GAO Reports

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated national defense, veterans affairs, teen drivers, and other issues. If you would like to know more about GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

Department of Veterans Affairs: Agency Has Exceeded Contracting Goals for Veteran-Owned Small Businesses, but It Faces Challenges with Its Verification Program. GAO-10-458, May 28. [veterans affairs]
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-458
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10458high.pdf

VA Health Care: Reporting on Spending and Workload for Mental Health Services Could Be Improved. GAO-10-570, May 28. [veterans affairs] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-570
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10570high.pdf

Teen Driver Safety: Additional Research Could Help States Strengthen Graduated Driver Licensing Systems. GAO-10-544, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-544
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10544high.pdf

National Airspace System: Setting On-Time Performance Targets at Congested Airports Could Help Focus FAA's Actions. GAO-10-542, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-542
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10542high.pdf

Recovery Act: States' and Localities' Uses of Funds and Actions Needed to Address Implementation Challenges and Bolster Accountability. GAO-10-604, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-604
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10604high.pdf

Business Systems Modernization: Scope and Content of DOD's Congressional Report and Executive Oversight of Investments Need to Improve. GAO-10-663, May 24. [information management]
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-663
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10663high.pdf

Contracting Strategies: Data and Oversight Problems Hamper Opportunities to Leverage Value of Interagency and Enterprisewide Contracts. GAO-10-367, April 29.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-367
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10367high.pdf

Environmental Satellites: Strategy Needed to Sustain Critical Climate and Space Weather Measurements. GAO-10-456, April 27. [science, space, and technology]
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-456
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10456high.pdf


Related Product

National Airspace System: Summary of Flight Delay Trends for 34 Airports in the Continental United States (GAO-10-543SP, May 26, 2010), an E-supplement to GAO-10-542. GAO-10-543SP, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/special.pubs/gao-10-543sp/index.htm


Correspondences

Defense Infrastructure: Impact of Purchasing from Local Distributors of All Alcoholic Beverages for Resale on Military Installations on Guam. GAO-10-563R, May 28. [national defense] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-563R

Warfighter Support: Observations on DOD's Ground Combat Uniforms. GAO-10-669R, May 28. [national defense] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-669R

Defense Management: DOD Needs to Assess Effectiveness and Determine Future Direction for Its High Performing Organizations Initiative. GAO-10-566R, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-566R

Opportunities to Improve Controls over Department of Defense's Overseas Contingency Operations Cost Reporting. GAO-10-562R, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-562R

Internal Revenue Service: Assessment of Budget Justification for Fiscal Year 2011 Identified Opportunities to Enhance Transparency. GAO-10-687R, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-687R

Nursing Homes: Some Improvement Seen in Understatement of Serious Deficiencies, but Implications for the Longer-Term Trend Are Unclear. GAO-10-434R, April 28.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-434R

Food Safety: FDA Has Begun to Take Action to Address Weaknesses in Food Safety Research, but Gaps Remain. GAO-10-182R, April 23. [agriculture and food] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-182R


Testimonies

Airline Mergers: Issues Raised by the Proposed Merger of United and Continental Airlines, statement for the record by Susan Fleming, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. GAO-10-778T, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-778T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10778thigh.pdf

Low-Income and Minority Serving Institutions: Sustained Attention Needed to Improve Education's Oversight of Grant Programs, by George A. Scott, director, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness, House Committee on Education and Labor. GAO-10-659T, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-659T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10659thigh.pdf

Private Pensions: Long-standing Challenges Remain for Multiemployer Pension Plans, by Charles A. Jeszeck, acting director, education, workforce, and income security issues, before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. GAO-10-708T, May 27.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-708T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10708thigh.pdf

Herbal Dietary Supplements: Examples of Deceptive or Questionable Marketing Practices and Potentially Dangerous Advice, by Gregory Kutz, managing director, forensic audits and special investigations, before the Senate Special Committee on Aging. GAO-10-662T, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-662T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10662thigh.pdf

Recovery Act: Clean Water Projects Are Underway, but Procedures May Not Be in Place to Ensure Adequate Oversight, by David C. Trimble, acting director, natural resources and environment, before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-10-761T, May 26.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-761T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10761thigh.pdf

