CBO Testimony on Current and Future Investment in Infrastructure
May 8, 2008: Testimony before the Committee on the Budget and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives.

• Department of Homeland Security: Better Planning and Assessment Needed to Improve Outcomes for Complex Service Acquisitions, GAO-08-263, April 22, 2008
• Department of Homeland Security: Better Planning and Oversight Needed to Improve Complex Service Acquisition Outcomes, GAO-08-765T, May 8, 2008
• Human Capital: Transforming Federal Recruiting and Hiring Efforts, GAO-08-762T, May 8, 2008
• Interagency Contracting: Need for Improved Information and Policy Implementation at the Department of State, GAO-08-578, May 8, 2008
• Physical Infrastructure: Challenges and Investment Options for the Nation's Infrastructure, GAO-08-763T, May 8, 2008
• Prescription Drugs: Trends in FDA's Oversight of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising, GAO-08-758T, May 8, 2008
• Social Security Administration Field Offices: Reduced Workforce Faces Challenges as Baby Boomers Retire, GAO-08-737T, May 8, 2008

News release: "The Committee launched an investigation immediately after the disaster, finding it likely that the tragedy was the result of a flawed plan for conducting retreat mining in the area of the mine where the deaths occurred."

• Memorandum from the Chairman to the Members of the Committee on Education and Labor Regarding the August 2007 Disaster at the Crandall Canyon Mine, May 8, 2008, Congressman George Miller, Chairman. (164 pages, PDF)
  
• Committee Memo on Crandall Canyon Mine Investigation, 10 pages, PDF
  
• Documents Cited In Memo

Security Controls Over Joint Strike Fighter Classified Technology, March 6, 2008, redacted: "The Joint Strike Fighter Program which cost $2.99.8 billion, as of December 31, 2006, to acquire more than 2,450 aircraft, will bring the most advanced aviation and weapons technologies into the next generation of strike fighter aircraft."

News release: "The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve Board today announced proposed regulations that generally would require a creditor to provide a consumer with a risk-based pricing notice when, based in whole or in part on the consumer’s credit report, the creditor offers or provides credit to the consumer on terms less favorable than the terms it offers or provides to other consumers.

Risk-based pricing refers to the practice of using a consumer’s credit report, which reflects his or her risk of nonpayment, in setting or adjusting the price and other terms of credit offered or extended to a particular consumer. Many creditors offer more favorable terms to consumers with better credit histories. The proposed rules would apply, with certain exceptions, to all creditors that engage in risk-based pricing. Under these rules, a risk-based pricing notice would generally be provided to the consumer after the terms of credit have been set, but before the consumer becomes contractually obligated on the credit transaction.

News release: "Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), today announced the release of the 2008 edition of Background Material and Data on the Programs within the Jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means, informally known as the Green Book. The Green Book provides updated data and information on programs within the Committee’s jurisdiction, such as Medicare, Social Security, Unemployment Compensation, Foster Care and welfare. Additionally, it includes a discussion of related issues, such as the well-being of the elderly and of children and families. Since its first publication in 1981, the Green Book has become a valued reference guide for legislators, administrators, researchers and interested citizens. Upon completion, individual chapters of this volume will be accessible on the Committee’s website."

News release: "On Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein submitted a report, entitled The Founders Online, to the Committees on Appropriations of the U.S. Congress. This report is the National Archives response to concerns raised by the Committees that the complete papers of America’s Founding Fathers are not available online. The Founders Online is a plan for providing online access, within a reasonable timeframe, to researchers, students and the general public."

• Aviation and the Environment: NextGen and Research and Development Are Keys to Reducing Emissions and Their Impact on Health and Climate, GAO-08-706T, May 6, 2008
• Employment and Training Program Grants: Evaluating Impact and Enhancing Monitoring Would Improve Accountability, GAO-08-486, May 7, 2008
• Human Capital: Corps of Engineers Needs to Update Its Workforce Planning Process to More Effectively Address Its Current and Future Workforce Needs, GAO-08-596, May 7, 2008

Healthcare Inspection Scopes of Practice for Unlicensed Physicians Engaged in Veterans Health Administration Research [07-01202-124], May 7, 2008.

Fact Sheet: Emergency Supplemental: Iraq, Afghanistan, Veterans, and Workers, House Appropriations Committee - Majority, May 7, 2008.

News release: "The Treasury Department today released U.S. reserve assets data for the latest week. As indicated in this table, U.S. reserve assets totaled $73,918 million as of the end of that week, compared to $74,541 million as of the end of the prior week."

EPA OIG Semiannual Report to Congress, October 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008 (72 pages, PDF)

Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works - hearing entitled Perchlorate and TCE in Water, May 6, 2008.

From Opening Statement by Chairman Barbara Boxer: "...today we will hear about EPA's particularly disturbing failures to address significant risks to our families from two widespread drinking water contaminants: perchlorate and trichloroethylene, usually just called "TCE."

Perchlorate is used to make rocket fuel, but when it gets into drinking water, this toxic chemical can interfere with the thyroid and affect hormone systems, which control the way the body develops. Infants and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to perchlorate.

Researchers have found that over 20 million Americans' drinking water supplies contain perchlorate. GAO found in 2005 that there were nearly 400 sites in 35 states contaminated with perchlorate. My state of California had 106 sites.

The evidence of significant exposure to perchlorate and assorted health risks has strengthened in recent years. In 2006, scientists at the CDC found "widespread human exposure to perchlorate" in the US, including in young children. They also found that many women who were exposed to perchlorate in their drinking water had significant changes in thyroid hormone levels."

Monthly Budget Review, May 2008 pdf | blog. Based on the Monthly Treasury Statement for March and the Daily Treasury Statements for April.

