[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1347 Reported in Senate (RS)]
Calendar No. 582
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1347
[Report No. 113-268]
To provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of Government
sponsored conferences.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 23, 2013
Mr. Coburn (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Chiesa, Mr. Enzi, and Ms.
Ayotte) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
October 1, 2014
Reported, under authority of the order of the Senate of September 18,
2014, by Mr. Carper, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of Government
sponsored conferences.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Conference Accountability
Act of 2013''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CONFERENCES.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Travel Expenses of Federal Agencies Relating to
Conferences.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Limitations and reports on travel expenses to
conferences.--Chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 5712. Limitations and reports on travel expenses to
conferences</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(a) In this section, the term--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) `conference' means a meeting that--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) is held for consultation, education,
or discussion;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) is not held entirely at an agency
facility;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) involves costs associated with
travel and lodging for some participants; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(D) is sponsored by 1 or more agencies,
1 or more organizations that are not agencies, or a
combination of such agencies or organizations;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) `international conference' means a
conference attended by representatives of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) the United States Government;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) any foreign government,
international organization, or foreign nongovernmental
organization.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(b) No agency may pay the travel expenses for more than
50 employees of that agency who are stationed in the United States, for
any international conference occurring outside the United States,
unless the Secretary of State submits to Congress before the conference
a written certification that attendance for such employees is in the
national interest.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(c) Not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter
of each fiscal year, each agency shall post on the public Internet
website of that agency a report on each conference for which the agency
paid travel expenses during the preceding 3 months that includes--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) the itemized expenses paid by the agency,
including travel expenses, the cost of scouting for and
selecting the location of the conference, and any agency
expenditures to otherwise support the conference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) the primary sponsor of the
conference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(3) the location of the conference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(4) in the case of a conference for which that
agency was the primary sponsor, a statement that--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(A) justifies the location
selected;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(B) demonstrates the cost efficiency of
the location; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(C) provides a cost benefit analysis of
holding a conference rather than conducting a
teleconference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(5) the date of the conference;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(6) an explanation how the conference advanced
the mission of the agency;</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(7) the title and pay grade of any Federal
employee or any individual who is not a Federal employee whose
travel expenses or other conference expenses were paid by the
agency; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(8) the total number of individuals whose travel
expenses or other conference expenses were paid by the
agency.</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(d) Each report posted on the public Internet website
under subsection (c) shall--</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(1) be in a searchable electronic format;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> ``(2) remain on that website for at least 5 years
after the date of posting.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) 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:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``5712. Limitations and reports on travel expenses to
conferences.''.
<DELETED> (b) Limitations on Annual Travel Expenses.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--In the case of each of fiscal
years 2014 through 2018, an agency (as defined under section
5701(1) of title 5, United States Code) may not make, or
obligate to make, expenditures for travel expenses, in an
aggregate amount greater than 80 percent of the aggregate
amount of such expenses for fiscal year 2010.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Identification of travel expenses.--Not later
than September 1, 2013, 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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Conference Transparency and Limitations.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Definitions.--In this subsection--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) the term ``agency'' has the meaning
given under section 5701(1) of title 5, United States
Code; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) the term ``conference'' has the
meaning given under section 5712(a)(1) of title 5,
United States Code (as added by subsection
(a)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Public availability of conference materials.--
Each agency shall post on the public Internet website of that
agency detailed information on any presentation made by any
employee of that agency at a conference, including--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) any minutes relating to the
presentation;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) any speech delivered;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) any visual exhibit, including
photographs or slides;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) any video, digital, or audio
recordings of the conference; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) information regarding any financial
support or other assistance from a foundation or other
non-Federal source used to pay or defray the costs of
the conference, which shall include a certification by
the head of the agency that there is no conflict of
interest resulting from the support received from each
such source.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Limitation on amount expended on a
conference.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) In general.--No agency may expend more
than $500,000 to support a single conference.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to preclude an agency from
receiving financial support or other assistance from a
foundation or other non-Federal source to pay or defray
the costs of a conference the total cost of which
exceeds $500,000.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Limitation on the annual number of conferences
an agency may support.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) In general.--An agency may expend
funds on not more than 1 conference that is sponsored
or organized by a particular organization during any
fiscal year, unless the agency is the primary sponsor
and organizer of the conference.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to preclude an agency from
paying travel expenses for an employee of that agency
to attend a conference.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) Limitation on conference policies.--An agency
may not establish or implement a policy that discourages or
prohibits the selection of a location for travel, an event, a
meeting, or a conference because the location is perceived to
be a resort or vacation destination.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Conference Accountability Act of
2014''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given that term
under section 5701(1) of title 5, United States Code; and
(2) the term ``conference'' means a meeting, retreat,
seminar, symposium, or event that involves attendee travel.
