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 fisheries management, firearms trafficking, influenza pandemic, and the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Defense Exports: Foreign Military Sales Program Needs Better Controls for Exported Items and Information for Oversight. GAO-09-454, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-454
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09454high.pdf
• Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges. GAO-09-709, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-709
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09709high.pdf
• Hurricanes Gustav and Ike Disaster Assistance: FEMA Strengthened Its Fraud Prevention Controls, but Customer Service Needs Improvement. GAO-09-671, June 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-671
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09671high.pdf
• Influenza Pandemic: Increased Agency Accountability Could Help Protect Federal Employees Serving the Public in the Event of a Pandemic. GAO-09-404, June 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-404
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09404high.pdf
  
• Military Training: DOD Needs a Strategic Plan and Better Inventory and Requirements Data to Guide Development of Language Skills and Regional Proficiency. GAO-09-568, June 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-568
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09568high.pdf
• NASA: Commercial Partners Are Making Progress, but Face Aggressive Schedules to Demonstrate Critical Space Station Cargo Transport Capabilities. GAO-09-618, June 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-618
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09618high.pdf
• OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs: Improved Oversight and Controls Would Better Ensure Program Quality. GAO-09-395, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-395
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09395high.pdf
• Polar-Orbiting Environmental Satellites: With Costs Increasing and Data Continuity at Risk, Improvements Needed in Tri-agency Decision Making. GAO-09-564, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-564
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09564high.pdf
• Tax Gap: Requiring Information Reporting for Charitable Cash Contributions May Not Be an Effective Way to Improve Compliance. GAO-09-555, May 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-555
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09555high.pdf
• Technology Transfer: Clearer Priorities and Greater Use of Innovative Approaches Could Increase the Effectiveness of Technology Transfer at Department of Energy Laboratories. GAO-09-548, June 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-548
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09548high.pdf
• Troubled Asset Relief Program: June 2009 Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues. GAO-09-658, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-658
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09658high.pdf

Related/Special Product

• Troubled Asset Relief Program: Capital Purchase Program Transactions for October 28, 2008, through May 29, 2009, and Information on Financial Agency Agreements, Contracts, Blanket Purchase Agreements, and Interagency Agreements Awarded as of June 1, 2009 (an e-supplement to GAO-09-658). GAO-09-707SP, June 17
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-707SP

Correspondence

• American Battle Monuments Commission: Management Action Needed to Improve Internal Control Procedures. GAO-09-714R, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-714R
  
• CBP Could Improve Its Estimation of Funding Needed for New Border Patrol Agents. GAO-09-542R, June 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-542R
• Fisheries Management: Alleged Misconduct of Members and Staff of the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council. GAO-09-508R, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-508R
• Military Pay: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service--Indianapolis Could Improve Control Activities over Its Processing of Active Duty Army Military Personnel Federal Payroll Taxes. GAO-09-557R, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-557R
• U.S. and Canadian Governments Have Established Mechanisms to Monitor Compliance with the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement but Face Operational Challenges. GAO-09-764R, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-764R
• Veterans Affairs: Implementation of Temporary Residence Adaptation Grants. GAO-09-637R, June 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-637R

Testimonies

• Broadcasting to Cuba: Observations Regarding TV Marti's Strategy and Operations, by Jess T. Ford, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. GAO-09-758T, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-758T
• Defense Acquisitions: Issues to Be Considered for Army's Modernization of Combat Systems, by Paul L. Francis, managing director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on Airland, Senate Committee on Armed Services. GAO-09-793T, June 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-793T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09793thigh.pdf
• Federal Bankruptcy Judges: Measuring Judges' Case-Related Workload, by William Jenkins, Jr., director, homeland security and justice, before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, House Committee on the Judiciary. GAO-09-808T, June 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-808T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09808thigh.pdf
• Firearms Trafficking: U.S. Efforts to Combat Arms Trafficking to Mexico Face Planning and Coordination Challenges, by Jess T. Ford, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, House Committee on Foreign Affairs. GAO-09-781T, June 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-781T
• Identity Theft: Governments Have Acted to Protect Personally Identifiable Information, but Vulnerabilities Remain, by Dan Bertoni, director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-759T, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-759T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09759thigh.pdf
• Influenza Pandemic: Greater Agency Accountability Needed to Protect Federal Workers in the Event of a Pandemic, by Bernice Steinhardt, director, strategic 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-09-783T, June 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-783T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09783thigh.pdf
  
• International Trade: Observations on U.S. Government Efforts to Address Textile Transshipment, by Loren Yager, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Entrepreneurship, and Trade, House Committee on Small Business. GAO-09-813T, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-813T
• Medical Devices: Shortcomings in FDA's Premarket Review, Postmarket Surveillance, and Inspections of Device Manufacturing Establishments, by Marcia Crosse, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Health, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-09-370T, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-370T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09370thigh.pdf
• New Markets Tax Credit: Minority Entities Are Less Successful in Obtaining Awards than Non-Minority Entities, by Michael Brostek, director, strategic issues, before a joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, House Committee on Financial Services; and the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-09-795T, June 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-795T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09795thigh.pdf
  
• Polar-Orbiting Satellites: With Costs Increasing and Data Continuity at Risk, Improvements Needed in Tri-agency Decision Making, by David A. Powner, director, information technology management issues, before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-09-772T, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-772T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09772thigh.pdf
• Telecommunications: Preliminary Observations about Consumer Satisfaction and Problems with Wireless Phone Service and FCC's Efforts to Assist Consumers with Complaints, by Mark Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-09-800T, June 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-800T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09800thigh.pdf