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CBO Report: Illustrative Options for National Defense Under a Smaller Defense Budget
"The Congressional Budget Office was asked to examine the effects on U.S. forces of a substantially smaller defense budget. Because forces can be reduced in many ways depending on the military strategy adopted, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] created three broad options to illustrate the range of strategies that the United States could pursue under a budget that would be cut gradually by a total of $1 trillion, or 14 percent, between 2022 and 2031. [1] Option 1 retains the 2017 national security strategy of 'deterrence by denial,' which relies heavily on U.S. combat forces to deter military aggression against allies by denying or reversing military gains in regional conflicts. The size of U.S. forces would be reduced in proportion to the smaller budget, retaining the same balance of capabilities. [2] Option 2 would shift emphasis from deterrence by denial to deterrence through punishment, a strategy that is similar to the United States' approach during the Cold War. The option would de-emphasize the role of U.S. combat forces in regional conflicts in favor of a heavier reliance on coalition forces in combat operations. It would call for reductions in conventional forces, such as brigade combat teams and fighter aircraft, and increases in long-range strike capabilities, such as cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and air defense missiles. [3] Option 3 focuses on maintaining the freedom of navigation in sea, air, and space around the world that the United States currently enjoys. It avoids the use of large ground forces to seize and hold territory in regional conflicts in favor of engaging enemies at standoff ranges. Although the second and third options would require the same amount of funding as the first option, they would result in different force structures and different budget allocations among the military services."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Woodward, Matthew; Arthur, David (David Alan); Labs, Eric Jackson
2021-10-07
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Information Technology: Agencies Need to Improve Their Application Inventories to Achieve Additional Savings, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "The federal government is expected to spend more than $90 billion on IT [Information Technology] in fiscal year 2017. This includes a variety of software applications supporting agencies' enterprise needs. Since 2013, OMB [Office of Management and Budget] has advocated the use of application rationalization. This is a process by which an agency streamlines its portfolio of software applications with the goal of improving efficiency, reducing complexity and redundancy, and lowering the cost of ownership. GAO's [Governmental Accountability Office] objectives were to determine (1) whether agencies have established complete application inventories and (2) to what extent selected agencies have developed and implemented processes for rationalizing their portfolio of applications. To do this, GAO [Governmental Accountability Office] assessed the inventories of the 24 CFO Act [Chief Financial Officers] agencies against four key practices and selected six agencies--the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, the Interior, Labor, and NASA and NSF [National Science Foundation]--due to their IT [Information Technology] spending, among other factors, to determine whether they had processes addressing applications."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2016-09-29
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U.S.-China Cooperation: Bilateral Clean Energy Programs Show Some Results but Should Enhance Their Performance Monitoring, Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, and Emerging Threats, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The United States and China lead the world in energy consumption, and both are investing in renewable resources and efforts to increase the efficiency of traditional fossil fuel sources in part to address climate change. In 2014, a congressional commission raised questions about bilateral cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy, including potential internet protocol (IP) risks to U.S. participants involved in collaborative research projects. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review government-led U.S.-China collaborative initiatives on clean energy. This report examines (1) how much funding U.S. agencies obligated for clean energy cooperation with China, (2) what is known about the results of key programs and the extent to which they follow leading practices in performance monitoring, and (3) the extent to which Department of Energy (DOE) managed risks that Clean Energy Research Center (CERC) participants may face. GAO analyzed funding data, reviewed documents and compiled reported results, interviewed agency officials and participants of key programs, and conducted site visits. GAO is making four recommendations to enhance performance monitoring, including that DOE, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), and State each develop targets for program-level performance and track progress against them for the key programs GAO reviewed. The agencies agreed with GAO's recommendations and plan to take actions to address them."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2016-07-05