• Employment Verification: Challenges Exist in Implementing a Mandatory Electronic Employment Verification System, GAO-08-729T, May 6, 2008
• Medicare: Competitive Bidding for Medical Equipment and Supplies Could Reduce Program Payments, but Adequate Oversight Is Critical GAO-08-767T, May 6, 2008
• Natural Catastrophe Insurance: Analysis of a Proposed Combined Federal Flood and Wind Insurance Program, GAO-08-504, April 25, 2008
• Preliminary Observations on the Use and Oversight of U.S. Coalition Support Funds Provided to Pakistan, GAO-08-735R, May 6, 2008
• Value-Added Taxes: Lessons Learned from Other Countries on Compliance Risks, Administrative Costs, Compliance Burden, and Transition, GAO-08-566, April 4, 2008

• OPEC Revenues Fact Sheet (05/06/2008): "This report includes estimates of OPEC net oil export revenues, based on projections from the May 2008 Short Term Energy Outlook. EIA estimates that members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) earned $674 billion in net oil export revenues in 2007, a 10 percent increase from 2006. Saudi Arabia earned the largest share of these earnings, $194 billion, representing 29 percent of total OPEC revenues. On a per-capita basis, OPEC net oil export earning reached $1,143, a 8 percent increase from 2006. Based on projections from the EIA May 2008 Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO), OPEC net oil export revenues could be $1,060 billion in 2008 and $990 billion in 2009 (please note that estimates for individual OPEC members are not available for the forecast period)."
• Short-Term Energy Outlook May 2008 (05/06/2008): "Quarterly short-term energy projections for supply, demand, and price for the major fuels through 2009 for the U.S. International oil forecasts are included."

Office of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Staff Reading Room: These documents were released to the New York Times regarding the Pentagon's Military Analyst program."

FY 2009 Supplemental Protecting the Force, Equipping American Troops, Strengthening National Security: "[May 2, 2008] President Bush transmitted to Congress the details for the $70 billion allowance included in the FY 2009 Budget. This provides the necessary resources for ongoing military and intelligence operations for FY09, as well as diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance activities in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. It also provides resources for other international security activities that advance our national security, including urgent food aid."

News release: "Today, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) released a Congressional Research Service (CRS) study on the implications for U.S. economic and security interests of China’s rising global influence. The study, which CRS produced at Senator Biden’s request in consultation with a distinguished group of China specialists and other regional and functional analysts, examines the strengths and weaknesses of China’s foreign policy and growing use “soft power” in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Unified Agenda, May 2008 Edition: "The Unified Agenda summarizes the rules and proposed rules that each Federal agency expects to issue during the next six months."

News release: "Each year, millions of students seek help in financing their college education, and some fall prey to scholarship and financial aid scams that “guarantee” money for college in exchange for a fee. In 2000, Congress passed the College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act to help federal agencies crack down on those scams. The Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Education (ED) have issued their annual report to Congress describing their continued efforts to combat scholarship and financial aid fraud."

• Scholarship Scams
  
• Ouch! Students Getting Stung Trying to Find $$$ for College


• ‘Free Government Grants’: Don’t Take Them For Grant-ed

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearings to examine the current lack of hospital emergency surge capacity. The hearings will focus on the widening mismatch between the growing demand for emergency care and available supply, impact of the Administration’s Medicaid regulations on hospital emergency surge capacity, and the ability of hospitals to respond to a mass casualty event, such as a terrorist attack using conventional explosives or natural disaster.

• Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement
  
• Report: Hospital Emergency Surge Capacity
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Chicago
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Washington, DC
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Denver
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Houston
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Los Angeles
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in Minneapolis
  
• Snapshot of Emergency Surge Capacity in New York City

• H.R. 5830, FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008, May 2, 2008 pdf | blog - Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Financial Services on May 1, 2008
• Nuclear Power's Role in Generating Electricity, May 2008 pdf | data | blog
• Sources of the Growth and Decline in Individual Income Tax Revenues Since 1994 May 2008 pdf | blog
• Preliminary Analysis of a Proposal for Comprehensive Health Insurance May 1, 2008 pdf | blog Letter to the Honorable Ron Wyden and the Honorable Robert F. Bennett

IEEE Spectrum Q&A With IARPA Director Lisa Porter: "We've divided the agency into three offices, and those really explain how we parse the problems intelligence research is focused on: Smart Collection, Incisive Analysis, and Safe and Secure Operations. Those three thrust areas span the space of the intelligence problem. The first, Smart Collection: we want to dramatically improve the value of our collected data. It's not enough to collect data...The second office is called Incisive Analysis, where we look at maximizing the insight we get from collections in a timely fashion. Analysts are drowning in reams and reams of data. It's called the tsunami effect—the overwhelming amount of data and information that they have to analyze. How can they go through it all fast enough to provide decision makers with analysis in time?...The third office is called Safe and Secure Operations. Here we want to counter the capabilities of our adversaries that could threaten our ability to operate effectively in the networked world. That includes the challenge of cybersecurity..."

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Use of Intelligence Analysts, Audit Report 08-23, May 2008 (96 pages, PDF)

The Ultimate Little Black Book - One Firm Routes All Phone Calls in North America, by Ellen Nakashima, Washington Post.

Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT): "The long-range or "vicinity" Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology chosen by the Departments of Homeland Security and State for government-issued ID documents poses serious risks to personal privacy and security, CDT testified today before a Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee. CDT recommended that DHS and State abandon the technology, which was originally developed to track things, not people, and that encryption be used to protect a citizen's unique ID number. CDT also urged Congress to support legislation or regulations banning unauthorized "skimming" of RFID chips and prohibiting use of the passport card and Enhanced Driver's License beyond border security."

• Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs , Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia, Hearing on The Impact of Implementation: A Review of the REAL ID Act and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, 4/29/08
  
• CDT Prepared Statement, April 29, 2008
  
• CDT Written Testimony, April 29, 2008

D-2008-085 Independent Auditor's Report on the FY 2007 Performance Summary Report for DoD National Drug Control Program Activities, May 2, 2008.

News release: "The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has warmly welcomed the news that Ecuador on Thursday became the 20th country to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with the result that the Convention and its Optional Protocol will now come into force one month later, on 3 May...The 50-article Convention fights discrimination in relation to a wide range of rights that are often not accorded to persons with disabilities, either deliberately or through neglect. These include the rights to education, health, work, adequate living conditions, freedom of movement, freedom from exploitation and equal recognition before the law. The Convention also addresses the need for persons with disabilities to have access to public transport, buildings and other facilities and recognizes their capacity to make decisions for themselves. Its Optional Protocol allows them to petition an international expert body."

• United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights resource page on Disability
  
• UN Human Rights Bodies - Mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights

Report on Competitive Sourcing Results Fiscal Year 2007, May 2008
Executive Office of the President, Office of Management and Budget: "This report discusses the use of competitive sourcing (i.e., public-private competition) in FY 2007. The report also analyzes trends over the five-year period that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has prepared annual reports on competitive sourcing activities. This report is based on data collected by executive agencies...Agencies are tracking and reviewing the actual costs incurred by their selected service providers for each performance period. To date, actual savings – i.e., baseline costs less actual costs – are approaching close to $1.9 billion. This represents a 96 percent increase in cumulative actual savings from that achieved through the end of FY 2006."

"Throughout 2007, OMB Watch diligently exposed assaults on public protections and fought for greater government accountability and performance. Our 2007 Annual Report offers you some highlights from the past year."

News release: "The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that investors awaiting their refund checks from the Internal Revenue Service will simultaneously be receiving information about a new SEC phone-based resource that can help them learn more about various investing topics and avoid investment scams.

The SEC information card encourages recipients to "Call Now and Become a Smarter Investor" by dialing 1-866-358-6652 and choosing an investment topic best suited for them to hear helpful automated information. Topics range from "Getting Started With Investing" and "Protecting Your Nest Egg" to "How to File an Investment Complaint" and "Sales Seminars — No 'Free Lunch'."

Recipients are additionally given the option of visiting the Internet for more SEC information on investing topics at www.investor.gov.

News release: "Today's employment report indicates that the U.S. economy continues to work through substantial challenges from the housing adjustment, high energy and food prices, and financial market conditions. The Treasury Department sent out 7.7 million economic stimulus payments to American households this week, and the payments will continue through mid-July. These payments, combined with the business investment incentives also included in the stimulus package, will provide significant support to household and business spending in the middle of the year." Assistant Secretary Phillip Swagel, May 2, 2008

Global Climate Change National Security Implications. Edited by Dr. Carolyn Pumphrey. 454 pages, PDF. Added May 1, 2008.

"The NIST Computer Security Division...release of NIST Interagency Report (IR) 7442: Computer Security Division - 2007 Annual Report. This publication highlights the diverse research agenda that enabled the Computer Security Division to successfully respond to numerous challenges and opportunities in fulfilling its mission to provide standards and technology that protects information systems against threats to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information and services."

"NIST announces the release of the public draft of Special Publication 800-66 Revision 1, An Introductory Resource Guide to Implementing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Security Rule (Draft). This Special Publication (SP), which discusses security considerations and resources that may provide value when implementing the requirements of the HIPAA Security Rule, was written to help educate readers about information security terms used in the HIPAA Security Rule and to improve understanding of the meaning of the security standards set out in the Security Rule, direct readers to helpful information in other NIST publications on individual topics the HIPAA Security Rule addresses, and aid readers in understanding the security concepts discussed in the HIPAA Security Rule. This publication does not supplement, replace, or supersede the HIPAA Security Rule itself. Comments on Draft SP 800-66 Revision 1 will be accepted through June 13, 2008."

The Administration’s Housing Strategy and Economic Update, Neel Kashkari Phillip Swagel, Senior Advisor to the Secretary Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, Department of the Treasury, May 2, 2008.

US Courts: "The number of intercepted wire, oral or electronic communications — also known as wiretaps — authorized by federal and state courts in 2007 was 20 percent higher than in 2006. Courts issued 2,208 such orders in 2007, compared to 1,839 in 2006, according to The 2007 Wiretap Report.

The complete report contains information on interceptions concluded between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007. A summary of the authorized intercepts reported for calendar years 1997-2007 is available in Table 7."

Security Controls Over Joint Strike Fighter Classified Technology, March 6, 2008.

• 08-2-0142 Agreed-Upon Procedures on EPA's Fiscal Year 2008 First Quarter Financial Statements [Report PDF - 21pp] [At a Glance PDF] April 28, 2008
• 08-P-0141 EPA Needs to Track Compliance with Superfund Cleanup Requirements [Report PDF - 26pp] [At a Glance PDF] April 28, 2008: "According to EPA’s Superfund information system, there were 3,397 active Superfund enforcement instruments to ensure cleanups at National Priorities List sites as of September 30, 2007. Yet, EPA does not nationally compile or track data on substantial non-compliance (SNC) with the terms or requirements of these instruments."

Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General: Follow-Up Healthcare Inspection VA's Role in Ensuring Services for Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans after Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation [Report No. 08-01023-119], May 1, 2008

"In a July 2006 report, the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Healthcare Inspections (OHI) described the health status of and services provided for a group of service members and veterans who had received inpatient rehabilitative care in VA facilities for traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained during or after tours of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. At the request of the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, the OIG conducted a follow-up assessment to determine the extent to which the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) maintains involvement with these same individuals to ensure that their health care needs are met...Three years after completion of initial inpatient rehabilitation for TBI, many of these patients continue to have significant disabilities. VHA and Veterans Benefits Administration support for TBI patients is extensive. While case management has improved, long-term case management is not uniformly provided for these patients, and significant needs remain unmet."

Fact Sheet: Leading the Fight Against Hunger - "Today, President Bush called on Congress to provide an additional $770 million to support food aid and development programs. Rising prices have complicated our worldwide food assistance efforts and made it more difficult for the United States to meet its existing commitments, much less help the growing number of people who need aid. To address this problem, two weeks ago the Administration announced that about $200 million in emergency food aid would be made available through a program at the Agriculture Department called the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. This aid, along with the additional funds requested from Congress, amounts to nearly $1 billion in new funds to bolster global food security. With other food security assistance programs already in place, the U.S. is now projected to spend nearly $5 billion in 2008 and 2009 to fight global hunger."

• Defense Infrastructure: Planning Efforts for the Proposed Military Buildup on Guam Are in Their Initial Stages, with Many Challenges Yet to Be Addressed, GAO-08-722T, May 1, 2008
• Economic and Other Implications of Switching from Coal to Natural Gas at the Capitol Power Plant and at Electricity-Generating Units Nationwide, GAO-08-601R, May 1, 2008
• Higher Education: Multiple Higher Education Tax Incentives Create Opportunities for Taxpayers to Make Costly Mistakes, GAO-08-717T, May 1, 2008
• Military Transformation: DOD Needs to Strengthen Implementation of Its Global Strike Concept and Provide a Comprehensive Investment Approach for Acquiring Needed Capabilities, GAO-08-325, April 30, 2008
• Older Workers: Federal Agencies Face Challenges, but Have Opportunities to Hire and Retain Experienced Employees, GAO-08-630T, April 30, 2008
• U.S. Capitol Police: Status of Efforts to Address Prior GAO Recommendations on Administrative and Management Operations, GAO-08-540T, May 1, 2008
• Utility Regulation: Opportunities Exist to Improve Oversight, GAO-08-752T, May 1, 2008

Office of Personnel Management (Senior Executive Service) - Presidential Transition Guide to Federal Human Resources Management Matters. Topics include: Standards of Ethical Conduct, Positions and Individuals Subject to Change in a Transition, Appointments, Compensation, Questions and Answers.

News release: "...Besides meeting Congressional requirements, the 2007 edition of the Country Reports on Terrorism aims to inform, to stimulate constructive debate, and to enhance our collective understanding of the international terrorist threat. The Country Reports should serve as a reference tool to inform policymakers, the American public, and our international partners about our efforts, progress and challenges in the war on terror. The 2007 Report begins with a strategic overview to illustrate trends. We note some positives. First, working with allies and partners across the world, we created a less permissive operating environment for terrorists, kept leaders on the move or in hiding, and degraded their ability to plan and mount attacks. Dozens of countries have passed new legislation or strengthened preexisting laws that provide law enforcement and judicial authorities with new tools to bring terrorists to justice."

Committee Report: Deploying Federal Civilians to the Battlefield: Incentives, Benefits and Medical Care, April 2008. Report Prepared by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

• May 2008 Petroleum Marketing Monthly With Data for February 2008 (04/30/2008): "Monthly price and volume statistics on crude oil and petroleum products at a national, regional and state level."
• April 2008 Natural Gas Monthly With Data for February 2008 (04/30/2008): "Natural and supplemental gas production, supply, consumption, disposition, storage, imports, exports, and prices in the United States.
• State-Level Energy Production Annual Time Series Through 2005 (04/30/2008): "State-level energy production annual time series are now available in the State Energy Data System (SEDS). Included are: coal, crude oil, and natural gas production estimates in physical units and British thermal units (Btu); total energy production estimates in Btu comprising fossil fuel production, renewable energy production, and nuclear electric power generation; rankings of production by State; and comparisons of State-level production and consumption. Time series cover 1960-2005 except for natural gas and total production, which span 1970-2005. Data are provided in tables of PDF and Excel format, as well as in a comma-separated data file. Detailed documentation of data sources and estimation methodologies is also provided."
• Energy Market and Economic Impacts of S.2191, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 (04/30/2008): "This report responds to a request from Senators Lieberman and Warner for an analysis of S.2191, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007. S.2191 is a complex bill regulating emissions of greenhouse gases through market-based mechanisms, energy efficiency programs, and economic incentives. This analysis focuses on the impacts of the greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program established under Title I of S. 2191.

News release: "Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 0.6 percent in the first quarter of 2008, according to advance estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter, real GDP also increased 0.6 percent. The Bureau emphasized that the first-quarter "advance" estimates are based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency. The increase in real GDP in the first quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE) for services, private inventory investment, exports of goods and services, and federal government spending that were partly offset by negative contributions from residential fixed investment and PCE for durable goods. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased."

• D-2008-083 Obligation of Funds for Ship Maintenance and Repair at the U.S. Fleet Forces Command Regional Maintenance Centers, April 25, 2008 (Project No. D2007-D000FC-0151.000)
• D-2008-082 Summary Report on Potential Antideficiency Act Violations Resulting From DoD Purchases Made Through Non-DoD Agencies (FY 2004 Through FY 2007), April 25, 2008 (Project No. D2007-D000CF-0237.000)
• D-2008-080 DoD Accounting to Support DoD Personnel During Times of Civil Emergency, April 25, 2008 (Project No. D2006-D000FE-0104.000)

GAO report released April 29, 2008 - Chemical Assessments: Low Productivity and New Interagency Review Process Limit the Usefulness and Credibility of EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, GAO-08-440, March 7, 2008

"The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) contains EPA’s scientific position on the potential human health effects of exposure to more than 540 chemicals.

