Tom Coburn: “Amendment 1241 has to do with entertainment expenses associated with USAID. I have a couple of charts that I will refer…”

“Amendment 1241 has to do with entertainment expenses associated with USAID. I have a couple of charts that I will refer to. We are going to run a true on-budget deficit this year of $541 billion. It is inappropriate for bureaucracies of our Government to spend money in ways that are not appropriate when, in fact, that money can do much greater things. In the current bill, and since 1999, there has been a limitation of $5,000 in the USAID budget for entertainment. Much of this entertainment has gone for personal gifts, for live entertainment, for dinners. One of the things I found quite striking was what the USAID handbook states about spending. The USAID handbook states: For budget purposes, entertainment includes food and drink, receptions, banquets, live or recorded music, live artistic performances, personal gifts and furnishings. The USAID handbook also states: The USAID has the authority to use program and regular operating expense funds for entertainment under the necessary expense doctrine. GAO decisions to the contrary are not binding on the executive branch. There are no restrictions on the use of the entertainment account or representation allowances for alcoholic beverages. Let us talk about what $5,000 per pop could do. Five thousand dollars per pop in Africa today is enough to prevent 1,250 babies from getting HIV. Are we going to have a party or buy gifts for officials of African governments, or are we going to cure babies of HIV and prevent the transmission?…”