Fact Sheet: “Today, President Obama signs the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009, marking a turning point for American consumers and ending the days of unfair rate hikes and hidden fees. Americans need a healthy flow of credit in our economy, but for too long credit card contracts and practices have… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: May 2009
New GAO Reports: End-Stage Renal Disease, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Contractors
End-Stage Renal Disease: CMS Should Monitor Effect of Bundled Payment on Home Dialysis Utilization Rates, GAO-09-537, May 22, 2009 Federal Transit Administration: Progress and Challenges in Implementing and Evaluating the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program, GAO-09-496, May 21, 2009 Federal Contractors: Better Performance Information Needed to Support Agency Contract Award Decisions, GAO-09-374, April 23,… Continue Reading
Treasury OIG: OTS Involvement With Backdated Capital Contributions by Thrifts
OIG-09-037 Safety and Soundness: OTS Involvement With Backdated Capital Contributions by Thrifts, May 21, 2009 We reviewed the circumstances surrounding the backdating of capital contributions to prior periods at six thrifts and concluded that the backdating of these transactions was inappropriate for all six thrifts. For one thrift, the OTS Senior Deputy Director directed… Continue Reading
DOD OIG: Afghanistan Security Forces Fund Phase III, Accountability for Weapons Distributed to Afghanistan National Army
D-2009-075 Afghanistan Security Forces Fund Phase III-Accountability for Weapons Distributed to the Afghanistan National Army, May 21, 2009 (Project No. D2007-D000LQ-0161.005) We identified material internal control weaknesses in accounting for weapons provided to the Afghanistan National Army (ANA). Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A( did not have a formal process in place to transfer weapons to… Continue Reading
Economist: The world's best banks – A short list
As the dust starts to settle, which banks deserve the most plaudits?: “After months of indiscriminate fear, widespread losses and government hand-holding, the banking industry is gradually stabilising. Money markets are steadily calming. American banks that got a clean bill of health in this months stress tests are queuing up to repay government money. A… Continue Reading
The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government 2009
“The Best Places to Work rankings the most comprehensive and authoritative rating of employee satisfaction and commitment in the federal government are produced by the Partnership for Public Service and American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation (ISPPI).” Continue Reading
Fact Sheet: Obama Administration National Fuel Efficiency Policy
“The proposed national autos program adopts uniform federal standards to regulate both fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions while preserving the legal authorities of DOT, EPA and California. The program covers model year 2012 to model year 2016 and ultimately requires an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 mpg in 2016. The result is a… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Endangered Species Act, Hearing on ATC Modernization, FAA Personnel Reform
Endangered Species Act: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Has Incomplete Information about Effects on Listed Species from Section 7 Consultations, GAO-09-550, May 21, 2009 Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Request: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-09-699T, May 21, 2009 Responses to Questions for the Record: March 18, 2009, Hearing on ATC Modernization: Near-Term Achievable Goals, GAO-09-718R,… Continue Reading
Largest Quarterly Decline in Farmland Value Since 1985
The Agricultural Newsletter from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Number 1944, May 2009: “There was a quarterly decrease of 6 percent in the value of good agricultural landthe largest quarterly decline since 1985according to a survey of 227 bankers in the Seventh Federal Reserve District on April 1, 2009. Also, the year-over-year increase in… Continue Reading
Senate Oversight Hearing: Troubled Assets Relief Program
Oversight of the Troubled Assets Relief Program – The witness was The Honorable Timothy Geithner, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Statement by Timothy F. Geithner U.S. Secretary of the Treasury before the Senate Banking Committee, May 20, 2009 Continue Reading
Fact Sheets: Helping Families Save Their Homes Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act
News release: “Today, President Obama…sign[ed] the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act into law…The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act is an important step towards stabilizing and reforming our nations financial and housing markets helping American homeowners and increasing the flow of credit during these difficult economic… Continue Reading
Senate Oversight Hearing: Troubled Assets Relief Program
Oversight of the Troubled Assets Relief Program – The witness was The Honorable Timothy Geithner, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Statement by Timothy F. Geithner U.S. Secretary of the Treasury before the Senate Banking Committee, May 20, 2009: “Today, just four months into President Obamas term of office, there are important indications that our… Continue Reading
