Search Results from beSpacific
Follow up to posting on campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation Now, see the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School: Legal Resources "section provides access to treaties and other international and regional documents, statutes and...
News release: "Iceland (1) has claimed the top spot of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2009 from Norway (3) which slipped to third position behind Finland (2). Sweden (4) completed the Nordic countries’ continued dominance of the...
News release: "More than three million girls’ genitals are forcibly cut every year and approximately 140 million women are living with mutilated genitals. Maternal mortality and infection are just two of the many health effects they suffer. This issue of...
News release: "Median weekly earnings of the nation's 98.7 million full-time wage and salary workers were $748 in the fourth quarter of 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This was 2.7 percent higher than a year earlier,...
HHS Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report December 18, 2009: Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders --- Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, United States, 2006 "In 2006, on average, approximately 1% or one child in every 110 in the 11 ADDM...
Prisoners in 2008: "Presents data on prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities on December 31, 2008, collected from the National Prisoner Statistics series. This annual report compares changes in the prison population during 2008 to changes from...
Critical Infrastructure Protection - The nation's critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) include systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating impact on national security, national...
Center for Economic and Policy Research - The Changing Face of Labor, 1983-2008 - November 2009, John Schmitt and Kris Warner: "Over the last quarter century, the unionized workforce has changed dramatically, according to this new CEPR report. In 2008,...
CBO - The National Flood Insurance Program: Factors Affecting Actuarial Soundness, November 2009 "The vast majority of homes and small commercial buildings that are insured against flood damage in the United States are covered by the National Flood Insurance Program...
Aviation Safety: Information on the Safety Effects of Modifying the Age Standard for Commercial Pilots, GAO-10-107R, October 30, 2009 Black Lung Benefits Program: Administrative and Structural Changes Could Improve Miners' Ability to Pursue Claims, GAO-10-7, October 30, 2009 Coal Combustion...
CBO: Changes in the Distribution of Workers' Annual Earnings Between 1979 and 2007, October 2009 "This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paper, which was prepared at the request of the Senate Committee on Finance, documents changes in the annual earnings of...
Contingency Contracting: DOD, State, and USAID Continue to Face Challenges in Tracking Contractor Personnel and Contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, GAO-10-1, October 01, 2009 Emergency Management: Preliminary Observations on FEMA's Community Preparedness Programs Related to the National Preparedness System, GAO-10-105T,...
Female Victims of Violence: "Provides the current findings on nonfatal and fatal violent crimes committed against females. Data are from the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting...
Emergency Preparedness: Improved Planning and Coordination Necessary for Development of Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, GAO-09-1044T, September 30, 2009 Intellectual Property: Enhanced Planning by U.S. Personnel Overseas Could Strengthen Efforts, GAO-09-863, September 30, 2009 International Food Assistance: Key Issues...
September 21, 2009 - Social Networking and Constituent Communication: Member Use of Twitter During a Two-Week Period in the 111th Congress September 16, 2009 - FEMA Disaster Housing: From Sheltering to Permanent Housing September 16, 2009 - Wildfire Fuels and...
Working Mother: "These are turbulent times for law firms. The economy is still reeling, several prestigious firms have collapsed, and layoffs have been rampant. No doubt about it, this sector is feeling the recession. But for working-mom lawyers, who’ve long...
OIG-09-96 - FEMA's Sourcing for Disaster Response Goods & Services (PDF, 35 pages) "When disaster strikes, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must be prepared to quickly provide goods and services to help state and local governments respond to the...
Disaster Photo Library - FEMA: "The FEMA on line Photo Library contains more than 16,500 disaster related photographs made since 1989. The collection is composed almost entirely of declared disasters and there are also photographs from FEMA public events which...
Alcohol-Impaired Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes, by Gender and State, 2007-2008. August 2009 "This Research Note emphasizes recent trends in the number of alcohol-impaired drivers involved in fatal crashes, by the gender of the driver as well as the State...
FEMA Responses to Formaldehyde in Trailers (OIG-09-83), (Redacted), June 2009 "Nearly one-third of the trailers provided to victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita were eventually projected to have significant potential formaldehyde problems. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials, in our...
