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Budget Issues: Budget Uncertainty and Disruptions Affect Timing of Agency Spending, Statement of Heather Krause, Director, Strategic Issues, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate
"Given the fiscal pressures facing the nation, the need to identify opportunities for savings, better leverage resources, and increase accountability has become even more critical to the success of federal agencies and the programs they administer. At the same time, federal decision makers must effectively and efficiently manage resources in an era of considerable budget uncertainty. Congress exercises its constitutional power of the purse by appropriating funds and prescribing conditions governing their use. As funds approach the end of their period of availability for obligation, a 'use-it or lose-it' mentality can set in, creating an incentive to rush to obligate. However, higher obligations in the fourth quarter of a fiscal year do not necessarily indicate a problem with wasteful spending--such spending may be the result of planned spending intended by Congress and the agencies. This statement is primarily based on GAO's [Government Accountability Office] prior reports and testimonies on agency budgeting issued between 2009 and 2016. It addresses (1) strategies federal managers have used to execute their budgets in response to various budget uncertainties and disruptions, and (2) the legal constraints and other considerations agency managers must balance when executing their budgets."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-20
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 705: Child Protection Improvements Act of 2017
"Under current law, organizations in certain states that provide services to youth, the elderly, and the disabled have limited access to information from national criminal background checks. (Those organizations typically review the backgrounds of prospective coaches, employees, and volunteers.) S. 705 would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a program to allow such organizations to obtain information from criminal background checks in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) fingerprint database."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-09-18
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2142: INTERDICT Act
"H.R. 2142 would authorize the appropriation of $9 million for the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency in the Department of Homeland Security to help prevent the importation of certain illegal drugs including fentanyl. Those funds would be used to purchase and use chemical screening devices at points of entry into the United States, to support additional CBP personnel who operate such devices, and for staff to interpret the data collected."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-09-18
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Navy Readiness: Actions Needed to Address Persistent Maintenance, Training, and Other Challenges Affecting the Fleet, Statement of John H. Pendleton, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, Testimony Before the Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate
"Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that resulted in serious damage to its ships and the loss of 17 sailors. Three of these incidents involved ships homeported in Japan. In response to these incidents, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered an operational pause for all fleets worldwide, and the Vice Chief of Naval Operations directed a comprehensive review of surface fleet operations, stating that these tragic incidents are not limited occurrences but part of a disturbing trend in mishaps involving U.S. ships. This statement provides information on the effects of homeporting ships overseas, reducing crew size on ships, and not completing maintenance on time on the readiness of the Navy and summarizes GAO [Government Accountability Office] recommendations to address the Navy's maintenance, training, and other challenges. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on work it has published since 2015 related to the readiness of ships homeported overseas, sailor training and workload issues, maintenance challenges, and other issues. GAO updated this information, as appropriate, based on Navy data. GAO made 14 recommendations in prior work cited in this statement. The Department of Defense generally concurred with all of them but has implemented only 1. Continued attention is needed to ensure that these recommendations are addressed, such as the Navy assessing the risks associated with overseas basing and reassessing sailor workload and factors used in its manpower requirements process."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-17
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, September 15, 2017
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "National Preparedness Month --September 2017;" "Assessment of Hospital Emergency Department Response to Potentially Infectious Diseases Using Unannounced Mystery Patient Drills -- New York City, 2016;" "Rates and Trends of Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia -- United States, 2001-2014;" "Occupational Animal Exposure Among Persons with Campylobacteriosis and Cryptosporidiosis -- Nebraska, 2005-2015;" "Updated Dosing Instructions for Immune Globulin (Human) GamaSTAN S/D for Hepatitis A Virus Prophylaxis;" "Notes from the Field: Vibrio cholerae Serogroup O1, Serotype Inaba -- Minnesota, August 2016;" "Announcement: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month -- September 2017;" "Announcement: National Child Passenger Safety Week -- September 17-23, 2017;" "Announcement: Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation for Interventions Engaging Community Health Workers for Diabetes Management;" "QuickStats: Percentage of Women Who Missed Taking Oral Contraceptive Pills Among Women Aged 15-44 Years Who Used Oral Contraceptive Pills and Had Sexual Intercourse, Overall and by Age and Number of Pills Missed -- National Survey Of Family Growth, United States, 2013-2015;" and "Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2017-09-15
