The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as privacy and personally identifiable information, Afghanistan security, and environmental satellites. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.Reports
- Afghanistan Security: Further Congressional Action May Be Needed to Ensure Completion of a Detailed Plan to Develop and Sustain Capable Afghan National Security Forces. GAO-08-661, June 18.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-661
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08661high.pdf - Defense Infrastructure: High-Level Leadership Needed to Help Communities Address Challenges Caused by DOD-Related Growth. GAO-08-665, June 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-665
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08665high.pdf - Department of Energy: Office of Science Has Kept Majority of Projects within Budget and on Schedule, but Funding and Other Challenges May Grow. GAO-08-641, May 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-641
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08641high.pdf
- Environmental Satellites: Polar-orbiting Satellite Acquisition Faces Delays; Decisions Needed on Whether and How to Ensure Climate Data Continuity. GAO-08-518, May 16.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-518
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08518high.pdf - Financial Audit: Material Weaknesses in Internal Control over the Processes Used to Prepare the Consolidated Financial Statements of the U.S. Government. GAO-08-748, June 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-748
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08748high.pdf - Higher Education: Veteran Students Received Similar Amounts of Title IV Aid As Nonveterans but More Total Aid with GI Benefits. GAO-08-741, June 20.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-741 - Homeland Security: The Federal Protective Service Faces Several Challenges That Hamper Its Ability to Protect Federal Facilities. GAO-08-683, June 11.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-683
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08683high.pdf - Maritime Security: National Strategy and Supporting Plans Were Generally Well-Developed and Are Being Implemented. GAO-08-672, June 20.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-672
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08672high.pdf - Medicare: Thousands of Medicare Providers Abuse the Federal Tax System. GAO-08-618, June 13.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-618
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08618high.pdf - Millennium Challenge Corporation: Independent Reviews and Consistent Approaches Will Strengthen Projections of Program Impact. GAO-08-730, June 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-730
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08730high.pdf - Privacy: Alternatives Exist for Enhancing Protection of Personally Identifiable Information. GAO-08-536, May 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-536
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08536high.pdf - Privacy: Agencies Should Ensure That Designated Senior Officials Have Oversight of Key Functions. GAO-08-603, May 30.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-603
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08603high.pdf
- Department of Energy: Information on Its Management of Costs and Liabilities for Contractors' Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans. GAO-08-642R, June 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-642R - Federal Reserve Banks: Areas for Improvement in Information Security Controls. GAO-08-836R, June 16.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-836R - Improper Payments: Responses to Posthearing Questions Related to Status of Agencies' Efforts to Address Improper Payment and Recovery Auditing Requirements. GAO-08-819R, June 20.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-819R
- Afghanistan Security: U.S. Efforts to Develop Capable Afghan Police Forces Face Challenges and Need a Coordinated, Detailed Plan to Help Ensure Accountability, by Charles Michael Johnson, Jr., director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-08-883T, June 18.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-883T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08883thigh.pdf - Architect of the Capitol: Progress in Improving Energy Efficiency and Options for Decreasing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, by Terrell G. Dorn, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. GAO-08-917T, June 18.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-917T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08917thigh.pdf - Environmental Satellites: Polar-orbiting Satellite Acquisition Faces Delays; Decisions Needed on Whether and How to Ensure Climate Data Continuity, by David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-08-899T, June 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-899T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08899thigh.pdf - Higher Education: United States' and Other Countries' Strategies for Attracting and Funding International Students, by George A. Scott, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. GAO-08-878T, June 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-878T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08878thigh.pdf - Homeland Security: The Federal Protective Service Faces Several Challenges That Raise Concerns About Protection of Federal Facilities, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-897T, June 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-897T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08897thigh.pdf - Homeland Security: The Federal Protective Service Faces Several Challenges That Raise Concerns About Protection of Federal Facilities, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-08-914T, June 18.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-914T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08914thigh.pdf - Intellectual Property: Leadership and Accountability Needed to Strengthen Federal Protection and Enforcement, by Loren Yager, director, international affairs and trade, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-08-921T, June 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-921T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08921thigh.pdf - Long-Term Fiscal Outlook: Long-Term Federal Fiscal Challenge Driven Primarily by Health Care, by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general of the United States, before the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-08-912T, June 17.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-912T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08912thigh.pdf - Privacy: Congress Should Consider Alternatives for Strengthening Protection of Personally Identifiable Information, by Linda D. Koontz, director, information management issues, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-795T, June 18.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-795T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08795thigh.pdf - Tax Administration: Data on the Effects of the Economic Stimulus Program on the Internal Revenue Service's Telephone Service and Costs, statement for the record by James R. White, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Oversight, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-08-916T, June 19.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-916T
It is blogs such as yours that help to fine tune the engines of democracy. The government is nothing more than an instrument of the people. But this only works if the people make their preferences known. Constructive Sovereignty is an emerging theory pioneered by John Maszka intended to address globalization's increasing onslaught against state sovereignty. The theory maintains that states are not the primary actors, their constituents are. Therefore, their preferences are not fixed. Since states merely represent the preferences of their constituents, they will only adhere to and ultimately embed those international norms their constituency will accept. Rather than push for larger and more powerful international organizations that will impose global norms from the outside in, the theory of Constructive Sovereignty posits that ultimately change must come from the inside out. That is to say, from each state's own constituency. As each state's constituents become more and more international, they will become more receptive to international norms. In this way, international norms are embedded and viewed with legitimacy while each state's sovereignty is maintained and respected.
ReplyDelete