Recent GAO reports

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION: Status of Efforts to Address a Range of Funding and Governance Challenges, GAO-08-250T (pdf, 32pp/1MB), December 12, 2007

This testimony by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a follow-up to its September 2007 report, Smithsonian Institution: Funding Challenges Affect Facilities' Conditions and Security, Endangering Collections, GAO-07-1127 (pdf, 90pp/2.7MB). The testimony focuses on three areas: (1) the Smithsonian's real property management efforts, (2) the Smithsonian's strategies to fund its revitalization, construction, and maintenance projects, and (3) governance changes made by the Smithsonian's Board of Regents.


PRIVATE PENSIONS: Low Defined Contribution Plan Savings May Pose Challenges to Retirement Security, Especially for Many Low-Income Workers, GAO-08-8 (pdf, 65pp/1MB), November 29, 2007

Based on the 2004 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the latest available, GAO found: (1) only 36 percent of workers participated in a defined contribution (DC) plan; (2) the median account balance was $22,800; and (3) recent regulatory and legislative changes could promote DC plan coverage, participation, and savings.


AVIATION RUNWAY AND RAMP SAFETY: Sustained Efforts to Address Leadership, Technology, and Other Challenges Needed to Reduce Accidents and Incidents, GAO-08-29 (pdf, 92pp/5.3MB), November 20, 2007

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is implementing the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to handle increased volumes of air traffic. At airports, FAA provides safety oversight on runways while oversight of ramp areas is handled by airlines and the airports. GAO cites insufficient data hindering progress in promoting safety in these areas. GAO also faults the FAA's Office of Runway Safety for not fulfilling its leadership role. Among GAO's recommendations is to address air traffic controller overtime and fatigue issues.


DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Increased Federal Planning and Risk Management Could Further Facilitate the DTV Transition, GAO-08-43 (pdf, 54pp/1.3MB), November 19, 2007

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 requires all television stations to stop analog broadcasting by Feb. 17, 2009, and transition to digital television (DTV). The act also requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to subsidize consumers' purchases of digital-to-analog converter boxes. GAO reports on the progress made in (1) facilitating the transition, (2) educating consumers, and (3) implementing the converter box subsidy program.

DIGITAL TELEVISION TRANSITION: Questions on the DTV Converter Box Subsidy Program and a DTV Inter-Agency Task Force, GAO-08-297R (pdf, 5pp/100kB), November 19, 2007

In the subsidy program, GAO sees "challenges" such as the readiness of retailers to accept coupons, issues relating to inventory planning, and especially the coordination of NTIA, its contractor IBM, converter box manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.