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Telecommunications: Additional Action Needed to Mitigate Significant Risks in FCC's Lifeline Program, Statement of Seto Bagdoyan, Director, Forensic Audits and Investigative Service, Testimony Before the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, U.S. Senate
"Created in the mid-1980s, FCC's [Federal Communications Commission] Lifeline program provides discounts to eligible low-income households for home or wireless telephone and, as of December 2016, broadband service. Lifeline reimburses telephone companies that offer discounts through the USF [Universal Service Fund], which in turn is generally supported by consumers by means of a fee charged on their telephone bills. This testimony is based on GAO's [Government Accountability Office] May 2017 report and discusses steps FCC has taken to measure Lifeline's performance in meeting goals; steps FCC and USAC [Universal Service Administrative Company] have taken to enhance controls over finances, subscribers, and providers; and any weaknesses that might remain. For the May 2017 report, GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials from FCC and USAC. GAO also analyzed subscriber data from 2014 and performed undercover tests to identify potential improper payment vulnerabilities. The results of this analysis and testing are illustrative, not generalizable. In its May 2017 report, GAO made seven recommendations, including that FCC ensure plans to transfer the USF from the private bank to the Treasury are finalized and implemented expeditiously. FCC generally agreed with all the recommendations."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-14
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High Risk: Status of Prior Recommendations on Federal Management of Programs Serving Indian Tribes, Statement of Melissa Emrey-Arras, Director, Education, Workforce, and Income Security, Testimony Before the Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S. Senate
"GAO's [Government Accountability Office] High-Risk Series identifies federal program areas needing attention from Congress and the executive branch. GAO added federal management of programs that serve Indian tribes and their members to its February 2017 biennial update of highrisk areas in response to serious problems with management and oversight by Interior [Department of the Interior] and HHS [Health and Human Services]. This testimony identifies GAO's recommendations to Interior and HHS from prior GAO reports on the federal management and oversight of Indian education, energy resources, and health care that remain unimplemented. It also examines agencies' recent actions to address the recommendations and the extent to which these actions address GAO's recommendations. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed and analyzed agency documentation on actions taken to implement the recommendations and conducted interviews with agency officials. [...] GAO cited nearly 40 unimplemented recommendations in its February 2017 High Risk report on federal programs for Indian tribes in education, energy development, and health care, and added 12 recommendations in two new reports on BIE [Bureau of Indian Education] school safety and construction in late May of this year. Sustained focus by Interior and HHS in fully implementing these recommendations and continued oversight by Congress are essential to achieving progress in these areas."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-13
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: S. 938: Procurement Fraud Prevention Act
From the document: "S. 938 would require the General Services Administration (GSA) in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget, to ensure that any direct communications with small businesses about providing goods and services to the federal government contain a notice that technical assistance from the federal government on the procurement process is available to small businesses at no cost. According to GSA and the Small Business Administration, many government websites already state that such assistance is available and there would be minimal administrative costs to expand those efforts. Thus, CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates any additional costs to implement S. 938 would total less than $500,000 annually; such spending would be subject to the available of appropriated funds."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-09-13
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Federal Air Marshal Service Has Sufficient Policies and Procedures for Addressing Misconduct
"The TSA [Transportation Security Adminsitration] 'Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015', Public Law 114-53, required us to review FAMS [Federal Air Marshal Service] personnel policies and procedures for identifying misuse of Government resources and existing code of conduct or integrity policies with respect to instances of misconduct. This report contains no recommendations."
United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General
2017-09-13
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Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) [September 12, 2017]
"The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA, Title XIII of P.L. 90-448, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §4001 et seq.), and was recently reauthorized from October 1, 2017, to December 8, 2017. Prior to that, the NFIP was reauthorized by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Title II of P.L. 112-141, henceforth BW-12) from July 6, 2012, to September 30, 2017. Congress amended elements of BW-12, but did not extend the NFIP's authorization further, in the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-89, henceforth HFIAA). The NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through its subcomponent the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA). As of June 2017, the NFIP had 4.94 million flood insurance policies providing approximately $1.23 trillion in coverage. The program collects about $3.5 billion in annual premium revenue. Nationally, as of August 2017, about 22,276 communities in 56 states and jurisdictions participated in the NFIP. According to FEMA, the program saves the nation an estimated $1.87 billion annually in flood losses avoided because of the NFIP's building and floodplain management regulations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Jared T.; Horn, Diane P.
