in various medical and industrial applications, and possession requires a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or one of th... |
gao_GAO-18-484T | gao_GAO-18-484T_0 | Consolidation Plans Did Not Fully Conform with Leading Capital Decision- Making Practices and GAO Recommendation Has Not Been Implemented
In our September 2014 report, we found that DHS and GSA planning for the DHS headquarters consolidation did not fully conform with leading capital decision-making practices inten... | Why GAO Did This Study
DHS and GSA have been managing efforts to consolidate DHS executive leadership, operational management, and other personnel at one secure headquarters location rather than at multiple locations throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The consolidation is to include the development of... |
gao_GAO-19-17 | gao_GAO-19-17_0 | Background
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 engin... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 Ameri... |
gao_GAO-18-51 | gao_GAO-18-51_0 | Background
The federal government plans to invest about $96 billion in fiscal year 2018 for IT that is critical to the health, economy, and security of the nation. However, prior IT expenditures have often resulted in significant cost overruns, schedule delays, and questionable mission-related achievements. For e... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government plans to spend almost $96 billion on IT investments in fiscal year 2018; however, as GAO has previously found, too often these investments have cost overruns and schedule delays. To enhance oversight of IT programs, for 2015, Congress directed OMB to identify the 10 highes... |
gao_GAO-18-74 | gao_GAO-18-74_0 | Background
Collectively, the ongoing GPS acquisition effort aims to (1) modernize and sustain the existing GPS capability and (2) enhance the current GPS system by adding an anti-jam, anti-spoof cybersecure M-code capability. Figure 1 below shows how GPS satellites, ground control, and user equipment—in the form ... | Why GAO Did This Study
GPS provides positioning, navigation, and timing data to civilian and military users who depend on this satellite-based system. Since 2000, DOD—led by the Air Force—has been working to modernize GPS and to keep the current system of satellites—known as the GPS constellation—operational, although... |
gao_GAO-19-210 | gao_GAO-19-210_0 | Background
DHS R&D Roles and Responsibilities
The Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended, designates the Under Secretary for Science and Technology as responsible for coordinating all R&D activities of DHS. The Act also provides that nothing in it precludes other department components from carrying out R&D a... | Why GAO Did This Study
Conducting R&D on technologies is vital to enhancing the security of the nation. The Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended, designates S&T as responsible for coordinating all R&D activities of DHS. Questions have been raised about S&T's ability to demonstrate the impact of its R&D investment... |
gao_GAO-19-43 | gao_GAO-19-43_0 | Background
EXIM is an independent executive branch agency and a wholly owned U.S. government corporation. EXIM is the official export credit agency (ECA) of the United States, and its mission is to support the export of U.S. goods and services, thereby supporting U.S. jobs. EXIM’s charter states that it should no... | Why GAO Did This Study
EXIM serves as the official export credit agency of the United States, providing a range of financial products to support the export of U.S. goods and services. Following the 2007–2009 financial crisis, demand for EXIM support increased. However, from July 2015 to May 2019, EXIM lacked a quorum ... |
gao_GAO-18-208 | gao_GAO-18-208_0 | Background
VA is responsible for providing a variety of services to veterans and their families (i.e., spouses and children), including health care, disability compensation, and vocational rehabilitation. Within the department, VHA oversees the delivery of health care services, including primary care, specialized... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA operates the largest health care delivery system in America and VistA is essential to helping deliver the health care services and ensure the quality of health care received by the nation's veterans and their dependents. The system has been in operation for more than 30 years, is costly to ma... |
gao_GAO-18-445 | gao_GAO-18-445_0 | Background
NIST carries out its measurement services and documentary-standards development activities across several agency laboratories. NIST’s standards activities include participation in private-sector standards development organizations that conduct most standards development in the United States, and federa... | Why GAO Did This Study
The U.S. Department of Commerce's NIST provides measurement services and supports standards that promote U.S. competitiveness. For example, NIST provides calibrations for manufacturing equipment and reference materials used in testing. NIST also supports private sector organizations in developin... |
gao_GAO-18-241 | gao_GAO-18-241_0 | Background
This section describes DOE’s tank waste treatment approach at Hanford and DOE’s quality assurance framework and requirements.
