[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 117 (Monday, September 19, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S10196]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      NOTICES OF HEARINGS/MEETINGS


                permanent subcommittee on investigations

  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I would like to announce for the 
information of the Senate and the public that the Permanent 
Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled ``The Defense 
Travel System: Boon or Boondoggle?'' This Subcommittee hearing on the 
Department of Defense's (DOD) Defense Travel System (DTS) is part of 
its continuing investigation of DOD's travel policies and practices. 
The DTS was intended to be a seamless integrated computer-based travel 
system that would facilitate travel for DOD employees and lead to 
increased efficiency and substantial cost savings. However, reports by 
the DOD Inspector General, the DOD Program Analysis and Evaluation 
Division, the Government Accountability Office, The Corporate Solutions 
Group and Citizens Against Government Waste have questioned whether DTS 
is effective and provides a cost benefit to DOD. These reports indicate 
that DTS has cost more than was anticipated, has not been fully 
deployed, does not appear to be widely used, does not list all 
available airfares and may end up costing more than it has saved. The 
questions raised by these reports remain largely unanswered by DOD. The 
hearing will explore whether DTS can deliver on the increased 
efficiency and cost savings that were anticipated when the program was 
established.
  The Subcommittee hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 2, 
2005, at 9:30 a.m. in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. 
For further information, please contact Raymond V. Shepherd, III, Staff 
Director and Chief Counsel to the Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations, at 224-3721.

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