Charges of major government waste leveled by a Republican in Congress were undermined Wednesday by the release of new figures on government conference spending inside the Commerce Department, though the same monetary details also raised fresh questions about travel spending by federal workers.
Rep. Sandy Adams (R-FL) had charged that information from a whistleblower inside the National Institute of Standards and Technology showed $34 million had been spent on yearly conferences over the last six years - instead the Commerce Department said the NIST total was about 10 percent of that amount, just over $3.4 million.
The $3.4 million in spending from 2007-2012 covered yearly conferences held in Orlando by the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a group within NIST.
The 2012 NIST/MEP conference had a final cost of almost $671,000 - compare that to the 2010 GSA conference in Las Vegas which caused such a furor on Capitol Hill - that tab was just over $822,000 in federal money.
Ironically, the 2012 NIST/MEP conference took place barely three weeks after Congress convened hearings on GSA conference spending, reinforcing a feeling among lawmakers in Congress that some federal agencies aren't getting the message about reining in government conference and travel costs.
Figures provided by the Commerce Department showed the 2012 NIST/MEP conference grew in cost by over 13% from the 2011 gathering in Orlando; here are the figures back to 2006 just for this one conference:
2012 - $670,845
2011 - $580,989
2010 - $582,699
2009 - $594,753
2008 - $527,775
2007 - $505,700
2006 - $486,500
Commerce Department spokeswoman Sarah Horowitz defended the yearly gatherings in a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon:
"The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has held a conference in Orlando, Florida, at the Orlando World Center Marriot annually since 2006 in order to provide workshops and training for MEP Center staff members, as well as education and networking for manufacturers and industry experts."
The tab evidently could have been even more expensive, as Horowitz said that, "No federal funds were spent on catering, entertainment, or alcohol," a major difference when compared to the GSA conference in 2010.
"Any reception and entertainment associated with this conference were paid for entirely by private sector resources," Horowitz added.
The lower estimates of spending by NIST on their Orlando conference did not deter Rep. Adams, who again Wednesday said the spending raised legitimate questions about government use of tax dollars.
"It is another prime example of 'Washington gone wild' with taxpayer money," said Adams, who is in a difficult re-election race against fellow Rep. John Mica (R-FL).
Adams has asked two House committees to review the conference spending by NIST/MEP, saying it merits further scrutiny with a hearing in Congress.
"I'm interested in anything that has to do with government waste," said Adams, who argued that "lavish conventions" for federal workers must become a thing of the past.
"This has to stop," Adams said. "Washington as usual - has to stop."