Federal Courthouse Construction: Preliminary Results Show Better Planning, Oversight, and Courtroom Sharing Could Help Control Future Costs, by Mark L. Goldstein, director, physical infrastructure issues, before the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. GAO-10-753T, May 25.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-753T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10753thigh.pdf

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program: Fraud Prevention Controls Needed to Improve Program Integrity, by Gregory D. Kutz, managing director, forensic audits and special investigations, before the Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology, House Committee on Small Business, in Norfolk, Virginia. GAO-10-740T, May 24. (9:30 a.m.) [economic development] http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-740T
Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10740thigh.pdf


Presentations By The Acting Comptroller General

"Anticipating and Meeting Accountability Challenges in a Dynamic Environment," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the 18th Biennial Forum of Government Auditors, in San Antonio, Texas. GAO-10-752CG, May 19, 2010 http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d10752cg.pdf

"Key Trends and Challenges for the Audit Community," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the annual conference of the Association of Local Government Auditors, in San Antonio, Texas. GAO-10-749CG, May 18, 2010 http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d10749cg.pdf

Obama Vows to Suspend Further Oil Drilling in U.S.

Today President Obama held a press conference to discuss the government's role in responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He explained that all of BP's actions in response to the spill must be approved by the government (see today's White House blog). Obama also announced that his administration would suspend two planned oil explorations, cancel two pending or proposed oil-drilling lease sales, continue a moratorium on new oil-drilling permits, and put a halt to action on 33 oil wells being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico. To get some media response to the press conference, take a look at today's Wall Street Journal ("Obama Pushes for More Regulation, Extends Oil Drilling Moratorium").

You can find more updates on the oil spill using these resources:

• Deepwater Horizon Response Read the latest news on the oil spill, report incidents, file a claim, learn about volunteer opportunities, or submit your suggestions.
• Admiral Allen Approves One Section of Louisiana Barrier Island Project Proposal as Part of Federal Oil Spill Response
• Today's Map of the Deepwater Horizon/BP Daily Oil Impact Assessment
• U.S. Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary Landry and BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles Video clip of yesterday's press briefing on the latest "top kill" method to cap the oil well.

For further information, don't forget about our guide to resources about the environment.

Conflicting Efforts at Global Economic Reform

Although global leaders are making efforts to restore the health of the world's economy, the Washington Post reports that "the United States and Europe are increasingly pursuing their own -- sometimes clashing -- paths to reform, potentially undermining the regulatory overhauls taking shape on both sides of the Atlantic." Despite their efforts to make financial rules consistent among different countries, the United States and Europe may be introducing conflicting reforms that could result in companies moving operations overseas to avoid regulation in their own country (see
"U.S., Europe Fall Out of Step on Global Financial Reform," Washington Post, 5-26-10). European leaders are also expressing concern about a provision in the Restoring American Financial Stability Act (S 3217) that would prevent U.S. banks from handling derivatives.

Are there currently any global economic standards in place? It turns out that there are standards for the amount of money banks should hold in reserve. Such benchmarks are determined by the Basel II Framework, which is also referred to as the New Basel Capital Accord (you can find the agreement, in five different languages, on the web site of the Bank for International Settlements).

You can learn how the United States has implemented Basel II by referring to the FDIC's (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's) web site. In addition, you might be interested in this September 2008 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report: Risk-Based Capital: New Basel II Rules Reduced Certain Competitive Concerns, but Bank Regulators Should Address Remaining Uncertainties).

For more resources about banking, take a look at our guide.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on the military, foreign affairs, budget, and much more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report, you can request it from your senator or representative. These reports were discovered by Open CRS:

• Agricultural Disaster Assistance
• Argentina's Defaulted Sovereign Debt: Dealing with the "Holdouts"
• Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
• Bahrain: Reform, Security, and U.S. Policy
• Colombia: Issues for Congress
• Defense Acquisitions: How DOD Acquires Weapon Systems and Recent Efforts to Reform the Process
• Defense Logistical Support Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan: Issues for Congress
• Department of Homeland Security Assistance to States and Localities: A Summary and Issues for the 111th Congress
• Federal Evacuation Policy: Issues for Congress
• Fiscal Year 2011 Department of Homeland Security Assistance to States and Localities
• Iran's Economic Conditions: U.S. Policy Issues
• Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks
• Medicare Provisions in PPACA (P.L. 1)
• NATO Common Funds Burdensharing: Background and Current Issues
• Navy SSBN(X) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress
• Oil Spills in U.S. Coastal Waters: Background, Governance, and Issues for Congress
• Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress
• Poverty in the United States: 2008
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA): Selected Regulatory and Legislative Issues
• Speed of Presidential and Senate Actions on Supreme Court Nominations, 1900-2010
• Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program
• Syria: Background and U.S. Relations
• The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): Budget and Operations for FY2010
• The FCC's Authority to Regulate Net Neutrality after Comcast v. FCC
• TRICARE and VA Health Care: Impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)
• U.S. Offshore Oil and Gas Resources: Prospects and Processes
• Unemployment Compensation (Insurance) and Military Service
• Who Regulates Whom? An Overview of U.S. Financial Supervision

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

Early FBI Stats Show Crime Decreased in 2009

According to preliminary 2009 crime statistics from the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), violent crime in the United States decreased (see "Despite Economy, FBI Says U.S. Violent Crime Rate Is Down Again," Washington Post, 5-24-10). Violent crimes--including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault--decreased 5.5 percent from 2008 to 2009. To view data tables of crime statistics by population group, region, and other factors, see the Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report. The FBI's web site contains Uniform Crime Reports dating back to 1995, and the Government Publications Library has earlier Uniform Crime Reports available in microform.

If you're searching for other resources containing crime and justice statistics, take a look at our guide.

GAO Reports and Releases

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated the taxes, international waters, defense, and other topics. If you would like to know more about GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Consumer Finance: Factors Affecting the Financial Literacy of Individuals with Limited English Proficiency. GAO-10-518, May 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-518
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10518high.pdf
• Aviation Security: Efforts to Validate TSA's Passenger Screening Behavior Detection Program Underway, but Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Validation and Address Operational Challenges. GAO-10-763, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-763
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10763high.pdf
• Homelessness: Information on Administrative Costs for HUD's Emergency Shelter Grants Program. GAO-10-491, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-491
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10491high.pdf
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: Policies and Procedures for Public Health Product Preparation Should Be Strengthened. GAO-10-449, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-449
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10449high.pdf
• Debt Management: Treasury Was Able to Fund Economic Stabilization and Recovery Expenditures in a Short Period of Time, but Debt Management Challenges Remain. GAO-10-498, May 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-498
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10498high.pdf
• Nonprofit Sector: Treatment and Reimbursement of Indirect Costs Vary among Grants, and Depend Significantly on Federal, State, and Local Government Practices. GAO-10-477, May 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-477
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10477high.pdf
  

Correspondence

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: An Appropriate Methodology Is Needed for Determining Administrative Costs Attributable to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. GAO-10-610R, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-610R
  

Testimonies

• Sourcing Policy: Initial Agency Efforts to Balance the Government to Contractor Mix in the Multisector Workforce, by John K. Needham, director, acquisition and sourcing 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-10-744T, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-744T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10744thigh.pdf
• Concussion in High School Sports: Overall Estimate of Occurrence Is Not Available, but Key State Laws and Nationwide Guidelines Address Injury Management, by Linda T. Kohn, director, health care, before the House Committee on Education and Labor. GAO-10-569T, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-569T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10569thigh.pdf
• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry: Policies and Procedures for Preparing Public Health Products Should Be Strengthened, by Cynthia A. Bascetta, director, health care, before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, House Committee on Science and Technology. GAO-10-741T, May 20.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-741T
• Defense Acquisitions: Observations on Weapon Program Performance and Acquisition Reforms, by Michael J. Sullivan, director, acquisition and sourcing management, before the Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. GAO-10-706T, May 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-706T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10706thigh.pdf
• Small Business Administration: Continued Attention Needed to Address Reforms to the Disaster Loan Program, by William B. Shear, director, financial markets and community investment, before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. GAO-10-735T, May 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-735T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10735thigh.pdf
• Information Security: Veterans Affairs Needs to Resolve Long-Standing Weaknesses, by Gregory C. Wilshusen, director, information security issues, and Valerie C. Melvin, director, information management and human capital issues, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. GAO-10-727T, May 19.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-727T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10727thigh.pdf
• Commonwealth of the Northern Marina Islands: DHS Needs to Conclude Negotiations and Finalize Regulations to Implement Federal Immigration Law, by David Gootnick, director, international affairs and trade, before the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife, House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-10-671T, May 18.http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-671T
• Head Start: Undercover Testing Finds Fraud and Abuse at Selected Head Start Centers, by Gregory D. Kutz, managing director, forensic audits and special investigations, before the House Committee on Education and Labor. GAO-10-733T, May 18.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-733T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10733thigh.pdf
  