DOE’s Tank Waste Treatment Approach
Cleanup of the Hanford Site is governed by two main compliance agreements: (1) the 1989 Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Ord... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOE and its contractor are building the WTP—which consists of multiple facilities—to treat a large portion of nuclear waste at Hanford. The project has faced persistent challenges, including quality assurance problems that have delayed it by decades and more than tripled its costs, to nearly $17... |
gao_GAO-18-189T | gao_GAO-18-189T_0 | VA’s Efforts to Align its Facilities Are Affected by Several Factors and Are Impeded by Limitations in Its Capital-planning Processes
Facility Alignment Is Challenged by Shifting Veterans’ Populations, Evolving Care Standards, Aging Infrastructure, and Limited Stakeholder Involvement
Geographic shifts in the veter... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 ... |
gao_GAO-18-661T | gao_GAO-18-661T_0 | Background
VA’s Current Disability Compensation Appeals Process
VA’s process for deciding veterans’ eligibility for disability compensation begins when a veteran submits a claim to VA. Staff in one of VBA’s 56 regional offices assist the veteran by gathering additional evidence, such as military and medical rec... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA's disability compensation program pays cash benefits to veterans with disabilities connected to their military service. In recent years, the time needed to complete appeals of VA's decisions on claims has increased. For appeals resolved in fiscal year 2017, veterans waited an average of 3 yea... |
gao_GAO-18-454 | gao_GAO-18-454_0 | Background
Overview of Coast Guard’s Major Acquisition Programs
As of March 2018, the Coast Guard’s portfolio of major acquisitions has 10 programs, 2 more than during our June 2014 review, when the Coast Guard had 8 major acquisition programs (see figure 1). DHS defines major acquisition programs as those with... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Coast Guard spends billions of dollars on its major acquisition programs to meet its missions. GAO's prior work has identified the Coast Guard's reliance on its annual budget process to manage its acquisition portfolio as a challenge.
GAO was asked to review the recapitalization of the Coast... |
gao_GAO-19-209 | gao_GAO-19-209_0 | Background
DOD acquires new weapons for its warfighters through a management process known as the defense acquisition process. This process has multiple phases, including: (1) technology maturation and risk reduction, (2) engineering and manufacturing development, and (3) production and deployment. In this report... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2018, DOD estimated that its 82 major defense acquisition programs would cost over $1.69 trillion in total to acquire. DOD relies on program offices—composed of civilian, military and contractor support personnel—to manage and oversee these technically complex programs.
GAO was asked to revie... |
gao_GAO-18-682 | gao_GAO-18-682_0 | Background
The federal government has recognized 573 Indian tribes as distinct, independent political communities with inherent powers of a limited sovereignty, which has never been extinguished. These tribes can vary significantly in regard to tribal size, population, and ownership status of land. For instance, ... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2018, FCC estimated that 35 percent of Americans living on tribal lands lack broadband service compared to 8 percent of Americans overall. Various federal programs support increasing broadband deployment in unserved areas, including tribal lands. Tribes can form partnerships with private sect... |
gao_GAO-19-99 | gao_GAO-19-99_0 | Background
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Corps has eight regional divisions and 38 districts that carry out its domestic civil works’ program (see fig. 1). Corps headquarters primarily develops policies based on administration guidance; plans the direction of the organization; and approves projects to re... | Why GAO Did This Study
Through its civil works program, the Corps plans, designs, constructs, operates, and maintains a range of water resources projects for purposes such as aquatic ecosystem restoration, flood risk management, and navigation. To support these projects, the Corps requests funding through the annual b... |
gao_GAO-19-49 | gao_GAO-19-49_0 | Background
In addition to improving the government-wide acquisition of IT, FITARA was intended to assist Congress in holding covered agencies accountable for their progress towards reducing duplication and achieving cost savings. The act also enhanced the CIO’s authority in covered agencies for the formulation an... | Why GAO Did This Study
In December 2014, Congress enacted FITARA, which was intended to improve covered agencies' acquisitions of IT. FITARA also provided an opportunity to strengthen the authority of CIOs to provide needed direction and oversight of agencies' IT budgets.
