Log in to your account
 
Your Industry

Go Back

One Industry. One Voice. Start Here.

By David Basler April 30, 2012

As concerned members of the meeting and event industry you are undoubtedly aware of and following closely the escalating state of affairs surrounding the General Services Administration (GSA). We, at MPI, have been closely monitoring and reporting the story to you throughout the month of April on MPI’s blogs and website. 

On April 25, the US House and Senate both voted to approve two separate amendments to two separate proposed pieces of legislation that would strictly limit the spending by government agencies for the purposes of holding future conferences and events (see the amendment language and MPI’s specific concerns here). We are especially concerned that potential ripple effects of this legislation will be felt by all MPI members—not just those in the government sector.   

It is important to note that the proposed legislation has not yet received approval from both houses of Congress and is a long way from being signed into law by President Obama—so there is still time for us to stand up and have our voices heard. We are therefore working closely with ASAE and other industry associations, as well as the US Travel Association, to inform and educate legislators of the potential impact, unintended or otherwise, that this legislation will have on the US economy if signed into law. You can join the collective meeting and event industry’s effort by sending your own letter (click here for a sample) to your Congressmen (find your Congressmen’s contact info here).     

Along with sending your own letter, MPI also encourages you sign on to ASAE’s industry-wide petition to Congress. ASAE will be collecting support before sending an open letter to Congress representing our industry.   

Our industry’s message is simple: The gross mismanagement of any public trust should be dealt with immediately and stridently, which it has been. But, that the across-the-board imposition restricting government employee attendance at conferences and events is also negligent and irresponsible and will only further disrupt our nation’s recovering economy.   

Now more than ever, it is vital that we stand together as the MPI community and also that we properly prepare ourselves to clearly describe to anyone the diverse business value of face-to-face events. MPI offers its members an arsenal of tools to aide in the preparation for these presentations.   

MPI will continue to closely monitor the situation and will post regular updates for you on our website (www.mpiweb.org). 

UPDATE: After press time we learned that Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-Nevada) has introduced a bill to ensure that Las Vegas is not blacklisted for future meetings and conferences following Congressional hearings focused on GSA spending for a meeting in that city. U.S. Travel strongly supports this legislation and will advocate for quick action on the bill in the U.S. House. Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nevada) plans to introduce a similar bill.

UPDATE NO. 2: (From the U.S. Travel Association) "In addition to the letter by ASAE, U.S. Travel is undertaking an effort on Capitol Hill to ensure that the Senator Tom Coburn's (R-OK) amendment and similar proposals do not permanently harm the meetings, convention and events industry. We will be meeting with lawmakers to improve several provisions of the DATA Act (H.R. 2146) and the '21st Century Postal Service Act' (S. 1789), which indiscriminately cut federal travel budgets and require federal agencies to post competitive pricing information on the Internet for all government conferences. For your convenience, U.S. Travel has compiled a one-pager of talking points related to the GSA's actions and the current situation."

Conversation (8)

  • Suzanne Tabachnick May 01, 2012

    Twenty Five years as a professional medical meeting planner have shown how face to face interaction at conferences fosters understanding, allows for candid communication and creates solutions and a brighter future.   Why should an entire industry and all related industries be penalized because of inappropriate actions of one group?

  • Henrik Dyhr May 02, 2012

    I have today received The Pulse and I have to say that MPI Intl. is a bit arrogant and superior in the wording.
    I have high respect for the U.S. House and Senate, but claiming that decisions made by the two US chambers would negative effect ALL MPI members is a grand overstatement. The world outsite the US is NOT assigned to US legislation.
    Communication on this level will unavoidable lead to enlarge the gap between the MPI Intl. and the MPI Chapters outside the US.     

  • David Basler May 03, 2012

    Suzanne,

    Thanks for your comment. You present an excellent question and the root of it is exactly why MPI is urging all our U.S. members to take a proactive approach to contact their Congressmen and to sign the industry-wide petition efforts led by ASAE. Our industry has very strong advocates in Washington (including ASAE and US Travel), but it is vital that our industry come together with one voice to ensure that the legislation (as currently worded) is not signed into law. If it does, it will undoubtedly affect ALL MPI members, including those outside of the United States.

