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Data Act: As Reporting Deadline Nears, Challenges Remain That Will Affect Data Quality
From the Highlights: "Across the federal government, agencies are making final preparations to submit the required data by the DATA Act's May 2017 deadline. This represents the culmination of almost 3 years of effort by OMB [Office of Management and Budget], Treasury, and federal agencies to address many policy and technical challenges. Moving forward, attention will increasingly focus on another critical goal of the act: improving the quality of the data produced. Consistent with GAO's [Government Accountability Office] mandate under the act, this is the latest in a series of reports reviewing the act's implementation. This report examines (1) risks to data quality related to known material weaknesses and other deficiencies previously identified by GAO, IGs [Inspectors General], and external auditors; (2) risks to data quality related to challenges in operationalizing policy and technical guidance; (3) agencies' assurances of the quality of their data submissions; and (4) efforts taken to establish a data governance structure. GAO reviewed DATA Act implementation documents and auditors' reports on known challenges and interviewed staff at OMB, Treasury, and other agencies."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-04
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NASA Human Space Exploration: Delay Likely for First Exploration Mission, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "NASA is undertaking a trio of closely related programs to continue human space exploration beyond low-Earth orbit: the SLS [Space Launch System] vehicle; the Orion capsule, which will launch atop the SLS and carry astronauts; and EGS [Exploration Ground Systems], the supporting ground systems. NASA's current exploration efforts are estimated to cost almost $24 billion--to include two Orion flights and one each for SLS and EGS--and constitute more than half of NASA's current portfolio development cost baseline. All three programs are necessary for EM-1 [exploration mission one] and are working toward a launch readiness date of November 2018. In a large body of work on this issue, including two separate July 2016 reports, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has found that these programs have a history of working to aggressive schedules. The House Committee on Appropriations report accompanying H.R. 2578 included a provision for GAO to assess the acquisition progress of the Orion, SLS, and EGS, programs. This report assesses the extent to which these programs have risks that affect their progress toward meeting their commitments for EM-1. To do this work, GAO assessed documentation on schedule and program risks and interviewed program and NASA officials."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-04
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Impact of Organized Crime and Corruption on Democratic and Economic Reform: Hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Second Session, March 23, 2000
This is the "second in the series of hearings on the impact of organized crime and corruption in the countries of the OSCE region, particularly those former Communist states in Southeast Europe and the NIS, which are in transition to democracy and market economies." From the opening statement of Christopher H. Smith: "Widespread corruption in the transition countries threatens their ability to provide strong independent legal regimes, market-based economies, and social well-being for their citizens. Corruption has stymied economic reforms in these countries and impeded efforts to improve the status of disadvantaged groups. In the absence of effective civil rule-of-law, mafias have flourished through their corrupt connections, gained power over whole sectors of the economy, and derailing legislative reform agendas inimical to their interests. A recent EBRD report identifies these destructive factors and calls for greater efforts between governments and international organizations to depoliticize economic activities and develop measures to constrain state capture by private citizen interests." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Christopher H. Smith, Rob Boone, James K. Weber, John Tennant, Adrian Karatnycky, and Nancy Lubin.
United States. Government Printing Office
2000
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S. Rept. 117-114: Deepfake Task Force Act, Report to Accompany S. 2559, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 24, 2022
From the Background and the Need for Legislation: "Deepfakes are highly realistic images and sounds that are created through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Deepfake creators can use deepfake technology to manipulate media and replace an actual person's image or voice with artificial likenesses or voices. As the software underpinning these technologies becomes easier to acquire and use, the dissemination of deepfake content across trusted media platforms has the potential to undermine national security and erode public trust in our democracy, among other nefarious impacts. The threat that deepfakes could pose if used in misinformation campaigns is well known and well-documented. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has noted that '[s]tate adversaries or politically motivated individuals could release falsified videos of elected officials or other public figures making incendiary comments or behaving inappropriately. Doing so could, in turn, erode public trust, negatively affect public discourse, or even sway an election.'"