Force Structure: Actions Needed to Improve DOD's Ability to Manage, Assess, and Report on Global Defense Posture Initiatives, GAO-09-706R, July 02, 2009 Tax Administration: IRS Should Evaluate Penalties and Develop a Plan to Focus Its Efforts, GAO-09-567, June 05, 2009...
Urban Area Security Initiative: FEMA Lacks Measures to Assess How Regional Collaboration Efforts Build Preparedness Capabilities, GAO-09-651, July 02, 2009 Defense Travel System: Implementation Challenges Remain, GAO-09-577, June 30, 2009 Federal Information Security Issues, GAO-09-817R, June 30, 2009 Recovery Act:...
News release: " As part of its ongoing efforts to protect human health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has posted a list of 44 “high hazard potential” impoundments containing coal combustion residuals, commonly referred to as coal...
High Speed Passenger Rail: Effectively Using Recovery Act Funds for High Speed Rail Projects, GAO-09-786T, June 23, 2009 Military Personnel: Reserve Component Servicemembers on Average Earn More Income while Activated, GAO-09-688R, June 23, 2009 V-22 Osprey Aircraft: Assessments Needed to...
Defense Management: Observations on DOD's Analysis of Options for Improving Corrosion Prevention and Control through Earlier Planning in the Requirements and Acquisition Processes, GAO-09-694R, May 29, 2009 Federal Reserve Banks: Areas for Improvement in Information Security Controls, GAO-09-722R, May 29,...
Sex and Science: How Professor Gender Perpetuates the Gender Gap, Scott E. Carrelly, UC Davis and NBER; Marianne E. Pagez, UC Davis and NBER; James E. Westx, USAF Academy, May 7, 2009 "Why aren't there more women in science? Female...
Prison Inmates at Midyear 2008 - Statistical Tables: "Presents data on prisoners under the jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities on June 30, 2008, collected from the National Prisoner Statistics series. This annual report compares changes in the prison...
News release: "U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has proposed an amendment to its Special Community Disaster Loan (CDL) regulations to include loan forgiveness procedures and requirements. The proposed...
Through the Labyrinth: Real Answers on How Women Become Leaders - With considerable detail and insight, Diana Philip reviews a recent book that explores whether the concept of whether the “glass ceiling” still accurately describes the challenges women face to...
The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): Problems in the Past, Potential for the Future? Report by the Majority Staff of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives...
DHS OIG-09-25 - FEMA: In or Out?, February 2009: "In an effort to help focus and inform the current debate, we present in this white paper some of the important elements that should be considered when deciding FEMA’s placement in...
Mapping the Zone: Improving Flood Map Accuracy, Committee on FEMA Flood Maps; Board on Earth Sciences and Resources/Mapping Science Committee; National Research Council, January 2009. "Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps portray the height and extent to...
The FEMA 2009 Presidential Transition Binder: "This document...is intended to serve as a reference for FEMA leadership and employees to help orient them to its organizational structure, programs, resources, stakeholders, and operations." [via FAS and Homeland Security Watch Blog]...
"DisasterAssistance.gov is an easy to use website that consolidates disaster information in one place. Currently, 17 U.S. Government agencies, which sponsor more than 40 forms of disaster assistance, contribute to the website. You can apply for many forms of assistance...
"The National Incident Management System (NIMS) provides a systematic, proactive approach to guide departments and agencies at all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to work seamlessly to prevent, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate...
Defense Logistics: Improved Analysis and Cost Data Needed to Evaluate the Cost-effectiveness of Performance Based Logistics, GAO-09-41, December 19, 2008 DOD Personnel Clearances: Preliminary Observations about Timeliness and Quality, GAO-09-261R, December 19, 2008 United Nations Peacekeeping: Challenges Obtaining Needed Resources...
OIG-09-09 - Independent Auditors' Report on DHS' FY 2008 Financial Statements Management Report, November 2008. "While the auditors noted improvement toward correction of internal control weaknesses, the department was unable to represent that its financial statements as of, and for...
Flood Insurance: FEMA's Rate-Setting Process Warrants Attention, GAO-09-12, October 31, 2008 "Questions about the financial status of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) have increased since the 2005 hurricanes, which left the program with an unprecedented $17.4 billion deficit--a debt...
