State Dept to spend over $500k on training staff for congressional grilling
Published time: August 10, 2014 17:44
Edited time: August 10, 2014 22:50
The US State Department has approved a $545,000 contract to coach its officials on how to testify before Congress and brief lawmakers. The department had to seek help from a professional firm after a series of embarrassing performances by its staff.
The department has hired an Orlando, Florida-based company called AMTIS, Inc.
The contract includes classes entitled 'Communicating with Congress: Briefing and Testifying.' It also includes a separate ambassadorial seminar “for building effective relationships with members of Congress and their staffers.”
According to the contract, the 'Communicating with Congress' classes will be offered “between three to four times per year. There is a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 participants per class.”
In addition, there will be individual sessions and classes of mock hearings where officials will testify in front of a panel of experts, who will then give their feedback on the performances.
Other topics taught under the contract include “Tips for leveraging State’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs” and “Training and skill-building in briefing techniques,” as well as “Building effective relationships.”
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The company also has contacts with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration. It worked on two “congressional testimony training sessions” with the Inspector General’s Office at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Washington Times reported.
The State Department hired AMTIS following several embarrassing performances by its staffers at congressional hearings.
Indeed, some of the State Department senior-level officials will be remembered for their statements.
Earlier this year, the White House came under fire over a handful of President Obama's ambassador nominees, who appeared to lack knowledge or expertise about the nations where they would serve.
EXRACTS ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE
SOURCE - RT NEWS - HERE.
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The $500,000 of taxpayer money Obama's approved is $500k that could have been spent better had Obama ensured he screened staff and hired able staff in the first place.
The government waste isn't limited to that $500k Obama's blowing; FOUR other government departments have also blown money on attempts to train morons to be more adept at lying to you.
