The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) offers multiple programs that help small businesses and inventors with acquiring intellectual property protections, which can help protect creative works or ideas. These programs, such as the Inventors Assistance Center, are aimed at assisting the public, especially small businesses and inventors, with intellectual property protections. Several stakeho

As of August 2020, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) had monitored the end use of the single dual-use export transaction that it continued to finance in fiscal year 2018, as summarized below. (1) Two satellites for the government of Mexico. A fixed service satellite was launched in December 2012 and became operational in February 2013, and a mobile service satellite was launched

To operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, Congress, the administration, and federal managers must have ready access to reliable and complete financial and performance information—both for individual federal entities and for the federal government as a whole. GAO's report on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2019 and 2018 discusses progress tha

As of August 2019, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) monitored the end use of its dual-use export transactions that it continued to finance in fiscal year 2017, as summarized below. (1) Two satellites for the government of Mexico. A fixed service satellite was launched in December 2012 and became operational in February 2013, and a mobile service satellite was launched in October

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) reported having antifraud controls in place for mitigating the fraud risks that GAO identified and communicated to EXIM officials. GAO reviewed 44 EXIM-associated court cases involving fraud and identified fraud risks involving four fraud risk factors. GAO communicated these fraud risks to EXIM officials, and they provided examples of antifraud c

GAO found that Export-Import Bank's (EXIM) process for updating its underwriting policies and procedures was properly designed and implemented. EXIM's Loan, Guarantee and Insurance Manual (Manual) describes EXIM's underwriting policies and procedures for its short-, medium-, and long-term loans and loan guarantees. The Manual describes the responsibilities of divisions and loan officers involved

To operate as effectively and efficiently as possible, Congress, the administration, and federal managers must have ready access to reliable and complete financial and performance information—both for individual federal entities and for the federal government as a whole. GAO's report on the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements for fiscal years 2018 and 2017 underscores that much

Through analysis of sources containing government-wide information on federal activities, GAO identified 148 federal insurance and other activities that transfer risk or losses from adverse events to the government. Unlike private insurance, the activities do not necessarily have a contract or charge premiums or fees in exchange for assuming risk. Even when premiums or fees exist they may not cov

Congress has restricted the use of certain appropriated funding to promote tobacco exports and the Departments of State (State), Commerce (Commerce), and Agriculture (USDA) have issued interagency guidance through the cable system that they rely on to implement these restrictions. State collaborates with these and other agencies to periodically update this cable. The cable informs officials about

The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) monitored the end use of two dual-use export transactions--with the government of Mexico, and the government of Cameroon--that it continued to finance in fiscal year 2016. As of August 2018, EXIM received all documents from the government of Mexico on time and made a timely determination that Mexico was in compliance with the bank's dual-use policy, but did not clear