2017-09-12
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FEMA Daily Operations Briefings, September 10- 16, 2017
"This document is a compilation of all the FEMA Daily Operations Briefings from September 10 - 16, 2017. The FEMA Daily Operations Briefing provides an overview of the current emergency management situation nationwide and includes a summary of current significant events, weather activity, recent emergency declarations and projections for the coming week."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2017-09-10?
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: H.R. 2874: 21st Century Flood Reform Act
"H.R. 2874 would authorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to enter into and renew flood insurance policies through fiscal year 2022. Under current law, that authority will expire after December 8, 2017. The legislation also would make a number of changes to the NFIP aimed at improving the financial status of the program and encouraging the growth of a private market for flood insurance. CBO [Congressional Budget Office] estimates that the changes made by this legislation would increase collections from NFIP policyholders but would reduce the number of property owners who purchase insurance through the NFIP. On net, CBO estimates that the changes made by H.R. 2874 would reduce direct spending by $187 million over the 2018-2027 period. CBO also estimates that enacting H.R. 2874 would increase revenues by about $4 million over the 2018-2027 period."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-09-08
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Congressional Considerations Related to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma [September 08, 2017]
"This Insight provides a short overview of issues Congress may consider in relation to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It is not intended to provide up-to-date information on unfolding events. For storm-related updates and the current status of response efforts, see official government sources (e.g., Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Weather Service), congressional advisories from government sources, and/or news media [...] As of noon on September 8, in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, President Trump has issued major disaster declarations for Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and emergency declarations for Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina through the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act). Depending on future consequences, major disaster declarations could yet be made for those areas that have already received emergency declarations. These declarations can also be further amended, as has happened for the Texas declaration, to add counties and types of assistance as warranted. The President has also amended the Texas declaration to decrease the state cost share requirements for some of FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) grants being provided through the Stafford Act."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Jared T.; Carter, Nicole; Horn, Diane P.; Lister, Sarah A.; Painter, William L.
2017-09-08
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Syria's Chemical Weapons: Continuing Challenges [September 08, 2017]
"Since 2014, when the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) announced completion of the destruction of Syria's declared chemical weapons (CW), questions have persisted on the extent of Damascus's undeclared CW and production capacity. International investigators have confirmed repeated chemical weapons attacks in Syria, including chlorine gas attacks attributed to the Asad regime, as well as an April 4, 2017, attack using sarin nerve agent."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nikitin, Mary Beth Dunham
2017-09-08
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MMWR: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, September 8, 2017
The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Series is prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [It] is the agency's primary vehicle for scientific publication of timely, reliable, authoritative, accurate, objective, and useful public health information and recommendations. This issue of MMWR contains the following: "Health-Related Behaviors and Academic Achievement Among High School Students -- United States, 2015;" "Health-Related Behaviors and Academic Achievement Among High School Students -- United States, 2015;" "Update: Increase in Human Infections with Novel Asian Lineage Avian Influenza A(H7N9) Viruses During the Fifth Epidemic - China, October 1, 2016-August 7, 2017;" "Vital Signs: Recent Trends in Stroke Death Rates -- United States, 2000-2015;" "Notes from the Field: Clostridium perfringens Outbreak at a Catered Lunch -- Connecticut, September 2016;" "Announcement: National Food Safety Education Month -- September 2017;" "Announcement: Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation for Intensive Lifestyle Interventions for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes;" "QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Death Rates from Unintentional Falls Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years, by Sex -- National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2000-2015;" and "Notifiable Diseases and Mortality Tables."