GAO was asked to review whether CIOs' IT budge... |
gao_GAO-18-425 | gao_GAO-18-425_0 | Background
Research has found that girls’ participation in sports has increased dramatically since the passage of Title IX. However, research has also found that progress toward equal sports participation between boys and girls has slowed since 2000, and a participation gap remains between the sexes. We previousl... | Why GAO Did This Study
Research has found that sports participation yields many benefits for youth. Girls' participation in sports has increased dramatically since the passage of Title IX in 1972, but is still lower than for boys. Further, investigations by OCR, which enforces and implements Title IX, have highlighted... |
gao_GAO-18-32 | gao_GAO-18-32_0 | Background
NAS and Prenatal Opioid Use
NAS is a withdrawal condition within infants that can result from the prenatal use of opioids by pregnant women. Prenatal opioid use occurs when a woman, during the course of her pregnancy, uses an opioid- based medication or substance. Prenatal opioid use can take various ... | Why GAO Did This Study
As the opioid crisis has increased in recent years, so has the number of pregnant women who use opioids, which can result in NAS. A recent peer-reviewed study found that cases of NAS have grown nearly five-fold between 2000 and 2012 and that most infants with NAS are covered under Medicaid.
The ... |
gao_GAO-18-12 | gao_GAO-18-12_0 | Background
An estimated 481,000 workers were employed in the animal slaughtering and processing industry in 2016, according to the Current Population Survey, which is jointly sponsored by DOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau. There were 5,282 meat and poultry plants in the United States, of... | Why GAO Did This Study
Meat and poultry slaughter and processing is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. GAO was asked to review federal efforts to help ensure meat and poultry worker safety and health.
This report (1) describes the efforts OSHA has made to help ensure worker safety and assesses ... |
gao_GAO-18-113 | gao_GAO-18-113_0 | Background
Role of Fighter Pilots
Fighter pilots staff both operational and non-operational positions, and fighter pilots alternate between these positions throughout their career. Operational positions include both flying (i.e., combat pilot or instructor pilot positions) and non-flying positions, such as a cl... | Why GAO Did This Study
Fighter pilots operate aircraft that are critical to achieving and maintaining air dominance during combat operations. The military services invest significant time and funding to train, compensate, and retain fighter pilots. According to Air Force officials, it costs between $3-$11 million and ... |
gao_GAO-18-522 | gao_GAO-18-522_0 | Background
SEC Examinations of FINRA
The Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) administers SEC’s nationwide examination and inspection program for registered SROs, broker-dealers, transfer agents, clearing agencies, investment companies, and investment advisers. OCIE conducts examinations an... | Why GAO Did This Study
The securities industry is generally regulated by a combination of federal and industry oversight. FINRA, a self-regulatory organization, is responsible for regulating securities firms doing business with the public in the United States. SEC oversees FINRA's operations and programs.
Section 964 ... |
gao_GAO-18-408T | gao_GAO-18-408T_0 | Background
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 ... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 ... |
gao_GAO-19-175 | gao_GAO-19-175_0 | Background
Missions, Roles, and Responsibilities of Federal Agencies in Our Review
Federal agencies carry out a variety of missions, including protecting and defending government buildings, public lands, and natural resources, as well as federal employees, elected officials, and visitors to federal sites. Agenc... | Why GAO Did This Study
Federal law enforcement agencies purchase firearms, ammunition, and tactical equipment, such as riot shields, to support their missions. GAO was asked to review these purchases for federal law enforcement agencies, and inventory controls at HHS, EPA, and IRS specifically.
This report examines, a... |
gao_GAO-18-297 | gao_GAO-18-297_0 | Background
Home Equity Building
A homeowner can build home equity immediately by making a down payment on their home, assuming the down payment is not financed separately as a loan. Throughout the life of a mortgage, homeowners can continue to build equity (1) by making regular mortgage payments to reduce the ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government has a number of programs to help increase access to affordable homeownership for first-time buyers and lower-income households, including programs that provide guarantees for certain types of mortgages and funding that can be used for down-payment assistance. Generally, ho... |
gao_GAO-18-250 | gao_GAO-18-250_0 | Background
This section provides information on (1) BLM headquarters, state, and field offices; (2) the lifecycle of oil and gas wells; (3) BLM’s bonding regulations; and (4) BLM’s 2012 well review and 2013 bond adequacy review policies.
