GAO Reports 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 security, minerals, and government personnel. If you would like to know more about the GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Homeland Defense: Greater Focus on Analysis of Alternatives and Threats Needed to Improve DOD's Strategic Nuclear Weapons Security. GAO-09-828, September 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-828
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09828high.pdf
• Ryan White CARE Act: Effects of Certain Funding Provisions on Grant Awards. GAO-09-894, September 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-894
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09894high.pdf
• Secure Border Initiative: Technology Deployment Delays Persist and the Impact of Border Fencing Has Not Been Assessed. GAO-09-896, September 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-896
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09896high.pdf
• Reserve Forces: Army Needs to Finalize an Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy for Sustaining an Operational Reserve Force. GAO-09-898, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-898
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09898high.pdf
• Depot Maintenance: Improved Strategic Planning Needed to Ensure That Army and Marine Corps Depots Can Meet Future Maintenance Requirements. GAO-09-865, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-865
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09865high.pdf
• Nuclear Nonproliferation: National Nuclear Security Administration Has Improved the Security of Reactors in its Global Research Reactor Program, but Action Is Needed to Address Remaining Concerns. GAO-09-949, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-949
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09949high.pdf
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation: More Strategic Approach Needed for Processing Complex Plans Prone to Delays and Overpayments. GAO-09-716, August 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-716
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09716high.pdf
• Mineral Revenues: MMS Could Do More to Improve the Accuracy of Key Data Used to Collect and Verify Oil and Gas Royalties. GAO-09-549, July 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-549
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09549high.pdf
• Energy Policy Act of 2005: Greater Clarity Needed to Address Concerns with Categorical Exclusions for Oil and Gas Development under Section 390 of the Act. GAO-09-872, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-872
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09872high.pdf
  
• Missile Defense: DOD Needs to More Fully Assess Requirements and Establish Operational Units before Fielding New Capabilities. GAO-09-856, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-856
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09856high.pdf
• DOD Business Systems Modernization: Navy Implementing a Number of Key Management Controls on Enterprise Resource Planning System, but Improvements Still Needed. GAO-09-841, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-841
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09841high.pdf
• Medicaid Preventive Services: Concerted Efforts Needed to Ensure Beneficiaries Receive Services. GAO-09-578, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-578
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09578high.pdf
• Royalty-in-Kind Program: MMS Does Not Provide Reasonable Assurance It Receives Its Share of Gas, Resulting in Millions in Forgone Revenue. GAO-09-744, August 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-744
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09744high.pdf

Testimonies

• Secure Border Initiative: Technology Deployment Delays Persist and the Impact of Border Fencing Has Not Been Assessed, by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism, House Committee on Homeland Security. GAO-09-1013T, September 17.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1013T
• Human Capital: Improved Tracking and Additional Actions Needed to Ensure the Timely and Accurate Delivery of Compensation and Medical Benefits to Deployed Civilians, by Brenda S. Farrell, director, defense capabilities and management, before the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District of Columbia, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-1019T, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1019T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091019thigh.pdf
• Federal Oil and Gas Management: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight, by Franklin Rusco, director, natural resources and environment, before the House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-09-1014T, September 16.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1014T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091014thigh.pdf
• Personnel Security Clearances: Progress Has Been Made to Reduce Delays but Further Actions Are Needed to Enhance Quality and Sustain Reform Efforts, by Brenda S. Farrell, director, defense capabilities and management, 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-09-684T, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-684T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09684thigh.pdf
• Homeland Security: Despite Progress, DHS Continues to Be Challenged in Managing Its Multi-Billion Dollar Annual Investment in Large-Scale Information Technology Systems, by Randolph C. Hite, director, information technology architecture and systems issues, before the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-09-1002T, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-1002T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d091002thigh.pdf
• Combating Nuclear Terrorism: Preliminary Observations on Preparedness to Recover from Possible Attacks Using Radiological or Nuclear Materials, by Gene Aloise, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology, House Committee on Homeland Security, in Brooklyn, New York. GAO-09-996T, September 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-996T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d09996thigh.pdf

Correspondence

• Management Report: Opportunities for Improvements in FDIC's Internal Controls and Accounting Procedures. GAO-09-943R, September 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-09-943R