Erik Paulsen: “Congress has a duty to ensure that taxpayer dollars by hard-working Americans are spent wisely and responsibly. However…”

“Congress has a duty to ensure that taxpayer dollars by hard-working Americans are spent wisely and responsibly. However, too often, we have seen Federal agencies that have acted in a way that waste taxpayer money by holding excessive conferences with extravagant gifts, luxuries, and perks. We all remember the lavish Las Vegas GSA conference that cost $823,000 for 300 employees, including tens of thousands of dollars spent on gifts. The IRS spent a whopping $50 million--taxpayer dollars--on conferences alone during a 3-year period. These agencies need more accountability. That is why my colleague, Ron Kind, and I have introduced the bipartisan TRACE Act. This legislation simply requires the head of a Federal agency who is hosting a conference to submit a summary of that event to Congress for review. This initiative will hold agencies accountable. It will improve oversight and transparency. It will save hard-earned taxpayer money, and it will create a more efficient and effective government. ____________________”