The United States Government Printing Office (GPO) was created in June 1860, and is an agency of the U.S. federal government based in Washington D.C. The office prints documents produced by and for the federal government, including Congress, the Supreme Court, the Executive Office of the President and other executive departments, and independent agencies. A hearing is a meeting of the Senate, House, joint or certain Government committee that is open to the public so that they can listen in on the opinions of the legislation. Hearings can also be held to explore certain topics or a current issue. It typically takes between two months up to two years to be published. This is one of those hearings.

A CBO Study. Examines reasons for the increase in spending on medical care by the Department of Defense from fiscal years 1998-2003. Also considers directions in future medical spending. From fiscal year 1988 to 2003, the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) spending on medical care almost doubled in real terms. That growth occurred despite large reductions in the size of the active-duty military force and a substantial reduction in the size of the military’s own hospital system. This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study—prepared at the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee—examines the reasons for those increases and considers directions for the future. Already, DoD’s total spending on health care is more than half as large as its cash compensation. Looking forward, CBO’s analysis examines how overall growth of health care costs in the economy could affect DoD’s health care costs through 2020, as well how changes in benefits could do so.

The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.