Before the Gilded Age is the first modern and thorough biography of William Wilson Corcoran (1798-1888), one of the nation's earliest and most successful political insiders, financiers, philanthropists, and shapers of the emerging cultural elite during the era before the Gilded Age. He was a college dropout (Georgetown College) who became one of the richest men in Washington. A controversial figure in his own time and ours, Corcoran was a masterful political "shapeshifter" whose chameleonlike ability to work both sides of the Mason-Dixon line during and after the Civil War enabled him to thrive seamlessly between sitting out the war in Europe while rumors of treason swirled around him and then returning to the capital after the Union victory. He was friendly with Robert E. Lee and William Tecumseh Sherman; Jefferson Davis and Daniel Webster. He owned at least two individuals and worked to end Home Rule, disenfranchising the voters of Washington, DC, and ending Reconstruction in the District. He was one of the earliest consistent practitioners of the much-reviled activity of lobbying. And he devised the strategy to leverage public debt to finance the US prosecution of the Mexican-American War. Yet he also played a key role in stabilizing and merchandizing US financial securities at home and abroad, created a bank that remained independent for 175 years (Riggs Bank), and founded the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Corcoran's failings are examined along with his contributions to some of the major developments in finance and philanthropy of his era"--
The Vet. Health Admin. (VHA) operates one of the largest integrated health care systems in the country. Better mgmt. of VHA's large inventory of aged capital assets could result in savings that could be used to enhance health care services for vets. In response, VHA initiated a process known as Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES). Through CARES, VHA sought to determine the future resources needed to provide health care to our nation's vets. This testimony describes: (1) how CARES contributes to VHA's capital planning process; (2) the extent to which VHA has implemented CARES decisions; and (3) the legal authorities that VHA has to manage its real property and the extent to which VHA has used these authorities.
The Federal Protective Service (FPS) is responsible for providing law enforcement and related security services for nearly 9,000 federal facilities under the control and custody of the General Services Admin. (GSA). In 2004 a set of key protection practices was identified from the collective practices of federal agencies and the private sector, which included allocation of resources using risk management, strategic management of human capital, leveraging of technology, information sharing and coordination, and performance measurement and testing. This testimony is based on past reports and testimonies and discusses: (1) limitations FPS faces in protecting GSA buildings and resulting vulnerabilities; and (2) actions FPS is taking.
There is ongoing concern about the security of federal buildings and their occupants. The Federal Protective Service (FPS) within the Dept. of Homeland Security is responsible for providing law enforcement and related security services for nearly 9,000 federal buildings under the control and custody of the General Services Admin. (GSA). In 2004, a set of key protection practices from the collective practices of federal agencies and the private sector was identified that included: allocating resources using risk management, leveraging technology, and information sharing and coordination. This report determined whether FPS's security efforts for GSA buildings reflected key practices. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all full-power TV stations in the U.S. to cease analog broadcasting after Feb. 17, 2009, known as the digital television (DTV) transition. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is responsible for implementing a subsidy program to provide households with up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converter boxes. This report examines: (1) what consumer education efforts have been undertaken by private and fed. stakeholders; and (2) how effective NTIA has been in implementing the converter box subsidy program, and to what extent consumers are participating in the program. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.
Access to broadband service is seen as vital to economic, social, and educational development, yet many areas of the country lack access to, or their residents do not use, broadband. To expand broadband deployment and adoption, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) provided $7.2 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Admin. (NTIA) and the Dept. of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for grants or loans to a variety of program applicants. The agencies must award all funds by Sept. 30, 2010. This report addresses the challenges NTIA and RUS face; steps taken to address challenges; and remaining risks in: (1) evaluating applications and awarding funds; and (2) overseeing funded projects. Illus.
Telemedicine offers a way to improve health care access for patients in rural areas. The FCC's Rural Health Care Program provides discounts on rural health care providers' telecomm. and info. services and funds broadband infrastructure and services. This report reviewed: (1) how FCC has managed the primary program to meet the needs of rural health care providers, and how well the program has addressed those needs; (2) how FCC's design and implementation of the pilot program affected participants; and (3) FCC's performance goals and measures for both the primary program and the pilot program, and how these goals compare with the characteristics of successful performance goals and measures. Illus. This is a print on demand report.
