FederalDaily - October 1, 2007

GAO: Fixes Slow in Coming at Walter Reed

Despite assurances earlier this year by the Army that it would clean up systemic problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military hospitals, evidence of long-term improvements remains lacking, said a congressional report issued Sept. 26. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) report—submitted in testimony at a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee hearing—examined how well improvements have proceeded at Walter Reed, which was the subject of media accounts in February that disclosed troublesome deficiencies in the provision of services for returning servicemembers. The GAO report noted that promised fixes that followed the revelations now are threatened by staff shortages and uncertainty about how best to improve long-term care for wounded troops. “The Army took near-term actions to respond to reported deficiencies about the care and services provided to its returning servicemembers,” the report said. “However, challenges remain to overcome long-standing problems and ensure sustainable progress…” To see more, go to: www.gao.gov/highlights/d071256thigh.pdf.

:: Back to Top ::

Lawmakers Call for More Personnel to Secure Northern Border

Several members of the Senate on Sept. 27 called for an increased Border Patrol (BP) presence along the nation’s northern border. The lawmakers were reacting to a Government Accountability Office investigation in which government agents were able to sneak into the United States carrying simulated radiological materials. GAO investigators were able to cross the border undetected at seven mostly rural border junctions, four at the northern border and three at the border with Mexico. The GAO findings point out the difficulty of protecting the border in rural areas, said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Baucus and other lawmakers noted the disparity between the numbers of agents on the southern and northern borders. As of May 2007, Customs and Border Protection had fewer than 1,000 BP agents on the northern border, while it had 12,000 agents on the southern border, Baucus said. “The GAO investigation raises serious questions about the balance of resources on both borders,” said Baucus. To see more, go to: http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2007press/prb092707.pdf. and http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d07884thigh.pdf.

:: Back to Top ::

Health Care Reform Bill Would Create New Federal Board

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., on Sept. 27 introduced a bill that would attempt to spur health care reform by creating a 12-member federal government entity modeled after the Federal Reserve Board. The new government organization would establish national standards for basic health plans and for policy minimums, and would implement a clearinghouse structure for the disclosure of pricing from providers and payers. It would not mandate universal health care coverage. All of its members would be appointed by the president. “No issue is more important to the future of America than health care,” Hagel said in a statement. “America’s competitive position in the world will be directly linked to our nation’s capacity to increase access to sustainable, affordable and quality health care for all Americans.” To see more, go to: http://hagel.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail
&PressRelease_id=219557&Month=9&Year=2007.

:: Back to Top ::