Special Publication

• United States Government Accountability Office Fiscal Year 2011 Performance Plan. GAO-10-598SP, May 21.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-598SP
  

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us only a few reports, although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report, you can request it from your senator or representative. These reports were discovered by Secrecy News:

• Burma’s 2010 Elections: Implications of the New Constitution and Election Laws
• Greece’s Debt Crisis: Overview, Policy Responses, and Implications
• State Efforts to Deter Unauthorized Aliens: Legal Analysis of Arizona’s S.B. 1070
• Legislative Approaches to Defining ‘Waters of the United States’
• State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2011 Budget and Appropriations
• Latin America and the Caribbean: Illicit Drug Trafficking and U.S. Counterdrug Programs

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

GAO Reports and Releases

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated the taxes, international waters, defense, and other topics. If you would like to know more about GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Tax Compliance: IRS May Be Able to Improve Compliance for Nonresident Aliens and Updating Requirements Could Reduce Their Compliance Burden. GAO-10-429, April 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-429
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10429high.pdf
• Depot Maintenance: Improved Strategic Planning Needed to Ensure That Air Force Depots Can Meet Future Maintenance Requirements. GAO-10-526, May 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-526
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10526high.pdf
• Defense Management: DOD Needs to Determine the Future of Its Horn of Africa Task Force. GAO-10-504, April 15.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-504
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10504high.pdf
• Palestinian Authority: U.S. Assistance Is Training and Equipping Security Forces, but the Program Needs to Measure Progress and Faces Logistical Constraints. GAO-10-505, May 11.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-505
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10505high.pdf
• Defense Infrastructure: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Navy's Basing Decision Process and DOD Oversight. GAO-10-482, May 11.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-482
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10482high.pdf
• Maritime Security: Varied Actions Taken to Enhance Cruise Ship Security, but Some Concerns Remain. GAO-10-400, April 9.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-400
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10400high.pdf
• Runaway and Homeless Youth Grants: Improvements Needed in the Grant Award Process. GAO-10-335, May 10.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-335
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10335high.pdf
• Business Systems Modernization: Internal Revenue Service's Fiscal Year 2010 Expenditure Plan. GAO-10-539, May 10.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-539
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10539high.pdf
  

Correspondences

• Foreign Assistance: U.S. Assistance to the West Bank and Gaza for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009. GAO-10-623R, May 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-623R
• St. Lawrence Seaway: Estimates for the Asset Renewal Program Will Change, and Implementing Best Practices May Improve the Estimates' Reliability. GAO-10-541R, May 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-541R
• Firms Reported to Have Commercial Activity in the Iranian Energy Sector and U.S. Government Contracts. GAO-10-639R, May 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-639R
  

Testimonies

• Helium Program: Key Developments Since the Early 1990s and Future Considerations, by Anu K. Mittal, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, House Committee on Natural Resources. GAO-10-700T, May 13.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-700T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10700thigh.pdf
• Financial Services Industry: Overall Trends in Management-Level Diversity and Diversity Initiatives, 1993-2008, by Orice Williams Brown, director, Financial Markets and Community Investment, before a joint hearing of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-10-736T, May 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-736T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10736thigh.pdf
• Iran Sanctions: Firms Reported to Have Commercial Activity in the Iranian Energy Sector and U.S. Government Contracts, by Joseph A. Christoff, director, international affairs and trade, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-10-721T, May 12.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-721T
  

Presentation By The Acting Comptroller General

• "Anticipating and Meeting Accountability Challenges in a Dynamic Environment," by Gene L. Dodaro, acting comptroller general, before the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. GAO-10-709CG, May 5, 2010
  http://www.gao.gov/cghome/d10709cg.pdf
  

Gene Test Won't Be Sold at Walgreens

You may have heard that drugstore chain Walgreens was planning on selling a new genetic health report kit that would determine customers' genetic health dispositions. It turns out that Walgreens has decided against offering the Pathway Genomics Genetic Health Report kit after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter of warning to Pathway Genomics this week. The letter, accessible here on the FDA's web site, suggests that the FDA has not provided clearance or approval for the genetic kit, as the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires. You can read about Walgreens' change of heart on NPR's website ("No Gene Test at Walgreen's Just Yet," 5-13-2010).