News release: "Today, Earth Day 2008, the Federal Environmental Executive (FEE) released the 2004-06 Biennial Report to the President on the Federal government’s environmental and energy efficiency accomplishments. President George W. Bush called on the Federal government to lead by example in environmental stewardship, while meeting their missions in an efficient and reliable manner. In January, the President signed Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, requiring Federal Agencies to lead by example in advancing the Nation's energy security and environmental performance through effective environmental, energy, and transportation management. This order directs the Federal Environmental Executive (FEE) to prepare a biennial report highlighting Federal agency accomplishments."

News release: "The Federal Trade Commission testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism [Improving Consumer Protections in Subprime Lending], about the Commission’s continuing efforts to protect subprime mortgage borrowers. The testimony described the agency’s priorities, including deceptive mortgage advertising, deceptive or unfair servicing practices, discrimination in lending, and foreclosure rescue scams..."

News release: "The Treasury Department today launched a new initiative to increase financial education and bank and credit union accounts for Americans currently outside of the financial mainstream. The Community Financial Access Pilot will help selected U.S. communities provide low and moderate income people with needed access to financial services...The number of families using alternative financial service providers is estimated to be as high as 50 million...Information on the Community Financial Access Pilot is available here."

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Holds Hearing on Defense Department Acquisitions: "The hearing will examine the recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) titled, Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs. This report found that the Defense Department’s 95 major weapons acquisition programs currently exceed their original budgets by nearly $300 billion dollars and are, on average, 21 months late in delivering these weapons systems to warfighters. These rates of cost overruns and delivery delays are significantly higher than in previous GAO surveys. The hearing will represent the first opportunity for Department of Defense officials to testify to Congress about the report."

Management Controls over Defense Related High Risk Property, OAS-M-08-06 April 2008: "Los Alamos and Sandia had effective administrative controls in place over the accountability of firearms, including formal inventories, adequate documentation, and proper segregation of duties. However, administrative controls over other defense related high risk property such as firearm barrels, body armor, and gas masks were not sufficient for providing accountability."

• Global HIV/AIDS: A More Country-Based Approach Could Improve Allocation of PEPFAR Funding, GAO-08-480, April 02, 2008
• Toxic Chemicals: EPA's New Assessment Process Will Increase Challenges EPA Faces in Evaluating and Regulating Chemicals, GAO-08-743T, April 29, 2008
• Chemical Assessments: Low Productivity and New Interagency Review Process Limit the Usefulness and Credibility of EPA's Integrated Risk Information System, GAO-08-440, March 07, 2008
• Defense Acquisitions: Results of Annual Assessment of DOD Weapon Programs, GAO-08-674T, April 29, 2008
• Status of Implementation of GAO Recommendations on Evacuation of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations and Patients and Residents of Health Care Facilities, GAO-08-544R, April 01, 2008
• Global HIV/AIDS: Survey of PEPFAR Country Team Officials (GAO-08-534SP), an E-supplement to GAO-08-480: GAO-08-534SP, April 02, 2008
• Defense Transportation: DOD Should Ensure that the Final Size and Mix of Airlift Force Study Plan Includes Sufficient Detail to Meet the Terms of the Law and Inform Decision Makers, GAO-08-704R, April 28, 2008

News release: "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today improvements aimed at strengthening aviation security while decreasing the hassle factor for travelers. Among the key improvements, DHS is providing airlines more flexibility to allow passengers to check in remotely who have been unable to do so because they have a name similar to someone on a watch list. The department also unveiled the Checkpoint Evolution prototype, which begins full operation at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) today. Each airline will now be able to create a system to verify and securely store a passenger’s date of birth to clear up watch list misidentifications. By voluntarily providing this limited biographical data to an airline and verifying that information once at the ticket counter, travelers that were previously inconvenienced on every trip will now be able to check-in online or at remote kiosks."

News release: "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today a new Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) designed to close security gaps and reduce risks associated with the potential exploitation of small maritime vessels. The SVSS identifies specific goals for which security efforts can achieve the greatest impact without excessive imposition upon the freedom of operation common to the nation’s waterways."

• Fact Sheet: DHS Small Vessel Security Strategy
  
• Small Vessel Security Strategy (PDF, 57 pages)

Via Secrecy News,
• Africa Command: U.S. Strategic Interests and the Role of the U.S. Military in Africa, updated March 10, 2008
• High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP) and High Power Microwave (HPM) Devices: Threat Assessments, updated March 26, 2008
• Second FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations for Military Operations, International Affairs, and Other Purposes, April 15, 2008
• Iraq: Regional Perspectives and U.S. Policy, updated April 4, 2008 Operation Iraqi Freedom: Strategies, Approaches, Results, and Issues for Congress, March 28, 2008
• Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001 (fact sheet), updated April 23, 2008
• Pakistan-U.S. Relations, updated March 27, 2008
• Presidential Claims of Executive Privilege: History, Law, Practice and Recent Developments, updated April 16, 2008
Permanent Link

www.fueleconomy.gov helps consumers make informed fuel economy choices when purchasing a vehicle and helps them achieve the best fuel economy possible from the cars they own...it is maintained jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The site helps fulfill DOE and EPA’s responsibility under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 to provide accurate MPG information to consumers."

