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New congressional report shows taxpayers picked up $340 million tab for at least 894 conferences in 2012
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If you -- the GSA was bad you have to see this according to a new congressional report the agency is not alone and wasting your money.
You're the taxpayers picked up the tab for at least 894.
Government conferences last year.
Now the total price today at least 340 million.
And the agencies that help the most conventions where departments of defense health and human services and justice and also the VA.
House oversight committee chaired there I set joins us -- I'm looking at these numbers.
The VA had a 127.
Conferences last year that cost 72 point seven million dollars.
They were conference -- an even when talking to general -- second the secretary.
He said look I've got a cultural change I have to make and somewhat defended it.
But it's worse than what it appears.
We asked for reporting over 100000 dollars it's a fifteen billion dollar expenditure we're looking at literally consider that to -- -- you just tip back just a big counts doesn't NL -- and 99000 dollar conference it's not clear reflectors here.
Exactly if you broke your conference in 299000.
Dollars or less you're not reported.
And we did this because there's these are the ones it was worth looking at but I'll give you an example of one of the most egregious and it wasn't necessarily largest about a 150000.
Dollars.
It was done by the Office of Personnel Management.
We understand those -- the people that overseen.
People -- government they're supposed to keep makes the rules for government slashed the ING.
It was the inspector general of that organization.
That had not one but two conferences over a 100001.
Of them.
Out of a 150000 dollars in expenses 53000 dollars spent here in DC was for an event planner.
53 does -- an event planner to find out how to do with staffers sitting call up and order the stuff from a hotel here in in the in the district got a however I am -- I can be sarcastic -- ever heard of Skype or whatever but -- the Department of Justice.
Had a 107.
Conferences and which has been over a 100000 dollars a much -- -- 58 point seven million dollars what when they won't.
What I think don't think -- congress'.
And I -- then many conferences I guess.
A lot of essentially.
The sessions to make people feel good.
We looked at some of the things the money was spent on in some cases it was spent just like the GSA sort of on -- motivational activity and and so on.
And so you looked and said wait a second big college team building and the like.
One of the problems is if you do this locally -- -- usual round facility and you pay for you know.
Brown bag lunches you can do this for a few hundred or couple thousand dollars.
As soon as you start getting a hotel rooms and an event planner -- everybody there flying people around.
You find fifteen billion dollars and maybe we couldn't cut at all but we certainly could cut many billions of dollars out of that budget.
And this is the kind of thing that wouldn't cause you not to.
To have to lay off people that are needed to do real -- Leonard isn't a moratorium on -- is really don't mean money I mean I've -- frankly -- Q what's on the telephone.
Can't we all pick up -- you know I ever get on a conference call or are one get on Skype for something means they really don't have to -- this team building and how to feel good and if they don't feel good maybe they should find another occupation or something not on what it is but.
And is a something's just not right an American taxpayers are paid as -- I assume that these are cities like Vegas.
This summer Brazilians like Vegas some of the worst offenders so our DC employee he's going to hotels in DC for conferences or nearby there was one in Richmond they would DC people they went down to Richmond for what -- while some not gonna commit that one.
Well yes but the whole point was they went there -- -- stay in DC why didn't they just say that I ended in the beltway area there are plenty of hotels.
One of the challenge we're facing is this is the tip of the iceberg you know we've looked at hearings where we've got 81 billion dollars -- -- ITT.
At least twenty billion of it two programs that we start and they dead -- and yes there -- conference is talking about those programs that don't succeed.
We can fix government but we're not gonna fix government -- people complaining that any -- somehow I was unclear when these are so obvious.
These aren't governor employees who seemed -- have a blank check of taxpayer money with no known within their -- -- do we really need this.
At all as I'm OK and I should say these people off these people get pink -- for the work they don't get laid off the minute -- -- -- -- and pretty secure job.
-- these are good jobs and and and again we know we don't have enough money to pay for everything but if the watchdog said OPM.
Are part of the problem we've got to find a better solution fashion -- -- thank you.