The Pathway Genomics product qualifies as an in vitro diagnostic, or IVD. To get an overview of how the FDA regulates IVD, see this web page. To find out which home and lab tests have been approved or cleared by FDA, you can search the agency's IVD Over the Counter (OTC) Database. Also, don't forget that you can find additional government health resources in our guide.

Congressional Hearing on Oil Spill

The government continues to scrutinize the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which, despite efforts, has yet to be contained. Today the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources resumed its hearing on offshore oil and gas development, which featured accusations of uncoordinated response and questions about the approval of utility BP's application to drill under Deepwater Horizon (read "Finger-Pointing, but Few Answers at Hearings on Drilling," New York Times, 5-11-2010). The hearing included testimony by a Texas A&M professor and representatives of BP America, U.S. Minerals Management Service, Halliburton, and Transocean Limited . You can find the testimony of individual witnesses, as well as a the archived webcast of the full hearing, on the Senate's web site.

The U.S. Department of the Interior is also getting involved in the investigation of offshore oil and gas operations. Yesterday, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced reforms that will give federal inspectors greater authority to regulate oil and gas operations on the Outer Continental Shelf (read the press release here).

To find more government resources about the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, take a look at our April 26 blog post.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us only a few reports, although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report, you can request it from your senator or representative. These reports were discovered by Secrecy News:

• The New START Treaty: Central Limits and Key Provisions
• 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference: Key Issues and Implications
• Securing Nuclear Materials: The 2010 Summit and Issues for Congress

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

President Obama Nominates Supreme Court Justice

Today President Obama nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens (press release). If you want to watch the nomination unfold and hear Kagan's remarks, you can also do that on the White House web site. You can also view the biography of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who has served on the Supreme Court since December 19, 1975. This is the second justice that President Obama has nominated to the Supreme Court, Justice Sonia Sotomayor started serving on the court on August 8, 2009.

Want to learn more about the Office of the Solicitor General which Kagan currently leads? Check out their web site, where not only will you get another brief bio of Kagan you can also read the briefs filed since she started serving in 2009.

Finally, want to read more? Why not check out the Wall Street Journal's "Obama Nominates Kagan to Seat on Supreme Court" or the Washington Post's "Obama nominates Kagan for high court: Solicitor general would be break with tradition as a non-judge." Still not enough? Check out the library's guide to the Supreme Court and Federal Courts.

GAO Reports and Releases

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is often called the investigative arm of Congress. This week GAO investigated the census, defense, insurance, and other topics. If you would like to know more about GAO, check out the library's guide.

Reports

• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: DHS Should Conclude Negotiations and Finalize Regulations to Implement Federal Immigration Law. GAO-10-553, May 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-553
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10553high.pdf
  
• Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds: Long-standing State Financing Policies Have Increased Risk of Insolvency. GAO-10-440, April 14.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-440
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10440high.pdf
• Defense Acquisitions: Strong Leadership Is Key to Planning and Executing Stable Weapon Programs. GAO-10-522, May 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-522
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10522high.pdf
• Vietnam Education Foundation: Recent Improvements Made in Internal Controls, but Weaknesses Persist. GAO-10-442, April 7.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-442
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10442high.pdf
• Child Care: Multiple Factors Could Have Contributed to the Recent Decline in the Number of Children Whose Families Receive Subsidies. GAO-10-344, May 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-344
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10344high.pdf
• Warfighter Support: Improvements to DOD's Urgent Needs Processes Would Enhance Oversight and Expedite Efforts to Meet Critical Warfighter Needs. GAO-10-460, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-460
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10460high.pdf
  

