WASHINGTON-The Center for Public Integrity criticized the Federal Communications Commission for reducing but not eliminating industry-sponsored travel.
“While travel by the highest-level FCC employees has all but ceased, records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request show there have been plenty of industry-funded trips taken by upper-level managers,” said CPI Tuesday.
CPI said that industry-sponsored trips to the Consumer Electronics Show went from 27 employees costing nearly $46,000 in 2003 to five employees costing more than $6,000.
“The headline should have been, ‘The FCC substantially reduces travel,’ ” said David Fiske, chief of the FCC’s Office of Media Relations. “The chairman has followed through on his commitment to eliminate travel by commissioners, bureau chiefs and decision makers.”
Late last month, FCC Chairman Michael Powell was asked again by House appropriators to eliminate industry-sponsored travel for all employees.
“I think our goal should be to get down to zero, with the exception being again on a charitable institution,” said Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), chairman of the House Appropriations commerce, state, justice and the judiciary subcommittee.
CPI’s examination showed that FCC Commissioners Michael Copps and Kevin Martin and an adviser each took trips sponsored by non-profit organizations.
Copps and an adviser went to Nigeria and South Africa on a trip paid for by the U.S. Agency for International Development and sponsored by Washington State University and the University of Maryland.
Martin and an adviser went to Boston for the fall conference of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association.
