[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[House]
[Pages 13586-13589]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             GOVERNMENT SPENDING ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2012

  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 4631) to amend title 5, United States Code, to 
institute spending limits and transparency requirements for Federal 
conference and travel expenditures, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 4631

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Government Spending 
     Accountability Act of 2012'' or the ``GSA Act of 2012''.

     SEC. 2. LIMITS AND TRANSPARENCY FOR CONFERENCE AND TRAVEL 
                   SPENDING.

       (a) Amendment.--Chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, 
     is amended by inserting after section 5711 the following:

     ``Sec. 5712. Limits and transparency for conference and 
       travel spending

       ``(a) Conference Transparency and Spending Limits.--
       ``(1) Public availability of conference materials.--Each 
     agency shall post on the public website of that agency 
     detailed information on any presentation made by any employee 
     of that agency at a conference (except to the extent the head 
     of an agency excludes such information for reasons of 
     national security) including--
       ``(A) the prepared text of any verbal presentation made; 
     and
       ``(B) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials 
     presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual 
     recordings.
       ``(2) Limits on amount expended on a conference.--
       ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subparagraph (B), 
     an agency may not expend more than $500,000 to support a 
     single conference.
       ``(B) Exception.--The head of an agency may waive the 
     limitation in subparagraph (A) for a specific conference 
     after making a determination that the expenditure is 
     justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a 
     compelling purpose. The head of an agency shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report on any waiver 
     granted under this subparagraph, including the justification 
     for such waiver.
       ``(C) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this paragraph 
     shall be construed to preclude an agency from receiving 
     financial support or other assistance from a private entity 
     to pay or defray the costs of a conference the total cost of 
     which exceeds $500,000.
       ``(b) International Conference Rule.--An agency may not pay 
     the travel expenses for more than 50 employees of that agency 
     who are stationed in the United States, for any international 
     conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that 
     attendance for such employees is in the national interest.
       ``(c) Report on Travel Expenses Required.--At the beginning 
     of each quarter of each fiscal year, each agency shall post 
     on the public website of that agency a report on each 
     conference for which the agency paid

[[Page 13587]]

     travel expenses during the preceding 3 months that includes--
       ``(1) the itemized expenses paid by the agency, including 
     travel expenses, and any agency expenditures to otherwise 
     support the conference;
       ``(2) the primary sponsor of the conference;
       ``(3) the location of the conference;
       ``(4) the date of the conference;
       ``(5) a brief explanation of how the participation of 
     employees from such agency at the conference advanced the 
     mission of the agency;
       ``(6) the title of any employee, or any individual who is 
     not a Federal employee, whose travel expenses or other 
     conference expenses were paid by the agency;
       ``(7) the total number of individuals whose travel expenses 
     or other conference expenses were paid by the agency; and
       ``(8) in the case of a conference for which that agency was 
     the primary sponsor, a statement that--
       ``(A) describes the cost to the agency of selecting the 
     specific conference venue;
       ``(B) describes why the location was selected, including a 
     justification for such selection;
       ``(C) demonstrates the cost efficiency of the location;
       ``(D) provides a cost benefit analysis of holding a 
     conference rather than conducting a teleconference; and
       ``(E) describes any financial support or other assistance 
     from a private entity used to pay or defray the costs of the 
     conference, and for each case where such support or 
     assistance was used, the head of the agency shall include a 
     certification that there is no conflict of interest resulting 
     from such support or assistance.
       ``(d) Format and Publication of Report.--Each report posted 
     on the public website under subsection (c) shall--
       ``(1) be in a searchable electronic format; and
       ``(2) remain on that website for at least 5 years after the 
     date of posting.
       ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Agency.--The term `agency' has the meaning given that 
     term under section 5701, but does not include the government 
     of the District of Columbia.
       ``(2) Conference.--The term `conference' means a meeting, 
     retreat, seminar, symposium, or event to which an employee 
     travels 25 miles or more to attend, that--
       ``(A) is held for consultation, education, discussion, or 
     training; and
       ``(B) is not held entirely at a Government facility.
       ``(3) International conference.--The term `international 
     conference' means a conference occurring outside the United 
     States attended by representatives of--
       ``(A) the Government of the United States; and
       ``(B) any foreign government, international organization, 
     or foreign nongovernmental organization.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is 
     amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5711 
     the following:

``5712. Limits and transparency for conference and travel spending.''.