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-24
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S. Rept. 117-116: End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022, Report to Accompany S. 3470, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 24, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "S. 3470, the 'End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022', requires that if an agency receives an inspector general report substantiating an allegation that a contract recipient of that agency is engaged in a trafficking crime, that such matter be referred to the agency's suspension and debarment official for action. The bill also requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit to Congress a report on the implementation of the 'Ending Trafficking in Government Contracting Act', passed in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2013."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-24
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H. Rept. 117-337: Securing the Checkpoint Property Screening System (S-CPSS) Act of 2022, Report to Accompany H.R. 6827
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 6827, the 'Securing the Checkpoint Property Screening System (S-CPSS) Act of 2022,' seeks to accelerate the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) procurement and deployment of computed tomography (CT) equipment at airport checkpoints by authorizing $1.6 billion to be appropriated for the Checkpoint Property Screening System (CPSS) program through fiscal year (FY) 2026. The procurement and deployment of CT equipment at the scale authorized by the bill will enhance the detection capability of carry-on baggage screening at TSA security checkpoints. An important feature of this measure is the $82.1 million authorized for participation in the CPSS program by small businesses that have displayed an ability to develop or produce advanced checkpoint property screening technology. This provision is in furtherance of TSA's January 2020 strategy to diversify the security technology marketplace, which included 12 initiatives to increase small business participation, that was required under the 'TSA Modernization Act' (Pub. L. [Public Law] 115-254)."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-24
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S. Rept. 117-118: Homeland Security Acquisition Professional Career Program Act, Report to Accompany H.R. 367, Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, May 24, 2022
From the Purpose and Summary: "H.R. 367, the Homeland Security Acquisition Professional Career Program Act, would establish an acquisition career development program within DHS. The program would designate the relevant occupational series, grades, and number of positions eligible for the program; provide specialized training to participants; and seek to recruit candidates with military service, diverse work experience outside the Federal Government, or from institutions of higher education with established acquisition specialties and courses of study, historically Black colleges and universities, and Hispanic-serving institutions. The bill requires DHS annually to report to Congress on acquisition professional retention rates and other aspects of the program."
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022-05-24
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Keeping Our Service Members and Their Families Safe and Ready: The Military's Prevention and Response to Domestic Violence, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, First Session, May 25, 2021
This is the May 25, 2021 hearing on "Keeping Our Service Members and Their Families Safe and Ready: The Military's Prevention and Response to Domestic Violence," held before the Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the Committee on Armed Services. From the opening statement of Jackie Speier: "The first step in curing any ill is to define a problem. And for over 20 years, Congress has asked the Department of Defense [DOD] to do just that, but it has not done it. The problem remains undefined. In fact, earlier this month the GAO [Government Accountability Office] released a study that found that despite a statutory requirement since 1999, DOD has not collected comprehensive data on the number of allegations of domestic violence, a subcategory of different types of domestic abuse that constitute offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and related actions taken by commanders. And even though we know the data is inaccurate, we know that over 40,000 incidents met DOD criteria for domestic abuse between 2015 and 2019, and that 74 percent of these incidents were physical abuse. How many more were never counted by the Department? How many were never reported? For more than 20 years, no one can say." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Patricia Barron, Steve Lewis, Andrew A. Cruz, Crystal Griffen, Lisa Eaffaldano, Brenda Farrell, Amy Logan, and Jessica Strong.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2022
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Next Generation 911: National 911 Program Could Strengthen Efforts to Assist States, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Each year, millions of Americans call 911 for help during emergencies. However, the nation's legacy 911 system relies on aging infrastructure that is not designed to accommodate modern communications technologies. As a result, states and localities are upgrading to NG911, which offers improved capabilities, such as the ability to process images, audio files, and video. While deploying NG911 is the responsibility of state and local entities, federal agencies also support implementation, led by NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) National 911 Program, which facilitates collaboration among federal, state, and local 911 stakeholders. GAO (Government Accountability Office) was asked to review NG911 implementation nationwide. This report examines: (1) state and local progress and challenges in implementing NG911 and (2) federal actions to address challenges and planned next steps. GAO reviewed relevant statutes, regulations, and federal agency reports and plans. GAO also analyzed NHTSA's survey data on state 911 implementation for calendar year 2015, the most recent year for which data were available, and interviewed federal officials, state and local officials from nine states (selected to represent different regions and various phases of NG911 implementation), and officials from industry and advocacy groups."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-01-31
