[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 55 (Tuesday, April 17, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  REGARDING THE BEHAVIOR OF GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION EMPLOYEES

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                          HON. SHELLEY BERKLEY

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 17, 2012

  Ms. BERKLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn reckless 
spending by a group of employees from GSA, the General Services 
Administration, whose actions are now the subject of multiple hearings 
in both the House and Senate.
  The misuse of taxpayer dollars by these GSA employees is truly 
deplorable. And it comes at a time when families in Nevada and across 
our Nation are tightening their belts. The lesson from this outrageous 
incident is clear: government must spend every penny in ways that serve 
the American people's interests, not the interests of those entrusted 
with overseeing the use of these taxpayer resources.
  President Obama has acted swiftly in demanding accountability from 
top GSA officials who failed in their leadership roles and I commend 
his response to the reckless GSA spending that has been revealed.
  Unfortunately, some of the comments that have been made surrounding 
the GSA scandal are meant to create the impression that Las Vegas 
itself is part of the problem.
  I want to make one thing clear to those looking to use these events 
as an opportunity to bash Las Vegas or to point fingers in our 
direction--Las Vegas is not to blame.
  Mr. Speaker, it's not where GSA went, it's what GSA spent.
  And the issue is not Las Vegas, it's the actions of certain GSA 
employees who must be held accountable for their stunning lack of good 
judgment, blatant disregard for cost and for thumbing their noses at 
the rules.
  There is no better destination on Planet Earth for meetings, 
conferences, or conventions than my hometown. No city does it better 
than Las Vegas.
  And the problem is not the men and women in my community who work in 
the tourism industry and who provide hospitality to tens of millions of 
visitors from around the globe each year. These moms and dads bring 
home paychecks from an industry that is vital to the economy of Las 
Vegas--the community I represent--and to cities all across Nevada.
  So, while I join my colleagues in calling for a thorough 
investigation into this incident, I hope the focus will remain on the 
actions of GSA employees and their behavior, and not on the location 
where these misdeeds took place.

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