House Passes Bill Restricting Government Meetings, Travel

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday [11/18] voted overwhelmingly in favor -- 388 to 1 -- of H.R. 2061, otherwise known as the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA).

Sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the bill is intended to increase transparency around government spending by increasing financial reporting requirements for federal agencies. It would expand the amount of data reported online at USASpending.gov, require federal inspectors general to regularly review spending data for accuracy, and mandate the creation of a website updating the public about activities to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in government spending.

According to a summary published on the House Republicans' website, the bill also includes an amendment that would "create limits on travel and conference spending by each government agency, and would improve transparency by requiring each agency to post detailed information on any presentation made by any employee of that agency at a conference (with an exception made for national security reasons)."

Both the U.S. Travel Association and the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) have released scathing criticisms of DATA.

"There is absolutely no doubt that lavish conferences, vague travel policies, and inappropriate travel expenses are a waste of our valuable tax dollars. However, H.R. 2061 goes about it the wrong way. These proposed cuts and restrictions would severely impact federal agency operations," said GBTA Executive Director and COO Michael W. McCormick. "If enacted, H.R. 2061 would threaten key agencies' ability to effectively operate and ultimately result in lost jobs. Use of professional travel management principles can avoid the embarrassing, expensive and indefensible costs and stories like GSA's Las Vegas scandal. Congress should mandate that the federal government should uniformly follow everyday practices adopted at thousands of U.S. companies - optimizing the use of travel dollars by effectively implementing policies that drive appropriate traveler behavior."

Echoed U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow: "Unfortunately, the DATA Act is an outdated solution to an even more outdated problem. Lawmakers are seeking publicity for tackling a number of well-publicized incidents from several years ago in which government travel budgets were unquestionably abused by a few irresponsible parties, but those issues were already addressed by new accountability protocols at the administrative level. And if the goal is to save money, sequestration has already drastically reduced travel budgets until 2021 -- there's nothing left to cut.

"This bill would only have the effect of hampering government efficiency and productivity, restricting key government functions, and hurting local economies by keeping government dollars in Washington, which is already awash in federal cash. Of course there should be oversight and transparency, but this bill augments neither -- it's a slash-and-burn approach undertaken in the complete absence of cost-benefit considerations of the kind that private businesses use and taxpayers deserve.

"The U.S. Travel Association has conducted ample research illustrating the clear benefits of government travel for both the public and private sectors, and I strongly encourage members of Congress to give it a read."

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Accountability recently passed DATA unanimously. The legislation will now move to the full Senate for consideration.