GAO Reports for last week

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week they investigated a variety of issues, such as aviation safety, nuclear smuggling, the Internal Revenue Service, and energy markets. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

Teacher Quality: Sustained Coordination among Key Federal Education Programs Could Enhance State Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality. GAO-09-593, July 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-593
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09593high.pdf

Ballistic Missile Defense: Actions Needed to Improve Planning and Information on Construction and Support Costs for Proposed European Sites. GAO-09-771, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-771
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09771high.pdf

Biosafety Laboratories: BSL-4 Laboratories Improved Perimeter Security Despite Limited Action by CDC. GAO-09-851, July 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-851
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09851high.pdf

Public Transportation: Better Data Needed to Assess Length of New Starts Process, and Options Exist to Expedite Project Development. GAO-09-784, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-784
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09784high.pdf

Consumer Product Safety Commission: Better Data Collection and Assessment of Consumer Information Efforts Could Help Protect Minority Children. GAO-09-731, August 5.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-731
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09731high.pdf

Related Product

Teacher Quality: Survey Results of State Officials on Efforts to Coordinate Teacher Quality Initiatives (E-supplement to GAO-09-593). GAO-09-594SP, July 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-594SP

America Competes Act: NIST Applied Some Safeguards in Obtaining Expert Services, but Additional Direction from Congress Is Needed. GAO-09-789, August 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-789
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09789high.pdf

Correspondence

Defense Acquisitions: Additional Analysis Needed to Capture Cost Differences Between Conventional and Nuclear Propulsion for Navy's Future Cruiser. GAO-09-886R, August 7.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-886R

Unemployment Insurance Measures Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as of July 2009. GAO-09-942R, July 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-942R

Air Pollution: Air Quality and Permitting of New Coal-Burning Electricity-Generating Units in Central Texas. GAO-09-787R, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-787R

Ryan White CARE Act: Estimated Effect of Proposed Stop-Loss Provision in H.R. 3293 on Urban Areas. GAO-09-947R, August 3.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-947R

Testimony

Small Business Innovation Research: Observations on Agencies' Data Collection and Eligibility Determination Efforts, by Patricia A. Dalton, managing director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-09-956T, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-956T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09956thigh.pdf

U.S. Postal Service: Restructuring Urgently Needed to Achieve Financial Viability, by Phillip Herr, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-958T, August 6.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-958T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09958thigh.pdf

Climate Change Policy: Preliminary Observations on Options for Distributing Emissions Allowances and Revenue under a Cap-and-Trade Program, by John Stephenson, director, natural resources and environment, before the Senate Committee on Finance. GAO-09-950T, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-950T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09950thigh.pdf

Hurricane Katrina: Barriers to Mental Health Services for Children Persist in Greater New Orleans, Although Federal Grants Are Helping to Address Them, by Cynthia Bascetta, director, health care, before the Ad Hoc Committee on Disaster Recovery, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-09-935T, August 4.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-935T

Federal Contracting: Application of OMB Guidance Can Improve Use of Award Fee Contracts, by John Hutton, 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-09-839T, August 3.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-839T