GAO Releases this week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as housing, oil and railroads. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Rental Housing: Information on Low-Income Veterans' Housing Conditions and Participation in HUD's Programs. GAO-07-1012, August 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1012
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071012high.pdf
• Aboveground Oil Storage Tanks: Observations on EPA's Economic Analyses of Amendments to the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Rule. GAO-07-763, July 27.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-763
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07763high.pdf
• Reexamining Regulations: Opportunities Exist to Improve Effectiveness and Transparency of Retrospective Reviews. GAO-07-791, July 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-791
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07791high.pdf
• Tax Gap: A Strategy for Reducing the Gap Should Include Options for Addressing Sole Proprietor Noncompliance. GAO-07-1014, July 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1014
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071014high.pdf
• Small Business Administration: Additional Measures Needed to Assess 7(a) Loan Program's Performance. GAO-07-769, July 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-769
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07769high.pdf
• Federal Advertising: Established Programs Were Largely Used to Address Executive Order Directive to Ensure Small and Minority-Owned Business Participation. GAO-07-877, July 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-877
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07877high.pdf
  

Correspondence

• Freight Railroads: Updated Information on Rates and Other Industry Trends. GAO-07-291R, August 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-291R

Presentation by the Comptroller General

• "Keeping America Great: The Role of the Accountability Profession," by David M. Walker, comptroller general of the United States, before the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers, in Nashville, Tennessee. GAO-07-1192CG, August 13. [Slides]
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d071192cg.pdf

Guidance

• Cost Assessment Guide: Best Practices for Estimating and Managing Program Costs. [Exposure Draft] GAO-07-1134SP, July 2007.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1134SP