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
2017-09-08
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Congressional Primer on Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies [September 08, 2017]
"The principles of disaster management assume a leadership role by the local, state, and tribal governments affected by the incident. The federal government provides coordinated supplemental resources and assistance, only if requested and approved. The immediate response to a disaster is guided by the National Response Framework (NRF), which details roles and responsibilities at various levels of government, along with cooperation from the private and nonprofit sectors, for differing incidents and support functions. A possible declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended) must, in almost all cases, be requested by the governor of a state or the chief executive of an affected Indian tribal government, who at that point has declared that the situation is beyond the capacity of the state or tribe to respond. The governor/chief also determines for which parts of the state/tribal territory assistance will be requested, and suggests the types of assistance programs that may be needed. The President considers the request, in consultation with officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and makes the initial decisions on the areas to be included as well as the programs that are implemented."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Brown, Jared T.; Lindsay, Bruce R.; Petruzzelli, Jaclyn
2017-09-08
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End of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program: Some Immediate Takeaways [September 08, 2017]
"On September 5, 2017, the Trump Administration announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program would be phased out over a six-month period. Established in 2012 under the Obama Administration, DACA permits qualifying unlawfully present aliens who came to the United States as children to obtain a form of relief known as deferred action and, typically, work authorization for a renewable two-year period. While DACA provides for the deferral of any immigration enforcement action (e.g., removal) against a relief recipient, it does not confer any legal immigration status upon relief recipients. In 2015, a group of states and government officials obtained a preliminary injunction preventing implementation of a 2014 expansion of DACA and a related Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) initiative. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed the injunction and an equally divided Supreme Court upheld this decision without opinion. In June 2017, prior to the district court rendering a final decision on the challenge to the lawfulness of DAPA and the DACA expansion, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) largely rescinded the memorandums authorizing these initiatives, but announced that the original DACA program 'will remain in effect.' Possibly prompted by the plaintiffs' notice that they would likely amend their complaint to bring a challenge to the original DACA program, when Attorney General Sessions publicly announced the wind-down of DACA, he declared that the initiative 'is vulnerable to the same legal and constitutional challenges that the courts recognized with the DAPA program.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
2017-09-08
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EMR-ISAC: InfoGram, Volume 17 Issue 36 [September 7, 2017]
The Emergency Management and Response Information Sharing and Analysis Center's (EMR-ISAC) InfoGram is a weekly publication of information concerning the protection of critical infrastructures relevant to members of the Emergency Services Sector. This issue includes the following articles: "Preparing your community for dangers before and after a disaster", "Violence against EMS workers", "Project Responder 5 updates capability needs to meet modern threats", and "Webinar: fire suppression during an active shooter incident."
Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (U.S.)
2017-09-07
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Navy Readiness: Actions Needed to Address Persistent Maintenance, Training, and Other Challenges Facing the Fleet, Statement of John H. Pendleton, Director, Defense Capabilities and Management, Testimony Before the Subcommittees on Readiness and Seapower and Projection Forces, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives
"Since January 2017, the Navy has suffered four significant mishaps at sea that resulted in serious damage to its ships and the loss of 17 sailors. Three of these incidents involved ships homeported in Japan. In response to these incidents, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered an operational pause for all fleets worldwide, and the Vice Chief of Naval Operations directed a comprehensive review of surface fleet operations, stating that these tragic incidents are not limited occurrences but part of a disturbing trend in mishaps involving U.S. ships. This statement provides information on the effects of homeporting ships overseas, reducing crew size on ships, and not completing maintenance on time on the readiness of the Navy and summarizes GAO [Government Accountability Office] recommendations to address the Navy's maintenance, training, and other challenges. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on previously published work since 2015 related to the readiness of ships homeported overseas, sailor training and workload issues, maintenance challenges, and other issues; GAO updated this information, as appropriate, based on Navy data."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-07
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International Mail Security: CBP and USPS Should Assess Costs and Benefits of Using Electronic Advance Data, Statement of Lori Rectanus, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, House of Representatives
"My remarks today are based on our report, which addressed (1) types of items CBP [U.S. Customs and Border Protection] has seized from mail and express cargo sent to the United States; (2) how inbound international items are inspected as they arrive in the United States; and (3) options to collect EAD [electronic advance data] for mail and the costs and benefits of using these data to target mail for inspection. For the purposes of this statement, I will focus primarily on our findings related to USPS's and CBP's efforts to obtain and use EAD to target mail for inspection. Specific details that are related to the screening process and foreign postal operators and that CBP and USPS considered sensitive are not included in our report or this statement."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-07
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Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate: Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements, 2017
The following Congressional Budget Cost Estimate contains Tables explaining the Discretionary Appropriations Spending for three divisions of the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2018. From the document: "Senate Amendment 808 (S.A. 808), the Senate Amendment to the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 601 (READ Act), would add three divisions to the underlying legislation: Division B would provide supplemental appropriations for disaster relief requirements for fiscal year 2017; Division C would provide for a temporary extension of the public debt limit; and Division D contains the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018. The READ Act, as amended by the Senate, would codify many of the practices and programs relating to education assistance at the U.S. Agency for International Development. CBO estimates that the READ Act, as amended, would not affect direct spending or revenues."
