Ending GSA's Culture of Waste
Press Release
Recent revelations of the General Services Administration's spending scandal are a prime example of why Americans do not have faith in their government. In 2010, the General Services Administration hosted an opulent conference in Las Vegas that cost the American taxpayers $822,000 dollars. Wasting taxpayer dollars should never be tolerated.
During a hearing this week on Capitol Hill, I questioned Robert Peck, the former General Services Administration Public Buildings Services Commissioner about the Las Vegas conference. In the hearing, I asked for answers about a $30,000 pool party, a GSA official staying in 2,400 square foot Las Vegas hotel suite and a $2,000 bill for a "private" party -- all paid for with taxpayer dollars.
As if pool parties and lavish hotel suites were not wasteful enough, here are some of the other expenses from the 2010 Las Vegas GSA Conference:
* $44 per person for daily breakfasts
* $75,000 spent on bicycle building exercises to encourage team building
* $6,300 spent on commemorative coin sets given to conference attendees
* $30,207 spent on a closing reception dinner
* $58,808 for audio visual services
* $3,200 spent on mind readers for entertainment
I've never claimed to be a mind reader, but if you are like me I can imagine how mad you are after learning that your tax dollars were wasted with such blatant disregard.
This abuse of taxpayer dollars cannot be tolerated. The Obama Administration has tried to sweep this issue under the rug and diminish its seriousness. It took the Obama Administration eleven months to take action. To add insult to injury, the chief organizer of the 2010 Las Vegas GSA Conference was approved for a bonus by senior Obama officials for his work in organizing the conference.
As your voice in Congress, I am taking this investigation very seriously. Officials who organize and authorize wasteful spending must be held responsible. Fiscal responsibility and respect for taxpayer dollars is paramount. I am working to end the culture of waste at GSA and ensure that taxpayer dollars are respected.
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