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Investigational New Drugs: FDA Has Taken Steps to Improve the Expanded Access Program But Should Further Clarify How Adverse Events Data Are Used, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "FDA's goal for the expanded access program is to allow patients with immediately life-threatening and serious ailments access to investigational drugs when appropriate. Stakeholders have raised concerns that FDA's process is confusing or burdensome, particularly for the entities that have roles in the process--such as physicians, manufacturers, and institutional review boards. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine the expanded access program. Among other objectives, GAO examined 1) what is known about the number, type, and time frames of expanded access requests received by FDA; 2) what actions FDA and other stakeholders have taken to improve expanded access; and 3) how FDA uses data from expanded access in the drug approval process. GAO reviewed regulations and FDA documents and analyzed FDA data on the numbers and types of expanded access requests it received from FY2012 through 2015, the most recent at the time of the review. GAO also interviewed FDA officials and other stakeholders including nine manufacturers-- selected to represent large and small companies--and patient and physician representatives."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-07-11
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U.S. Surface Transportation: Technology Driving the Future, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Research & Technology, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session, June 12, 2015
This is the June 12, 2015 hearing "U.S. Surface Transportation: Technology Driving the Future" held before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. From the opening statement of subcommittee chairwoman Barbara Comstock: "Later today we will hear more about one such exciting technology from one of our witnesses on the topic of autonomous cars. But while we may be several years away from the world of driverless cars, another important technology that can save lives already exists today. By law, positive train control, or PTC, technology is required on 60,000 miles of railroad track by the end of this year. The benefits can't come soon enough, as evidenced by last month's Amtrak derailment outside Philadelphia. Positive train control technology, we heard in the Transportation Committee recently, would've stopped the train from taking that 50 mile an hour turn at a speed of 106 miles per hour, and, obviously, would've changed the devastating results in that case. While Amtrak is on schedule to meet the deadline to implement PTC for its Northeast Corridor by the end of the year, there are other railroads that have told us to date that they can't make that deadline. Closer to home, our nation's metro system suffers from outstanding safety issues that require continuous vigilance by Congress, as well as the full support of the federal government for technological upgrades that would benefit many of us here in the room today." Statements, letters, and other materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Gregory D. Winfree, Michael Meyer, Brian Smith, and Jeffrey J. Owens.
United States. Government Publishing Office
2015
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Military Readiness: DOD Has Not Incorporated Leading Practices of a Strategic Management Planning Framework in Retrograde and Reset Guidance
From the Document: "For this report on DOD's second annual update, we evaluated the extent to which DOD has addressed our May 2016 recommendations. Specifically, we assessed the extent to which (1) DOD has established a strategic policy consistent with leading practices on sound strategic management planning for the retrograde and reset of operating forces that support overseas contingency operations, (2) DOD has developed and required the use of consistent information and descriptions of key terms regarding retrograde and reset in relevant policy and other guidance, and (3) each of the services has developed and implemented a service-specific plan consistent with leading practices on sound strategic management planning for the retrograde and reset of operating forces that support overseas contingency operations. [...] DOD has not established a strategic policy for retrograde and reset consistent with leading practices on sound strategic management planning. In addition, DOD has not yet determined which DOD organization will lead its effort to establish a strategic policy consistent with leading practices. Furthermore, we found that there was no consensus among the officials we spoke with regarding which organization should lead the effort. We continue to believe that our May 2016 recommendation for DOD to develop a strategic policy for retrograde and reset that incorporates key elements of strategic management planning remains valid."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-06-09
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Chemical and Biological Defense: DOD Has Identified an Infrastructure Manager and Is Developing the Position's Roles and Responsibilities
