The General Services Administration (GSA) got into trouble with Congress for spending more than $800,000 on a conference. But the U.S. Army blew more than $10 million on a different conference and has so far avoided any scrutiny from Capitol Hill.

Two years ago, the Army allocated $10.7 million to take part in a Washington conference and trade show organized by the Association of the United States Army, a Virginia-based group that brings together defense contractors and members of the military. The Army spent nearly the same total ($10.6 million) in 2011 for the same event, before finally deciding this year to limit to $1.3 million the Army’s expenditure for this year’s event, which will take place in Washington D.C. October 22-24.

But even $1.3 million is more than what GSA spent—$823,000—on a Las Vegas conference that led to congressional investigations into paying for such things as a clown and mind reader and a bicycle-building exercise.

In response to the GSA revelation, the Office of Management and Budget in May ordered agencies to limit conference expenditures to $500,000.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

U.S. Army Spent More Than $10 Million on D.C. Conference (by Brendan McGarry, Bloomberg News)

Bill Would Ban Bonuses for Federal Employees under Investigation…If They Work for GSA (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

General Services Administrator Resigns over Wasteful Spending: Who is Martha Johnson? (by Matt Bewig and David Wallechinsky, AllGov)