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 refund anticipation loans, alien detention standards, IRAs, and nuclear weapons. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Individual Retirement Accounts: Government Actions Could Encourage More Employers to Offer IRAs to Employees. GAO-08-590, June 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-590
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08590high.pdf
• Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Needs to Establish a Cost and Schedule Baseline for Manufacturing a Critical Nuclear Weapon Component. GAO-08-593, May 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-593
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08593high.pdf
• September 11: HHS Needs to Develop a Plan That Incorporates Lessons from the Responder Health Programs. GAO-08-610, May 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-610
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08610high.pdf
• U.S. Postal Service: Mail-Related Recycling Initiatives and Possible Opportunities for Improvement. GAO-08-599, June 3.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-599
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08599high.pdf

Correspondence

• Defense Management: Assessment of the Reorganization of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. GAO-08-830R, May 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-830R
• Department of Energy: Implementation and Use of Other Transactions Authority Provided in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. GAO-08-798R, June 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-798R
• Management Report: Improvements Needed in IRS's Internal Controls. GAO-08-368R, June 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-368R
• Oil and Gas Royalties: Litigation over Royalty Relief Could Cost the Federal Government Billions of Dollars. GAO-08-792R, June 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-792R
• Refund Anticipation Loans. GAO-08-800R, June 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-800R

Testimony

• Alien Detention Standards: Observations on the Adherence to ICE's Medical Standards in Detention Facilities, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law, House Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-08-869T, June 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-869T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08869thigh.pdf
• Combating Terrorism: Guidance for State Department's Antiterrorism Assistance Program Is Limited and State Does Not Systematically Assess Outcomes, by Charles M. Johnson, Jr., director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-875T, June 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-875T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08875thigh.pdf
• Defense Acquisitions: Better Weapon Program Outcomes Require Discipline, Accountability, and Fundamental Changes in the Acquisition Environment, by Katherine V. Schinasi, managing director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. GAO-08-782T, June 3.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-782T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08782thigh.pdf
• Federal Disability Programs: Coordination Could Facilitate Better Data Collection to Assess the Status of People with Disabilities, by Daniel Bertoni, director, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-872T, June 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-872T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08872thigh.pdf
  
• Fiscal Year 2007 U.S. Government Financial Statements: Sustained Improvement in Financial Management Is Crucial to Improving Accountability and Addressing the Long-Term Fiscal Challenge, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-847T, June 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-847T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08847thigh.pdf