http://www.gao.gov/press.html Fri, 09 May 2008 12:48:23 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2-ppt http://www.gao.gov/images/title_object.jpg http://www.gao.gov/ http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08349.pdf?source=ra In Process Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08594.pdf?source=ra U. S. aquaculture--the raising of fish and shellfish in captivity--has generally been confined to nearshore coastal waters or in other water bodies, such as ponds, that fall under state regulation. Recently, there has been an increased interest in expanding aquaculture to offshore waters, which would involve raising fish and shellfish in the open ocean, and consequently bringing these types of operations under federal regulation. While ... Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08263.pdf?source=ra The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has relied on service acquisitions to meet its expansive mission. In fiscal year 2006, DHS spent $12.7 billion to procure services. To improve service acquisition outcomes, federal procurement law establishes a preference for a performance-based approach, which focuses on developing measurable outcomes rather than prescribing how contractors should perform services. GAO was asked to (1) evaluate ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08578.pdf?source=ra Interagency contracting--using another agency's contracts or contracting services--can provide agencies with opportunities to streamline the procurement process and achieve savings. However, GAO designated the management of interagency contracting a high-risk area in 2005 due, in part, to a lack of reliable data on its use and of clarity regarding contract management responsibilities. In 2002, the Department of State (State) issued the ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08737t.pdf?source=ra Millions of people rely on the services of Social Security Administration (SSA) field offices. In fiscal year 2007, SSA's approximately 1,300 field offices provided service to about 42 million customers. People use these offices to apply for Social Security cards, apply for retirement and disability benefits, establish direct deposit, and a host of other services. While customers may conduct their business using SSA's online, telephone, ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08758t.pdf?source=ra The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for overseeing direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs, which includes a range of media, such as television, magazines, and the Internet. If FDA identifies a violation of laws or regulations in a DTC advertising material, the agency may issue a regulatory letter asking the drug company to take specific actions. In 2002, GAO reported on delays in FDA's issuance of regulatory ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08762t.pdf?source=ra To address the challenges that the nation faces, it will be important for federal agencies to change their cultures and create the institutional capacity to become high-performing organizations. This includes recruiting and retaining a federal workforce able to create, sustain, and thrive in organizations that are flatter, results-oriented, and externally focused. In 2001, GAO identified strategic human capital management as a governmentwide ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08763t.pdf?source=ra Physical infrastructure is critical to the nation's economy and affects the daily life of virtually all Americans--from facilitating the movement of goods and people within and beyond U.S. borders to providing clean drinking water. However, this infrastructure--including aviation, highway, transit, rail, water, and dam infrastructure--is under strain. Estimates to repair, replace, or upgrade aging infrastructure as well as expand capacity ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08765t.pdf?source=ra The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has relied on service acquisitions to meet its expansive mission. In fiscal year 2006, DHS spent $12.7 billion to procure services. To improve service acquisition outcomes, federal procurement policy establishes a preference for a performance-based approach, which focuses on developing measurable outcomes rather than prescribing how contractors should perform services. This testimony focuses on ... Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08486.pdf?source=ra Since 2001, Labor has spent nearly $900 million on three workforce employment and training grant initiatives: High Growth Job Training Initiative (High Growth), Community-Based Job Training Initiative (Community Based), and the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED). GAO was asked to examine (1) the intent of the grant initiatives and the extent to which Labor will be able to assess their effects, (2) the extent to ... Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08596.pdf?source=ra With a workforce of about 35,000, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) provides engineering services for civil works and military programs in the United States and overseas. Recently, the Corps' focus has shifted to also support contingency operations, such as responding to natural disasters. To meet its mission and emerging priorities, the Corps must have effective human capital planning processes to ensure that it can maintain ... Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08706t.pdf?source=ra Collaboration between the federal government and the aviation industry has led to reductions in aviation emissions, but growing air traffic has partially offset these reductions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), together with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others, is working to increase the efficiency, safety, and capacity of the national airspace system ... Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08504.pdf?source=ra Disputes between policyholders and insurers after the 2005 hurricanes highlight the challenges of determining the cause and extent of damages when properties are subject to both high winds and flooding. Additionally, insurers want to reduce their exposure in high-risk areas, and state wind insurance programs have grown significantly. H.R. 3121, the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007, would create a combined federal insurance ... Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08729t.pdf?source=ra In 1996, the former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, now within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Social Security Administration (SSA) began operating a voluntary pilot program, recently named the E-Verify program, to provide participating employers with a means for electronically verifying employees' work eligibility. Legislation has been introduced in Congress to require all employers to electronically verify ... Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08735r.pdf?source=ra According to U.S. embassy officials in Islamabad and unclassified U.S. intelligence documents, since 2002, al Qaeda and the Taliban have used Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the border region to attack Pakistani, Afghan, U.S. and coalition troops; plan and train for attacks against U.S. interests; destabilize Pakistan; and spread radical Islamist ideologies that threaten U.S. interests. Since October 2001, the ... Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08767t.pdf?source=ra For more than a decade, GAO has reported that Medicare has paid higher than market rates for medical equipment and supplies provided to beneficiaries under Medicare Part B. Since 1989, Medicare has used fee schedules primarily based on historical charges to set payment amounts. But this approach lacks flexibility to keep pace with market changes and increases costs to the federal government and Medicare's 44 million elderly and disabled ... Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08566.pdf?source=ra Dissatisfaction with the federal tax system has led to a debate about U.S. tax reform, including proposals for a national consumption tax. One type of proposed consumption tax is a value-added tax (VAT), widely used around the world. A VAT is levied on the difference between a business's sales and its purchases of goods and services. Typically, a business calculates the tax due on its sales, subtracts a credit for taxes paid on its purchases, ... Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.gao.gov/decisions/majrule/d08734r.htm?source=ra GAO reviewed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new rule on the Lead; Renovation, Repair, and Painting program. GAO found that (1) the final rule addresses lead based paint hazards created by renovation, repair, and painting activities, establishes requirements for training renovators, other renovation workers, and dust sampling technicians, establishes requirements for accrediting renovation firms and providers of renovation and ... Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100