       (c) Annual Travel Expense Limits.--
       (1) In general.--In the case of each of fiscal years 2013 
     through 2017, an agency (as defined under section 5712(e) of 
     title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a)) may 
     not make, or obligate to make, expenditures for travel 
     expenses, in an aggregate amount greater than 70 percent of 
     the aggregate amount of such expenses for fiscal year 2010.
       (2) Identification of travel expenses.--
       (A) Responsibilities.--Not later than December 31, 2012, 
     and after consultation with the Administrator of General 
     Services and the Director of the Administrative Office of the 
     United States Courts, the Director of the Office of 
     Management and Budget shall establish guidelines for the 
     determination of what expenses constitute travel expenses for 
     purposes of this subsection. The guidelines shall identify 
     specific expenses, and classes of expenses, that are to be 
     treated as travel expenses.
       (B) Exemption for military travel.--The guidelines required 
     under subparagraph (A) shall exclude military travel expenses 
     in determining what expenses constitute travel expenses. 
     Military travel expenses shall include travel expenses 
     involving military combat, the training or deployment of 
     uniformed military personnel, and such other travel expenses 
     as determined by the Director of the Office of Management and 
     Budget, in consultation with the Administrator of General 
     Services and the Director of the Administrative Office of the 
     United States Courts.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Walsh) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and 
extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  The Government Spending Accountability Act, or GSA Act, will end the 
days of unnecessary boondoggles and lavish trips for Federal 
bureaucrats.
  I think we're all aware of GSA's recent escapades in Las Vegas where 
the agency paid more than $44 a head for breakfast, $7,000 in sushi at 
a networking reception, and $75,000 to build bicycles.
  I think we can all agree that all of this spending is outrageous and 
unacceptable. We can't continue to ask hardworking taxpayers to tighten 
their belts and make tough decisions when for years the GSA and other 
Federal agencies have thrown away those taxpayer dollars on lavish 
conferences like this.
  The days of wasting taxpayer dollars on fancy junkets for government 
bureaucrats should soon be over. I introduced the GSA Act because, as 
stewards of taxpayer dollars, it is our responsibility to ensure that 
they are not wasted on lavish conferences and posh junkets.
  The GSA Act requires that every quarter Federal agencies publish an 
open report that details every conference for which the agency paid 
travel and expenses. The bill also limits the amount that an agency can 
spend on any one conference to $500,000 and on travel annually to 70 
percent of the amount the agency spent on travel in 2010.
  I would like to thank Chairman Issa, Ranking Member Cummings, and my 
friends across the aisle for joining me in this effort. The 
bipartisanship displayed here shows what Congress can accomplish when 
both parties come together to tackle reckless spending.
  We need to come together to fix Washington and start cultivating some 
respect for hard-earned taxpayer dollars. The GSA Act will help change 
the culture of waste in Washington and put us on a path to a 
sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.
  Please join me in standing up for taxpayers. I support this measure 
and urge its adoption.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4631, the Government 
Spending Accountability Act, as amended.
  This legislation will improve congressional oversight of Federal 
Government spending on meetings and conferences. It is modeled on 
similar reporting requirements contained in the DATA Act, which passed 
the House of Representatives earlier this year with bipartisan support.
  This legislation will help rein in the type of wasteful spending of 
taxpayer dollars that we have witnessed over the past several months. 
In April, the committee held a hearing to examine the GSA's expenditure 
of $800,000 on a single conference in Las Vegas in 2010.
  The gross abuse of Federal funds must not be repeated, and one way to 
avoid that is to monitor more closely how Federal agencies use their 
funds on such activities.
  We are all aware that conferences are an important part of staff 
development and can help improve the quality of Federal Government 
work; however, we must make sure that they do not turn into resort 
vacations funded by taxpayers, many of whom are continuing to struggle 
to make ends meet.

                              {time}  1240

  Madam Speaker, the GSA incident tarnished the reputation of 
government workers who dedicate their lives to public service, which I 
believe is unfair. This legislation, as amended, would prevent a few 
reckless and selfish individuals from engaging in activities that 
discredit the entire Federal workforce.
  Madam Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.

[[Page 13588]]