From the Document: "Over the past 4 years, the United States has faced significant chemical and biological threats to its national security. [...] The Department of Defense's (DOD) Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP) leads the department's efforts to develop solutions, such as countermeasures, 'to enable the warfighter to deter, prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats and effects as part of a layered, integrated defense.' The CBDP Enterprise--comprising DOD's chemical and biological defense research and development and test and evaluation infrastructure found among 26 DOD organizations--is responsible for implementing this mission. [...] In House Conference Report 114-270, the House and Senate conferees required DOD to report to the congressional defense committees on the designation of an individual responsible for managing the infrastructure for the CBDP in order to minimize duplication of effort both within DOD and other agencies of the federal government. The House and Senate conferees noted that this was consistent with the findings and recommendations in our June 2015 report and included a provision that we review the roles and responsibilities of the official designated to be responsible for infrastructure management. This report describes the status of DOD's efforts to develop the roles and responsibilities of DOD's CBDP Infrastructure Manager."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-07-07
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Information Security: IRS Needs to Rectify Control Deficiencies That Limit Its Effectiveness in Protecting Sensitive Financial and Taxpayer Data, Report to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
From the Highlights: "The IRS [Internal Revenue Service] has a demanding responsibility to collect taxes, process tax returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. It relies extensively on computerized systems to support its financial and mission-related operations and on information security controls to protect the sensitive financial and taxpayer information that reside on those systems. As part of its audit of IRS's fiscal year 2017 and 2016 financial statements, GAO [Government Accountability Office] assessed whether controls over financial and tax processing systems were effective in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of financial and sensitive taxpayer information. To do this, GAO examined IRS information security policies, plans, and procedures; tested controls over selected financial systems and applications; and interviewed key agency officials at four IRS locations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-07
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Social Security Administration: Observations on Use and Costs of Social Security Cards, Statement of Elizabeth H. Curda, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Social Security, Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "SSA [Social Security Administration] has issued about 500 million SSNs [ [Social Security numbers] and cards since the first design of the SSN and card in 1936. SSA provides a card to each individual when it issues an SSN, as required by law, and also issues replacement cards upon request. Concerns about costs and identity security in an increasingly paperless society have raised the question of whether a paper SSN card is still needed. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine the use of the card. This testimony focuses on (1) federal requirements for individuals to present an SSN card; 2) stakeholder views on the purposes for which the cards are used; and (3) potential implications of eliminating SSN cards and developing alternative approaches."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Curda, Elizabeth
2018-05-17
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 5626, Blowout Prevention Act of 2010
From the Summary: "H.R. 5626 would establish new regulatory standards and procedures for certain offshore and onshore oil and gas wells. The regulations would be developed by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and Department of Energy (DOE) using guidelines in the bill regarding the design, installation, operation, maintenance, and management of devices designed to prevent a blowout of certain oil or gas wells. The bill would create a Well Control Technical Advisory Committee to advise the agencies on such regulatory matters and would require most phases of an oil and gas project to be reviewed and certified by independent experts. Under this bill, the appropriate regulatory agency would be directed to assign third-party experts for those reviews and to collect fees from operators to cover their costs. Finally, H.R. 5626 would establish protections for whistleblowers and assess civil and criminal penalties for violations of the legislation. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing the bill would cost $213 million over the 2011-2020 period for third-party reviews and certifications. In addition, CBO estimates that requiring operators to pay fees to cover those costs would increase offsetting receipts (which reduce direct spending) by $195 million over the 2011-2020 period. Potential proceeds from civil and criminal penalties would be negligible in any year, CBO estimates. Pay-as-you-go procedures apply to this legislation because it would affect direct spending and revenues."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2010-07-30
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Introduction to the IMAAC [slide]
This interactive slide presentation by the Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC) and the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) provides an overview of the IMAAC response system in case of a hazardous airborne release. "IMAAC's mission is to provide the single source of federal hazards predictions during the response and recovery phases of Incidents of National Significance (as defined in the NRP)" (National Response Plan).
