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 pandemic influenza, space acquisitions, climate change, and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Aviation Safety: FAA Has Taken Steps to Determine That It Has Made Correct Medical Certification Decisions. GAO-08-997, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-997
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08997high.pdf
• Climate Change: Federal Actions Will Greatly Affect the Viability of Carbon Capture and Storage As a Key Mitigation Option. GAO-08-1080, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1080
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081080high.pdf
• Coastal Zone Management: Measuring Program's Effectiveness Continues to Be a Challenge. GAO-08-1045, September 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1045
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081045high.pdf
  
• Contingency Contracting: DOD, State, and USAID Contracts and Contractor Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. GAO-09-19, October 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-19
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0919high.pdf
• Defense Management: DOD Needs to Establish Clear Goals and Objectives, Guidance, and a Designated Budget to Manage Its Biometrics Activities. GAO-08-1065, September 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1065
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081065high.pdf
• Federal Energy Management: Addressing Challenges through Better Plans and Clarifying the Greenhouse Gas Emission Measure Will Help Meet Long-term Goals for Buildings. GAO-08-977, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-977
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08977high.pdf
• Financial Management: Persistent Financial Management Systems Issues Remain for Many CFO Act Agencies. GAO-08-1018, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1018
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081018high.pdf
  
• Health-Care-Associated Infections in Hospitals: An Overview of State Reporting Programs and Individual Hospital Initiatives to Reduce Certain Infections. GAO-08-808, September 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-808
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08808high.pdf
• Influenza Pandemic: HHS Needs to Continue Its Actions and Finalize Guidance for Pharmaceutical Interventions. GAO-08-671, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-671
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08671high.pdf
• Lobbying Disclosure: Observations on Lobbyists' Compliance with New Disclosure Requirements. GAO-08-1099, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1099
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081099high.pdf
• Military Operations: DOD Needs to Address Contract Oversight and Quality Assurance Issues for Contracts Used to Support Contingency Operations. GAO-08-1087, September 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1087
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081087high.pdf
  
• NASA: Agency Faces Challenges Defining Scope and Costs of Space Shuttle Transition and Retirement. GAO-08-1096, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1096
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081096high.pdf
• Nuclear Waste: Action Needed to Improve Accountability and Management of DOE's Major Cleanup Projects. GAO-08-1081, September 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1081
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081081high.pdf
• Space Acquisitions: DOD's Goals for Resolving Space Based Infrared System Software Problems Are Ambitious. GAO-08-1073, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1073
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081073high.pdf
• Tax Gap: Actions That Could Improve Rental Real Estate Reporting Compliance. GAO-08-956, August 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-956
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08956high.pdf
• USAID Acquisition and Assistance: Actions Needed to Develop and Implement a Strategic Workforce Plan. GAO-08-1059, September 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1059
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081059high.pdf
  

Reposted Products

• Homeland Security: DHS Risk-Based Grant Methodology Is Reasonable, But Current Version's Measure of Vulnerability is Limited. GAO-08-852, June 27. [File revised to reflect changes in note on page 10 and graphic on page 18.]
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-852
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08852high.pdf
• U.S. Asylum System: Agencies Have Taken Actions to Help Ensure Quality in the Asylum Adjudication Process, but Challenges Remain. GAO-08-935, September 25. [File revised to correct several figures that initially had incorrect information or did not correspond to the appropriate figure title.]
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-935
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08935high.pdf
  

Correspondences

• EPA's Execution of Its Fiscal Year 2007 New Budget Authority for the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program in the Regional Offices. GAO-08-1109R, September 26.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1109R
• Export Promotion: The Export-Import Bank's Financing of Dual-Use Exports. GAO-08-1182R, September 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1182R
  
• Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Afghanistan and Iraq. GAO-09-86R, October 1.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-86R

Testimonies

• Defense Acquisitions: Fundamental Changes Are Needed to Improve Weapon Program Outcomes, by Michael J. Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-08-1159T, September 25.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1159T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d081159thigh.pdf