    Henrik,

    Thank you for your comments as well. To your point that US legislation does not affect members outside the US, I respectfully disagree. After reading the entire proposed amendment (see link above) it is clear to me that if this legislation is passed with its current terminology intact, meetings outside the US that plan on attendance of US government employees will undoubtedly be negatively affected.
    Take the 2009 COP15 conference in Copenhagen as an excellent example. More than 3500 government officials attended this global conference—many from the US. If this proposed US legislation is passed as currently written, it would seriously limit the attendance of US government officials at events such as COP15—events that are so vital to the global environment and global economy in general.
    The residual effects this legislation could cause are also concerning. We obviously don't want to see the meeting and event cancellations that occurred out of fear following the AIG situation in 2008-09. Our industry was in many ways blindsided by the AIG situation. We were unprepared to prove the value of what we do. This time around though, it's different. MPI has created numerous tools its members can access (see links above) since AIG.
    With our "One Industry. One Voice." campaign we collaborating with other industry organizations to support our members and our members have access to the tools needed to prove to everyone that what we do is vital to the US and world economies and that "meetings mean business."
    We can always agree to disagree though and I would love to hear what others think about this . . .

  • Roger Rickard May 03, 2012

    Thank you MPI for using your voice to advocate on behalf of of your members. This current knee-jerk reaction from Congress is just the latest in a series of headline grabbing incidents that affect the health and welfare of the entire meetings industry and our vital partners.

    It sometimes sounds like we're part of a Law and Order television promotion; Ripped from the headlines! The "AIG Effect", "Don't go to Las Vegas!", "Muffingate", and now the "Lavish GSA Conference".

    But my question is, "When as an industry are we going to open better communications between government officials and the meetings industry?" We are always in a position of playing defense rather than proactively advocating the significant impact meetings have on the economy, business, science, technology, diplomacy and all forms of socio-economic relationships.

    We know the business value of meetings. We know the value of face-to-face engagement. When are we going to begin a dialogue with influencers outside of our industry?

    I fully urge all US members of MPI to sign on to the ASAE industrywide petition to Congress. The deadline for doing so is Friday, May 4. I further urge members to contact their Members of Congress, and as them to either reject adding this amendment to the other chamber’s counterpart to the amended bill or make modifications that would allow federal employees to still attend non-governmental conferences. Go to: http://www.voicesinadvocacy.com/tools for tips on how to phone or write elected officials.

    We must believe that our actions will make a difference. If you don’t speak up, it’s not shame on them for not doing what you want – it’s shame on you for not speaking out.  This is our opportunity to prove we are the voice of the meetings industry.

    Please comment below on any action you have taken.

  • David Basler May 04, 2012

    Thanks for your comments Roger . . . Your suggestion of using Voices in Advocacy is a good one. Great tool. As a member of MPI, I personally have contacted my Congressmen AND I have also contacted the White House on behalf of the meeting industry. I am also cultivating support through my social media channels. Any retweets/reposting of this blog would be helpful in spreading the word. Thanks.

    http://www.mpiweb.org/blog/yourindustry/20120430/One_Industry_One_Voice_Start_Here

  • Roger Rickard May 04, 2012

    David,

    I am pleased that you have contacted your elected officials.  ALL US MPI Members need to follow your lead.

    Feel free to use the Voices in Advocacy resources any time you like, I know you will give proper credit. 

    I will repost in my social media world.

    Thank you.

  • Gary Rosenberg, CMP May 04, 2012

    Sent email letters to Congressman Berman & Senators Feinstein & Boxer.

    Just received a call from Congressman Berman's office asking me to elaborate on the effect this legislation will, in my opinion, have on the meetings industry.  Had a very interesting conversation and was told that the email & information will be passed directly to the Congressman.

    Gary J. Rosenberg, CMP
    GJR & Associates

  • David Basler May 04, 2012

    Thanks Gary! I appreciate you making your voice heard!

Post a comment


  4. Formatting options
       
     
    		 
    		 
     
       

  5. Captcha Image