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Free Trade Agreements: U.S. Partners Are Addressing Labor Commitments, but More Monitoring and Enforcement Are Needed, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "The United States has signed 14 FTAs [Free Trade Agreements], liberalizing U.S. trade with 20 countries. These FTAs include provisions regarding fundamental labor rights in the partner countries. USTR [Office of the U.S. Trade Representative] and DOL [Department of Labor], supported by State, are responsible for monitoring and assisting FTA partners' implementation of these provisions. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to assess the status of implementation of FTA labor provisions in partner countries. GAO examined (1) steps that selected partner countries have taken, and U.S. assistance they have received, to implement these provisions and other labor initiatives and the reported results of such steps; (2) submissions regarding possible violations of FTA labor provisions that DOL has accepted and any problems related to the submission process; and (3) the extent to which U.S. agencies monitor and enforce implementation of FTA labor provisions and report results to Congress. GAO selected CAFTA-DR [Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement] and the FTAs with Colombia, Oman, and Peru as representative of the range of FTAs with labor provisions, among other reasons. GAO reviewed documentation related to each FTA and interviewed U.S., partner government, and other officials in five of the partner countries."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-11-06
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Nuclear Commerce: Additional Actions Needed to Improve DOE's Export Control Process, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Encouraging U.S. exports of civilian nuclear products, services, and technology while ensuring they are not used for foreign nuclear weapons programs is a fundamental goal of U.S. policy. Exports of U.S. civilian nuclear technology, assistance, and services are regulated by DOE [Department of Energy] through 10 C.F.R. [Code of Federal Regulations] Part 810. Depending on the importing country and technology, exports can be generally authorized, with no application required, or specifically authorized, in which case the exporter must submit an application to DOE. The Departments of Commerce, Defense, and State, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, also review the applications, which must finally be approved by the Secretary of Energy. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to examine the Part 810 process. This report examines (1) Part 810 processing times over the last 6 years compared with DOE's targets; (2) the extent to which Part 810's scope is clear and DOE can reasonably assure consistent interpretation; and (3) the extent to which DOE enforces Part 810. GAO analyzed all 89 specific authorizations granted from 2008-2013 and interviewed key agency officials and U.S. nuclear industry representatives. GAO recommends that the Secretary of Energy take several actions to improve the Part 810 process, such as determine whether DOE has legal authority to impose civil penalties, and establish realistic and achievable targets for each stage of the Part 810 process, as well as the overall process. DOE agreed with the recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-10
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U.S.-China Trade: United States has Secured Commitments in Key Bilateral Dialogues, but U.S. Agency Reporting on Status Should Be Improved, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "China is the largest destination for U.S. exports outside North America and also the source of the largest U.S. bilateral trade deficit. The countries engage in two high-level dialogues to address trade barriers and cross-cutting economic issues. These are the JCCT, co-led for the United States by Commerce and USTR [United States Trade Representative], and the economic track of the S&ED [U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue], led by Treasury. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review China's bilateral trade commitments made in these dialogues. This report (1) describes trade and investment commitments China has made at the JCCT [U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade] and S&ED; (2) describes U.S. agency tracking of China's implementation of these commitments; and (3) evaluates U.S. agency reporting on implementation. GAO analyzed documents, including public fact sheets stating commitments; interviewed officials, industry representatives, and other experts; used a structured process to categorize commitments; and reviewed reports officials identified as reporting implementation status of commitments. To improve understanding of progress through the bilateral dialogues in increasing access to China's markets, USTR, in conjunction with Commerce and Treasury, should work to improve reporting on China's implementation of JCCT and S&ED trade and investment commitments. In written comments, USTR and Commerce did not directly agree or disagree with the recommendation, but raised several concerns. USTR maintained current reporting is comprehensive and Commerce noted resource constraints. GAO continues to believe improved reporting would benefit policymakers."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-02
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Afghanistan: Key Oversight Issues for USAID Development Efforts, Statement of Charles Michael Johnson, Jr., Director, International Affairs and Trade, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on National Security, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The U.S. government has been engaged in efforts in Afghanistan since declaring a global war on terrorism that targeted al Qaeda, its affiliates, and other violent extremists. The U.S. effort has involved a whole of government approach to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates and strengthen Afghanistan so that it can never again be a haven for terrorists. This approach includes USAID's development assistance and reconstruction efforts, which to date have invested over $15 billion in Afghanistan since 2002."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Johnson, Charles Michael
2014-03
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Iran: State Leads an Interagency Process to Determine Whether to Impose Sanctions under Section 5(b) of the Iran Sanctions Act
