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With each revelation about the Las Vegas conference we have found that this was not a one-off incident of a wayward employee, but a culture of carelessness and zero accountability from management.
Furthermore, we heard that there are ongoing Inspector General investigations into bribes, kickbacks, and other improprieties. Document requests by the Oversight and Government Reform Committee will determine if this Administration has allowed the excesses of Las Vegas to take place in other agencies and departments. This is an issue which rightly deserves greater scrutiny by Congress and ultimately the taxpayer.
General Services Administration slush fund for lavish spending in Las Vegas which included a swag bag complete with blackjack dealer's vest, signed book by the regional commissioner and commemorative coins for each attendee.
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Leon Panetta unveiled what he called "a strong package'' aimed at enhancing the power of Pentagon officials to investigate those in the military who sexually assault fellow service members.
At a news conference Monday night where he was joined by U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Centerville, Panetta said the Pentagon will create in each branch of the service a special unit of investigators and prosecutors trained in investigating sexual assault cases.
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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish. The Washington scandal machine cranked up today. The Secret Service has begun an inquiry into the conduct of several agents ahead of a presidential visit to Colombia, more on that elsewhere in the program. But we begin this hour on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers focused their ire on officials at the General Services Administration. The agency has been under withering scrutiny after the inspector general uncovered wasteful spending at an $800,000 employee conference in Nevada. NPR's Carrie Johnson has the story.
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE — Todd Stewart, a retired Air Force major general and former director of plans and programs for the Air Force Materiel Command, will be installed as leader of the Air Force Institute of Technology next month, officials said Thursday.
On May 8, Stewart is to become director and chancellor of AFIT, new titles for the head position at the Air Force post-graduate school on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The lead position has been commandant, the title used for the job's current occupant, Col. Timothy Lawrence.
"If Turner's measure becomes law, all TARP documents would have to be made public….Turner has now given notice that Congress can stop executive branch abuses of the public's right to know if it chooses to do so."
Examiner Editorial: In Obamaland, transparency is opaque
http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/editorials/2012/03/obamaland-transparency-opaque/397156
For 66 years, the U.S. nuclear deterrent has kept us and our allies safe from large scale
war under a remarkably consistent policy, supported by presidents of both parties. Now,
however, President Barack Obama appears to be unilaterally changing it — for reasons yet
to be explained.
With House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) and 31 of our
committee members, I recently wrote to the president, expressing concern over reports that
he is directing a review of U.S. nuclear weapons strategy that could result in U.S.
reductions of up to 80 percent.
The Obama administration reportedly is weighing at least three options for reducing U.S.
Time for Action on our Nation's Energy Future
By Congressman Mike Turner
Everyone who has filled up their gas tank has seen that fuel prices have nearly doubled and are continuing to rise. In the Dayton area, gasoline prices spiked nearly 20 cents per gallon overnight. These rising gas prices are threatening the already struggling economic recovery and making it harder to create jobs. Our country's economic interests must be put ahead of election year politics.
"Some short-sightedly want to cut funding for both projects. U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has introduced legislation that would slash the nuclear weapons program by $100 billion over 10 years. His bill would kill the UPF.
"Fortunately, U.S. Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, is a tireless advocate for sustaining the nuclear weapons production infrastructure. Turner has released photographs of aged parts of Building 9212 and invited Markey to tour the antiquated facility."
Editorial: Obama's budget proposal positive for Oak Ridge
By NEWS SENTINEL EDITORIAL BOARD