General Accountability Office News

Lifting the U.S. ban on oil exports would bolster energy security in Europe by allowing countries to find alternative sources, the Czech Republic ambassador to the United States told lawmakers considering a bill to do away with the trade restriction. "The larger the number of stable democracies among the world's exporters, the more robust the energy security of the Czech Republic and the European Union will be," Petr Gandalovic, the ambassador told the panel the House subcommittee on Energy and Power on Thursday. The country has worked to reduce its dependence on oil and gas from Russia, the top energy supplier to many Eastern European countries. A recently built oil pipeline connects the Czech Republic to the Italian port of Trieste via Germany.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is in disarray and has struggled to finish investigations into serious accidents at chemical plants and refineries that in one case killed seven people, according to a draft report by two Congressional committees. The report, prepared by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, said CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso and two other officials have created an "abusive and hostile work environment" at the board's offices. The report, seen by Reuters, will be issued later Thursday. As a result, experienced investigators have left, according to the report, and delayed probes such as the one into the 2010 explosion at Tesoro Petroleum Corp's refinery in Anacortes, Washington, that killed seven.

Crowley is a member of The Puerto Rico Maritime Alliance, which consists of representatives of U.S. flag carriers and labor unions constituting the US Merchant Marine. The Maritime Alliance of Puerto Rico (AMPR) has announced that the GAO Study released yesterday determined the Jones Act does not increase rates or prices for the Puerto Rican consumer. The economic study was requested in 2012 by the resident commissioner, Pedro Pierluisi, and the delegate of the Northern Marianas Island, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan. GAO (General Accountability Office) is the independent non-partisan agency that works for the U.S Congress and its audit, evaluation, and investigative arm.

American Maritime Partnership (AMP) member, Crowley Maritime Corp. The long-awaited General Accountability Office (GAO) study on the Jones Act in Puerto Rico shows that the U.S. domestic container shipping fleet has provided regular, reliable service while offering significant rate reductions, according to the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), an industry trade group. "GAO disproved charges that the Jones Act raises prices for consumers in Puerto Rico," AMP said in a statement shortly after the release of the report today. "As such, GAO's report confirmed that previous estimates of the so-called 'cost' of the Jones Act are not verifiable and cannot be proven.

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, will lead the Subcommittee in examining the Coast Guard's fiscal year 2008 budget, including planned capital expenditures on the Deepwater acquisition program. The Subcommittee will also receive testimony from the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security and a representative of the General Accountability Office regarding the Coast Guard's budget and recent investigations of the Deepwater program, including structural problems with the National Security Cutter and the hull failures of the 123-foot patrol boats.