This is a letter from Thomas Melito, Director, International Affairs and Trade of the Government Accountability Office, addressed to Edward R. Royce, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. "Iran's efforts to develop its nuclear program threaten regional and global security and present significant challenges to the United States. The United States and other nations have imposed sanctions on Iran that have adversely affected the Iranian economy. In November 2013, the United States participated in multilateral talks with Iran regarding the possibility of providing sanctions relief if Iran addressed international concerns about its nuclear program. These talks resulted in an agreed-upon joint plan of action to explicitly block near-term Iranian pathways to a nuclear weapon and allow further talks to reach a long-term comprehensive solution. The sanctions relief provided for the duration of the talks is currently scheduled to conclude in July 2014. U.S. sanctions on Iran include those specified in the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (Iran Sanctions Act). Section 5(b) of the Iran Sanctions Act authorizes sanctions on persons engaging in various activities that involve weapons of mass destruction or other military capabilities and are related to Iran. You requested that we review how the Department of State (State) has implemented the sanctions provisions in Section 5(b). This report describes the process State and other relevant U.S. agencies use to determine whether to sanction persons under Section 5(b)."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-05-23
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Democracy Assistance: Lessons Learned from Egypt Should Inform Future U.S. Plans, Statement of Charles Michael Johnson, Jr., Director, International Affairs and Trade, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives
From the Document: "In December 2011, the Egyptian government raided the offices of four U.S.-based nongovernmental organizations (NGO) that were implementing U.S.-funded democracy and governance activities. In February 2012, the Egyptian government charged these four organizations--Freedom House, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI)--and a German organization, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, with establishing and operating unauthorized international organizations, according to U.S. agency documents. In June 2013, an Egyptian court convicted a total of 43 employees from the four U.S. organizations and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation of the charges, and the NGOs had to close their operations in Egypt. After a series of negotiations between the U.S. and Egyptian governments, all the American staff from the NGOs were allowed to leave Egypt before the convictions."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Johnson, Charles Michael
2014-07-24
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Afghanistan: Changes to Updated U.S. Civil-Military Strategic Framework Reflect Evolving U.S. Role
From the Document: "The U.S. Civil-Military Strategic Framework for Afghanistan is intended to articulate the strategic vision guiding U.S. government efforts to achieve U.S. national goals and to facilitate U.S. civilian and military cooperation and partnership in Afghanistan. The Department of State (State) notes that this framework serves as strategic guidance for all U.S. civilian and military personnel serving in Afghanistan. In March 2012, the framework replaced the Integrated Civilian-Military Campaign Plan, which was first signed in August 2009 by the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan and the Commanding General, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan. The framework was subsequently updated, in October 2012 and, most recently, in August 2013. The August 2013 version of the framework--likely the final update, according to State officials--shows, among other things, a heightened focus on transition in Afghanistan. The framework defines 'transition' to mean a shift, through the end of 2014, in security responsibility for Afghanistan to Afghan security institutions and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) as well as a shift in U.S. policy toward a more traditional diplomatic and development model. After January 1, 2015, when the last U.S. combat troops are expected to have withdrawn from Afghanistan, the United States plans to continue to support the government of Afghanistan in its efforts to achieve longer-term goals for governance and development. According to State officials, the 2013 revision of the framework was intended to reflect changes in U.S. goals and priorities, better align them with Afghan goals and priorities, and reflect changing circumstances on the ground."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2014-04-01
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Information Security: Cyber Threats and Data Breaches Illustrate Need for Stronger Controls across Federal Agencies, Statement of Gregory C. Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues, Testimony before the Subcommittees on Research and Technology and Oversight, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Effective cybersecurity for federal information systems is essential to preventing the loss of resources, the compromise of sensitive information, and the disruption of government operations. Since 1997, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has designated federal information security as a government-wide high-risk area, and in 2003 expanded this area to include computerized systems supporting the nation's critical infrastructure. Earlier this year, in GAO's high-risk update, the area was further expanded to include protecting the privacy of personal information that is collected, maintained, and shared by both federal and nonfederal entities. This statement summarizes (1) cyber threats to federal systems, (2) challenges facing federal agencies in securing their systems and information, and (3) government-wide initiatives aimed at improving cybersecurity. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on its previously published and ongoing work in this area."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Wilshusen, Gregory C.