Testimonies

• Financial Markets Regulation: Financial Crisis Highlights Need to Improve Oversight of Leverage at Financial Institutions and across System, by Orice Williams Brown, director, financial markets and community investment, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Financial Services. GAO-10-555T, May 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-555T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10555thigh.pdf
• Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds: Long-standing State Financing Policies Have Increased Risk of Insolvency, by Andrew Sherrill, director, education, workforce, and income security, before the Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, House Committee on Ways and Means. GAO-10-692T, May 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-692T
• Food Safety: FDA Could Strengthen Oversight of Imported Food by Improving Enforcement and Seeking Additional Authorities, by Lisa Shames, director, natural resources and environment, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Energy and Commerce. GAO-10-699T, May 6.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-699T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10699thigh.pdf
  
• Terrorist Watchlist Screening: FBI has Enhanced Its Use of Information from Firearm and Explosives Background Checks to Support Counterterrorism Efforts, by Eileen R. Larence, director, homeland security and justice, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-10-703T, May 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-703T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10703thigh.pdf
• VA Health Care: Progress and Challenges in Conducting the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study, by Randall B. Williamson, director, health care, before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. GAO-10-658T, May 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-658T
• Secure Border Initiative: DHS Has Faced Challenges Deploying Technology and Fencing Along the Southwest Border, statement for the record by Richard M. Stana, director, homeland security and justice issues, before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. GAO-10-651T, May 4.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-651T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10651thigh.pdf
• 2010 Census: Cooperation with Enumerators Is Critical to a Successful Headcount, by Robert Goldenkoff, director, strategic issues, before the Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives, House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, in Los Angeles, California. GAO-10-665T, April 30.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-665T
  Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d10665thigh.pdf
  

Correspondences

• Afghanistan's Security Environment. GAO-10-613R, May 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-613R
• VA Health Care: Status of VA's Approach in Conducting the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study. GAO-10-578R, May 5.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-578R
• Retirement Income: Challenges for Ensuring Income throughout Retirement. GAO-10-632R, April 28.
  http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-10-632R
  

Climate.gov

I am sure this site has been up for a while, but I just discovered it and thought I would share. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has taken their various data and reports and provided a nice easy interface at climate.gov. It has a magazine, links to data, videos, and climate change assessment reports.

But all of that pales in comparison to my favorite feature, "Past Weather." Want to know the weather on your date of birth, type in the year and city. Want to know the weather yesterday to see if it rained enough to skip watering type in the year and city. This is so MUCH easier then digging through digitized reports in PDF.

Finally, because it is a graph with numbers and I love numbers, I encourage you to check out the Global Climate Dashboard. You can use it to see the change in temperature, carbon dioxide, sea level and much more for the last 50 years. It is an easy way to see how over a long period these factors have shifted.

Still want more climate information? Check out the library's guides to climate and weather and climate change.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports

Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a research agency of Congress and writes reports at Congress' request. These short reports (usually 10-40 pages long) cover recent topics of concern. This week brings us reports on Africa, gays in the military, immigration, and much more. Although these reports are in the public domain, there is no central database available to the public. To get a copy of a CRS report, you can request it from your senator or representative. These reports were discovered by Secrecy News:

• The War Powers Resolution: After Thirty-Six Years
• Monitoring and Verification in Arms Control
• Emergency Communications: Broadband and the Future of 911
• Unauthorized Aliens in the United States
• Bangladesh: Political and Strategic Developments and U.S. Interests
• Guinea’s New Transitional Government: Emerging Issues for U.S. Policy

Interested in historical CRS reports? If you are here at the Boulder campus, check out the LexisNexis Congressional database, which has reports dating back to 1916.

Not on campus but still want access to additional reports? The library has a guide linking to various additional sources of CRS reports.

UN Conference on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ("NPT") is being held this week at the UN headquarters in New York. There has been a lot of discussion about Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech before the UN and the fact that the US representative to the UN left before he spoke ("At nuclear conference, U.N., Clinton scold Ahmadinejad for defying resolutions," Washington Post). If you want to see what Ahmadinejad and other's said you can view the statements as webcasts and/or transcripts. Interestingly, Ahmadinejad is the only head of state speaking at this conference.

To see breaking news from the conference you can check out the UN News Centre's web page on nuclear stories for the last 45 days. While much of the news coverage has focused on Iran, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called upon both North Korea and Iran to address issues with this treaty in his opening statement. To learn more about this topic check out the IAEA's web sites on Iran and North Korea (DPRK). The IAEA is the UN organization who has works to ensure that signatories to the NPT are in compliance.

Still want more? There are a variety of library guides that might interest you on topics such as energy, Iran, North Korea, and the United Nations.