OIG-09-04 - Letter Report: Maryland State Police Use of DHS Grants (PDF, 12 pages) New 11/21/2008 - "Since 2002, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has distributed more than $19 billion in preparedness grants to enhance the nation’s ability to...
OIG-09-02 - Federal Emergency Management Agency's Exit Strategy for Temporary Housing in the Gulf Coast Region (PDF, 27 pages) New 10/31/2008 "The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) strategy for ending its direct housing assistance program for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita...
OIG-08-93 - Review of FEMA's Sheltering and Transitional Housing Activities after Hurricane Katrina, September 2008 (PDF, 54 pages) Related postings on Katrina...
News release: "Today, the House Committee on Science and Technology Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight released a staff report that details the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) handling of its response to high levels of formaldehyde in...
2010 Census: The Bureau's Plans for Reducing the Undercount Show Promise, but Key Uncertainties Remain, GAO-08-1167T, September 23, 2008 Department of Homeland Security: Improvements Could Further Enhance Ability to Acquire Innovative Technologies Using Other Transaction Authority, GAO-08-1088, September 23, 2008...
Rural Economic Development: Collaboration between SBA and USDA Could Be Improved, GAO-08-1123, September 18, 2008 Voluntary Organizations: FEMA Should More Fully Assess Organization's Mass Care Capabilities and Update the Red Cross Role in Catastrophic Events, GAO-08-823, September 18, 2008 Veterans'...
2008 Best Law Firms for Women Announced by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers - FindLaw: "The legal profession is in a work/life crisis, with 78% of associates leaving law firms by their fifth year and nearly 50% of women lawyers...
H.R.1338 - To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide more effective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, and for other purposes. House Reports: 110-783 Center for American...
OIG-08-21 - A Review of the World Trade Center Captive Insurance Company (PDF, 53 pages) New 08/12/2008. "Due to the risks assumed by the city and its contractors working without commercial insurance coverage, Public Law 108-7 directed FEMA to provide...
OIG-08-81 - Hurricane Katrina Multitier Contracts (PDF, 26 pages ) New 08/04/2008: "Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005, was the most destructive and costly natural disaster in United States history. It caused over $81 billion...
News release, includes links to witness testimony and related documents: "As part of its continuing investigation into the FEMA’s toxic trailers, the Committee held a hearing on July 9, 2008, in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing examined the...
Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program Guidance - Pre-Disaster Mitigation, Flood Mitigation Assistance, Repetitive Flood Claims, Severe Repetitive Loss, June 19, 2008 (227 pages, PDF) "The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program is authorized by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief...
Prison Inmates at Midyear 2007 - Presents data on prisoners under jurisdiction of federal or state correctional authorities on June 30, 2007, collected from the National Prisoner Statistics series. This annual report describes changes in the prison population during the...
OIG-08-61 - DHS Must Address Internet Protocol Version 6 Challenges (PDF, 14 pages): "We evaluated the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’) transition to Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires federal agencies to demonstrate...
Federal Aviation Administration: Efforts to Hire, Staff, and Train Air Traffic Controllers Are Generally on Track, but Challenges Remain, GAO-08-908T, June 11, 2008 National Response Framework: FEMA Needs Policies and Procedures to Better Integrate Non-Federal Stakeholders in the Revision Process,...
FEMA: Myths and Facts About FEMA Housing Following Katrina, May 26, 2008...
The Reversal of Fortunes: Trends in County Mortality and Cross-County Mortality Disparities in the United States, Majid Ezzati, Ari B. Friedman, Sandeep C. Kulkarni, Christopher J. L. Murray. Open access via Public Library of Science, PLoS Medicine, April 2008, Vol....
OIG-08-37 - Technical Security Evaluation of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Activities at the Chet Holifield Federal Building (Redacted) (PDF, 32 pages) New 04/25/2008 OIG-08-36 - Management Letter for the FY 2007 DHS Financial Statement Audit (PDF, 49 pages) New...
Draft National Toxicology Program (NTP) Brief On Bisphenol A [CAS NO. 80-05-7]. April 14, 2008, Peer Review Date: June 11, 2008 "Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics...
OIG-08-35 - Letter Report: National Applications Office Privacy Stewardship, Unclassified Summary (PDF, 3 pages - New 04/03/2008: "We evaluated the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Applications Office (NAO) privacy stewardship to determine whether the NAO is conducting activities to...