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2017-09-07
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2017 Hurricanes and Army Corps: Background for Flood Response and Recovery [September 07, 2017]
"Hurricanes can produce high winds, storm surge, and heavy precipitation. This Insight summarizes flood-management activities of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE, or Corps) related to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. USACE has three primary flood-related roles relevant to hurricanes: (1) emergency response, (2) owner and operator of flood-risk-reduction projects, (3) assistance with certain nonfederal flood-control infrastructure."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Carter, Nicole; Stern, Charles V.
2017-09-07
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Options to Cease Implementing the Iran Nuclear Agreement [September 07, 2017]
"Trump Administration statements indicate that the Administration does not believe that the 2015 multilateral nuclear agreement with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), addresses the full range of potential threats posed by Iran. Administration officials assert that the Administration is considering ending or altering U.S. implementation of the JCPOA. This report analyzes some of the options the Administration might use to end or alter U.S. implementation of the JCPOA, if there is a decision to do so. These options, which might involve use of procedures in the JCPOA itself or the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act (P.L. 114-17), are not necessarily mutually exclusive. This report does not analyze the advantages and disadvantages of any specific option, or examine in detail the implications of any particular course of action."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Kerr, Paul K.; Heitshusen, Valerie
2017-09-07
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Exceptional Information: Recognizing Threats and Exploiting Opportunities
From the thesis abstract: "Exceptional information (EI) is the manifestation of the unexpected. Historical examples of EI include Robert E. Lee's lost order and the recovery of the German invasion plans into France, known as the Mechelen Incident. The 1997 edition of Field Manual 101-5, Staff Organizations and Operations, accurately described EI as the emergence of an unanticipated or unpredicted event that may present an opportunity for success or reveal an immediate or impending threat. It is crucial therefore for reconnaissance units, commanders, and staffs to be able to identify and apply EI in order to seize opportunities and maintain the initiative on the battlefield to enhance mission success. Applying a mixed methods approach using a combination of a qualitative literature review with a quantitative questionnaire distributed to human participants, this study examines the effect that the concept of EI plays in combat operations as reconnaissance units and staffs attempt to assist the commander in visualizing and understanding their environment."
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Wolfe, Jason R.
2017-09-06
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Environmental Protection: Status of GAO Recommendations Made to EPA Since Fiscal Year 2007, Statement of J. Alfredo Gómez, Director, Natural
Resources and Environment, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives
"EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. To accomplish this mission, EPA develops and enforces environmental regulations; awards grants; and studies environmental issues, among other things. GAO [Government Accountability Office] has conducted reviews focused on various aspects of EPA's operations and programs. Through this work, GAO has made numerous recommendations to improve EPA's performance and the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. GAO follows up with executive branch agencies to determine the extent to which they have implemented its recommendations. In fiscal year 2015, GAO began sending letters annually to the heads of key executive branch agencies, including EPA, identifying unimplemented recommendations that warrant priority attention. This statement discusses (1) the status of EPA's implementation of GAO recommendations made since fiscal year 2007 and how these recommendations relate to EPA's operations and programs and (2) examples of benefits realized by EPA and others based on GAO's work, including through the agency's implementation of these recommendations. This statement is based on GAO's work since fiscal year 2007 and on an analysis of recommendations GAO has made to EPA during this period."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-06
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Telecommunications: Additional Action Needed to Address Significant Risks in FCC's Lifeline Program, Statement of Seto Bagdoyan, Director, Forensic Audits and Investigative Service, Testimony Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Senate