2015-07-08
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Information Security: Department of Education and Other Federal Agencies Need to Better Implement Controls, Statement of Gregory C. Wilhusen, Director, Information Security Issues, Testimony Before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The federal government faces an evolving array of cyber-based threats to its systems and data, and data breaches at federal agencies have compromised sensitive personal information, affecting millions of people. Education, in carrying out its mission of serving America's students, relies extensively on IT systems that collect and process a large amount of sensitive information. Accordingly, it is important for federal agencies such as Education to implement information security programs that can help protect systems and networks. GAO [Government Accountability Office] has identified federal information security as a government-wide high-risk area since 1997, and in February 2015 expanded this to include protecting the privacy of personally identifiable information. This statement provides information on cyber threats facing federal systems and information security weaknesses identified at federal agencies, including Education. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on previously published work and updated data on security incidents and federal cybersecurity efforts. Over the past 6 years, GAO has made about 2,000 recommendations to federal agencies to correct weaknesses and fully implement agency-wide information security programs. Agencies have implemented about 58 percent of these recommendations. Agency inspectors general have also made a multitude of recommendations to assist their agencies."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Wilshusen, Gregory C.
2015-11-17
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Information Technology: Library of Congress Needs to Implement Recommendations to Address Management Weakness, Statement of Joel C. Willemssen, Managing Director, Information Technology, Testimony before the Committee on House Administration, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The Library of Congress is the oldest federal cultural institution and the world's largest library. Its mission is to preserve and make available works of creativity and human knowledge, and to serve as the research arm of the U.S. Congress. In addition, the Library houses the U.S. Copyright Office, which is charged with administering the nation's copyright law. As information is increasingly created, shared, and preserved digitally, both the Library and Copyright Office rely on IT [information technology] to support their missions. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to provide a statement summarizing its March 2015 reports on the Library's IT management and the Copyright Office's IT environment and plans for modernization. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on the work supporting these reports. GAO also interviewed Library and Copyright officials about more recent activities to implement GAO recommendations. In its March 2015 reports, GAO recommended that the Library of Congress take 31 actions to address weaknesses in six IT management- related areas and that the Copyright Office, among other things, develop an IT strategic plan. The Library concurred with GAO's recommendations, but it has yet to fully implement any of the 31 actions. GAO continues to believe that actions should be taken to fully implement these recommendations. For its part, the Copyright Office has taken steps to address GAO's recommendations, such as drafting a new strategic plan."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Willemssen, Joel C.
2015-12-02
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Information Security: IRS Needs to Further Improve Controls Over Taxpayer Data And Continue to Combat Identity Theft Refund Fraud, Statement of Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States, Testimony Before the Committee on Finance, United States Senate
From he Highlights: "In collecting taxes, processing returns, and providing taxpayer service, IRS relies extensively on computerized systems. Thus it is critical that sensitive taxpayer and other data are protected. Recent data breaches at IRS highlight the vulnerability of taxpayer information. In addition, identity theft refund fraud is an evolving threat to honest taxpayers and tax administration. This crime occurs when a thief files a fraudulent return using a legitimate taxpayer's identity and claims a refund. In 2015, GAO [Government Accountability Office] added identity theft refund fraud to its high-risk area on the enforcement of tax laws and expanded its government-wide high-risk area on federal information security to include the protection of personally identifiable information. This statement discusses (1) IRS [Internal Revenue Service] information security controls over financial and tax processing systems, (2) IRS actions to address identity theft refund fraud, and (3) the status of selected IRS filing season operations. This statement is based on previously published GAO work as well as an update of selected data."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Dodaro, Gene L.
2016-04-12
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Information Security: Federal Agencies Need to Better Protect Sensitive Data, Statement of Joel C. Willemssen, Managing Director, Information Technology, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Management Efficiency, Committee on Homeland Security, U.S. House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "Effective information security for federal computer systems and databases is essential to preventing the loss of resources; the unauthorized or inappropriate use, disclosure, or alteration of sensitive information; and the disruption of government operations. Since 1997, GAO [Government Accountability Office] has designated federal information security as a government-wide high-risk area, and in 2003 expanded this area to include computerized systems supporting the nation's critical infrastructure. Earlier this year, in GAO's high-risk update, the area was further expanded to include protecting the privacy of personal information that is collected, maintained, and shared by both federal and nonfederal entities. This statement summarizes threats and information security weaknesses in federal systems. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on its previously published work in this area. Over the past 6 years, GAO has made about 2,000 recommendations to improve information security programs and associated security controls. Agencies have implemented about 58 percent of these recommendations. Further, agency inspectors general have made a multitude of recommendations to assist their agencies."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Willemssen, Joel C.
