IRS faces new scrutiny for excessive spending on conferences

[freedom fighter jh]

23. Why start with the IRS?

Or, for that matter, with any particular agency?

I don't know that the executive branch of the federal government has a mandate to respond to the news media.

To make this change, President Obama could issue an executive order requiring travel orders to contain a justification that the travel's purpose cannot be carried out remotely, meaning online or by telephone. The same EO could require agencies to get their teleconferencing capabilities up to speed and to offer conference participants the opportunity to participate remotely. All this would cost a little money up front but would save much, much more very quickly. Budgets for next year have been cut drastically in Washington; managers are looking to save money wherever they can so that they can save their programs; therefore most would be open to it. There is no need to go agency by agency.