United States. Department of Homeland Security
2005-03
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 4715, Clean Estuaries Act of 2010
From the Summary: "H.R. 4715 would extend the authorization of appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Estuary Program through fiscal year 2016. Under current law, $35 million is authorized to be appropriated each year through 2010, and enacting this legislation would increase that authorized annual funding level to $50 million in subsequent years. Under the National Estuary Program, EPA develops plans for attaining or maintaining water quality in an estuary. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing this legislation would cost $216 million over the 2011-2015 period, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts. Enacting H.R. 4715 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you go procedures would not apply. H.R. 4715 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2010-03-09
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3539, San Francisco Bay Restoration Act
From the Summary: "S. 3539 would authorize a program for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide grants to state, tribal, and nonprofit agencies for ecosystem restoration projects and habitat improvement in the San Francisco Estuary. Assuming appropriation of the necessary funds, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that implementing S. 3539 would cost $23 million over the 2011-2015 period. Pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending or revenues. S. 3539 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2010-08-03
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 3466, Environmental Crimes Enforcement Act of 2010
"S. 3466 would require federal courts to order mandatory restitution by defendants convicted of certain crimes under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, such as negligent polluting of a sewer system. Payments of restitution would be made to persons directly harmed as a result of the offense. Any restitution paid to the federal government as a result of such cases would be deposited as miscellaneous receipts into the Treasury. Because the bill could increase revenues, pay-as-you-go procedures would apply. However, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that any such payment would not be significant because of the small number of cases likely to be affected. The legislation would not affect direct spending. S. 3466 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments. The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Mark Grabowicz. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2010-07-28
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Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University: MES Insights, Volume 7 Issue 4, July 2016
This edition of the MES Insights published by the Middle East Studies (MES) program of the Marine Corps University contains the following article: "Politico-Psychological Analysis of the Recent Terrorist Attacks in Turkey: An Insider's View" by Sebnem Udum. From the Introduction: "This piece will cover terrorist attacks carried out by both the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Turkey over a one-year time span (July 2015-July 2016), provide a politico-psychological analysis to assess the impact of these attacks, and present an insider's view."
Marine Corps University (U.S.). Middle East Studies
2016-07
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Middle East Studies at the Marine Corps University: MES Insights, Volume 8 Issue 1, February 2017
This edition of the MES Insights published by the Middle East Studies (MES) program of the Marine Corps University contains the following articles: "Continuity, Change, and the Islamic Republic of Iran" by Hussein Banai, and "The Challenge of the IRGC [Islamic Revolution Guards Corps] Model in the Middle East to the United States" by Alex Vatanka.