BLM Headquarters, State, and Field Offices
BLM is responsible for issuing... | Why GAO Did This Study
In fiscal year 2016, private entities operated about 94,000 oil and gas wells on federal lands overseen by BLM. Once wells cease production, they can become inactive and potentially orphaned if an operator does not perform required reclamation and if an operator's bond is insufficient to cover t... |
gao_GAO-19-229 | gao_GAO-19-229_0 | Background
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 Ba... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 ... |
gao_GAO-18-380 | gao_GAO-18-380_0 | Background
To help ensure that veterans are prescribed and use opioid pain medications in a safe and effective manner, VHA launched its OSI nationally in 2013. VHA established nine OSI goals in a December 2014 memorandum. For each of the goals, VHA directed its VISNs and their associated VHA medical facilities to... | Why GAO Did This Study
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 and Senate Report 114-57 included provisions for GAO to report on VHA's OSI and the opioid prescribing practices of its health care providers.
This report examines, among other issues, (1) the extent to which VHA has met OSI goals established ... |
gao_GAO-19-233 | gao_GAO-19-233_0 | Background
Marine Corps Organizational Structure
The Marine Corps, within the Department of the Navy, organizes itself into different Marine Air Ground Task Forces. Each Marine Air Ground Task Force consists of a command element that includes a ground combat element, air combat element, and logistics combat ele... | Why GAO Did This Study
Training is key to building readiness—the military's ability to fight and meet the demands of its missions. Through the Department of Defense (DOD) budget cycle, the Marine Corps estimates or programs its funding needs for training and spends funds to accomplish its training mission. Questions h... |
gao_GAO-18-576T | gao_GAO-18-576T_0 | Background
NASA Acquisition Life Cycle for Space Flight Projects
The life cycle for NASA space flight projects consists of two phases— formulation, which takes a project from concept to preliminary design, and implementation, which includes building, launching, and operating the system, among other activities. N... | Why GAO Did This Study
GAO designated NASA's acquisition management as a high-risk area in 1990 after a history of persistent cost growth and schedule slippage in many of NASA's major projects. In more recent years, GAO found that NASA had taken some steps to improve its management, and, in May 2017, GAO found that pr... |
gao_GAO-19-230 | gao_GAO-19-230_0 | Background
Harm from Exposure of Personal Information
Individuals’ sensitive personal information can be lost, stolen, or given away. Once exposed, individuals’ information can be misused to commit identity theft, fraud, or inflict other types of harm. Identity theft occurs when individuals’ information is used... | Why GAO Did This Study
Recent large-scale data breaches of public and private entities have put hundreds of millions of people at risk of identity theft or other harm. GAO was asked to review issues related to consumers' options to address risks of harm from data breaches. This report, among other things, examines inf... |
gao_GAO-18-352 | gao_GAO-18-352_0 | Background
VA’s Disability Compensation Claims Process
VA’s process for deciding veterans’ eligibility for disability compensation begins when a veteran submits a claim to VA. The veteran submits his or her claim to one of VBA’s 56 regional offices, where staff members assist the veteran by gathering additional... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA's disability compensation program pays cash benefits to veterans with disabilities connected to their military service. In recent years, the number of appeals of VA's benefit decisions has been rising. For decisions made on appeal in fiscal year 2017, veterans waited an average of 3 years for... |
gao_GAO-18-298 | gao_GAO-18-298_0 | Background
The mission of the IRS, an agency within the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), is to provide America’s taxpayers with top quality service by helping them understand and meet their tax responsibilities; and to enforce the tax law with integrity and fairness to all. In carrying out its mission, IRS ... | Why GAO Did This Study
IRS relies extensively on IT investments to annually collect more than $3 trillion in taxes, distribute more than $400 billion in refunds, and carry out its mission of providing service to America's taxpayers in meeting their tax obligations. For fiscal years 2016 and 2017, the agency reported s... |
gao_GAO-18-679 | gao_GAO-18-679_0 | Background
As of January 2018, there were 22 TCS programs authorized across 18 states (see fig. 1). All TCS programs are state programs; there are no federal TCS programs. Decisions about whether to develop and operate a TCS program (and how to structure the program) are completely at the discretion of each state... | Why GAO Did This Study
TCS programs offer state tax credits to individuals or businesses that donate to scholarship funds for students to attend private elementary and secondary schools. Through these credits, donors may reduce the amount they owe in state taxes by the full or a partial amount of their donation, depen... |
gao_GAO-18-232 | gao_GAO-18-232_0 | Background
Federal Housing Programs That Assist Older Adults
Older adults may receive federal housing assistance through a number of programs, but only a few programs specifically target older households. To be eligible for those programs, the head of household or spouse must be 62 or older.