• Find and Compare Cars: Gas mileage (MPG), greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution ratings, and safety information for new and used cars and trucks. Compare Side-by-Side; Search by Class
  
• Print the 2008 Fuel Economy Guide

Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR)
• Transferring Reconstruction Projects to the Government of Iraq: Some Progress Made but Further Improvements Needed to Avoid Waste, April 28, 2008: "U.S. agencies involved in reconstruction activities have taken steps to improve the asset transfer policies, plans, and processes, but further actions are needed to address longstanding problems that have hindered the program’s effective implementation...These deficiencies, if not adequately addressed, will place the overall U.S. investment in many capital asset projects at risk of being ineffectively and inefficiently used, and in the worst case scenario, not used at all. Such an occurrence would greatly increase existing concerns over waste related to U.S. reconstruction activities in Iraq."
• Interim Report on Iraq Reconstruction Contract Terminations, April 28, 2008: "Although information on contract terminations is incomplete, available data show that approximately 855 Iraq reconstruction contracts–or task orders within individual contracts–have been terminated for the convenience of the U.S government or because of default on the part of the contractor. This information comes from the Iraq Reconstruction Management System (IRMS), which as of March 20, 2008, contained information on 47,321 projects."

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006, Volumes I and II (Note: 1125 pages, PDF). Senate Print 110-40, April 2008.

"Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties, 2004 - Presents data collected from a representative sample of felony cases filed in the nation's 75 largest counties during May 2004. Murder cases were tracked for up to 2 years and all other cases for 1 year to provide a complete overview of the processing of felony defendants from case filing to disposition and sentencing. Data highlight the demographic characteristics of felony defendants and types of arrest charges. The report also includes in-depth information on the criminal record of felony defendants, including criminal justice status at the time of arrest and the number and type of prior arrests and convictions. It describes conditions of pretrial release (bail amounts, type of release bonds, and pretrial misconduct), adjudication outcomes (dismissal, diversion, guilty plea, trial conviction rates), and sentencing data for convicted felony defendants."

News release: "Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey announced a new strategy in the fight against international organized crime that will address this growing threat to U.S. security and stability. The Law Enforcement Strategy to Combat International Organized Crime (the strategy) was developed following an October 2007 International Organized Crime Threat Assessment (IOC Threat Assessment) and will address the demand for a strategic, targeted and concerted U.S. response to combat the identified threats. This strategy builds on the broad foundation the Administration has developed in recent years to enhance information sharing, and to secure U.S. borders and financial systems from a variety of transnational threats."

UK Guardian: "Airline passengers are to be screened with facial recognition technology rather than checks by passport officers, in an attempt to improve security and ease congestion..From summer, unmanned clearance gates will be phased in to scan passengers' faces and match the image to the record on the computer chip in their biometric passports. Border security officials believe the machines can do a better job than humans of screening passports and preventing identity fraud. The pilot project will be open to UK and EU citizens holding new biometric passports."

• UK Home Office: Consultation on the Delivery of the National Identity Scheme - "The purpose of this consultation is to help the Government to proceed with the implementation of National Identity Scheme, including the introduction of identity cards linked to a National Identity Register."
  
• Download the Consultation document
  
• Download the National identity Scheme Delivery Plan 2008

• A Review of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's New Investment Strategy, April 24, 2008. Letter to the George Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Education and Labor.
• Implications of a Cap-and-Trade Program for Carbon Dioxide Emissions, April 24, 2008 html pdf webcast. CBO Statement of Peter R. Orszag, Director, before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate

European Digital Rights: "The European Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs have agreed to make publishing bomb-making instructions on the Internet a crime...Justice and interior ministers from the EU member states backed a proposal from Commissioner Frattini to harmonise the normative acts that will make the "public provocation to commit a terrorist offence, recruitment, and training for terrorism" a crime. According to the statements of the EU officials publishing these acts on the Internet completed the European legislation in this domain. They described the Internet as "a virtual training camp for militants, used to inspire and mobilise local groups." Gilles de Kerchove, the EU anti-terrorism co-ordinator, declared that there are approx. 5,000 websites that are used to radicalise young people."

• Council of Europe: Why terrorism? Addressing the Conditions Conducive to the Spread of Terrorism, Strasbourg, 25-26 April 2007, Conclusions
  
• EU Project on Cybercrime: Guidelines for the cooperation between law enforcement and internet providers against cybercrime, April 2, 2008 (provisional)

News release: "Average air fares in the fourth quarter of 2007 were up 4.0 percent from the fourth quarter of 2006, reaching the highest fourth-quarter level since 2001 but remaining 2.7 percent below the high set in 2000 for any October-to-December period, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported...the average domestic itinerary fare in the fourth quarter of 2007 of $331 was the highest average fare since the second quarter of 2006. The fourth-quarter 2007 average fare was up 11.3 percent from the post-9/11 fourth-quarter low of $297 in 2004. f the top 100 airports based on originating passengers, the highest fourth-quarter average fares were in Anchorage, AK; followed by Cincinnati, OH; San Francisco; Madison, WI; and Knoxville, TN. The lowest fares in the top 100 airports were at four Hawaii airports followed by Dallas Love."

News release: "The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)...announced steps to strengthen the reporting system designed to classify airspace errors, in response to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Inspector General (IG) that revealed the intentional misclassification of operational errors at the Dallas-Fort Worth Terminal Approach Control (TRACON)...Specifically, the IG found that management at the Dallas-Fort Worth TRACON investigated operational errors and deviations, but routinely and intentionally misclassified them as pilot errors or non-events. The report was prompted by whistleblower allegations that management was covering up operational errors and deviations." [Note: the IG report has not been posted]

News release: "Office of Personnel Management (OPM)...announced the launch of an enhanced interagency telework website, www.telework.gov. The updated site features a series of user-friendly improvements designed to make telework information more accessible and understandable to Federal employees...and was developed in partnership with the General Services Administration (GSA), OPM's telework.gov partner. Users can read and download recent telework guidance and legislation, reports, and studies. A search database allows users to input telework-related questions, and if answers are not found onsite the questions can be routed to experts who will respond via email. The site offers telework guidance and direction to employees and managers, as well as telework coordinators...Additional features of the updated site include quick links to key pages, online telework training, and easy access to telework-related policies such as reasonable accommodation and emergency closure. Finally, the site displays a green color scheme throughout, chosen to reflect the environmentally friendly aspects of telework. Telework in the Federal Government has increased significantly since 2001, 110,000 employees currently telework according to OPM's latest report to Congress. The report also found that while overall telework numbers were down slightly from 2005, a majority of agencies increased telework over the previous year, and that 42% fully integrated telework into their emergency planning."