2015-11-17
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National Protection and Programs Directorate: Factors to Consider when Reorganizing, Statement of Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice, Testimony Before the Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies Subcommittee of the Homeland Security Committee, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "NPPD [National Protection and Programs Directorate] is the DHS component responsible for addressing physical and cyber infrastructure protection, a mission area of critical importance in today's threat environment. Critical infrastructure owners and operators continue to experience increasingly sophisticated cyber intrusions and a 'cyber-physical convergence' has changed the risks to critical infrastructure ranging from energy and transportation to agriculture and health care, according to a DHS strategic review. NPPD's potential reorganization is the latest in DHS's organizational evolution. In 2003, GAO [Government Accountability Office] designated implementing and transforming DHS as high risk because DHS had to transform 22 agencies--several with major management challenges--into one department. The overriding tenet has consistently remained DHS's ability to build a single, cohesive, and effective department that is greater than the sum of its parts--a goal that requires effective collaboration and integration of its various components and management functions. This statement describes key factors for consideration in a NPPD reorganization. It includes observations from GAO's prior work on organizational change, reorganization, and transformation, applicable themes from GAO's high risk list, and NPPD related areas from GAO's work in assessing programmatic duplication, overlap, and fragmentation. This testimony is based on reports we issued from 2003 through 2015."
United States. Government Accountability Office
Currie, Chris
2015-10-07
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Cybersecurity: Bank and Other Depository Regulators Need Better Data Analytics and Depository Institutions Want More Usable Threat Information, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Depository institutions experienced cyber attacks in recent years that are estimated to have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. Depository institution regulators (the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and NCUA [National Credit Union Administration]) oversee information security at these institutions and Treasury coordinates protection of the financial sector. The objectives of this report include examining (1) how regulators oversee institutions' efforts to mitigate cyber threats, and (2) sources of and efforts by agencies to share cyber threat information. GAO [Government Accountability Office] collected and analyzed cyber security studies from private-sector sources. GAO reviewed materials from selected IT examinations (based on regulator, institution size, and risk level). GAO also held three forums with more than 50 members of financial institution industry associations who provided opinions on cyber threat information sharing."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-07
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Information Technology Reform: Billions of Dollars In Savings Have Been Realized, But Agencies Need To Complete Reinvestment Plans, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Beginning in 2010, OMB [Office of Management and Budget] initiated a series of IT reform efforts to consolidate the growing number of data centers and eliminate duplicative spending. In May 2012, the agency began a 'cut and reinvest' effort that required agencies to propose fiscal year 2014 IT reductions and reinvestments. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review agencies' savings from OMB's IT reform efforts and determine how those savings are being reinvested. The objectives were to (1) assess agencies' progress in achieving savings from their IT reform efforts, (2) evaluate agencies' plans to reinvest their savings, and (3) evaluate how selected agencies have reinvested their savings and governance processes to oversee the reinvestments. GAO assessed 26 agencies' cost savings and avoidance documentation, evaluated 27 agencies' (including the Smithsonian Institution) reinvestment plans against OMB's guidance, and compared 4 of the agencies' governance processes against best practices. The 4 agencies were selected, in part, because they had the highest dollar amounts of proposed IT reinvestments."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-09
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International Classification of Diseases: CMS Has Updated Systems and Supported Stakeholders' Efforts to Use New Codes, Report to the Committee on Finance U.S. Senate
From the Highlights: "ICD [International Classification of Diseases] is the standard code set used in the United States to document patient medical diagnoses and inpatient medical procedures. Every claim submitted by health care providers to payers for reimbursement, including those for Medicare programs, includes these codes. CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] is responsible for enforcing the use of ICD codes and is requiring providers to begin using the 10th revision of the codes (ICD-10) on October 1, 2015. Its role in preparing for the transition includes making changes to the agency's information technology systems used to process Medicare fee-for-service claims and supporting stakeholders' efforts to implement changes to the systems they use to submit Medicare claims that are to include ICD-10 data. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to study the actions planned and taken by CMS to support entities' transition to ICD-10. This report discusses (1) CMS's efforts to implement system changes needed for the agency to process claims that include ICD-10 codes, (2) the extent to which CMS's testing and verification actions are sufficient to ensure the system changes are made, and (3) steps CMS is taking to ensure that stakeholders have access to technical support needed to make system changes. To do this, GAO reviewed project documentation and held discussions with Medicare officials, contractors, and selected stakeholder groups that represent providers, health care clearinghouses, and insurers that share claims data with CMS."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-09-17