Programs Target... | Why GAO Did This Study
According to the Census Bureau, by 2030, about 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 and older. This aging of the population presents challenges and opportunities for policymakers and service providers in helping ensure that the older population's needs—including housing and health services—are met. Feder... |
gao_GAO-19-73 | gao_GAO-19-73_0 | Background
Roles and Responsibilities for DOD Real Property
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment has overall responsibility and oversight for DOD’s real property and provides overarching guidance and procedures for real property management. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy... | Why GAO Did This Study
DOD manages a portfolio of real property assets that as of fiscal year 2016 reportedly included about 568,000 facilities with a combined plant replacement value of about $1 trillion and 27.2 million acres of land. DOD requires the military services and Washington Headquarters Services to collect... |
gao_GAO-18-224 | gao_GAO-18-224_0 | Background
IDT Refund Fraud
Viewed broadly, IDT refund fraud is composed of two crimes: (1) the theft or compromise of PII, and (2) the use of stolen (or otherwise compromised) PII to file a fraudulent tax return and collect a fraudulent refund. Figure 1 presents an example of how fraudsters may use stolen PII... | Why GAO Did This Study
IRS continues to confront the ongoing problems of identity theft (IDT) refund fraud. The agency estimates that at least $1.68 billion was paid in IDT refund fraud in 2016. To help address this issue, consistent with GAO's prior reporting, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 advan... |
gao_GAO-18-34 | gao_GAO-18-34_0 | Background
VA serves veterans of the U.S. armed forces and provides health, pension, burial, and other benefits. The department’s three operational administrations—VHA, Veterans Benefits Administration, and National Cemetery Administration—operate largely independently from one another. Each has its own contracti... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA medical centers spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually on medical supplies and services. In December 2016, VA instituted a major change in how it purchases medical supplies—the MSPV-NG program—to gain effectiveness and efficiencies.
GAO was asked to examine VA's transition to the MSPV... |
gao_GAO-19-219 | gao_GAO-19-219_0 | Background
According to its strategic plan for 2017 through 2022, the MEP program aims to strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturers by providing them with the information and tools to improve productivity, assure consistent quality, and accelerate the transfer of manufacturing technology into production processes... | Why GAO Did This Study
Small and medium-sized manufacturers are an important part of the U.S. economy. In 1988, to enhance the competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance of U.S. manufacturing, NIST established what is now called the MEP program. The program supports manufacturers through services pro... |
gao_GAO-19-94 | gao_GAO-19-94_0 | Background
According to OMB, the federal government spends more than $25 billion annually for core mission support services, such as HR and financial management that are common across agencies. These services are generally supported by a wide range of activities. For example, the HR employee life cycle functions ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government can reduce duplicative efforts and free up resources for mission-critical activities by consolidating mission-support services that multiple agencies need—such as payroll or travel—within a smaller number of providers so they can be shared among agencies. However, migratin... |
gao_GAO-18-278 | gao_GAO-18-278_0 | Background
ARPA-E’s typical funding announcement and award selection process begins with the agency hiring a program director responsible for identifying a gap in energy technology research and developing a program to fill that gap. ARPA-E is required by statute to achieve its goals through energy technology proj... | Why GAO Did This Study
ARPA-E provides funding for research to overcome long-term and high-risk technological barriers in developing energy technologies. Since 2009, ARPA-E has awarded approximately $1.3 billion to universities, public and private companies, and national laboratories to fund energy research projects. ... |
gao_GAO-18-198 | gao_GAO-18-198_0 | Background
Mobile devices use wireless networks to enable voice and data communications. Mobile wireless networks comprise several components and provide coverage based on dividing a large geographic area into smaller areas of coverage known as “cells.” Each cell contains a cell site—a base station equipped with ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Americans increasingly rely on mobile wireless communications for safety-related communications like calling 911 and receiving weather alerts. Mobile wireless networks face risks from physical incidents including extreme weather events and intentional and accidental damage. For example, in 2017 ... |
gao_GAO-18-136 | gao_GAO-18-136_0 | Background
Democracy Assistance Program Areas