EPIC: "The International Working Group On Data Protection in Telecommunications has released a report and guidance (pdf) on privacy in social networking services. The report identifies risks to privacy and security, and provides guidance to regulators, service operators and users to counter these risks. Risks include the large amount of data collection; the misuse of profile data by third parties; insecure infrastructure and application programming interfaces. Regulators should ensure openness, and oblige data breach notification. Providers must be transparent; live up to promises made to users; and use privacy friendly defaults. Privacy and consumer groups are also
recommended to raise the awareness of regulators, providers and the general public."

"The fiscal year 2008 update to the Long Range Plan for Information Technology in the Federal Judiciary articulates five-year directions and objectives for the judiciary’s information technology program. The plan presents the program in terms of five fundamental areas: external participants, court operations, judges and chambers, probation and pretrial services, and information technology infrastructure. This represents a more aggressive effort to identify needs by various constituents. Future updates to the plan will build on this approach and incorporate additional elements."

• Space Acquisitions: DOD Is Making Progress to Rapidly Deliver Low Cost Space Capabilities, but Challenges Remain, GAO-08-516, April 25, 2008
• Traffic Safety: Improved Reporting and Performance Measures Would Enhance Evaluation of High-Visibility Campaigns, GAO-08-477, April 25, 2008
• Highways and Environment: Transportation Agencies Are Acting to Involve Others in Planning and Environmental Decisions, GAO-08-512R, April 25, 2008

News release: "The United States Sentencing Commission announced today the formation of a standing advisory group to provide the Commission insight and advice on the operation of the federal sentencing guidelines from the perspective of victims of federal crime. The initial Victims Advisory Group (“VAG”) will be composed of six members representing the spectrum of interest groups and organizations interested in victims’ issues at the federal level."

Director of National Intelligence (DNI): Background Briefing with Senior U.S. Officials on Syria's Covert Nuclear Reactor and North Korea's Involvement, April 24, 2008

"...the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released estimates of personal income at the county level for 2006 based on newly available source data. Personal income is a comprehensive measure of the income of all persons from all sources. In addition to wages and salaries it includes employer–provided health insurance, dividends and interest income, social security benefits, and other types of income...Personal income declined in 2006 in 227 counties. In all but 5 of these counties farming can account for the entire decline. The largest percentage losses in personal income were in counties in the Dakotas and Texas..."

• Defense Infrastructure: Continued Management Attention Is Needed to Support Installation Facilities and Operations, GAO-08-502, April 24, 2008
• Export Controls: State and Commerce Have Not Taken Basic Steps to Better Ensure U.S. Interests Are Protected, GAO-08-710T, April 24, 2008
• International Boundary and Water Commission: Two Alternatives for Improving Wastewater Treatment at the United States-Mexico Border, GAO-08-595R, April 24, 2008
• Nanotechnology: Accuracy of Data on Federally Funded Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Could Be Improved, GAO-08-709T, April 24, 2008
• Nanotechnology: Better Guidance Is Needed to Ensure Accurate Reporting of Federal Research Focused on Environmental, Health, and Safety Risks, GAO-08-402, March 31, 2008
• NASA: Challenges in Completing and Sustaining the International Space Station, GAO-08-581T, April 24, 2008
• Residential Facilities: State and Federal Oversight Gaps May Increase Risk to Youth Well-Being, GAO-08-696T, April 24, 2008
• Residential Programs: Selected Cases of Death, Abuse, and Deceptive Marketing, GAO-08-713T, April 24, 2008
• Strategic Petroleum Reserve: Improving the Cost-Effectiveness of Filling the Reserve, GAO-08-726T, April 24, 2008

News release: "In its recent Report on Broadcast Localism and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission concluded that the record in the localism proceeding (MB Docket No. 04-233) revealed a substantial need for greater public understanding of broadcaster obligations, and of the procedures by which the Commission enforces those obligations. The Commission expressed its desire to better educate members of the public about the tools available to them, should they believe that their local broadcast stations are not fulfilling their service obligations. To that end, the Commission directed the Media Bureau to update “The Public and Broadcasting,” a publication that all broadcasters must maintain in their public inspection files. The Commission also stated that it would establish a contact point within the agency for public inquiries about broadcast matters. In response to these Commission directives, today, the Media Bureau has released an updated version of “The Public and Broadcasting.”2 Including links to places on the FCC’s website that offer additional relevant information as to the matters discussed, this publication provides an overview of the FCC’s regulation of broadcast radio and television licensees, describes how broadcast stations are authorized, and explains the various rules and policies relating to broadcast programming and operations with which stations must comply, including the obligation to serve their local communities. It also explains how members of the public can become involved in assessing whether local broadcast stations are complying with these requirements. The publication is also intended to make the public aware of FCC procedures and the tools at their disposal, in the event that they conclude that any of their local stations do not meet these responsibilities."

