In an effort to ensure taxpayers won’t be footing any more big bills for lavish Las Vegas parties, lawmakers have approved the first of what could be several new rules governing events for federal workers.
The House voted Wednesday to approve the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) to set new standards for federal agencies planning outings. It includes a $500,000 spending cap on conferences held by individual agencies and would require every agency to disclose what they are spending on contracts on a single public website.
The Senate approved a similar measure on Tuesday that’s part of a larger bill still working its way through Congress.
“Congress has finally said ‘the party’s over’ when it comes to conference spending,” Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla. (pictured above) said Tuesday. “We have seen scandal after scandal because Congress has failed to do oversight. The purpose of oversight is to prevent scandals, not respond to scandals.”
Agencies also would be prohibited from sending more than 50 employees to international meetings, a response to the 17-day Pacific trip led by GSA administrator Jeff Neely, who also organized the $823,000 Las Vegas event in 2010 that led to the legislation.
As Congress fumed over the 2010 event, lawmakers from both parties stepped forward to make sure federal agencies will be held accountable before spending taxpayer dollars on training sessions, whimsical outings, team-building exercises and party favors to commemorate an event.
Other efforts to rein in excesses are still under way. Sen. Claire McCaskell, D-Mo., said she will introduce a bill to cut down agencies’ conference spending and require more detailed reporting. It would cap spending on any one conference at $200,000 unless the head of an agency approves.
GSA Inspector General Brian Miller told Congress last week his office is continuing to investigate bribery and kickbacks relating to the Las Vegas event. He has referred parts of his investigation to the Justice Department for an investigation.
Please see additional coverage of the GSA spending scandal:
How GSA Could Have Saved Taxpayers 75%
GSA Hearing Reveals Bribery Investigation
GSA Officials Created Made-Up Awards
Another GSA Official On Leave
GSA Inspector General’s Report
GSA Chief Martha Johnson Resigns