A delegation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) met recently with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to reinforce the importance of preserving the dialogue and exchange of ideas between government and private industries that so often occurs at association meetings and conferences.
The following is a recap of what was discussed:
OMB and the Administration have taken a number of aggressive steps in the past year to cut waste, including requiring all agencies to reduce travel spending in FY 2013 by at least 30 percent from FY 2010 spending levels and institute a series of internal controls to tighten the approval process for travel and conference-planning. These steps, coupled with the $85 billion in sequester spending cuts that recently took effect, have led to a drastic reduction in government attendance at many conferences .At its meeting with OMB, ASAE offered support for the Administration’s efforts to promote efficient spending but urged the Administration to factor in the role conferences play in fostering collaboration, education, professional development, and information-sharing between the government and the private sector.