§2255b Department of Agriculture Conference Transparency

Summary

The Secretary of Agriculture must send a report by September 30 each year to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees about conferences the Department sponsored, held, or that Department employees attended. For each conference the report must give the name, the place, how many USDA employees went, and the costs (including travel). If the Department used a procurement contract for a conference, the report must describe the contracting steps. Conferences that cost the government less than $50,000 or ones outside the United States attended by the Secretary or the Secretary’s chosen official representative do not have to be reported. Each report must be posted in a searchable public spot on the Department’s website. Conference means a meeting for consultation, education, awareness, or discussion that includes people from at least one USDA agency, takes place at least partly outside a USDA facility, and involves travel or lodging costs for some attendees. It does not include continuing education or curriculum-based training held separately from a non-governmental organization’s conference.