On September 15, the Office of Government Ethics released proposed regulations that would prohibit most federal government employees from attending essential trade events of the industries they are charged with regulating including most of the nation’s 10,000 annual exhibitions.
Steven Hacker, FSAE, CAE, president of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the trade group that represents
organizers, facilities, suppliers and exhibitors of exhibitions and events in 58 nations, has issued the following statement:
“The proposed rules released recently by the Office of Government Ethics represent the latest and the most serious assault on American business, large and small, businesses that must be permitted to power and grow the U.S. economy. This reckless intrusion into commerce, if adopted, would further isolate regulators from the industries they must understand. The learning and communications that routinely take place during trade events are among the most important ways that government officials and business leaders can exchange views and ideas.
The very predictable results of this kind of Orwellian measure is to ensure that the U.S. economy will continue to be mired in uncertainty and fear that will only prolong the destructive levels of unemployment and economic malaise that have characterized the last three years.
All responsible leaders of the business community, for profit companies as well as not for profit associations, must view this latest attack by the federal government on business as a call to arms. We must come together to reject this absurd and potentially harmful set of rules, or we will have only ourselves to blame.”