SEC. 3. GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CONFERENCES.
(a) Expenses of Federal Agencies Relating to Conferences.--
(1) Limitations and reports on conference expenses.--
Subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 5712. Limitations and reports on conference expenses
``(a) In this section, the term `conference' means a meeting,
retreat, seminar, symposium, or event that involves attendee travel.
``(b) No agency may pay the travel expenses for more than 50
employees of that agency who are stationed in the United States, for
any conference occurring outside the United States, unless the Deputy
Secretary (or the equivalent) and the Chief Financial Officer of the
agency submit to Congress before the conference a written certification
that attendance for such employees is in the national interest.
``(c) Not later than 30 days after the end of each quarter of each
fiscal year, each agency shall post on the public Internet website of
the agency a report on each conference that was held during the
preceding 3 months for which the agency expended more than $50,000 that
includes--
``(1) the itemized expenses paid by the agency, including
travel expenses, the cost of scouting for and selecting the
location of the conference, and any agency expenditures to
otherwise support the conference;
``(2) the primary sponsor of the conference;
``(3) the location of the conference;
``(4) in the case of a conference for which the agency was
the primary sponsor, a statement that--
``(A) justifies the location selected;
``(B) demonstrates the cost efficiency of the
location; and
``(C) provides a cost benefit analysis of holding a
conference rather than conducting a teleconference,
video conference, video training, or other means of
remote communication;
``(5) the dates of the conference;
``(6) an explanation of how the conference advanced the
mission of the agency;
``(7) the pay grade of any Federal employee or any
individual who is not a Federal employee whose travel expenses
or other conference expenses were paid by the agency;
``(8) the total number of individuals whose travel expenses
or other conference expenses were paid by the agency;
``(9) detailed information on any presentation made by a
Federal employee at the conference, including any speech,
visual exhibit, photograph, slide, or video, digital, or audio
recording; and
``(10) information regarding any financial support or other
assistance from a foundation or other non-Federal source used
to pay or defray the costs of the conference, which shall
include a certification that there is no conflict of interest
resulting from the support received from each such source.
``(d) Each report posted on the public Internet website under
subsection (c)--
``(1) shall--
``(A) be in a searchable electronic format; and
``(B) remain on the website for not less than 5
years after the date of posting; and
``(2) shall not include--
``(A) information regarding travel or conference
expenses involving military combat, the training or
deployment of members of the Armed Forces, or other
similar expenses, as determined by the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget in consultation with
the Administrator of General Services; or
``(B) scientific or medical research presented by a
Federal employee at a conference that was previously
unpublished.
``(e) The head of an agency may exclude certain information,
expenses, and materials from a report required under subsection (c)
only if the head of the agency determines that the inclusion of such
information would undermine national security, international diplomacy,
health and safety inspections, law enforcement, or site visits required
for oversight or investigatory purposes.''.
(2) 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. Limitations and reports on conference expenses.''.
(b) Conference Limitations.--
(1) Limitation on amount expended on a conference.--
(A) In general.--No agency may expend more than
$500,000 to support a single conference, unless the
head of the agency and the Chief Financial Officer of
the agency submit to Congress before the conference a
written certification that the conference is in the
national interest, which shall include--
(i) an estimate of the total cost of the
conference;
(ii) the dates of the conference;
(iii) an estimate of the number of full-
time equivalent employees attending the
conference;
(iv) any costs associated with planning for
the conference; and
(v) an explanation of how the conference
advances the mission of the agency.
(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this
paragraph shall be construed to preclude an agency from
receiving financial support or other assistance from a
foundation or other non-Federal source to pay or defray
the costs of a conference.
(2) Limitation on conference policies.--An agency may not
establish or implement a policy that discourages or prohibits
the selection of a location for travel, an event, a meeting, or
a conference because the location is perceived to be a resort
or vacation destination.
Calendar No. 582
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1347
[Report No. 113-268]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of Government
sponsored conferences.
_______________________________________________________________________
October 1, 2014
Reported with an amendment