News release: "Last year alone global levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, the primary driver of global climate change, increased by 0.6 percent, or 19 billion tons. Additionally methane rose by 27 million tons after nearly a decade with little or no increase. NOAA scientists released these and other preliminary findings today as part of an annual update to the agency’s greenhouse gas index, which tracks data from 60 sites around the world."

News release: "Between 2005 and 2006 the number of state and federal prisoners who were HIV-positive decreased 3.1 percent – from 22,676 to 21,980 inmates, according to a report by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Another BJS report estimated that 44 percent of state inmates and 39 percent of federal inmates reported a current medical problem other than a cold or a virus."

News release: "On April 22, 2008, Secretary Spellings announced proposed regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind. The proposed regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates, and improved parental notification for supplemental educational services and public school choice. Below are documents that were released at the announcement.

• Fact sheets - Accountability, assessments and transparency; Public school choice and supplemental educational services
  
• Proposed Regulations for Title I: Summary PDF | Detailed summary PDF |Federal Register notice inviting comments

• Abstinence Education: Assessing the Accuracy and Effectiveness of Federally Funded Programs, GAO-08-664T, April 23, 2008
• Antidumping and Countervailing Duties: Congress and Agencies Should Take Additional Steps to Reduce Substantial Shortfalls in Duty Collection, GAO-08-391, March 26, 2008
• Federal Records: Agencies Face Challenges in Managing E-Mail, GAO-08-699T, April 23, 2008: "Federal agencies are increasingly using electronic mail (e-mail) for essential communication. In doing so, they are potentially creating messages that have the status of federal records, which must be managed and preserved in accordance with the Federal Records Act. To carry out the records management responsibilities established in the act, agencies are to follow implementing regulations that include specific requirements for e-mail records. In view of the importance that e-mail plays in documenting government activities, GAO was asked to testify on issues relating to the preservation of electronic records, including e-mail."
• Homeland Security: Enhanced National Guard Readiness for Civil Support Missions May Depend on DOD's Implementation of the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, GAO-08-311, April 16, 2008
• Human Capital: Workforce Diversity Governmentwide and at the Small Business Administration, GAO-08-725T, April 23, 2008
• Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance: DOD Can Better Assess and Integrate ISR Capabilities and Oversee Development of Future ISR Requirements, GAO-08-374, March 24, 2008
• National Transportation Safety Board: Progress Made in Management Practices, Investigation Priorities, Training Center Use, and Information Security, But These Areas Continue to Need Improvement, GAO-08-652T, April 23, 2008
  Permanent Link

News release: "Survey also reveals that 6-7 percent of adults in several states and the District of Columbia drove under the influence of illicit drugs at least once in the past year. A first-of-its-kind national report reveals that 15.1 percent of the nation’s drivers age 18 and older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year. The report says that in some states the levels are far higher – about one in four drivers.

• The NSDUH Report: State Estimates of Persons Aged 18 or Older Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol or Illicit Drugs, April 17, 2008 [PDF version]
  
• Table of Driving Under the Influence Percentages for each State

News release: "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today a notice of proposed rulemaking that will establish biometric exit procedures at all U.S air and sea ports of departure. The majority of non-U.S. citizens are already required to submit digital fingerprints and a digital photograph for admission into the country. The US-VISIT Exit proposal would require non-U.S. citizens who provide biometric identifiers for admission to also provide digital fingerprints when departing the country from any air or sea ports of departure."

H.R. 5613, Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act of 2008, April 22, 2008: "Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on April 16, 2008."

News release: "Fuel efficiency standards for both passenger vehicles and light trucks would increase by 4.5 percent per year over the five-year period ending in 2015 – a 25 percent total improvement that exceeds the 3.3 percent baseline proposed by Congress last year – under an ambitious new proposal announced today by U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters. For passenger cars, the proposal would increase fuel economy from the current 27.5 miles per gallon to 35.7 miles per gallon by 2015. For light trucks, the proposal calls for increases from 23.5 miles per gallon in 2010 to 28.6 miles per gallon in 2015. All told, the proposal will save nearly 55 billion gallons of fuel and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions estimated at 521 million metric tons. The plan will save America’s drivers over $100 billion in fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicles covered by the rule, Secretary Peters said."

• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (417 pages, PDF)
  
• Preliminary Regulatory Impact Analysis
  
• Request for Product Plan Information

Written Statement of Kevin J. Martin, Chairman Federal Communications Commission Before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing, Future of the Internet, April 22, 2008.

Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR): Progress on Recommended Improvements to Contract Administration for the Iraqi Police Training Program, April 22, 2008.

News release: "Short-term exposure to current levels of ozone in many areas is likely to contribute to premature deaths, says a new National Research Council report, which adds that the evidence is strong enough that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should include ozone-related mortality in health-benefit analyses related to future ozone standards. The committee that wrote the report was not asked to consider how evidence has been used by EPA to set ozone standards, including the new public health standard set by the agency last month. Ozone, a key component of smog, can cause respiratory problems and other health effects. In addition, evidence of a relationship between short-term -- less than 24 hours -- exposure to ozone and mortality has been mounting, but interpretations of the evidence have differed, prompting EPA to request the Research Council report. In particular, the agency asked the committee to analyze the ozone-mortality link and assess methods for assigning a monetary value to lives saved for the health-benefits assessments."

DOT news release: "Railroads will be required to route every train carrying the most toxic and dangerous hazardous materials on the safest and most secure route under a new federal rule announced today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters...beginning June 1, the rule requires railroads to conduct a comprehensive safety and security risk analysis of its primary route and any practicable alternative routes over which it has authority to operate. The analysis must consider information provided by local communities and a minimum of 27 risk factors like trip length, volume and type of hazmat being moved, existing safety measures along the route, and population density, she said. Railroads must implement their routing decisions based on these analyses by September 2009."