On 17 February 2009, federal law requires all full-power television stations in the United States to cease analogue broadcasting, enabling the government to reclaim valuable spectrum that the broadcasters currently use for analogue broadcasts. This change, often referred to as the digital television (DTV) transition, requires action by broadcasters and consumers to ensure broadcast television signals are still available and viewable. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) created a program to subsidise consumers' purchases of digital-to-analogue converter boxes. After the transition, households with analogue sets that rely on over-the-air broadcast signals must take action or they will lose television service, but some households might not be aware of this potential disruption.
The Digital Television (DTV) Transition and Public Safety Act requires all full-power TV stations in the U.S. to cease analog broadcasting by Feb. 17, 2009. Low-power stations are not required to cease analog transmissions and most will continue broadcasting in analog. Fed. law also requires the National Telecomm. and Info. Admin. to subsidize consumers¿ purchases of digital-to-analog converter boxes. This testimony provides info. on: (1) technical and coord. issues facing full-power broadcast stations as they transition to digital; (2) issues pertaining to low-power broadcasting and how they affect consumers; and (3) the extent to which Amer. households are aware of the DTV transition and likely to utilize the converter box subsidy program.
Congress has authorized the FCC to assign telecomm. licenses through auctions, and required more spectrum to be transferred from fed. gov¿t. use to commercial use. In an OMB Feb. 2007 report, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) requested $3.6 million from the Spectrum Relocation Fund to relocate electronic surveillance operations. In Nov. 2007, OMB notified Congress that it had approved a request from ICE for a subsequent transfer of monies from the Fund. ICE received a subsequent transfer of $35 million -- 10 times the amount it had originally received. OMB has since approved subsequent transfer to 3 other affected fed. entities. This report provides an assessment of the explanation for the subsequent transfer. Illus.
The war on terrorism has made physical security for federal facilities a governmentwide concern. The Interagency Security Committee (ISC), which is chaired by the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS), is tasked with coordinating federal agencies' facility protection efforts, developing protection standards, & overseeing implementation. This report: (1) assesses ISC's progress in fulfilling its responsibilities & (2) identifies key practices in protecting federal facilities & any related implementation obstacles. Includes recommendations. Charts & tables.
Access to broadband service is seen as vital to economic, social, and educational development, yet many areas of the country lack access to, or their residents do not use, broadband. To expand broadband deployment and adoption, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $7.2 billion to the National Telecommunications and Information Admin. (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) for grants or loans to a variety of program applicants. The agencies must award all funds by Sept. 30, 2010. This testimony provides preliminary information on the challenges NTIA and RUS face; the steps taken to address challenges; and the remaining risks in: (1) evaluating applications and awarding funds; and (2) overseeing funded projects. Illus.
To accomplish its mission of protecting about 9,000 fed. facilities, the Fed. Protective Service (FPS) currently has a budget of about $1 billion, about 1,200 full time employees, and about 13,000 contract security guards. This testimony discusses findings on: (1) the extent to which FPS ensures that its guards have the required training and certifications before being deployed to a fed. facility; (2) the extent to which FPS ensures that its guards comply with their assigned responsibilities (post orders) once they are deployed at fed. facilities; and (3) security vulnerabilities recently identified related to FPS's guard program. To address these objectives, the auditor conducted site visits at 6 of FPS's 11 regions, and interviewed numerous FPS officials. Illustrations.
In Jan. 2003, fed. real property was designated as a high-risk area, citing the gov¿t. over-reliance on costly, long-term leasing. Building ownership often costs less than operating leases, esp. for long-term space needs. This report identifies: (1) the profile of domestically held, federally leased space incl. the overall amount and type of space that agencies lease, and any related trends; (2) the factors that drive agencies to lease space that may be more cost-effective to own; and (3) any actions taken by the admin. and alternative approaches proposed to address this issue. The author interviewed officials from the GSA, the OMB, and the USPS. Also reviewed 10 building leases that were among those with the largest dollar value. Includes recommendations. Tables.
