Reid letter to agency heads promotes Nevada as cost-effective for travel

July 27, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today sent a letter to cabinet secretaries and the head of every federal agency, requesting they reject or reverse any travel policy that discriminates against specific U.S. cities, including Las Vegas and Reno.  Reid’s action comes on the heels of a letter he received from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, clarifying the Administration’s view that decisions on government travel should focus on the cost-benefit of travel rather than the perception of a location.  Reid believes that under the current economic downturn, now is the wrong time to discourage travel to any destination in the United States.  Below is a copy of Reid’s letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.

July 27, 2009

The Honorable Eric H. Holder
Attorney General
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530

Dear Mr. Attorney General:

     I am writing to request that you reject or reverse any agency policy regarding official travel for your employees that discriminates against specific U.S. cities, particularly Las Vegas and Reno.  It has come to my attention that some agencies have adopted guidelines that identify cities also known as resort or vacation destinations as inappropriate venues for official agency travel and meetings.  I was glad to learn recently that the White House shares my strong view that decisions concerning government travel, or where to locate official meetings, should be determined by a cost-benefit analysis as opposed to perceptions about a particular location.  A letter explaining White House policy is included with this correspondence.

    While I am proud of the allure Las Vegas and Reno possess for vacationers, organizations of all sizes and purposes have chosen our state as a destination for their official meetings because it offers them  value and convenience.  It’s therefore no surprise that over the last two decades Nevada has become a world-class destination for business conventions.  Room rates are relatively low (hovering around $90 per room on average in Las Vegas), convention and meeting space is plentiful, travel in and out of Nevada is convenient, and amenities are unmatched by any other location in the U.S.

    These are the factors that should drive decisions on travel by the federal government; if taken into proper account, I am confident they would bring official government meetings to Nevada.  Now more than ever, taxpayer dollars need to be spent wisely and should maximize benefit to the government.  By following these principles – and ignoring ill-conceived biases or perceptions about resort destinations – our government decision makers will serve the interests of all taxpayers, and Nevada will receive its deserved share of meeting-and-convention business from federal agencies. 

    I respectfully request that you respond to this letter and confirm that your agency has adopted a travel policy consistent with the one articulated by the President’s chief of staff in the attached letter.

    My best wishes to you.
 
 
                                                                                Sincerely,
                                                                      

                                                                                HARRY REID
                                                                                United States Senator
                                                                                Nevada