Inhofe Welcomes Senate EPW Oversight Hearing on GSA Debacle

Washington, D.C. - Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today secured agreement with Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, to hold an oversight hearing on the General Services Administration's (GSA) extravagant conference for the General Services Administration Public Buildings Service 2010 Western Regions, which cost the taxpayer $823,000 and GSA Administrator Martha Johnson as well as several other top GSA employees their jobs. 

On Tuesday, the GSA Office of Inspector General released a report investigating the conference which found that GSA wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars and that GSA did not follow "federal procurement laws nor its own policy on conference spending."  In the wake of the IG report, Senator Inhofe sent a letter to Senator Boxer requesting that the Environment and Public Works Committee hold an oversight hearing on this matter.

Senator Boxer announced this afternoon that the hearing will take place on Wednesday, April 18, at 10:00 a.m. and the Committee will hear testimony from the new Acting Administrator, Daniel M. Tangherlini, and GSA Inspector General Brian Miller.

"I would like to thank Senator Boxer for agreeing to hold this important Senate hearing on the GSA debacle so we can find out exactly what happened at GSA's extravagant party in Vegas, and ensure that it never happens again," Senator Inhofe said.  "To add insult to injury, just when we thought that GSA spending $823,000 on a party was bad enough, now the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has uncovered a video by a GSA employee that shows an utter disregard for the taxpayer. 

"Again, I appreciate Senator Boxer for her prompt attention to this matter and for scheduling a hearing so quickly.  I hope it will be a good opportunity not only to get to the bottom of how this disrespectful squandering of taxpayer funds happened, but why it took so long for those responsible to be held accountable for their actions."