VA’s 11-day, $221K resort stay draws scrutiny
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 11, 2011 15:59:04 EDT
It may not grab as much media attention as the Justice Department’s $16 muffins, but a $221,000 bill for an 11-day conference for Veterans Affairs Department workers at a Scottsdale, Ariz., resort in January has led the House of Representatives to demand more accountability in how much is spent on such meetings.
The conference costs were enough to pay the annual disability compensation of six totally disabled combat veterans.
Although VA spent $289 million last fiscal year and expects to spend $394 million this fiscal year on meetings and conferences, there is no requirement for the agency to provide any details about costs.
A bill passed by the House on Tuesday by voice vote would change that, requiring quarterly accounting of actual expenses of any conference paid for by VA that involves more than 50 people or has costs greater than $20,000. Quarterly reports also would have to include estimates for conference expenses in the next quarter.
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