Congress is considering legislation that would expand copyright protection for sound recordings. In particular, the proposed Performance Rights Act would eliminate an exemption that currently allows analog, non-subscription AM and FM radio to broadcast a sound recording without acquiring permission from and paying a royalty to the copyright holder, performers, and musicians. This report reviewed: (1) the current economic challenges facing the recording and broadcast radio industries; (2) the benefits both industries receive from their current relationship; (3) the potential effects of the proposed act on the broadcast radio industry; and (4) the potential effects of the proposed act on the recording industry. Charts and tables.
This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Rapid changes in the telecomm. industry, such as the develop. of broadband technologies, present new regulatory challenges for the FCC. This report determined: (1) the extent to which FCC's bureau structure presents challenges for the agency in adapting to an evolving marketplace; (2) the extent to which FCC's decision-making processes present challenges for FCC, and what opportunities, if any, exist for improvement; and (3) the extent to which FCC's personnel management and workforce planning efforts face challenges in ensuring that FCC has the workforce needed to achieve its mission. The author conducted lit. searches to identify proposed reforms, criteria, and internal control standards and compared them with FCC's practices.
The Smithsonian Institution is the world¿s largest museum complex. Its funding comes from its own private trust fund assets and federal appropriations. The Smithsonian Board of Regents, the Smithsonian¿s governing body, is responsible for the long-term stewardship of the Smithsonian. In recent years, there have been significant governance and accountability breakdowns at the Smithsonian, which could ultimately put funding and the organization¿s credibility at risk. In 2007 the Board of Regents Governance Comm. released a report recommending 42 governance reforms. This report provides an update on the status of the Smithsonian¿s implementation of governance reforms recommended by the Board of Regents Governance Comm. Illus.
Radio frequency spectrum enables vital wireless communications services used by the federal gov¿t., businesses, and consumers. Spectrum capacity is necessary for wireless broadband (high-speed Internet access) and broadband deployment will boost the nation's capabilities in many important areas. As the demand for spectrum continues to increase, there is concern about adequate access to meet future needs. This report examines: (1) how the Nat. Telecomm. and Info. Admin. (NTIA) is managing spectrum needs of federal agencies; (2) how federal agencies are using and managing assigned spectrum; and (3) what steps NTIA has taken to meet recent initiatives aimed at making spectrum available for broadband. Illus. This is a print on demand report.
In Sept. & Oct. 2001, at least 4 letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media personnel & 2 U.S. Senators, leading to the first cases of bioterrorism-related anthrax in the U.S. Nine postal employees assoc. with 2 postal facilities that processed the letters -- Trenton, NJ & Brentwood, DC -- contracted anthrax. The USPS closed Trenton & Brentwood, but other contaminated postal facilities remained open. This report covers Trenton, Brentwood, & 3 of these other facilities. It describes: the factors considered in deciding whether to close the 5 facilities; the info. communicated to postal employees about health risk & the extent of the facilities' contam'n.; & how lessons learned from the response to the contam'n. could be used in future situations.
