GSA Act of 2012

3/14/2024, 12:36 PM

Government Spending Accountability Act of 2012 or the GSA Act of 2012 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings.

Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose.

Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of such employees is in the national interest.

Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding three months.

Limits agency travel expenses for FY2013-FY2017 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of the ceiling imposed on such expenses. Exempts from such limitation military travel expenses.

Congress
112

Number
HR - 4631

Introduced on
2012-04-25

# Amendments
0

Sponsors
+5

Cosponsors
+5

Variations and Revisions

9/12/2012

Status of Legislation

Bill Introduced
Introduced to House
Passed in House
Introduced to Senate
Senate to Vote

Purpose and Summary

Government Spending Accountability Act of 2012 or the GSA Act of 2012 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal presentation; and (2) any visual, digital, video, or audio materials presented, including photographs, slides, and audio-visual recordings.

Limits to $500,000 the amount that any agency may spend to support a single conference. Allows an agency head to waive such limitation for a specific conference after making a determination that a higher expenditure is justified as the most cost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose.

Prohibits an agency from paying the travel expenses for more than 50 employees stationed in the United States to attend any international conference, unless the Secretary of State determines that attendance of such employees is in the national interest.

Requires each agency to post on its public website quarterly reports on each conference for which the agency paid travel expenses during the preceding three months.

Limits agency travel expenses for FY2013-FY2017 to 70% of the aggregate amount of such expenses for FY2010. Requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to establish guidelines for determining what expenses constitute travel expenses for purposes of the ceiling imposed on such expenses. Exempts from such limitation military travel expenses.

Alternative Names
Official Title as IntroducedTo require quarterly reports on agency conferences and meetings, and for other purposes.

Policy Areas
Government Operations and Politics

Potential Impact
Accounting and auditing•
Congressional oversight•
Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Comments

Recent Activity

Latest Summary10/10/2012

Government Spending Accountability Act of 2012 or the GSA Act of 2012 - Requires each federal agency to post on its public website detailed information on employee presentations at conferences, including: (1) the prepared text of any verbal prese...


Latest Action9/12/2012
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.