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Contact:
Tracy Warren, NRECA
703-907-5746
Mobile: 703-517-3411

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, July 23, 2008. – Responding to a letter from Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) CEO Glenn English provided a detailed account of the association’s expenditures on entertainment since 2004. 

In particular, Rep. Waxman, chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asked whether NRECA had purchased tickets to a Celine Dion concert for members of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors.  NRECA did not purchase Celine Dion concert tickets; the tickets were purchased by Pedernales Electric Cooperative management staff.

In his letter to the chairman, English elaborated that the Director’s Conference referred to in Waxman’s letter “featured several educational sessions, such as 'Practical Steps in Creating and Implementing a Code of Ethics,’ ‘Directors’ Duties and Liabilities,’ and ‘Understanding the Electric Business,’ but did not include an entertainment component.”

In response to a question regarding NRECA’s entertainment expenditures, English wrote that during “the last five years, NRECA has not reserved or purchased entertainment tickets for employees or directors of its member co-ops for external events at its meetings.”  Within this time, the Association has purchased 61 tickets for Nationals games with the understanding that the Association will be reimbursed for those tickets.  

At its Annual Meetings, NRECA sponsors “Entertainment Night.”  When cooperatives register for the meeting, they may purchase nominally-priced (less than $40) NRECA Entertainment Night tickets for their directors, employees and guests.  English noted that “Reimbursement of the cost of NRECA Entertainment Night tickets is handled between cooperatives, their employees, directors and guests.”

Both the letter from Chairman Waxman and Glenn English’s response are provided in the “Related Links” box.