  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Holt).
  Mr. HOLT. I thank my friend from Missouri.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4631. I oppose this bill 
because it would make significant changes to Federal employees' ability 
to travel to conferences and meetings.
  Although I appreciate the sponsors' efforts to ensure oversight on 
travel expenditures, I'm not sure they realize the impact that this 
legislation would have on science and technology, which is the engine 
of American innovation.
  This bill institutes prohibitions and impediments that would hinder 
American scientists' ability to collaborate and communicate with 
scientists at other institutions and laboratories. Now, to be sure, 
they can probably get around these prohibitions and impediments, but we 
should not be putting these in place in the first matter.
  As a scientist, I know firsthand how important scientific conferences 
and meetings are. The informal conversations, as well as the formal 
presentations and poster sessions and everything else that goes into it 
between scientists from different institutions, lead to new 
collaborations that have the promise of new discoveries. These are not 
fancy junkets.
  Now, people often ask students, well, what is science. What's so 
special about science? Why does it work? Well, it works because one of 
its fundamental tenets is communication.
  To be sure, there are various ways to have communication, but 
scientific conferences are critically important. In a recent op-ed by 
the presidents of the American Chemical Society and the president of 
the American Physical Society, they discuss, for example, an anticancer 
drug that was the result of collaboration between a team of scientists 
from three laboratories that took place at conferences.
  This bill would hinder that kind of collaboration. Just about any 
scientific society in this country can give you examples where large 
numbers of federally sponsored researchers go off to conferences. It 
happens in plasma physics. It happens in microbiology. It happens in 
AIDS policy and AIDS research.
  In a time when the Federal Government should be making science a 
priority, passing a bill that would make scientists jump through 
hurdles and get around impediments would, in fact, weaken American 
scientists, weaken American science, and impede the ability of American 
scientists to innovate.
  That is not wise. This is not the way to build our economy. We should 
be investing more in research and development, which means, of course, 
investing in scientists, but also investing in their ability to pursue 
science.
  We should be spending more on international conferences. We should be 
spending more on national conferences. We should be spending more on 
national laboratories. We should be spending more on public and private 
research and development for the sake of jobs, for the sake of our 
economic vitality, for the sake of the quality of life of Americans. 
This is not the way to build our economy and to foster innovation.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I appreciate the concerns of my colleague, and I would only note that 
new technology, I think, has made it easier to teleconference and 
communicate remotely. This not only would save money, which is 
important, but it has already and will continue to increase the amount 
of collaboration.
  Mr. HOLT. Will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. I yield to the gentleman.
  Mr. HOLT. Do you think that the Congress of the United States might 
do better if we don't meet in person, if we stay home and get on 
conference calls every once in a while and phone in?
  I don't think so. I think the gains that are made in good legislation 
that come from conferences, as we gather here for votes, on the side 
between votes, is invaluable. The same can be said many times over for 
microbiology, for plasma physics, for--let's go through a long list.
  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Reclaiming my time, again, I would say 
Congress, in today's day and age, where we hit $16 trillion in debt 
last week, Congress, like all institutions in this country, needs to 
figure out how to work more efficiently and save hard-earned taxpayer 
dollars.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to vote in favor 
of H.R. 4631, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALSH of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to join me 
in support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I think we can all 
agree that federal agencies need to be wise and judicious in their use 
of travel funds, and that past abuses, while very much the exception, 
were a wake-up call for us to exercise stricter oversight of taxpayer 
dollars. The Administration itself, through the Office of Management 
and Budget, OMB, has also sought to curb these abuses by instituting 
new travel caps and new reporting requirements on all agency travel and 
I applaud them for taking this seriously.
  On the face of it, OMB's directives seem reasonable to most of us, 
although there is room for debate even here. The scientific community, 
which includes tens of thousands of federal scientists at agencies such 
as the Department of Energy and NASA, depend on face-to-face 
interaction through conferences and workshops to foster innovation and 
launch new scientific directions. The community, therefore, is 
rightfully concerned about the unintended consequences of these 
restrictions stifling innovation and stunting economic growth by 
preventing federal scientists from participating fully in scientific 
exchanges with their fellow scientists and engineers from across the 
country and the world. So I hope OMB follows closely the impact of 
their own rules as they are implemented.
  Today, however, I speak to the shockingly onerous requirements in 
H.R. 4631. While OMB's new directives have a $100,000 trigger for 
reporting on any given conference, in this bill, there is no trigger 
for the excessive laundry list of reporting requirements. And to be 
sure we understand each other, a conference is defined in this bill as 
``a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, or event to which an employee 
travels 25 miles or more to attend, that is held for consultation, 
education, discussion, or training; and is not held entirely at a 
Government facility.'' Imagine, then, the very real and very common 
situation in which a USGS scientist in Reston travels by personal 
vehicle to a meeting about earthquakes with other agency and non-
federal scientists at a non-governmental site such as the American 
Geophysical Union headquarters in DC. That USGS scientist is entitled 
to reimbursement for fuel mileage for that trip. Are we really going to 
pay that scientist and other agency staff to do a complete cost-benefit 
analysis and meet all of the other reporting requirements in this bill 
over a $30 expense? It seems to me that the additional bureaucratic 
resources necessary to meet this requirement will require far more than 
a $30 reimbursement for gas.
  Colleagues, I cannot imagine a more inefficient, bureaucratic, 
wasteful system than the one set up in this bill. If the goal is to 
make it so hard for any agency scientist to travel anywhere, anytime, 
for any purpose, then mission accomplished. But let us not 
underestimate the consequences this will have on the free and open 
exchange of scientific and technical knowledge and understanding 
between federal and non-federal scientists and for the innovation and 
economic benefits that follow. Nor let us underestimate the 
consequences this has for the ability of science agencies such as the 
National Science Foundation to conduct proper oversight of the several 
billion dollars in grants it awards to university scientists and 
engineers, because this bill also applies to program managers.
  I urge my colleagues on the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform to address these concerns as the bill moves forward.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Walsh) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 4631, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

[[Page 13589]]



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