Marine Corps University (U.S.). Middle East Studies
2017-02
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 3906, Innovative Stormwater Infrastructure Act of 2018
"H.R. 3906 would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to convene a task force to study how to improve the availability of public and private funds for stormwater infrastructure. Within 18 months of enactment, the task force would be required to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Congress."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2018-07-20
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Bank Secrecy Act: Derisking Along the Southwest Border Highlights Need for Regulators to Enhance Retrospective Reviews, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Some Southwest border residents and businesses have reported difficulties accessing banking services in the region. GAO was asked to review if Southwest border residents and businesses were losing access to banking services because of derisking and branch closures. This report (1) describes the types of heightened BSA/AML compliance risks that Southwest border banks may face and the BSA/AML compliance challenges they may experience; (2) determines the extent to which banks have terminated accounts and closed branches in the region and the reasons for any terminations and closures; and (3) evaluates how regulators have assessed and responded to concerns about derisking in the region and elsewhere, and how effective their efforts have been; among other objectives. GAO surveyed a nationally representative sample of 406 banks, which included the 115 banks that operate in the Southwest border region; analyzed Suspicious Activity Report filings; developed an econometric model on the drivers of branch closures; and interviewed banks that operate in the region."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2018-02-26
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Nuclear Waste: Opportunities Exist to Reduce Risks and Costs by Evaluating Different Waste Treatment Approaches at Hanford, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "DOE [Department of Energy] oversees the treatment and disposal of about 90 million gallons of radioactive waste from the nation's nuclear weapons program. Most of this waste is stored in tanks at DOE sites in Hanford, Washington, and Savannah River, South Carolina. The less radioactive portion of the tank waste, called LAW [low-activity waste], comprises more than 90 percent of the waste's volume but less than 10 percent of the total radioactivity. DOE has chosen different approaches for treating LAW at the two sites, but it has not made a final decision on how to treat Hanford's supplemental LAW. GAO [Government Accountability Office] examined (1) DOE's reasons for choosing its treatment approaches for LAW at the Savannah River and Hanford Sites, (2) the status of DOE's treatment of LAW at these sites, and (3) experts' views on the likely performance of approaches for treating Hanford's LAW. GAO reviewed technical reports on DOE's waste treatment strategies at the two sites, interviewed DOE officials at headquarters and the sites, and convened an experts' meeting through the National Academies to discuss the effectiveness and risks of vitrification and grout. […] Congress should consider specifically authorizing DOE to classify Hanford's supplemental LAW based on risk, consistent with existing regulatory authorities. GAO also recommends that DOE develop updated information on the performance of treating LAW with alternate methods, such as grout, before it selects an approach for treating supplemental LAW. DOE agreed with both recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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Wildland Fire Risk Reduction: Multiple Factors Affect Federal-Nonfederal Collaboration, but Action Could Be Taken to Better Measure Progress, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Dense vegetation, drought, and other factors have resulted in more severe wildland fires in recent years. At the same time, development in and around wildlands continues to increase, with some communities experiencing devastating effects from wildland fire. To reduce risk to communities, federal agencies and nonfederal stakeholders can collaborate in various ways. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review collaboration to reduce wildland fire risk to communities. This report examines federal officials' and stakeholders' views on (1) factors that affect federal-nonfederal collaboration aimed at reducing wildland fire risk to communities and (2) actions that could improve their ability to reduce risk to communities. GAO reviewed laws and documents about collaboration on wildland fire management; compared agency efforts with guidance; and interviewed officials from a nongeneralizable sample of 10 federal land management units selected based on wildland fire potential, geographic diversity, and other factors. GAO also interviewed stakeholders including community members near the selected units and representatives of nonfederal entities involved in fire risk-reduction efforts. [...] GAO recommends that the Forest Service and Interior work with WFLC [Wildland Fire Leadership Council] to develop measures to assess progress toward achieving the Cohesive Strategy's goals. The Forest Service agreed with GAO's recommendation, while Interior did not. GAO believes the recommendation is valid, as discussed in the report."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-05
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DATA ACT: OMB, Treasury, and Agencies Need to Improve Completeness and Accuracy of Spending Data and Disclose Limitations, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "The DATA Act [Digital Accountability and Transparency Act] requires agencies to increase the types and transparency of over $3.7 trillion in annual federal spending data, and requires OMB [Office of Management and Budget] and Treasury to establish data standards to enable the reporting and tracking of agency spending. Consistent with GAO's [Government Accountability Office] mandate under the act, this assessment is GAO's first review of the quality of the data collected under the act that agencies reported beginning in May 2017 and made available through Beta.USAspending.gov, a website currently under development by Treasury. Specifically, this report examines (1) the completeness, timeliness, accuracy and quality of the data and use of data standards; and (2) the consistency of the Beta.USAspending.gov website with selected standards for federal websites. GAO analyzed a sample of second quarter fiscal year 2017 data, projectable to the 24 CFO Act [Chief Financial Officers] agencies, from a database that populates Beta.USAspending.gov and traced them back to agency source records. GAO also compared the data and functionality of this website with selected federal website standards. [...] GAO makes two recommendations to OMB regarding technical assistance and clarifying guidance to help ensure agencies fully comply with DATA Act requirements and report data completely and accurately; and four recommendations to Treasury, including disclosing known data quality issues on its website. OMB and Treasury generally agreed with our recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-11
