Hearings

PURPOSE: To examine the Administration’s efforts to implement the DATA Act. To discuss actions taken by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) to respond to prior Government Accountability Office and Treasury Inspector General recommendations. BACKGROUND: The DATA Act modernizes federal spending data by requiring agencies to report detailed, program level ...

TAKEAWAYS: OMB is intentionally misleading Congress by withholding subpoenaed documents and information related to the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rulemaking process. Chairman Chaffetz announced his intention to enforce the subpoena, and raised the prospect of holding Office of Information and Regulatory (OIRA)  Administrator Howard  Shelanksi in contempt if OIRA continues to withhold the documents. DHS was

PURPOSE: To examine the most serious problems facing the American taxpayer as identified by the Taxpayer Advocate in the 2015 annual report.   BACKGROUND: The National Taxpayer Advocate is an independent office within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) The advocate, appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, was established to help taxpayers handle issues with the IRS, identify problem areas for ...

PURPOSE: To examine the benefits service dogs can provide to veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To question the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on its existing policy and issues related to its problematic study. BACKGROUND: The FY2010 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the VA to conduct a three-year study on the costs and benefits of providing service dogs to veterans ...

PURPOSE: To examine Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority’s (WMATA) most significant challenges and the issues that led to a complete shutdown of the system. BACKGROUND: ...

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PURPOSE: To review the current surge of foreign nationals entering, or attempting to enter illegally, along the southern border. To examine U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s efforts to respond. To examine the resources available to CBP to identify, apprehend, and remove aliens who may pose a risk to the American people. BACKGROUND: The border security mission of the Department of Homeland ...

PURPOSE: To examine recent management of oil and gas lease sales by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). BACKGROUND: The Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (MLA) gives the Secretary of the Interior the authority to sell leases for the development of fossil fuels on federal lands. Under the MLA, BLM is authorized to conduct competitive and noncompetitive leasing of lands for oil and gas production and ...

PURPOSE: To examine the opportunities and challenges in healthcare delivery in the information technology age. To explore ways to leverage technology to improve healthcare. BACKGROUND: Numerous Health Information Technology (Health IT) innovations exist to monitor health and fitness and improve health outcomes, including electronic health records, wearable devices, apps, and next generation medical ...

TAKEAWAYS: Drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. Experts believe the current epidemic of opioid abuse has contributed to an increase in heroin deaths as opioid consumers move towards heroin use. In recent years, opioid-related overdoses have begun to decrease while heroin-related overdoses have sharply increased. According to the DEA, Mexican based criminal organizations are the ...