National Ground Water Association

Legislation in the U.S. Senate has grown worrisome to the science and technology communities.
   
The National Ground Water Association, along with hundreds of other associations, has concerns over provisions contained in S.1789, the 21st Century Postal Service Act, which could potentially limit federal employees from doing their best work on behalf of taxpayers.     
   
Section 501 of S.1789 contains provisions that could impact the meaningful exchange of ideas between federal agency policymakers and the communities they engage, oversee, and regulate. 
   
The section defines "conference" as a meeting "sponsored by one or more agencies, one or more organizations that are not agencies, or a combination of such agencies or organizations." The language also prohibits federal agencies from expending funds on "more than a single conference sponsored or organized by an organization during any fiscal year, unless the agency is the primary sponsor and organizer of the conference." In the absence of further statutory definition of "organization," the term could include any association, corporation, nongovernmental entity, educational foundation, or other group. The "more than a single conference" prohibition narrowly interpreted could limit participation by federal agency employees to a single agency employee attending a single association event for an entire fiscal year. 

Scientific and technological meetings and conferences are a long-established and productive way to connect experienced industry practitioners with federal agency experts and vice versa.  NGWA believes taxpayer dollars already invested in creating scientific and engineering advances by government scientists and engineers will be diminished if those scientists and engineers are restrained from effectively communicating their advances through participation in professional meetings and conferences, thus impacting others’ ability to leverage further advances from these investigations. Of course, the government’s scientists and engineers will also be restrained from the potential gains from what they can learn from others also attending professional meetings and conferences.

In the wake of the General Services Administration (GSA) scandal, NGWA understands and supports the intent of these provisions. But, as the legislative process moves forward, NGWA has urged Congress  to consider the potential impacts the language, as written in this bill, could have on legitimate and important science and technology dialogue between representatives of the federal government and private sector professionals, academia, and the general public.  

To date, NGWA has stated its concerns to Congress directly and through coalitions such as the American Geosciences Institute and the American Society of Association Executives. NGWA members are also urged to contact their senators to express their personal concerns with the proposed legislation. Information on contacting members of Congress is found at the NGWA Web site at this link: http://www.ngwa.org/Advocacy-Awareness/Pages/Tools-for-contacting-congressional-members.aspx.

Please consider copying NGWA Government Affairs Director Chris Reimer (creimer@ngwa.org) with any congressional communications on this issue.