2008 Federal Disaster DeclarationsDeclared Disasters by Year or State Major Disaster Declarations Emergency Declarations Fire Management Assistance Declarations Declaration Policies and Guidance Declaration Process Fact Sheet for Media...
OIG-08-30 - Annual Review of Mission Performance United States Coast Guard (FY 2006) (PDF, 37 pages) OIG-08-29 - The DHS Process for Nominating Individuals to the Consolidated Terrorist Watchlist (PDF, 26 pages) OIG-08-28 - The State of Ohio's Management of...
OIG-08-23 - Review of FEMA's Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit, February 2008 (PDF, 22 pages). "Starting in fiscal year 2005, and continuing through early 2007, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials used funds received from...
News release: "A report on law school enrollment by the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar showed that total enrollment by students seeking the Juris Doctor degree, the basic law degree, increased only slightly...
Catastrophic Disasters: Federal Efforts Help States Prepare for and Respond to Psychological Consequences, but FEMA's Crisis Counseling Program Needs Improvements, GAO-08-22, February 29, 2008 Foreign Investment: Laws and Policies Regulating Foreign Investment in 10 Countries, GAO-08-320, February 28, 2008 Intelligence...
Federal Workers' Compensation: Better Data and Management Strategies Would Strengthen Efforts to Prevent and Address Improper Payments, GAO-08-284, February 26, 2008 National Disaster Response: FEMA Should Take Action to Improve Capacity and Coordination between Government and Voluntary Sectors, GAO-08-369, February...
DA-08-04 - Review of Southern Pine Electric Power Association, FEMA Disaster No. 1604-DR-MS (PDF, 4 pages) OIG-08-23 - Review of FEMA's Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit (PDF, 22 pages): "Starting in fiscal year 2005, and...
OIG-08-23 - Review of FEMA's Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit (PDF, 22 pages) - New 02/22/2008 "Starting in fiscal year 2005, and continuing through early 2007, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials used funds received...
Press release: Statement by Dr. Julie Gerberding, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released today preliminary results from recent testing...
Press release: "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released the National Response Framework (NRF), successor to the National Response Plan. The NRF, which focuses on response and short-term recovery, articulates the doctrine, principles and architecture by which our nation...
Press release: "The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) announced today a Smoking & Home Fires Campaign to put an end to the number one cause of preventable home fire deaths – fires started by smoking materials. The campaign is designed to...
CDC National Center for Health Statistics: "The teen birth rate in the United States rose in 2006 for the first time since 1991, and unmarried childbearing also rose significantly, according to preliminary birth statistics released [December 3, 2007] by the...
How the World Rates Women as Leaders by Juliana Menasce Horowitz, Research Associate, Pew Global Attitudes Project, December 5, 2007: "On December 10, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will be inaugurated as Argentina's first female president. The senator and first lady...
Department of Energy: Oil and Natural Gas Research and Development Activities, GAO-08-190R, November 6, 2007 Hurricane Katrina: Ineffective FEMA Oversight of Housing Maintenance Contracts in Mississippi Resulted in Millions of Dollars of Waste and Potential Fraud, GAO-08-106, November 16, 2007...
Review of Contract Costs - Emergency Disaster Services, Contract No. HSFE04-05-7233, FEMA Disaster No. 1604-DR-MS, Report No. DA-07-13 (PDF, 3 pages) released October 10, 2007....
Foreign Assistance: Multiple Challenges Hinder the Efficiency and Effectiveness of U.S. Food Aid, GAO-08-83T, October 02, 2007 Federal Emergency Management Agency: Ongoing Challenges Facing the National Flood Insurance Program, GAO-08-118T, October 02, 2007...
Department of State: Human Capital Strategy Does Not Recognize Foreign Assistance Responsibilities, GAO-07-1153, September 28, 2007 Disaster Housing: Implementation of FEMA's Alternative Housing Pilot Program Provides Lessons for Improving Future Competitions, GAO-07-1143R, August 31, 2007 Financial Audit: Special Counsel Expenditures...
Press release: "Provides the number of HIV-infection and confirmed AIDS cases among State and Federal prisoners at yearend 2005. This annual bulletin reports the number of AIDS-related deaths in prisons, a profile of those inmates who died, the number of...