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Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: Information on Identified Needs, Planning for Future Conditions, and Coordination of Project Funding, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Events such as the discovery of lead in drinking water in Flint, Michigan, and the overflow and damage to the spillway at the Oroville Dam in California have drawn attention to the condition of the nation's drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Conditions such as population growth or drought may further affect a community's needs and plans for such infrastructure. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review federal programs that provide funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. This report describes (1) how federal agencies and selected states identify drinking water and wastewater infrastructure needs; (2) how federal agencies have supported selected states' planning for future conditions that may affect needs; and (3) the extent to which federal and state agencies have coordinated in funding projects, and any challenges they faced. GAO reviewed eight federal agencies that provide assistance for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and selected a nongeneralizable sample of six states--Alaska, California, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Tennessee--on the basis of federal infrastructure funding amounts and geography. For the six states, GAO reviewed infrastructure planning and program documents and interviewed federal and state officials. [...] GAO is not making recommendations in this report. Federal agencies and states provided technical comments on a draft of this report that GAO incorporated as appropriate."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09
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Intelligence Community: Analysis of Alternatives Approach for a New Site Reflects Most Characteristics of a High-Quality Process, Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "NGA [National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency], a defense agency and element of the Intelligence Community, provides geospatial intelligence to military and intelligence operations to support national security priorities. It currently operates out of two primary facilities--its headquarters in Springfield, Virginia, and its NGA West campus in St. Louis, Missouri. In 2012, NGA determined that a new location for its NGA West facilities was necessary to meet security standards and better support its national security mission. NGA estimates that the construction of the new campus will cost about $945 million. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to evaluate the AOA [analysis of alternatives] process that NGA used to select the site for its new campus. This report (1) describes the process NGA used, including the key factors it considered and (2) evaluates the extent to which the AOA process met best practices for such analyses. GAO visited the existing NGA West campus and the final four alternative sites that were considered, analyzed and assessed reports and information that document NGA's AOA process for selecting the site, and interviewed relevant officials about the process. GAO evaluated NGA's process against best practices identified by GAO as characteristics of a high-quality, reliable AOA process. GAO is not making recommendations to NGA. In commenting on a draft of this report, NGA expressed concerns about GAO's assessment of NGA's estimates of cost risks and sensitivities. GAO continues to believe its assessment accurately reflects NGA's process."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-07-28
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DATA ACT: Office of Inspector General Reports Help Identify Agencies' Implementation Challenges, Report to Congressional Addressees
From the Highlights: "The DATA Act [Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014] was enacted to increase accountability and transparency and, among other things, expanded on the required federal spending information that agencies are to submit to Treasury for posting to a publicly available website. The act also requires a series of oversight reports by agencies' OIGs [Offices of Inspector General] and GAO [Government Accountability Office]. The objectives of this report are to (1) describe the type of reviews and standards OIGs reported using and scope of the work covered by the DATA Act readiness review reports issued by agency OIGs as of January 31, 2017; (2) describe agencies' readiness to meet the DATA Act requirements, including the May 2017 deadline, as reported by the respective OIGs; and (3) evaluate the extent to which OMB [Office of Management and Budget] and Treasury used or plan to use the results of the OIG readiness reviews. GAO reviewed 30 OIGs' DATA Act readiness reviews issued on or before January 31, 2017. GAO also interviewed OMB staff and Treasury officials and assessed their actions against project management criteria. GAO recommends that OMB and Treasury establish mechanisms to assess the results of independent audits and reviews of agencies' compliance with the DATA Act requirements, including those of agency OIGs. OMB generally concurred and Treasury agreed with the recommendation. The Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency noted that the report will contribute to a greater understanding of OIGs' oversight and agencies' DATA Act implementation efforts."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-04-26
