To provide transparency, accountability, and limitations of Government sponsored conferences.

SA 2060. Mr. COBURN (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, and Mr.
McCain) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
bill S. 1789, to improve, sustain, and transform the United States
Postal Service; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. GOVERNMENT SPONSORED CONFERENCES.

(a) Travel Expenses of Federal Agencies Relating to
Conferences.--
(1) Limitations and reports on travel expenses to
conferences.--Chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 5711 the following:

``Sec.  5712. Limitations and reports on travel expenses to
conferences

``(a) In this section, the term--
``(1) `conference' means a meeting that--
``(A) is held for consultation, education, or discussion;
``(B) is not held entirely at an agency facility;
``(C) involves costs associated with travel and lodging for
some participants; and
``(D) is sponsored by 1 or more agencies, 1 or more
organizations that are not agencies, or a combination of such
agencies or organizations; and
``(2) `international conference' means a conference
attended by representatives of --

[[Page S2513]]

``(A) the United States Government; and
``(B) any foreign government, international organization,
or foreign nongovernmental organization.
``(b) No agency may pay the travel expenses for more than
50 employees of that agency who are stationed in the United
States, for any international conference occurring outside
the United States, unless the Secretary of State determines
that attendance for such employees is in the national
interest.
``(c) At the beginning of each quarter of each fiscal year,
each agency shall post on the public Internet website of that
agency a report on each conference for which the agency paid
travel expenses during the preceding 3 months that includes--
``(1) the itemized expenses paid by the agency, including
travel expenses, the cost of scouting for and selecting the
location of the conference, and any agency expenditures to
otherwise support the conference;
``(2) the primary sponsor of the conference;
``(3) the location of the conference;
``(4) in the case of a conference for which that agency was
the primary sponsor, a statement that--
``(A) justifies the location selected;
``(B) demonstrates the cost efficiency of the location; and
``(C) provides a cost benefit analysis of holding a
conference rather than conducting a teleconference;
``(5) the date of the conference;
``(6) a brief explanation how the conference advanced the
mission of the agency;
``(7) the title of any Federal employee or any individual
who is not a Federal employee whose travel expenses or other
conference expenses were paid by the agency; and
``(8) the total number of individuals whose travel expenses
or other conference expenses were paid by the agency.
``(d) Each report posted on the public Internet website
under subsection (c) shall--
``(1) be in a searchable electronic format; and
``(2) remain on that website for at least 5 years after the
date of posting.''.
(2) Technical and conforming amendment.--The table of
sections for chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 5711
the following:

``5712. Limitations and reports on travel expenses to conferences.''.

(b) Limitations on Annual Travel Expenses.--
(1) In general.--In the case of each of fiscal years 2012
through 2016, an agency (as defined under section 5701(1) of
title 5, United States Code) may not make, or obligate to
make, expenditures for travel expenses, in an aggregate
amount greater than 80 percent of the aggregate amount of
such expenses for fiscal year 2010.
(2) Identification of travel expenses.--Not later than
September 1, 2012 and after consultation with the
Administrator of General Services and the Director of the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall
establish guidelines for the determination of what expenses
constitute travel expenses for purposes of this subsection.
The guidelines shall identify specific expenses, and classes
of expenses, that are to be treated as travel expenses.
(c) Conference Transparency and Limitations.--
(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
(A) the term ``agency'' has the meaning given under section
5701(1) of title 5, United States Code; and
(B) the term ``conference'' has the meaning given under
section 5712(a)(1) of that title (as added by subsection
(a)).
(2) Public availability of conference materials.--Each
agency shall post on the public Internet website of that
agency a detailed information on any presentation made by any
employee of that agency at a conference, including--
(A) any minutes relating to the presentation;
(B) any speech delivered;
(C) any visual exhibit, including photographs or slides;
(D) any video, digital, or audio recordings of the
conference; and
(E) information regarding any financial support or other
assistance from a foundation or other non-Federal source used
to pay or defray the costs of the conference, which shall
include a certification by the head of the agency that there
is no conflict of interest resulting from the support
received from each such source.
(3) Limitation on amount expended on a conference.--
(A) In general.--No agency may expend more than $500,000 to
support a single conference.
(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this paragraph shall
be construed to preclude an agency from receiving financial
support or other assistance from a foundation or other non-
Federal source to pay or defray the costs of a conference the
total cost of which exceeds $500,000.
(4) Limitation on the annual number of conferences an
agency may support.--No agency may expend funds on more than
a single conference sponsored or organized by an organization
during any fiscal year, unless the agency is the primary
sponsor and organizer of the conference.
______