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PESTICIDES: LIMITED TESTING FINDS FEW

EXPORTED UNREGISTERED PESTICIDE VIOLATIONS ON
IMPORTED FOOD

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found few residue violations for pesticides that were produced in the United States, exported to other countries, and possibly used on food imported into the United States. FDA was prevented from testing for all such pesticides, however, because it did not identify all of them and because test methods were not always available. Manufacturers are not required to provide reference standards and test methods for unregistered pesticides, and without that information, FDA cannot perform the necessary tests to ensure that violations are not occurring. (RCED-94-1)

NUCLEAR WEAPONS: SAFETY, TECHNICAL, AND MANPOWER ISSUES SLOW DOE'S DISASSEMBLY EFFORTS

The Department of Energy (DOE) has established a very ambitious schedule for disassembling retired nuclear weapons. In the past, transportation problems have limited DOE's ability to meet the schedule, and safety, storage, and manpower problems could limit future disassembly capacity. DOE should reevaluate its disassembly schedule to ensure that its goals do not conflict with safety. (RCED-94-9)

FOREIGN MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL:

DIVERSION OF U.S. FUNDS AND CIRCUMVENTION OF
U.S. PROGRAM RESTRICTIONS

Testimony by the Director of the Office of Special Investigations, Richard C. Stiener

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Pratt & Whitney, a U.S. jet engine manufacturer and defense contractor, was involved in transactions that diverted U.S. foreign military assistance funds intended for the Israeli military. Although aware of problems with the program in 1987, the Israeli government did not establish significant new program controls until 1990. In 1993, the Department of Defense tried to provide better oversight by eliminating direct commercial contracts and requiring that funds be allocated through the Foreign Military Sales program managed by U.S. agencies. GAO, however, concluded that these sales are also vulnerable to abuse. (T-OSI-94-9)

November

1993

63 Reports to Congress

17 Testimonies

HIGH-SPEED GROUND TRANSPORTATION: ISSUES AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES

Incremental improvements to existing railroad systems—such as electrifying rights-of-way, eliminating grade crossings, installing new tracks and signals, and acquiring new trains can be built for about $10 million per mile, making them less costly than other high-speed ground transportation options and more likely to be built in the near term. The Department of Transportation, however, needs to, among other things, focus on a limited number of projects to ensure that funding is sufficient to complete these projects. (RCED-94-29)

INTERSTATE BANKING: BENEFITS AND RISKS OF REMOVING REGULATORY RESTRICTIONS

Removing interstate banking and branching restrictions could benefit the safety and the soundness of the industry, the regulatory process, and bank customers by encouraging the growth of larger, more geographically diversified banking companies. However, removing such restrictions poses financial and service quality risks as well. These risks can be minimized by limiting interstate expansion to well-run and well-capitalized institutions, properly implementing the early closure and safety and soundness provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, and vigilant antitrust enforcement. (GGD-94-26)

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Thefts and attempted thefts of small arms parts from the military supply system, including those for the military M16 rifle, continue. Some of the parts stolen can be used to convert civilian semiautomatic weapons into automatic weapons. An indicator of the pervasiveness of these thefts is that military small arms parts are readily available to the public at gun shows across the country. The thefts have gone undetected for years because of inattentive management and the lack of internal controls—that is, basic checks on the ordering and the handling of the parts. (T-NSIAD-94-79)

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