The U.S. government supports various types of democracy assistance activities, which USAID and State categorize under the DRG portfolio. USAID and State use their Updated Foreign Assistance Standardized Program Structure and Definitions to categorize and define DRG ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Supporting efforts to promote democracy has been a foreign policy priority for the U.S. government. In recent years, USAID and State have allocated about $2 billion per year toward democracy assistance overseas. Congress required USAID and State to each establish guidelines for and report on the... |
gao_GAO-18-486 | gao_GAO-18-486_0 | Background
UI Program Administration and Funding
The federal-state UI program provides temporary cash benefits to eligible workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Under this arrangement, states administer their own programs according to certain federal requirements and under the oversight of ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The UI program, which is overseen by DOL and administered by states, paid $30 billion to about 5.7 million individuals in 2017. Under federal law, to be eligible for benefits, individuals are generally required to actively search for work, but the specific work search requirements vary by state.... |
gao_GAO-18-97 | gao_GAO-18-97_0 | Background
The United States railroad system consists of a vast network of operations that includes more than 780 railroads operating across 220,000 miles of track—including about 212,000 grade crossings. Both freight and passenger railroads operate across the system. The freight railroad industry is dominated by... | Why GAO Did This Study
Accidents at grade crossings are a major source of fatalities in the railroad industry. FRA—the federal agency responsible for providing regulatory oversight of grade-crossing safety—–issued regulations on the use of train horns in 2005. Railroads generally support sounding the horn, whereas, co... |
gao_GAO-18-477 | gao_GAO-18-477_0 | Background
Changing Petroleum Markets
Oil and petroleum products markets have changed substantially in the years since the establishment of the SPR. Specifically, U.S. domestic crude oil production has generally been increasing, consumption has been relatively stable, and crude oil and petroleum products market... | Why GAO Did This Study
More than 4 decades ago, Congress authorized the creation of the SPR to reduce the impact of disruptions in supplies of petroleum products. DOE manages the SPR. As a member of the International Energy Agency, the United States is obligated to maintain reserves equivalent to at least 90 days of t... |
gao_GAO-18-53 | gao_GAO-18-53_0 | Background
The HCV program, administered by HUD, subsidizes housing costs for low-income households in the private rental market. Because HUD provides HCV assistance directly to the household, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. If the househ... | Why GAO Did This Study
With the goal of providing safe, decent, affordable housing, HUD provides rental assistance to low-income households through its HCV program, administered locally by approximately 2,200 PHAs around the country. In fiscal year 2016, the HCV program received approximately $20 billion in funding an... |
gao_GAO-18-483 | gao_GAO-18-483_0 | Background
Puerto Rico’s Territorial Status and Residents’ Status
Puerto Rico is the most populous U.S. territory with approximately 3.3 million residents. Puerto Rico and its residents are generally subject to the same federal laws as the states and their residents, except in cases where specific exemptions ha... | Why GAO Did This Study
Puerto Rico, the largest and most populous territory of the United States, is subject to congressional authority, although it has broad authority over matters of internal governance. After it defaulted on over $1.5 billion in public debt since 2015, Congress passed PROMESA to establish federal o... |
gao_GAO-18-559 | gao_GAO-18-559_0 | Background
A consumer reporting agency is a person or entity that assembles or evaluates consumer credit information or other consumer information for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to others. This includes companies that compile and store electronic files of consumer information, which they then sell... | Why GAO Did This Study
CRAs such as Equifax assemble information about consumers to produce credit reports and may provide other services, such as identity verification to federal agencies and other organizations. Data breaches at Equifax and other large organizations have highlighted the need to better protect sensit... |
gao_GAO-19-136 | gao_GAO-19-136_0 | Background
Software development approaches have evolved over time. DOD weapon system acquisition programs have traditionally developed software using what is known as the waterfall development approach, first conceived in 1970 as linear and sequential phases of development over several years that result in a sing... | Why GAO Did This Study
Over the next 5 years, DOD plans to spend over $65 billion on its space system acquisitions portfolio, including many systems that rely on software for key capabilities. However, software-intensive space systems have had a history of significant schedule delays and billions of dollars in cost gr... |
gao_GAO-18-702T | gao_GAO-18-702T_0 | IRS Has Broad Efforts Underway to Address Authentication Challenges
Our report noted that IRS has established organizational structures essential to supporting its taxpayer authentication efforts. Specifically, IRS created an Identity Assurance Office (IAO) in 2015 to work with stakeholders across IRS to review an... | Why GAO Did This Study
This testimony summarizes the information contained in GAO's June 2018 report, entitled Identity Theft: IRS Needs to Strengthen Taxpayer Authentication Efforts ( GAO-18-418 ).
