U.S. federal agencies are implementing some measures to reduce delays in providing foreign scientists and students with non-immigrant visas, although additional steps could help to improve the cumbersome process, according to a government study released on 25 February by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO). The study, which was requested by the House of Representatives Science Committee, reviewed the issuance of F-1 and J-1 visas in light of national security measures put in place after September 11, 2001. The committee has expressed concerns about whether new security measures are detrimental to scientific research by unnecessarily delaying the issuance of visas to foreign students and scholars.