TRACE Act

Bill: 114-hr-3548
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Introduced: 2015-09-17
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Business expenses

Congressional oversight

Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Transportation costs

Travel and tourism
Latest action: action_date: 2015-09-17
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-09-17
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Transparency Requirements for Agency Conferences and Events Act or the TRACE Act</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the head of a federal agency who is hosting a conference or sending an agency employee to a conference to submit to the relevant congressional committee, not later than 30 days before the conference, a report that includes: (1) an itemized statement of the cost of attending the conference, including the total cost; (2) the total cost to the agency hosting the conference; (3) the names of keynote speakers; (4) a list of conference attendees; (5) the location of the conference; (6) a summary of the purposes and goals of the conference; and (7) a conference itinerary. Defines &quot;conference&quot; as a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, training, or other event that involves travel for 50 or more attendees. </p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3548 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 17, 2015 Mr. Kind (for himself and Mr. Paulsen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform A BILL To increase transparency of agencies by requiring a report describing any proposed conference.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Transparency Requirements for Agency Conferences and Events Act or the TRACE Act . 2. Reports on conference attendance by Federal agencies (a) In General Not later than 30 days before any conference, the head of the agency hosting the conference and the head of any agency that is sending an employee of such agency to the conference shall submit to the relevant congressional committee of jurisdiction a report on the following: (1) An itemized statement of the cost of attending the conference, including the total cost. (2) In the case of the agency hosting the conference, the total cost of the conference. (3) The names of keynote speakers. (4) A list of conference attendees from such agency and the titles of such attendees. (5) The location of the conference. (6) A summary of the purposes and goals of the conference. (7) A conference itinerary. (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Agency The term agency has the meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code. (2) Conference The term conference means a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, training, or other event that involves travel for 50 or more attendees. (3) Employee The term employee has the meaning given that term in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code.