I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 859 

To rescind certain excess conference costs from any agency that overspends 

on conferences, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2013 

Mr. JORDAN (for himself and Ms. SPEIER) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of 

such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To rescind certain excess conference costs from any agency 

that overspends on conferences, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Taxpayers’ Conference 

5 Overspending Prevention Act’’ or the ‘‘Taxpayers’ COP 

6 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REPORT AND RESCISSION OF EXCESS CONFERENCE 

2 COSTS. 

3 (a) REPORT.—Not later than October 31 of each fis4 cal year, each executive agency shall submit to the Con5 gress a report listing the amount of funds that such agen6 cy obligated for conferences in the previous fiscal year. 

7 The funds described in the report shall include pre-plan8 ning, travel, and subsistence costs. 

9 (b) RESCISSION.—On the date that is 30 days after 

10 the date a report is submitted by an executive agency 

11 under subsection (a), from the unobligated funds made 

12 available to such agency in the current fiscal year for con13 ferences (including pre-planning, travel, and subsistence 

14 costs), there is rescinded the total amount by which the 

15 total costs for any conference described in such report ex16 ceeds $3,000 per agency employee attending such con17 ference, or the total amount by which the costs for any 

18 conference described in such report exceeds $600 per day 

19 per agency employee attending such conference, whichever 

20 is higher. 

21 (c) EXCEPTION FOR CRITICAL FOREIGN TRAVEL.— 

22 (1) CERTIFICATION.—The rescission required 

23 under subsection (b) shall not apply to amounts de24 scribed in a report that are greater than the limits 

25 provided in such subsection if— 


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1 (A) the head of the applicable executive 

2 agency certifies in writing to the Director of the 

3 Office of Management and Budget that the 

4 amounts were for foreign travel and that such 

5 travel was critical to the agency’s mission; and 

6 (B) the Director determines that such cer7 tification is valid. 

8 (2) REPORT.—Any determination by the Direc9 tor under paragraph (1) shall be included in the re10 port submitted under subsection (a). 

11 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

12 (1) the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 

13 the Office of Management and Budget; 

14 (2) the term ‘‘executive agency’’ has the mean15 ing given such term in section 105 of title 5, United 

16 States Code; and 

17 (3) the term ‘‘conference’’ means a meeting, re18 treat, seminar, symposium, or event that— 

19 (A) is held for consultation, education, dis20 cussion, or training; and 

21 (B) is not held entirely at a Government 

22 facility. 

Æ 


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