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Proceedings of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and Wild Birds Webinar Series, August 2-5, 2021
From the Preface: "In light of ongoing and geographically widespread highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds throughout much of Eurasia during 2020-21, the Interagency Steering Committee for Avian Influenza Surveillance in Wild Migratory Birds disseminated an informational memorandum [...] in January 2021 to highlight the need for enhanced surveillance and heightened awareness in North America. This was followed by coordination of an August 2021 international HPAI webinar series facilitated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services Training Program. [...] This report includes author-submitted abstracts for most of the presentations (that is, all those received) and notes from three guided discussion sessions led by U.S. Federal agency representatives with participation from invited speakers and diverse attendees. The three sessions of the open webinar series were as follows: [1] Update on Global HPAI Situation [2] Lessons Learned from North American HPAI Outbreak (2014-15) [3] HPAI Challenges and Opportunities A final closed-door session was held with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) representatives and State agency members of the four Flyway Councils (Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic). Designees from each of the specific Flyway Councils serve on the National Flyway Council. Led by Russ Mason of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, participants in this session were given an overview of the previous days' technical sessions, coupled with suggested steps that member State agencies might take in preparation for a possible HPAI outbreak in migratory waterfowl in 2022 or 2023."
Geological Survey (U.S.); United States. Department of the Interior
Hopkins, M. Camille (Maria-Richetta Camille); Mason, J. Russell, 1954-; Haddock, Giavanna . . .
2022
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Information Technology: FDA Has Taken Steps to Address Challenges but Needs a Comprehensive Strategic Plan, Report to Congressional Committees
From the Highlights: "IT [information technology] systems are critical to FDA's [Food and Drug Administration] ability to achieve its mission. GAO [Government Accountability Office] previously reported on limitations in a number of FDA's key IT areas, including data availability and quality, information infrastructure, the ability to use technology to improve regulatory effectiveness, and investment management. GAO recommended FDA take actions to address these limitations, including the development of a comprehensive IT strategic plan to provide direction for modernizing the agency's IT environment. The Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act of 2012 included a provision for GAO to report on FDA's progress regarding an IT strategic plan and implementation of GAO's prior recommendations. This report provides an assessment of the (1) status of FDA's efforts to develop and implement an IT strategic plan that includes results-oriented goals, activities, milestones, and performance measures; and (2) extent to which FDA has addressed GAO's prior IT-related recommendations. To do so, GAO assessed the agency's 2015 IT strategic plan against best practices for IT management. GAO also reviewed supporting documents regarding FDA's actions on prior recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-12-17
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Electronic Health Records: HHS Needs to Improve Planning and Evaluation of Its Efforts to Increase Information Exchange in Post-Acute Care Settings, Report to Congressional Requester
From the Report: "Many patients who leave hospitals receive care in post-acute settings such as skilled nursing facilities and long-term care hospitals. Exchange of accurate and timely health information is particularly important in these transitions, and technology like EHRs [Electronic Health Records] could help to improve quality and reduce costs. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review issues related to the use of EHRs in postacute care settings. With regard to post-acute settings, GAO (1) described factors that affect EHR use and electronic exchange of health information and (2) examined HHS [Department of Health and Human Services] efforts to promote EHR use and electronic information exchange. GAO reviewed HHS planning and related documents and best practices for planning identified in prior GAO work. GAO also interviewed HHS officials, and through those interviews and background research identified and interviewed a non-generalizable selection of individuals representing 20 relevant stakeholder groups, including experts, vendors, and professional associations. GAO recommends that HHS (1) evaluate the effectiveness of its key efforts to increase the use of EHRs and electronic information exchange, and (2) comprehensively plan for how to achieve the department's goal regarding the use of EHRs and electronic information exchange in post-acute care settings. HHS concurred with GAO's recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-01-27