Audit of Hurricane Katrina and Wilma Activities, City of Miami, Florida, Public Assistance ID No. 086-45000-00, FEMA Disasters Nos. 1602 and 1609-DR-FL, Report No. DA-07-11 (PDF, 5 pages) Audit of Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Grant Funding Awarded to...
Introducing the Draft DHS National Response Framework, September 2007 Overview - Coordinating Federal Assistance in Support of the National Response Framework, September 10, 2007 (68 pages, PDF) FEMA National Incident Management System, Draft, August 2007 (176 pages, PDF) Printable Version...
OIG-07-63 - Review of FEMA Guidance for Monitoring Debris Removal Operations for Hurricane Katrina (PDF, 7 pages), August 2007 OIG-07-57 - Transportation Security Administration's Oversight of Passenger Aircraft Cargo Security Faces Significant Challenges (PDF, 45 pages), July 2007...
Defense Business Transformation: Achieving Success Requires a Chief Management Officer to Provide Focus and Sustained Leadership, GAO-07-1072, September 5, 2007, Full Report (PDF, 36 pages) National Flood Insurance Program: FEMA's Management and Oversight of Payments for Insurance Company Services Should...
OIG-07-66 - Review of FEMA's Recommendation Tracking Process (PDF, 5 pages) See also: D-07-09 - Jasper-Newton Electric Cooperative, Inc., FEMA Disaster No. DR-1606-TX (PDF, 4 pages) Coordination Between FBI and ICE on Investigations of Terrorist Financing, OIG-07-55, July 2007 (PDF,...
DHS: "24 billion went to rebuild the Gulf Coast states and provide survivors with a place to live, repair damaged infrastructure, and build houses and schools in 2007. Of the $114 billion allocated for Gulf Coast recovery, 84 percent has...
Press release: "Working Mother magazine, the authoritative source for career mothers, and Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, a national consulting firm advising attorneys and legal employers on work-life balance and the retention and advancement of women, today announced the list of the...
Press release: "The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is launching an effort to contact up to 2.2 million applicants for federal disaster assistance to inform them that a federal appellate court ruling requires FEMA to release certain personally identifiable information....
Statement for the Record before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, by Matt Jadacki, Deputy Inspector General, Disaster Assistance Oversight, July 31, 2007 (PDF, 10 pages)...
Airport Finance: Observations on Planned Airport Development Costs and Funding Levels and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport Improvement Program, GAO-07-885, June 29, 2007 Border Security: Security of New Passports and Visas Enhanced, but More Needs to Be Done...
While attending the 100th American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Meeting & Conference, July 14 - 17, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, librarian George Butterfield stayed in a FEMA trailer with his friend, Scot, who lost everything as a...
Press Release: FEMA Was Not Forthright with Congressional Investigators, House Oversight and Government Reform Full Committee Hearing on FEMA's Toxic Trailers, July 19, 2007 "Apparently, the problem of unsafe formaldehyde levels in FEMA trailers was more widespread than initially acknowledged....
Improved Administration Can Enhance Federal Emergency Management Agency Laptop Computer Security (Redacted) OIG-07-50 (PDF, 37 pages) June 2007...
Congressional Inquiry Regarding Southwest Charter Lines, Inc., OIG-07-47 (PDF, 4 pages) released June 28, 2007. Federal Emergency Management Agency's Volunteers Service Program Following Hurricane Katrina, OIG-07-51 (PDF, 6 pages) released June 28, 2007...
Via Editor and Publisher, from the Baltimore Sun, an interactive map of Baltimore Homicides 2007, displays points for each homicide in the city specified by the reader, including: time frame, zip code, age, gender, race, cause of death and any...
Press release: "Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released a new report, The Best Laid Plans: The Story of How the Government Ignored Its Own Gulf Coast Hurricane Plans, detailing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) plan...
According to the National Law Journal, The 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America. See also Washingtonian Reports Women Gaining in Court Clerk Contest: "...Fourteen of the 37 incoming law clerks are women, twice the number during the previous term,...
Sales of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Travel Trailers and Mobile Homes, OIG-07-41, May 2007 (PDF, 5 pages)...
"The United States is facing an above-normal 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, with 13 to 17 named storms predicted between June 1 and November 30. Emphasizing that everyone—individuals, families, and agencies—needs to prepare, Secretary Michael Chertoff explained, “It’s kind of a...
