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 nuclear safety, health information technology, and the Small Business Administration. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Department of Labor: Better Cost Assessments and Departmentwide Performance Tracking Are Needed to Effectively Manage Competitive Sourcing Program. GAO-09-14, November 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-14
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0914high.pdf
• Defense Acquisitions: Timely and Accurate Estimates of Costs and Requirements Are Needed to Define Optimal Future Strategic Airlift Mix. GAO-09-50, November 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-50
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0950high.pdf
• Department of Homeland Security: A Strategic Approach Is Needed to Better Ensure the Acquisition Workforce Can Meet Mission Needs. GAO-09-30, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-30
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0930high.pdf
  
• Department of Homeland Security: Billions Invested in Major Programs Lack Appropriate Oversight. GAO-09-29, November 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-29
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0929high.pdf
• Federal Real Property: Government's Fiscal Exposure from Repair and Maintenance Backlogs Is Unclear. GAO-09-10, October 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-10
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0910high.pdf
• Financial Audit: Securities and Exchange Commission's Financial Statements for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2007. GAO-09-173, November 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-173
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09173high.pdf
• Health Information Technology: More Detailed Plans Needed for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Redesigned BioSense Program. GAO-09-100, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-100
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09100high.pdf
  
• Highway Safety Improvement Program: Further Efforts Needed to Address Data Limitations and Better Align Funding with States' Top Safety Priorities. GAO-09-35, November 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-35
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0935high.pdf
• International Environmental Oversight: U.S. Agencies Follow Certain Procedures Required by Law, but Have Limited Impact. GAO-09-99, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-99
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0999high.pdf
• Nuclear Safety: Department of Energy Needs to Strengthen Its Independent Oversight of Nuclear Facilities and Operations. GAO-09-61, October 23.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-61
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0961high.pdf
• Small Business Administration: Agency Should Assess Resources Devoted to Contracting and Improve Several Processes in the 8(a) Program. GAO-09-16, November 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-16
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0916high.pdf

Correspondence

• Approaches to Mitigate Freight Congestion. GAO-09-163R, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-163R
• Contract Management: DOD Developed Draft Guidance for Operational Contract Support but Has Not Met All Legislative Requirements. GAO-09-114R, November 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-114R
• Defense Acquisitions: Status of the Safety, Performance, and Reliability of the Expeditionary Fire Support System. GAO-09-189R, November 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-189R
• Foreign Assistance: State Department Foreign Aid Information Systems Have Improved Change Management Practices but Do Not Follow Risk Management Best Practices. GAO-09-52R, November 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-52R
• Mandate on the Department of Defense's Contract Award Procedures for Directed Spending Items. GAO-09-113R, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-113R

Testimonies

• Federal Judgeships: General Accuracy of District and Appellate Judgeship Case-Related Workload Measures, by William O. Jenkins, Jr., director, homeland security and justice, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-08-928T, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-928T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d08928thigh.pdf
• State and Local Fiscal Challenges: Rising Health Care Costs Drive Long-term and Immediate Pressures, statement for the record by Stanley J. Czerwinski, director, strategic issues, for the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-09-210T, November 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-210T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09210thigh.pdf