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Electronic Health Records: Nonfederal Efforts to Help Achieve Health Information Interoperability, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "EHR [electronic health record] interoperability is viewed by many health care stakeholders as a necessary step toward improving health care. However, interoperability has remained limited. Although the federal government plays a key role in guiding movement toward interoperability, many of the actions are to be completed by nonfederal stakeholders. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review the status of efforts by entities other than the federal government to develop infrastructure that could lead to nationwide interoperability of health information. This report describes the (1) characteristics of selected nonfederal initiatives intended to facilitate EHR interoperability, and (2) key challenges related to EHR interoperability and the extent to which selected nonfederal initiatives are addressing these challenges. GAO interviewed representatives from 18 selected nonfederal initiatives that were frequently mentioned by stakeholders GAO interviewed, and reflected a range of approaches. GAO reviewed documents from these initiatives as well as other published research."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-09-16
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Federal Chief Information Officers: Reporting to OMB Can Be Improved by Further Streamlining and Better Focusing on Priorities, Report to Congressional Requesters
From the Highlights: "Federal agencies annually invest over $80 billion on IT [Information Technology]. As part of overseeing this spending, OMB [Office of Management and Budget] directs federal CIOs [Chief Information Officers] to report on their management of IT in such areas as capital planning and investment management, security, and strategic planning. GAO [Government Accountability Office] was asked to review the usefulness of such CIO reporting requirements. Its objectives were to (1) identify the current IT reporting requirements that agency CIOs are to address for OMB, (2) evaluate the extent to which OMB and agency CIOs use the required information to manage IT, including CIOs' views on the utility of the requirements, and (3) assess any OMB efforts to streamline this reporting. To do so, GAO analyzed OMB memorandums and other guidance to develop a list of CIO requirements and surveyed 24 major agency CIOs on how they used the required information to manage IT. Further, it analyzed OMB documentation and interviewed officials to identify plans to streamline reporting. GAO is recommending that OMB, in collaboration with CIOs, ensure a common understanding of priority IT reforms and their reporting requirements and address proposed reporting improvements and challenges. OMB neither agreed nor disagreed with GAO's recommendations, citing concerns with, among other things, GAO's survey methodology, stating it did not fully support the report's findings and recommendations. GAO believes these concerns are largely unfounded and that its recommendations are still valid."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-04-02
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Information Technology: Additional Actions and Oversight Urgently Needed to Reduce Waste and Improve Performance in Acquisitions and Operations, Statement of David A. Powner, Director, Information Technology Management Issues, Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Government Operations and Information Technology Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
From the Highlights: "The federal government invests more than $80 billion annually in IT. However, these investments frequently fail, incur cost overruns and schedule slippages, or contribute little to mission-related outcomes. This underperformance of federal information technology (IT) projects can be traced to a lack of disciplined and effective management and inadequate executive-level oversight. Accordingly, in February 2015, GAO [Government Accountability Office] added improving the management of IT acquisitions and operations to its high-risk list--a list of agencies and program areas that are high risk due to their vulnerabilities to fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, or are most in need of transformation. GAO was asked to testify on its designation of the management of IT acquisitions and operations as a federal high-risk area and the impact of recent legislation on IT acquisition reform. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on its previously published work in these areas. From October 2009 through December 2014, GAO made 737 recommendations to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and agencies to improve the management and oversight of IT. As of January 2015, only about 23 percent of these had been fully implemented."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2015-06-10
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Suspicious Activity Reporting: Process Implementation Checklist
This document from the Bureau of Justice Assistance discusses the specifics of Suspicious Activity Reporting and how it can impact crime prevention efforts. "The Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) process focuses on what law enforcement agencies have been doing for years--gathering information regarding behaviors and incidents associated with crime and establishing a process to share information to detect and prevent criminal activity, including crime associated with domestic and international terrorism. Implementation of the SAR process can be accomplished within the agency's existing framework to gather, document, process, analyze, and share behaviors and events that are indicative of criminal activity. After the horrific events of September 11, 2001, agencies at all levels of government recognized the risks that can result from not sharing information, as well as the value and benefits of sharing critical information--'connecting the dots.' The National Strategy for Information Sharing (NSIS) was subsequently developed to establish, in part, a nationwide vision for the sharing of suspicious activity. One of the tasks for the federal government, as identified in the NSIS, is to 'establish a unified process to support the reporting, tracking, processing, storage, and retrieval' of Suspicious Activity Reports."