Are Americans Ready to Elect a Female President? Past Statewide Elections Suggest Gender Is Not an Obstacle -- at Least for Democratic Candidates - by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center, May 9, 2007....
Press release, May 6, 2007: "The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the state of Kansas to supplement state and local recovery...
The State of Homeland Security 2007: An Annual Report Card on the Department of Homeland Security (78 pages, PDF) - "This report summarizes annual homeland security performance using a report card grading system. The report includes these categories -- Border...
State for the Record, Matt Jadacki, Deputy Inspector General for Disaster Assistance Oversight, April 24, 2007 (PDF, 7 pages) Evaluation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Alternative Housing Pilot Program, OIG-07-39, April 2007 (PDF, 9 pages)...
FEMA's Award of 36 Trailer Maintenance and Deactivation Contracts, OIG-07-36 (PDF, 13 pages), 04/23/2007....
Statement of Matt Jadacki, Deputy Inspector General for Disaster Assistance Oversight, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Before the Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness and Response and Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives,...
Audit of Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Grant Funding Awarded to the City of Richmond California After the Loma Prieta Earthquake, OIG-07-26 (PDF, 16 pages), February 28, 2007....
Interim Review of Contract Costs, Clearbrook, LLC, FEMA Disaster No. DR-1603-LA, Report No. DD-07-06 (PDF, 6 pages), February 2007....
Review of FEMA Internal Controls for Funding Administative Cost Under State Management Grants, OIG-07-21 (PDF, 6 pages), January 30, 2007....
Budget Issues: FEMA Needs Adequate Data, Plans, and Systems to Effectively Manage Resources for Day-to-Day Operations, Full text GAO-07-139, and Highlights, January 19, 2007. "FEMA lacks a strategic workforce plan and related human capital strategies--such as succession planning or a...
National Flood Insurance Program [NFIP]: New Processes Aided Hurricane Katrina Claims Handling, but FEMA's Oversight Should Be Improved, Full-text, GAO-07-169, and Highlights, December 15, 2006. NFIP paid an unprecedented dollar amount for a record number of claims from Hurricanes Katrina...
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Relief: Continued Findings of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse, Full text GAO-07-252T, and Highlights, December 6, 2006. "FEMA continued to lose tens of millions of dollars through potentially improper and/or fraudulent payments from both hurricanes Katrina...
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon's ruling stated that "the Bush administration unconstitutionally denied aid to tens of thousands of Gulf Coast residents displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita and must resume payments immediately." Association of Community Organization for Reform...
HIV in Prisons, 2004 and Medical Problems of Jail Inmates, written by Bureau of Justice statistician Laura M. Maruschak. HIV in Prisons, 2004 - "Reports the number of female and male prisoners who were HIV positive or AIDS active, the...
DHS Office of Inspector General Management Advisory Report on the Condition, Losses, and Possible Uses of FEMA Modular Housing, OIG-07-03 (PDF, 6 pages), October 7, 2006....
Review of Hurricane Katrina Activities, City of Houston, TX, FEMA Disaster No. EM-3216-TX, Report No. GC-TX-06-58 (PDF, 6 pages) Review of Hurricane Katrina Activities, Congressional Inquiry, Contingency Payment of Contractors in St. Tammany Parish, LA, Report No. GC-LA-06-57 (PDF, 3...
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Unprecedented Challenges Exposed the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) to Fraud and Abuse; Actions Needed to Reduce Such Problems in Future, GAO-06-1013, September 27, 2006. "GAO identified the potential for significant fraud and abuse as a...
Press release, August 28, 2006: "Nearly one year has passed since Hurricane Katrina's landfall wrought havoc on the Gulf Coast, however, a new report issued by the Democratic Members on the U.S. House Committee Homeland Security finds that the nation...
FEMA 2006 Federal Disaster Declarations [Last Modified: Monday, 21-Aug-2006] [thanks to Michael Ravnitzky] Declared Disasters by Year or State Major Disaster Declarations Emergency Declarations Fire Management Assistance Declarations...
Learn more about hurricanes at FirtGov's Hurricane site. Resources include: general information about hurricanes; preparing for hurricanes; state hurricane information; what to do after a hurricane. FEMA: 2006 Hurricane Season - links to resources on how to: Protect Your Family;...
