CEOs Develop Recommendations for the Obama Presidency

This week CEOs gathered in Washington for The Wall Street Journal CEO Council, a meeting of top executives and policy makers aimed at discussing critical issues facing President-elect Barack Obama's incoming administration. Topics such as health, energy and the environment were high on the agenda, though none trumped executives' concern about the economy. The invited CEOs were largely white males with few women and very few people of color. Participant List The identified health care priorities included obesity, tort reform, payment reform. The complete list of health priorities is available at this link. After the four task forces presented their proposals to the group, the participants refined them and then voted to rank them. The ranked proposals are available at this link. The final text describing the priorities is here.

GAO Lists Top “Urgent Issues” For Next President And Congress; Unveils New Transition Web Site

Acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro Thursday released a list of 13 urgent issues the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified as among those needing the attention of President-Elect Obama and the 111th Congress during the transition and the first year of the new administration and Congress. The list is the centerpiece of a new Web site GAO launched Thursday that is designed to help make the transition an informed and smooth one across the federal government. “With the serious challenges related to financial markets and the economy, the financial crisis facing the nation, two wars under way, and the first transition since 9/11 and the creation of a Department of Homeland Security, this is absolutely a unique time,” Dodaro said. “GAO has combed through all of our recent work to help identify where our work can help address urgent challenges facing the nation now, to assist new appointees in every agency zero in on the challenges of that particular agency, and to help identify areas with the potential to save the nation billions of dollars. The new Web site is designed to be easy to navigate and to find information since this is a period when appointees have limited time to learn about their new positions and the challenges that come with making a successful transition from campaigning to governing,” Dodaro said. Amendments to the Presidential Transition Act in 2000 included GAO as a resource to incoming administrations, specifically identifying GAO to serve as a source of briefings and other materials. The 13 “Urgent Issues” GAO identified based on its work that require urgent attention and continuing oversight to ensure the nation’s security and well-being are (listed alphabetically): • Caring for Service Members • Defense Readiness • Defense Spending • Food Safety • Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan • Oversight of Financial Institutions and Markets • Preparing for Large-Scale Health Emergencies • Protecting the Homeland • Public Diplomacy and International Broadcasting • Retirement of the Space Shuttle • Surface Transportation • The 2010 Census • Transition to Digital TV In addition to the urgent issues, the new GAO Web site (http://www.gao.gov/transition_2009) will include sections on: Agency-by-Agency Issues Each agency faces a range of distinctive major challenges affecting its mission, budget, and programs. Here, GAO summarizes its work at 28 federal agencies. This section allows new appointees to quickly and easily review GAO’s findings and recommendations on challenges facing each particular agency. Major Cost-Saving Opportunities A number of opportunities exist to limit costs and reduce waste across agencies and programs, as well as increase collection of revenues already due the government. GAO discusses about 50 such opportunities. Management Challenges Across the Government Agencies share a number of management challenges to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness and address current and emerging demands. Long-Term Fiscal Outlook This section describes the federal government's long-term fiscal challenges. Examples of Upcoming GAO reports on Major National Issues GAO's forthcoming work focuses on a wide range of key federal policies and programs. GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, helps meet legislators' need for timely and reliable information on a wide range of government activities. The agency seeks to improve the performance of the federal government and hold it accountable to Congress and, ultimately, the American people. GAO examines the use of public funds; evaluates how well programs and policies are meeting their objectives; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make sound oversight, policy, and funding decisions.

Priority: Technologies for Successful Aging with Disabilities

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces a priority for an RERC for Technologies for Successful Aging With Disability under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The Assistant Secretary may use this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2008 and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend this priority to improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

NIDRR-Notice of final priorities for RRTCs

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces four priorities for RRTCs under the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by NIDRR. The Assistant Secretary may use one or more of these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2008 and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend these priorities to improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Priority 1--Enhancing the Functional and Employment Outcomes of Individuals Who Experience a Stroke. Priority 2--Enhancing the Functional and Employment Outcomes of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis. Priority 3--Aging With Physical Disability: Reducing Secondary Conditions and Enhancing Health and Participation, Including Employment. Priority 4--Participation and Community Living for Individuals With Psychiatric Disabilities. DATES: Effective Date: These priorities are effective August 7, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6029, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7462 or by e-mail: donna.nangle@ed.gov.

NIDRR Notice of final priorities for DRRP and RRTC.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We published a notice of proposed priorities (NPP) for NIDRR's Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program in the Federal Register on April 22, 2008 (73 FR 21607). The NPP included background statements that described our rationale for the three priorities proposed in that notice. There are differences between the NPP and this notice of final priorities (NFP) as discussed in the following section. In this notice, we are announcing one priority for a DRRP and one priority for an RRTC. For the DRRP, the final priority is: Priority 1--Centers on Research and Capacity Building To Improve Outcomes for Individuals With Disabilities From Traditionally Underserved Racial and Ethnic Populations. For the RRTC, the final priority is: Priority 2--Individuals With Disabilities Living in Rural Areas. Note: NIDRR intends to publish a separate notice of final priority for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Technologies for Successful Aging with Disability that was proposed in the NPP. Read More