What GAO Found
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has identified over 100 interactions requiring taxpayer authenticati... |
gao_GAO-18-658 | gao_GAO-18-658_0 | Background
General Process for Managing Pharmacy Inventories in Hospital Settings
In general, the process for managing inventories of medications at VAMCs and non-VA pharmacies in hospital settings is similar. The steps of the process are (1) procuring medications from vendors or other suppliers, (2) receiving ... | Why GAO Did This Study
VA provides health care services, including pharmacy services, to approximately 9 million veterans each year. Since 2000, VAMCs have faced recurring challenges in managing their pharmacy inventories, including difficulties with accurately accounting for and updating inventory totals through thei... |
gao_GAO-19-75 | gao_GAO-19-75_0 | Background
The federal government has recognized 573 Indian tribes as distinct, independent political communities with certain powers of sovereignty and self-government, including some power to manage the use of their territory and resources and control economic activity within their jurisdiction. Some tribal lan... | Why GAO Did This Study
In 2018, FCC estimated that 35 percent of Americans living on tribal lands lack broadband service compared to 8 percent of Americans overall. Broadband service can be delivered through wireless technologies using radio frequency spectrum. According to FCC, increasing tribal access to spectrum wo... |
gao_GAO-18-106 | gao_GAO-18-106_0 | Background
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... | Why GAO Did This Study
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-enforceabl... |
gao_GAO-18-630 | gao_GAO-18-630_0 | Background
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 establ... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 ... |
gao_GAO-19-8 | gao_GAO-19-8_0 | Background
Poverty in U.S. High Schools
Poverty can adversely affect academic and other outcomes in profound ways. Specifically, living in poverty is linked with negative conditions for children at home, in schools, and in neighborhoods and communities, and can include substandard housing, homelessness, inadequ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Poverty can have a profound effect on academic outcomes and college readiness and students from low-income families are less likely to go to college. The low rates of degree attainment for low-income students raises questions about whether the students who wish to pursue higher education have ac... |
gao_GAO-18-322 | gao_GAO-18-322_0 | Background
HHS-OIG Exclusion Authority
HHS-OIG has the authority to exclude providers and other entities that have committed certain acts from participation in federal health care programs. According to HHS-OIG guidance, exclusion is a remedial measure designed to protect federal health care programs from any e... | Why GAO Did This Study
HHS-OIG has the authority to exclude providers and other entities that have committed certain acts, such as submitting false or fraudulent claims, from participation in federal health care programs. However, HHS-OIG can enter into agreements—CIAs and IAs—with providers and other entities as an a... |
gao_GAO-18-373T | gao_GAO-18-373T_0 | Background
Part of the Mariana Islands Archipelago, the CNMI is a chain of 14 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, just north of Guam and about 3,200 miles west of Hawaii. The CNMI has a total population of 53,890, according to the CNMI’s 2016 Household, Income, and Expenditures Survey. Almost 90 percent of the ... | Why GAO Did This Study
Pub. L. No. 110-229, enacted in 2008, amended the U.S.-CNMI covenant to apply federal immigration law to the CNMI after a transition period. The law required the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish a temporary work permit program for foreign workers. DHS is required to decrease th... |
gao_GAO-18-71 | gao_GAO-18-71_0 | Background
Spectrum is a natural resource used to provide a variety of communication services to businesses and consumers, as well as federal, state, and local governments. Businesses and consumers use spectrum for a variety of wireless services including mobile voice and data, WiFi- and Bluetooth-enabled devices... | Why GAO Did This Study
IoT generally refers to devices (or “things”), such as vehicles and appliances, that use a network to communicate and share data with each other. The increasing popularity of wireless IoT devices that use spectrum has created questions about spectrum needs. GAO was asked to examine issues relate... |
gao_GAO-18-187T | gao_GAO-18-187T_0 | FirstNet’s Progress Establishing and Financing the Network and Consulting Stakeholders
In our June 2017 report, we found that FirstNet has conducted key efforts to establish the network, namely releasing the request for proposal for the network in January 2016 and awarding the network contract to AT&T in March 201... | Why GAO Did This Study
FirstNet is charged with establishing a nationwide public-safety broadband network that is reliable, secure, and interoperable. To inform this work, FirstNet is consulting with a variety of stakeholders. In March 2017, FirstNet awarded a 25-year contract to AT&T to build, operate, and maintain t... |