There has been a significant increase in the prevalence of certain chronic disorders among children and adolescents. For example, health experts warn of an epidemic of diabetes mellitus due to an increase in the sedentary life style and poor nutrition of children. There are many questions still to be addressed in the study of chronic disorders among children and adolescents.What are the risk factors associated with chronic diseases in these populations?What are the major complications that contribute to disability and increased health care utilization and costs? What impact do chronic diseases have on the psychosocial development? What are the most effective diagnostic, treatment,and rehabilitation strategies? How can patient education and self-management activities be improved to help children and adolescents improve compliance with treatment regimens? How can parents and other family members become more involved in assessment and management? In what ways can peers, schools,religious institutions, and other organizations help children and adolescent scope with their chronic disease? This book addresses these questions by focusing on how eight chronic disorders affect health care utilization, costs, coping, and health outcomes in children and adolescents.Research studies are used to illustrate wide range of topics from the epidemiology of chronic diseases in children and adolescents, health care utilization and costs, to treatment outcomes, disability, and family processes.Case studies from a clinical psychologist’s private practice are used to clarify major psychosocial issues underlying chronic diseases in these populations. Chapter One analyzes the epidemiology of eight chronic conditions in children and adolescents. Data on the prevalence of diseases and associated risk factors are stressed in this chapter. Health care planners can use these analyses to improve primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention through more effective uses of health care resources. Chapter Two examines the latest information on health care utilization and costs for children and adolescents that can point to a more efficient means of reducing the rising health care costs associated with the treatment of chronic diseases. In the remaining chapters, the eight chronic diseases are evaluated in terms of five major issues. First, the latest trends in complications associated with each chronic condition are explored.Second, the impact of each disease on disability and psychosocial development of children and adolescents are analyzed. Third, recent research findings on diagnosis,treatment, and rehabilitation strategies are discussed. Fourth, new trends in patient education and self-management are presented. Fifth, each chapter will assess the role of family, peers, schools, and other organizations in helping children and adolescents cope with their chronic disorders. Dr. Mark L. Goldstein, a clinical psychologist, reviews the literature and uses composite case studies from his practice to illustrate the impact of these trends on how children and adolescents manage chronic disease. The information in this book will be relevant to a wide range of professionals and students in the fields of pediatrics, medicine, nursing, public health, mental health, social work,education, health administration, health policy, and social sciences.
Since the early 1990s the world has seen an explosion of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) between North and South. Mark Manger argues that current North-South PTAs are not primarily about liberalizing exports as is usually assumed. Rather, they are driven by the needs of foreign direct investment. The interests of multinational firms in investing in developing countries converge with the desires of the host countries to attract foreign capital. Yet to be politically feasible in the developed country, North-South PTAs must discriminate against third countries. PTAs thus create a competitive dynamic between countries, as excluded firms lobby their governments to restore access to important investment locations, leading to yet more preferential agreements. Based on extensive research in Europe, Japan, and the Americas and interviews with decision-makers in governments and the private sector, this book offers a new perspective on the roles of the state and corporations in international trade.
Focusing on the most prevalent conditions affecting seniors - including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and fibromyalgia - Morewitz and Goldstein analyze the impact of chronic disease on aging. Separate chapters are devoted to cognitive changes, psychological problems, and trends in health care utilization, and all chapters are amplified by current research findings.
The Digital TV Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all full-power TV stations in the U.S. to cease analog broadcasting after Feb. 17, 2009, known as the digital TV transition. The Nat. Telecomm. and Info. Admin. (NTIA) is responsible for implementing a subsidy program to provide households with up to two $40 coupons toward the purchase of converter boxes. In this testimony, which is principally based on a recently issued report, the author examines: (1) what consumer education efforts have been undertaken by private and fed. stakeholders; and (2) how effective NTIA has been in implementing the converter box subsidy program, and to what extent consumers are participating in the program. Illustrations.
In Jan. 2003, fed. real property was designated as a high-risk area because of long-standing problems with excess and underutilized property, deteriorating facilities, unreliable real property data, over-reliance on costly leasing, and security challenges. In Jan. 2009, it was found that agencies have taken some positive steps to address real property issues but that some of the core problems persist. This testimony focuses on: (1) progress made by major real property-holding agencies to strategically manage real property; (2) ongoing problems regarding agencies' efforts to address real property issues; and (3) underlying obstacles identified as hampering agencies' real property reform efforts governmentwide. Illustrations.
This volume combines academic research, study aids and a range of case studies to create a practical introduction to human relations in the business environment. It utilizes a thematic approach that provides coverage of both organizational issues and issues of personal adjustment in the workplace, plus examples drawn from over 90 small and large companies put concepts in a real-world context. The text incorporates an approach to critical thinking and analysis called productive thinking, in which students are guided to analyze problems and apply solutions to everyday issues.
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