Category Archives: Event News Articles

Event News Articles on GovEvents Blog includes editorials directly pertaining to Government & Military Event News.

Senate Committee Examines Government Meetings

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Originally posted on Meetings & Conventions by Cheryl-Anne Sturken

On Jan. 14, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing on "Examining Conference and Travel Spending Across the Federal Government," and M&C listened in, following the no-holds-barred proceedings, which at times were downright contentious.

The committee, led by Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.), heard testimony on the steps being taken to cut government meetings spending from Beth Cobert, deputy director of management for the Office of Management and Budget; Dan Tangherlini, administrator of the General Services Administration; and inspectors general for the Department of Justice, the General Services Administration and the Internal Revenue Service.
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Reduced conference spending could save government $500M each year

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Originally posted on Federal News Radio by Shefali Kapadia

Agencies are spending significantly less money on federal conferences, which could amount to $500 million in annual savings across the government.

Increased oversight and tighter controls have led to a nearly 90 percent drop in conference spending since 2010 at four agencies, according to a report by Rep. John Mica (R- Fla.).

Internal Revenue Service conference spending decreased from $37.6 million in 2010 to $4.9 million 2012, and General Services Administration spending decreased from $10.9 million in 2010 to $1.3 million in 2012.

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House report details reduced government spending on conferences

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Originally posted on LasVegasSun.com by 

WASHINGTON - Nearly two years ago, stories of a pricey Government Services Administration conference in Las Vegas sparked a federal inquiry into how taxpayer dollars were being spent on federal meetings.

Now, House officials are announcing that not only has GSA conference spending gone down by 88 percent, but the government saved $219 million since fiscal 2010 on conference costs.

The report, issued by House Transportation Committee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., focuses on federal conference spending by the GSA, Internal Revenue Service, Veterans Administration and Defense Department.

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Live Tweeting Government Events – DOs and DON’Ts

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Originally posted on DigitalGov by Sara Harris Smith

In this time of tight travel budgets, not everyone can make it to every event or conference they'd like to attend. Luckily, Twitter has made it easier to share events through live tweeting.

Live tweeting is using Twitter to report on an event, speech, or presentation as it 

is happening.

When done right, live tweeting can help followers feel like they're actually a part of the event. When done wrong, live tweeting can be an annoyance and deterrent to your followers.

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Shutdown Ends, But Uncertainty Doesn’t for Government Meeting Pros

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Originally posted by  on MeetingsNet.com

Government meeting professionals are happy to be back at work after the Congress agreed to a resolution that ended the 16-day government shutdown on October 16. "Unfortunately, continued uncertainty remains for our members and this industry," said Rob Bergeron, executive director and CEO of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals.

"While SGMP's furloughed members are glad to get back to work today," said Bergeron on October 17, "we certainly recognize that this was a short-term deal and not a long-term fix." The resolution only funds the government through January 15, 2014, and raises the debt limit until February 7, 2014. "Our government and contract meeting planners who serve the federal government are eager to continue their important training mission for federal employees and to be appropriately compensated for those efforts," added Bergeron.

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