FEMA Reorganization Legislation in the 109th Congress, July 7, 2006 (39 pages, PDF)...
Press release: "A bipartisan amendment offered by Homeland Security Committee Chairman Susan Collins, R-Me., and Ranking Member Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., that will reinvent, protect, and strengthen the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) passed the Senate floor today by a vote...
Expedited Assistance for Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: FEMA's Control Weaknesses Exposed the Government to Significant Fraud and Abuse, Full text GAO-06-655, and Highlights, June 16, 2006. "GAO identified significant flaws in the process for registering disaster victims that...
Federal Emergency Management and Homeland Security Organization: Historical Developments and Legislative Options, Updated June 1, 2006 (44 pages, PDF)...
Follow-up to Committee to Review Post Katrina Waste, Fraud, and Abuse, today GAO released the aforementioned report, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Disaster Relief: Improper and Potentially Fraudulent Individual Assistance Payments Estimated to Be Between $600 Million and $1.4 Billion, full-text...
DHS Fact Sheet: Strengthening Preparedness for Hurricane Season - "DHS is dramatically increasing the nation's stockpiles of relief supplies, retooling FEMA for the 21st century, updating disaster plans, supporting our state and local partners, and emphasizing individual and community preparedness."...
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Factors for Future Success and Issues to Consider for Organizational Placement, by William O. Jenkins, Jr., director, homeland security and justice, before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Full Report GAO-06-746T, and Highlights, May 9, 2006....
Hurricane Katrina: A Nation Still Unprepared - Katrina Investigation Report Proposed by Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairman Collins and Ranking Member Lieberman (April 26 and April 27, 2006). The following documents are in PDF: Executive Summary...
A Performance Review of FEMA's Disaster Management Activities in Response to Hurricane Katrina (PDF, 218 pages), 04/14/2006. "This report assesses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) performance as it conducted its disaster management responsibilities in response to Hurricane Katrina. We...
A Performance Review of FEMA's Disaster Management Activities in Response to Hurricane Katrina (PDF, 218 pages), 04/14/2006. Related postings on Katrina...
A Failure of Initiative: The Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina, Washington, February 15, 2006: Main Report (379 pages, PDF) Appendices (141 pages, PDF) Related government documents and news:...
New York Times: Republicans' Report on Katrina Assails Administration Response Washington Post: Katrina Report Spreads Blame, Homeland Security, Chertoff Singled Out Related government documents: DHS Fact Sheet: Strengthening FEMA to Maximize Mission Performance, February 13, 2006 - "Homeland Security Secretary...
Press release: "Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today sued the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over its continued refusal to respond to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on Katrina-related issues." Related government documents: Witnesses...
Federal Times reports that FEMA data on contracts awarded after Katrina is substantively incomplete in numerous areas, including identification of whether over $450 million in contracts were even competitively bid. Related reference: Improvements Needed to the Federal Procurement Data System-Next...
President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency (PCIE), Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency Compendium of OIG Hurricane Oversight in the Gulf States, published 12/12/05 (18 pages, PDF). PCIE Bi-Weekly Interagency Homeland Security Roundtable Report on Hurricane Katrina Oversight, December 16,...
Department of Homeland Security, office of Inspector General report: Major Management Challenges Facing the Department of Homeland Security, December 2005 (26 pages, PDF). AP reports: Weaknesses in FEMA's response system during Hurricane Katrina were just one symptom of major management...
Press release from TRAC, December 6, 2005: "The federal government is unlawfully withholding information it normally provides the public about some 900,000 of its civilian employees, including those working for such agencies as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Occupational...
Following up on this posting, Agencies Use FOIA Exemptions in Response to Increasing Number of Requests, news that a trio of Florida newspapers owned by Gannett, Inc. who filed a FOIA request to obtain FEMA surveys comprising homeowner data on...
"DHS Today will highlight FY05 Accomplishments in this column over the next several weeks. This week’s focus is on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The top FY05 FEMA accomplishments included: Hurricane Katrina: The response to Hurricane Katrina was FEMA’s...
U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing: Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans: A Flooded City, a Chaotic Response, October 20, 2005. Witnesses Testimony, Panel 1, Marty Bahamonde [PDF], Regional Director, External Affairs, Region One, Federal Emergency Management...
