Congressional Report Shows Johanns' True Priorities

May 19, 10:12 AM CST

President Bush’s former Ag Secretary Mike Johanns had his true priorities exposed by a recent Congressional Report obtained by CBS News:

In 2006 alone, 20,959 USDA employees attended 6,719 conferences around the world.

  • That includes 94 in Las Vegas, costing $254,755

  • As well as 59 in Orlando, totaling $282,656

  • And 28 in Hawaii – which cost almost $2,000 per person

They went to the Virgin Islands to study preventing pollution in the Caribbean.

And one lucky USDA employee went halfway around the world to attend a conference in Australia at the Surfers Paradise Resort. The subject matter: Mississippi crayfish. They could’ve been studied closer to home … but the waves aren’t as good in the bayou.

From 2000 to 2006, USDA spent an astonishing $90 million tax dollars on conferences.

Much of this was done on Mike Johanns’ watch – all while he cut funding for 10 Farm Service Agency offices right here in Nebraska.

If Johanns couldn’t keep tabs on his own agency, how can we expect him to hold government agencies accountable in the Senate?


Mike Johanns and President Bush

UPDATE: Republican Senator Tom Coburn doesn’t mince words:

“We need some grown-ups in Washington to start managing some of these agencies.”



And the full story:


A good leader would have fought for Nebraska’s FSA offices and told their employees that they can study how Congress works right there in DC.

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  1. Well I guess I got some explaining to do…
    — Mike Johanns    May 19, 10:52 AM CST #
  2. What tasks does a USDA employee have to perform to earn a trip to Hawaii…...or Surfers Paradise, Mike?????
    — Steve Hollister    May 19, 11:25 PM CST #
  3. Steve,
    Glad you asked. 1. Be a Republican 2. Show up for work on time.
    — Brian T. Osborn    May 20, 10:04 AM CST #
  4. Actually Brian, I’m pretty lienent on number 2.
    — Mike Johanns    May 20, 12:53 PM CST #

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