FederalDaily.com > GAO: IRS Needs to Strengthen IT Safeguards

FederalDaily - January 10, 2008

GAO: IRS Needs to Strengthen IT Safeguards

Despite some progress, the IRS’s financial processing and information systems are still plagued by security weaknesses that could be exploited by outsiders, said a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Jan. 8. The GAO looked at how well the IRS had improved its information security controls, which are essential to ensuring that financial and taxpayer information is protected from inadvertent or deliberate misuse and fraud. The IRS relies extensively on computerized systems to carry out its responsibilities to collect taxes (about $2.7 trillion in fiscal year 2007) and process tax returns, the report said. Although the IRS established objectives for improving information security—including initiatives for protecting and encrypting data, securing information technology assets and building security into new applications—problems remain. For example, IRS continues to—among other things—use passwords that are not complex, grant excessive access to individuals who do not need it and install patches in an untimely manner. In a written response the report, IRS officials agreed to develop a detailed corrective action plan addressing each of the recommendations. To see more, go to: www.gao.gov/new.items/d08211.pdf.

VA Expands Hospice Care Capacity

In response to an aging veteran population, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) last year continued to expand its hospice and palliative care capacity through a collaboration with community-care providers. About 9,000 veterans were treated in VA’s inpatient hospice beds in 2007, an increase of 21 percent from the previous year, VA said in a Jan. 8 statement. In addition, the average daily number of veterans receiving hospice care in their homes paid for by VA increased by 30 percent this past year. VA noted that the increase in the need for hospice care is expected to continue because of the large number of World War II and Korean-era veterans, and a tripling of the number of veterans over the age of 85 from 2000 to 2010. Anticipating that need seven years ago, VA and the National Hospice-Veteran Partnership Initiative began to build partnerships between VA facilities and community hospice providers. So far, VA has partnered with community hospice programs in 35 states to promote hospice services that are not provided directly by VA staff. The partnerships help veterans transition from VA hospitals to their homes in the community, VA said. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1442.

Hispanic Caucus Launches Youth Development Programs

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) on Jan. 8 launched a national campaign to recruit Hispanic college students for its nationally recognized youth development leadership programs, including its congressional internship program, which provides students with placements on Capitol Hill. CHCI programs include: an internship program, public policy fellowships, graduate and young professional fellowships and a scholarship program. The internship program provides college students with congressional placements for a summer period of eight weeks from June to August 2008, The application deadline is Jan. 31. The fellowship program—which runs from September to May—provides college graduates with national, hands-on public policy experience in a congressional office, federal agency, nonprofit sector or a corporate setting. The fellowship program application deadline is March 1. CHCI said it has expanded its fellowship program for graduates and young professionals, offering Latino graduates and young professionals exposure to experience in the underserved public policy areas of health, housing, the law and international affairs. To see more, go to: www.chci.org.