Links from the Committee on Government Reform Minority Office: "A new report from the Department of Homeland Security IG finds significant deficiencies in FEMA's program to upgrade flood maps, including insufficient funding, poor management, and contractor failures." Released on October...
"FEMA has embarked on an aggressive 5-year initiative to update the Nation's flood hazard maps. Infused with funds provided by the President and Congress, FEMA is transforming the way flood maps are created and accessed. Our vision for Map Modernization...
From the Minority Staff of the House Government Reform Committee: "In June 2005, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General warned FEMA that its systems for managing the personnel and equipment dispatched to disaster sites were inadequate. Instead of remedying...
Press release, September 24, 2005: "The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in conjunction with other federal agencies, continues to respond to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita."...
Congressional Research Service Memorandum Re: Examination of Applicable Law and Legal Requests Pertaining to Hurricane Katrina...
From the Congressional Budget Office, a Review of historical spending for the Federal Disaster Relief Account, 1976-2005: The Federal Emergency Management Agency's "Disaster Relief" Account, September 7, 2005....
As a follow-up to my September 2005 posting, Disaster Planning Documents Benchmark Government Expectations and Warn of Outcomes, see this Knight Ridder article, Chertoff delayed federal response, memo shows. The article indicates that according to the Dept. of Homeland Security...
"Brookings experts analyzed the federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Katrina and identified next steps to speed the recovery of the Gulf Coast and its people." [Link] Hurricane Katrina Timeline (5 pages, PDF) Military Deployments (1 page, PDF) Homeland...
As a follow-up to my September 9 posting, FEMA Director Replaced in Wake of Katrina Disaster, from AP via MSNBC.com, news that embattled FEMA Director Michael Brown announced that he has resigned "in the best interest of the agency and...
From the Conference of Mayors, this link to the FEMA Guide to Disaster Assistance (dated March 2003)....
Following up on reports this past week that FEMA would block journalists from publishing photos of Katrina victims , news tonight from CNN that a temporary restraining order issued by Judge Keith P. Ellison (Southern District of Texas) has prompted...
FEMA chief relieved of Katrina duties - Move follows controversy over Brown's qualifications, agency’s response Related links: Discrepancies Found on FEMA Head's History Casualty of Firestorm: Outrage, Bush and FEMA Chief (NY Times)...
Journalist Groups Protest FEMA Ban on Photos of Dead Related links...
Reid Letter to Chairman Collins on Oversight Hearing, Wednesday, September 7, 2005: "Nearly four years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 sent a clear signal that we needed to be better prepared for major catastrophes on U.S. soil, the American...
GalleryWatch.com HotDoc, September 7, 2005: President Bush will send Congress a $51.8 billion emergency supplemental request for Hurricane Katrina response efforts later today. Roughly $50 billion will go to FEMA and $1.4 billion to the Defense Department. About $400 million...
Press release: "Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent three Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Department of State, asking for records...
First Responders Urged Not To Respond To Hurricane Impact Areas Unless Dispatched By State, Local Authorities, Release Date: August 29, 2005, Release Number: HQ-05-174....
Via Peggy Garvin, the Katrina Help Wiki is an open source project in progress, with an extensive taxonomy of resources and links (as well as a search engine) that are useful in responding to the needs of those for whom...
Press release September 3, Senator Mary Landrieu: Landrieu Implores President to "Relieve Unmitigated Suffering;" End FEMA's "Abject Failures" ""But perhaps the greatest disappointment stands at the breached 17th Street levee. Touring this critical site yesterday with the President, I saw...
At E-Gov's Web-Enabled Government Conference on February 5, the Excellence.gov "Top 5" award winnners were announced as: Small Business Administration's BusinessLaw.gov Securities and Exchange Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval (Edgar) Department of Health and Human Services, National Practitioner...
Kenote Systems announced that the company will provide regular reports on the performance of the communications networks that comprise the Internet backbone, as well as on major government and commercial sites, during the course of the war with Iraq. Keynote...
From Nielsen NetRatings, this press release indicates that the Web is very popular at work, especially among women: Online Usage at Work Jumps 17 Percent Year-Over-Year, Driven by Female Office Workers....