gao_GAO-18-671 | gao_GAO-18-671_0 | Background
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 medic... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 issu... |
gao_GAO-18-39 | gao_GAO-18-39_0 | Background
We have consistently stressed the importance of IRS conducting tax compliance research. Likewise, analyzing compliance data can help IRS identify ways to enhance taxpayer compliance. Without such data, it is more difficult for IRS to decide whether its efforts to address specific areas of noncompliance... | Why GAO Did This Study
The tax gap—the difference between tax amounts that taxpayers should have paid and what they actually paid—has been a persistent problem for decades. The tax gap estimate is an aggregate estimate of the five types of taxes that IRS administers—individual income, corporation income, employment, e... |
gao_GAO-18-164 | gao_GAO-18-164_0 | Few Grantees Certified They Were Exempt from Statutory Restrictions on Religious-Based Hiring
Nine DOJ Grantees Certified They Were Exempt from Statutory Restrictions on Religious- Based Hiring
From 2007 to 2015, HHS, DOL, and DOJ awarded funding to at least 2,586 grantees through at least 53 grant programs that ... | Why GAO Did This Study
The federal government provides billions of dollars in grant funding to organizations offering social services, including FBOs. In carrying out their mission, some FBOs prefer to hire individuals who share their religious beliefs. Although the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimin... |
gao_GAO-19-123 | gao_GAO-19-123_0 | Background
This section presents information on the Superfund program and the stages of the cleanup process, the relationship between federally recognized tribes and the federal government, the laws and policies that govern EPA’s consultation with federally recognized tribes regarding Superfund cleanup actions, a... | Why GAO Did This Study
Superfund is EPA's principal program to address sites with hazardous substances, and some of the most seriously contaminated of these sites are listed on the NPL. Many of these sites can affect Indian tribes or their land. EPA has a policy to consult with tribes when EPA actions or decisions may... |
gao_GAO-19-126 | gao_GAO-19-126_0 | Background
This section describes the (1) Kansas City site’s role in providing nonnuclear parts and components, and (2) current and planned nuclear weapons stockpile life extension and alteration efforts that drive workload.
Kansas City Site’s Role in Providing Nonnuclear Parts and Components
The Kansas City si... | Why GAO Did This Study
Modernization of the nation's nuclear stockpile depends on timely procurement and production of nonnuclear parts and components. Such parts and components make up over 80 percent of the items in a nuclear weapon. The Kansas City site procures or produces most of these parts, under NNSA oversight... |
gao_GAO-18-68 | gao_GAO-18-68_0 | Background
There are several aspects of individual market plans sold through the exchanges for consumers to consider when selecting a plan, including: (1) metal tiers; (2) premium variation and plan availability; (3) covered benefits; and (4) premium tax credits. Current exchange consumers who are eligible for co... | Why GAO Did This Study
During open enrollment, eligible returning consumers may re-enroll in their existing health insurance exchange plan or choose a different plan. Those who do not actively enroll in a plan may be automatically reenrolled into a plan. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, automa... |
gao_GAO-18-184T | gao_GAO-18-184T_0 | Background
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 hi... | Why GAO Did This Study
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 ).
What GAO Found
The Department of Energy (DOE), Nuclear Regulatory Commissi... |
gao_GAO-18-666 | gao_GAO-18-666_0 | Background
The HUBZone Act of 1997 (which established the HUBZone program) identified HUBZones as (1) qualified census tracts, which are determined generally by area poverty rate or household income; (2) qualified nonmetropolitan counties, which are determined generally by area unemployment rate or median househo... | Why GAO Did This Study
The HUBZone program is intended to stimulate economic development in economically distressed areas. Certified HUBZone firms are eligible for federal contracting benefits, including limited competition awards such as set-aside contracts, and are required to be recertified every 3 years. The Puert... |
gao_GAO-18-324 | gao_GAO-18-324_0 | Background
MDA is responsible for developing a number of systems, known as elements, with the purpose of defending against ballistic missile attacks. MDA’s mission is to combine these elements into an integrated system- of-systems, known as the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Specifically, the goal of the BMDS i... | Why GAO Did This Study
Since 2002, MDA has been developing a Ballistic Missile Defense System that can identify and intercept enemy threats. MDA has received approximately $132 billion and is planning to spend an additional $47.8 billion through fiscal year 2022 to continue its efforts.
The National Defense Authorizat... |
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