Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Bill would open door for government conventions in Las Vegas

Mark Amodei

Mark Amodei

Two years after federal employees were caught noshing on $7,000 sushi on the taxpayer’s dime in Las Vegas, Rep. Mark Amodei hopes the government will consider holding its conventions there again.

The Republican, who represents Northern Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, squeezed language into a spending bill for the Justice Department that calls for the agency to reconsider holding conferences in resort cities such as Las Vegas and Reno.

Amodei said his staff found memos at the Justice Department explicitly prohibiting employees from holding conferences in resort cities.

His legislation requests the department “make conference location decisions based on transparency, accountability and best value in the use of appropriated funds.”

Amodei sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee, which today approved the language.

The spending bill must go to the full House for a vote, where it’s expected to pass in the Republican-controlled chamber.

On the Senate side, Nevada Republican Dean Heller and Majority Leader Harry Reid have also expressed support for getting Las Vegas back on the federal convention circuit.

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