The disconnect between what the Obama's do and what they say.

President Obama to stay in D.C. while Michelle Obama, daughters head to Hawaii

Executive Order 13589--Promoting Efficient Spending                           Presidential Documents     Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 220 / Tuesday, November 15, 2011 /  Presidential Documents  ___________________________________________________________________  Title 3-- The President  [[Page 70863]]                  Executive Order 13589 of November 9, 2011                   Promoting Efficient Spending                  By the authority vested in me as President by the                  Constitution and the laws of the United States of                  America, and in order to further promote efficient                  spending in the Federal Government, it is hereby                  ordered as follows:                  Section 1. Policy. My Administration is committed to                  cutting waste in Federal Government spending and                  identifying opportunities to promote efficient and                  effective spending. The Federal Government performs                  critical functions that support the basic protections                  that Americans have counted on for decades. As they                  serve taxpayers, executive departments and agencies                  (agencies) also must act in a fiscally responsible                  manner, including by minimizing their costs, in order                  to perform these mission-critical functions in the most                  efficient, cost-effective way. As such, I have pursued                  an aggressive agenda for reducing administrative costs                  since taking office and, most recently, within my                  Fiscal Year 2012 Budget. Building on this effort, I                  direct agency heads to take even more aggressive steps                  to ensure the Government is a good steward of taxpayer                  money.                  Sec. 2. Agency Reduction Targets. Each agency shall                  establish a plan for reducing the combined costs                  associated with the activities covered by sections 3                  through 7 of this order, as well as activities included                  in the Administrative Efficiency Initiative in the                  Fiscal Year 2012 Budget, by not less than 20 percent                  below Fiscal Year 2010 levels, in Fiscal Year 2013.                  Agency plans for meeting this target shall be submitted                  to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within 45                  days of the date of this order. The OMB shall monitor                  implementation of these plans consistent with Executive                  Order 13576 of June 13, 2011 (Delivering an Efficient,                  Effective, and Accountable Government).                  Sec. 3. Travel. (a) Agency travel is important to the                  effective functioning of Government and certain                  activities can be performed only by traveling to a                  different location. However, to ensure efficient travel                  spending, agencies are encouraged to devise strategic                  alternatives to Government travel, including local or                  technological alternatives, such as teleconferencing                  and video-conferencing. Agencies should make all                  appropriate efforts to conduct business and host or                  sponsor conferences in space controlled by the Federal                  Government, wherever practicable and cost-effective.                  Lastly, each agency should review its policies                  associated with domestic civilian permanent change of                  duty station travel (relocations), including                  eligibility rules, to identify ways to reduce costs and                  ensure appropriate controls are in place.                      (b) Each agency, agency component, and office of                  inspector general should designate a senior-level                  official to be responsible for developing and                  implementing policies and controls to ensure efficient                  spending on travel and conference-related activities,                  consistent with subsection (a) of this section.                  Sec. 4. Employee Information Technology Devices.                  Agencies should assess current device inventories and                  usage, and establish controls, to ensure that they are                  not paying for unused or underutilized information                  technology (IT) equipment, installed software, or                  services. Each agency should take steps to limit the                  number of IT devices (e.g., mobile phones, smartphones,                  desktop and laptop computers, and tablet personal                  computers) issued to employees, consistent with the                  Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-292),                  operational requirements (including continuity of                  operations), and initiatives designed to create                  efficiency through the effective implementation of                  technology. To promote further efficiencies in IT,                  agencies should  [[Page 70864]]                  consider the implementation of appropriate agency-wide                  IT solutions that consolidate activities such as                  desktop services, email, and collaboration tools.                  Sec. 5. Printing. Agencies are encouraged to limit the                  publication and printing of hard copy documents and to                  presume that information should be provided in an                  electronic form, whenever practicable, permitted by                  law, and consistent with applicable records retention                  requirements. Agencies should consider using                  acquisition vehicles developed by the OMB's Federal                  Strategic Sourcing Initiative to acquire printing and                  copying devices and services.                  Sec. 6. Executive Fleet Efficiencies. The President's                  Memorandum of May 24, 2011 (Federal Fleet Performance)                  directed agencies to improve the performance of the                  Federal fleet of motor vehicles by increasing the use                  of vehicle technologies, optimizing fleet size, and                  improving agency fleet management. Building upon this                  effort, agencies should limit executive transportation.                  Sec. 7. Extraneous Promotional Items. Agencies should                  limit the purchase of promotional items (e.g., plaques,                  clothing, and commemorative items), in particular where                  they are not cost-effective.                  Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order                  shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:  (i) authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head  thereof;  (ii) functions of the Director of OMB related to budgetary, administrative,  or legislative proposals; or  (iii) the authority of inspectors general under the Inspector General Act  of 1978, as amended.                      (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with                  applicable law and subject to the availability of                  appropriations.                     (c) Independent agencies are requested to adhere to                  this order.                     (d) This order is not intended to, and does not,                  create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,                  enforceable at law or in equity by any party against                  the United States, its departments, agencies, or                  entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any                  other person.                                                       (Presidential Sig.)                  THE WHITE HOUSE,                      November 9, 2011.  [FR Doc. 2011-29683 Filed 11-14-11; 11:15 am] Billing code 3295-F2-P