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Rep. Sandy Adams, (R-Fla.), on the NIST allegedly spending $34 million in taxpayer on conferences over six years.
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What exactly how your tax dollars are being spent how much of it is really benefiting you listen up we're back to shine some light on the situation that might read a few eyebrows specially after the egregious -- -- -- scandal.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology that's the and I asked he has allegedly spent 34 million dollars.
A lavish multimillion dollar conferences -- obviously they need them.
This was all brought to light by congresswoman sandy Adams of Florida she's also the vice -- of investigations and oversight committee and she joins us now.
I'm come and get this information it was a whistle -- the product -- allege was a -- Correct was -- Laura surprised to our attention and we looked at some of the documentation and then some the latter two both chairman -- -- -- brown.
The question joint committee hearing.
So find out exactly what is happening yeah I and I mean looking at some of the details it says that they has spent an average of four point four million dollars.
For their annual conference 831000.
Dollars.
For their quarterly meeting 753000.
Dollars.
For regional meeting -- gonna take those numbers sound big but I don't know what a conference Cox I mean what do you expect that -- back.
Well here's the point these are taxpayer dollars and what we expect does for them to be good stewards of hardworking taxpayers.
And on the heels of the GSA.
Here we have in May of this year another lavish convention.
Where our tax dollars are spent what what was lavish about it -- I -- where they but the GSA's can't really see -- clowns and you know whatever else nonsense is going on here what what makes you think that this was more than eight it's unjustified.
Well what you have -- you have government agencies and government entities bringing together and having these large conferences and mentions where.
They don't need -- -- these big resorts they don't have to have these lavish meals.
The if they're going to hold something that can even even try it may be.
Doing it through networking via the Internet.
We have a almost sixteen trillion dollar debt we have people in my district and the district I represent.
That have taken to going on state.
Patients not vacations yet and they're hardworking taxpayers and they expect that their hard working tax dollars to be spent wisely and this is not -- absolutely and we were just looking at some pictures of some people who I assume are from this agency out at this event looking like they were having a good time -- the -- -- provide those -- -- is that where they came from.
Actually some of those photographs actually came off of their website the Flickr account wow.
Okay we have a statement from the Commerce Department on the -- ST conference.
Saying quote no federal funds were spent on catering.
Entertainment or alcohol any reception and entertainment associated with this conference were paid for entirely by private sector resources do you buy that.
Well we're still waiting for them to respond to and we will hopefully hold looking committee meeting and -- joint committee meeting them find out.
Because at the end of the day that is our responsibility to provide oversight on these agencies and as we've seen in the past these agencies have.
Really not been good stewards of the American taxpayers the notes and we appreciate that we're glad you're looking -- and I hope that you will come back and tell us exactly what you crying because you're right it is an important issue and -- a taxpayer I -- northern dollars a gallon.
And I I will -- I think we need to find out and we also need to find out what other agencies are having these multi.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars conferences one maybe that could be doing -- by a via the Internet you do that thank you so much we appreciate your time.