United States. Bureau of Justice Assistance
2008-11
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Information About H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
This is a letter from Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Phillip L. Swagel to Honorable Chuck Schumer, Majority Leader, United States Senate (with carbon copies to other senate members). From the letter: "This letter provides information about the budgetary effects of H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, as amended in the nature of a substitute (ERN22410) and posted on the website of the Senate Majority Leader on August 6, 2022[.] [...] The Congressional Budget Office has not yet completed point estimates for every title, but for those that we have completed, the estimated budgetary effects for 2022, the 2022-2026 period, and the 2022-2031 period are shown in the attached table."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
Swagel, Phillip
2022-08-06
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Nutrition: The Key to COVID Recovery
From the Document: "The increase in malnutrition arising due to the coronavirus pandemic is expected to cause nearly '170,000 additional child deaths in the next two years'. Please, read that again, and understand that we are in the middle of a crisis within a crisis. This pandemic has created a fatal cycle: malnourished people are at a higher risk of death or hospitalisation from COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019], and the lockdown measures necessary to tackle the virus make it more difficult for people to access healthcare facilities and proper food, thus pushing them closer to malnutrition. Since nutrition underpins all of human flourishing, people in these regions are also under great economic, social, environmental and health strains, and may sink deeper into poverty as a result. Both COVID-19 and malnutrition have intense, long-term impacts, and challenge our ability to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They are emergencies in the short and long term. To avoid this food crisis spiralling out of control, actions to prevent malnutrition must be adopted as an essential part of any COVID-19 response."
World Vision International
2021-03-09
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Sesame Street Fire Safety Program Educator Guide
From the Document: "As an educator, you can empower preschoolers with essential fire safety information and skills that can make a big difference in case of an emergency. You can show children what to do if there's a fire and ways to prevent fires from starting. By sharing this information while children are young, you instill lifelong fire safety habits! [...] This guide and the accompanying Sesame Street Fire Safety Songs & Stories CD provide unique tools to make it easy for you to teach fire safety to preschoolers ages 3-5. And children's lovable, furry Sesame Street friends will help you engage children each step of the way! Each section includes: [1] key fire safety messages for children to learn and remember; [2] easy-to-use lessons, games, and activities; [3] supporting songs and stories to reinforce the fire safety messages; [4] family newsletters to help parents and caregivers continue practicing fire prevention and safety with children at home."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency; United States Fire Administration
2015-06
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Federal Role in Responding to Potential Risks of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) [Updated August 10, 2022]
From the Introduction: "Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large, diverse group of fluorinated compounds that have been used in numerous commercial, industrial, and U.S. military applications. Among other uses, PFAS have been used in fire-fighting foams and in the processing and manufacture of many commercial products (e.g., nonstick cookware, stain- and water-resistant fabrics). PFAS are persistent in the environment, and studies of several PFAS suggest that exposures above certain levels may lead to adverse health effects. Detections of PFAS contamination in drinking water and the environment have increased in recent years with the availability of new analytical methods and increased monitoring. PFAS have been detected in soil, surface water, groundwater, and public water supplies in numerous locations. These detections have been associated primarily with releases from manufacturing and processing facilities, and from U.S. military installations and other facilities that use firefighting foams (e.g., civilian airports and fire departments). These detections have prompted calls for increased federal action and authority to prevent and mitigate exposures to PFAS. [...] This report focuses on federal authorities under which EPA and other agencies have taken actions to address potential risks of PFAS. It does not discuss other laws under which EPA or other agencies may take additional actions, or actions under state laws. The report begins with a brief discussion of the chemical properties, uses, and varying risks of PFAS, followed by discussions of federal actions, relevant legislation enacted in the 115th and 116th Congresses, and relevant enacted and proposed legislation in the 117th Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Humphreys, Elena H.; Bearden, David M.; Gatz, Laura . . .
2022-08-10