"Created in the mid-1980s, FCC's [Federal Communications Commission] Lifeline program provides discounts to eligible low-income households for home or wireless telephone and, as of December 2016, broadband service. Lifeline reimburses telephone companies that offer discounts through the USF [Universal Service Fund], which in turn is generally supported by consumers by means of a fee charged on their telephone bills. This testimony is based on GAO's [Government Accountability Office] May 2017 report and discusses steps FCC has taken to measure Lifeline's performance in meeting goals; steps FCC and USAC [Universal Service Administrative Company] have taken to enhance controls over finances, subscribers, and providers; and any weaknesses that might remain. For the May 2017 report, GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials from FCC and USAC. GAO also analyzed subscriber data from 2014 and performed undercover tests to identify potential improper payment vulnerabilities. The results of this analysis and testing are illustrative, not generalizable."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2017-09-06
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Artificial Intelligence: A Revolution Waiting to Happen
From the thesis abstract: "Artificial Intelligence is a rapidly emerging and influential technology that seeks to develop intelligent agents that can replace or improve on human performance in many aspects of human life. The scope for implementation is vast, and the world's leading technology is based not in the military, but the civilian sector. Historians have provided a context for understanding dramatic changes in the military, and have categorized this change by external and internal drivers. The Military Revolution and Revolution in Military Affairs are used as a vehicle to provide context to the emerging properties of Artificial Intelligence research. Analysis of AI [Artificial Intelligence] is exams the related but significantly different theories of General and Narrow AI. At the current level of research, it is clear that Narrow AI has potential to develop into many important RMAs [Revolution in Military Affairs], limited by innovative concepts and organizational desire to change. General AI, on the other hand, looms in theoretical form as a potentially significant change to the social-military order."
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Bates, Stephen James Karl
2017-09-06
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Fueling an Epidemic: Insys Therapeutics and the Systemic Manipulation of Prior Authorization
"The opioid epidemic has exacted a staggering human and financial cost in the United States over the past 20 years. Approximately 183,000 Americans died from prescription opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2015, with more than 15,000 Americans dying in 2015 alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2015 '[t]he age-adjusted rate of drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2015…was more than 2.5 times the rate in 1999.' Provisional 2016 statistics from the CDC also show that '[d]rug deaths involving fentanyl more than doubled from 2015 to 2016,' and 'deaths involving synthetic opioids, mostly fentanyls, have risen to more than 20,000 from 3,000 in just three years.' In Missouri, the rate of prescription opioid-related inpatient hospitalizations and emergency room visits more than doubled from 187 per 100,000 to 424 per 100,000 between 2005 and 2014. Similarly, Medicare Part D spending on commonly abused opioids increased 165% between 2006 and 2015, and one out of three Part D recipients received at least one prescription opioid in 2016 at a cost of $4.1 billion."
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
2017-09-06
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Disaster Debris Management: Requirements, Challenges, and Federal Agency Roles [September 06, 2017]
"Every year, disasters such as wildfires, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanoes, and winter storms affect American communities. In the aftermath of a major disaster, a potential threat to safety and obstacle to recovery is the presence of significant amounts of disaster debris. Depending on the type of disaster, debris may include waste soils and sediments; trees, limbs, and shrubs; man-made structures (e.g., collapsed homes, buildings, or bridges); and personal property. Residents' ability to return to the area and live in a safe and healthy environment may depend on how quickly and effectively a community manages its debris. To avoid overburdening existing landfill space, many communities attempt to divert as much debris as possible from area landfills through recycling, burning, composting, or another method of volume reduction. The logistics of such diversion can prove complicated without proper predisaster planning."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Luther, Linda G.
2017-09-06
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Leadership or Hegemony? Investigating U.S. Command of the Sea and Implications for U.S. Grand Strategy
From the thesis abstract: "The United States was recognized as the sole international superpower following the Cold War and has since based its grand strategy on a universally acknowledged command of the global commons. At the turn of the 21st century, the U.S. was fully dominant in its command of sea and space, and largely uncontested in its command of the air. However, in the years since, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have made significant military advances in all three arenas and the global picture has expanded to include cyberspace and nonstate actors. This work argues that the U.S. no longer commands the sea; offers implications for naval doctrine, strategy, and acquisitions; and provides vital lessons to inform U.S. grand strategy."
U.S. Army Command and General Staff College
Edwards, Jennifer
2017-09-06
